Albert Oehlen Brings Bizarre ‘Cofftea’ Beverage to Frieze New York – RisePEI

At Gagosian’s sales space at Frieze New York, you will discover an array of abstractions by Albert Oehlen, whose works have offered for sums within the low tens of millions at public sale. At most honest cubicles, this could be the principle attraction, however right here, it was one thing fully totally different that was luring individuals within the occasion’s early hours: a useful merchandising machine plopped down within the middle of Gagosian’s house that drew a brief line simply after 11 a.m.

On supply is a bunch of bottles containing Kafftee, in any other case often called Cofftea, a coffee-tea hybrid that’s obtainable for the taking. Every has on it a label that seems to be a drawing by Oehlen depicting a hand with a watch whose arms are spinning uncontrolled. The drink’s producer, Aqua Monaco, ominously guarantees on its web site that Cofftea “won’t ever allow you to sleep once more.” ARTnews can neither affirm nor deny that assertion as of press time for this text, however the day remains to be younger. The drink definitely does style strongly of caffeine.

Cofftea is, in some sense, an paintings, and it has appeared at museums such because the Serpentine Galleries in London, the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and the Aishti Basis in Beirut. (The Cofftea at Frieze is accessible without spending a dime, and it can’t be purchased as an paintings, a Gagosian consultant mentioned.) Which will appear uncommon till you take into account that there’s a minimum of one forerunner for this piece. Oehlen’s stunt remembers the Soylent drinks that artist Sean Raspet delivered to Frieze New York in 2016.

To acquire your very personal Cofftea, you’ll want a token being given out by Gagosian representatives on the sales space. (The tokens are emblazoned with Oehlen’s initials and the gallery’s title—a pleasant contact.) You then insert the token into the merchandising machine, which bears the phrase “THEY ARE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY” on its aspect, and out comes a bottle when you punch in a quantity corresponding to every row.

Requested concerning the taste of the Cofftea, one particular person handing out free tote baggage on the sales space described it as “just a little bit bizarre.” So, how does Cofftea style?

Not nice, precisely. On the primary sip, it has an odd bitterness. On the second, it tastes a bit sweeter, although even stranger, extra natural. On the third, you come to appreciate that espresso and tea don’t belong collectively. I didn’t make it previous the sixth mouthful.

What this all means is all a bit ambiguous. Oehlen, nevertheless, told the New York Times this week that the Cofftea bottles, which do themselves not represent a chunk, are linked by an curiosity in “commercialism”—see the ads for chocolate and different merchandise that determine within the abstractions close by as proof.

Regardless of the case could also be, it may definitely be mentioned that Cofftea is among the solely issues obtainable on the honest without spending a dime. A phrase to the sensible searching for these drinks: come to the honest armed with a bottle opener.