Ganas de Vivir

This work was the introduction of a text, in the form of Anglo-Saxon runes, on to one side of the plectrum used by, musician, Joey Z. His band, Life of Agony, were undertaking a world tour in the latter-half of 2016. The runes tare a literal translation of the phrase, ‘You are bigger than this place’. It is standard practice for guitarists in rock bands to get plectrums printed with their name, band logo, or something else that identifies them. This is not to identify ownership in terms of capital protection, but ascribes some cultural value to the object – in a small way, like a certificate of authenticity. It identifies the plectrum as having been owned and used by that specific guitarist in that specific band, which carries cultural value amongst their fan base. These plectrums are thrown in to the crowd during concerts, after being used by the guitarist. So, whilst on one level the use of the plectrum by Joey provided a context for its existence and exhibition, at the same time it was also a distribution method for the plectrums themselves.