A diamond manufactured from the carbon found in 30 pages of the script of Superman III (1983). Superman is both an undocumented alien and the U.S.A.’s self-image as a bulletproof protector of truth, justice and freedom.

In the 1983 kitsch-cult classic Superman III, Superman is nearly defeated by the “Ultimate Computer.” He famously crushes a lump of coal into a diamond with his bare hands, and, during a psychological breakdown, a deranged Superman splits from Clark Kent, who must overcome his invincible alter ego. The video Critique of Pure Reason serves as the “artist’s cut” of the film, showing each scene found in the 30-page script excerpt comprising the gem’s carbon source.

excerpt from Critique of Pure Reason, video documentation of the Superman Diamond

installation view at the Columbus Museum of Art

Superman Diamond forms part of Tendered Currency, an installation exploring perceived value, U.S. culture, alchemy, and authenticity. Both diamonds and art are symbols of scarcity, emotion, investment, luxury, taste and exertion; both the diamond and art economies rely on cheap labor, careful manipulation of supply, and manufactured demand within insulated markets. As capital moves with increasing velocity, value itself has become an increasingly variable and subjective denominator in society, influencing the definition of art, and what it might obtain in both cultural and economic terms. Tendered Currency collaborates with these systems to investigate what we value and how we value it.