Michael Landy, 'Credit Card Destroying Machine' (2011). Photo ©Amy Binding
This year at Frieze there was no hiding the fact that the economy is still knee deep in the crisis. However, there was one artist who made visitors open their wallets even before they got to the cafeteria. Michael Landy’s “Credit Card Destroying Machine” 2011, promises the participating spectator a one-of-a-kind “drawing” which has been scribbled out on a signed piece of paper by this large and extremely menacing-looking machine. The art work costs no actual hard earned cash at all, only your credit card. Upon departing with the beloved plastic rectangle, the card is shredded and then spat out to join the growing pile of other buyers’ shredded cards. The drawing itself might only cost a few phone calls to your card issuer (let’s face it, the message of this art work will remain a mere gimmick), but the “Destroying Machine” itself will set you back £120,000.
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