The Maraschino Society

october will be fun

october will be good

october will bring peace

october will bring happiness

“Untitled” (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) is a 1991 piece by Felix Gonzalez-Torres in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. It’s a spilled pile of candy. 

The pile of candy consists of commercially available, shiny wrapped confections. The physical form of the work changes depending on the way it is installed. The work ideally weighs 175 pounds (161 kg) at installation, which is the average body weight of an adult male. “Untitled” (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) represents a specific body, that of Ross Laycock, Gonzalez-Torres’ partner who died of AIDS in 1991. This piece of art serves as an “allegorical portrait,” of Laycock’s life.

Visitors are invited to take a piece of candy from the work. Gonzalez-Torres grew up Roman Catholic and taking candy is a symbolic act of communion, but instead of taking a piece of Christ, the participant partakes of the “sweetness” of Ross. As the patrons take candy, they are participants in the art. Each piece of candy consumed is like the illness that ate away at Ross’s body.  

Multiple art museums around the world have installed this piece.

Per Gonzalez-Torres’ parameters, it is up to the museum how often the pile is restocked, or whether it is restocked at all. Whether, instead, it is permitted to deplete to nothing. If the pile is replenished, it is metaphorically granting perpetual life to Ross.

In 1991, public funding of the arts and public funding for AIDS research were both hot issues. HIV-positive male artists were being targeted for censorship. Part of the logic of “Untitled” (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) is you can’t censor free candy without looking ridiculous, and the ease of replicability of the piece in other museums makes it virtually indestructible.

Aesthetically pleasing, utterly intoxicating, authentically irresistible, collection of stardust.

The night sky baths in the reflection of their glittering eyes and breathtaking smile, a sight that you find more beautiful than the stars.

And then you are left to wonder how their soft sunset gaze could leave you flabbergasted, how the universe could possibly fit into those undimmed eyes.

How one gentle caress of their fingertips melts your heart and sends goosebumps on every inch of your skin, tracing the map to your heart.

How your once sober heart has gone utterly wild and drunk at the sound of their velvety voice.

And when they give you that sweet smile followed by their mellifluous laugh, your heart forgets all the sanity it has ever known.

Imponderable, impalpable colours of feeling fill into every crack of your heart.

An insatiable longing, an unquenchable thirst for them and them alone.

And suddenly every word that you write or utter breathe only their name

Set a powerful intention. You have to show the Universe what you want, and you have to be very specific. Write down your desired outcome or create a vision board. Also, say your intention out loud. It can be something like ‘My intention is to become financially free’, you get the idea. You don’t have to set your intention every day. Usually once is enough.

Become a vibrational match to your desire. Everything is energy in this Universe, so you have to become a vibrational match to your desired outcome. In other words, you have to embody the energy of a different parallel reality. Let’s say you want to manifest love. But are you love? We never attract what we want, but we always attract what we are.

Act as if you already have it. You have to let go of the wanting and needing because that creates resistance. Think about the person you will become when you have your manifestation and decide to be this person right now. Embody this person’s energy, attitude, and personality.

Express gratitude and work on your vibration. A higher energy state equals better and faster attraction. You have to work on yourself every minute of your life. You have to learn how to maintain a high vibrational state if you want to shift your frequency permanently. And gratitude should be your best friend. Gratitude is the magical frequency. Whatever you’re grateful for expands.

Detach from the outcome and trust the Universe. Perhaps the most important step. The Universe always knows the fastest and the most unexpected way to give you your desire. When you think about any ‘hows’, you create resistance and postpone your manifestation. Learn how to trust the Universe and pay close attention to synchronicities. They’re the indicators that your manifestation is on its way.