Contemporary Art
Schwartz Art Collection
Schwartz Art Collection
Martin Kersels
(American, born 1960)
Tossing a Friend (Patty), 1996
Martin Kersels, Tossing a Friend (Patty), 1996, chromogenic print on Fujiflex. 26 1/2 x 39 1/2 in., Schwartz Art Collection, Harvard Business School © 2020 Martin Kersels
Tossing a Friend depicts the artist in the act of throwing six of his friends; each launched a total of fifteen times. For Kersels, the consensual aspect of what might be an awkward arrangement is significant. The binding force of friendship modifies what might appear as an act of aggression that becomes, rather, an activity of confidence and fun.