The Story

I was attending sculpture classes in early 1994, when Professor Lordi challenged the class to submit a work containing “found art’.

Cleaning out my desk, I came upon an old birthday card in the shape of a squirrel. Coincidentally, making news at that time was the bankruptcy of the prosperous district of Orange County, California. In that moment, a sarcastic thought crossed my mind — a squirrel with a nut abacus could do better than the so-called financial experts in California! Voila, a new piece was born!

In this piece, the financially astute squirrel “reads” the Wall Street Journal (box background) and proceeds to the nut abacus to work out a formula to bring Orange County out of bankruptcy!

If the viewer of this box happens to have a financial problem, get in line and let the brilliant squirrel provide a solution for you. However, make sure to have either one walnut or two almonds as a down payment for the solution!