Study for “Creating the Subject as Object” (2012). Graphite on Vellum, over Photocopied photographs. Don Winiecki

(Un)maker

When I write I’d like to think I’m adding some things to the world — some words of course, and perhaps a vision, or a concept, or maybe even clearing some space for new ways of thinking.

But I wonder. If I erase all traces of what I have written, have I removed those things from existence? Would any thing remain? Can you remove words? Can you really remove a vision, or a concept, or new possibilities?

Perhaps I’ll remove myself if I erase the words I’ve written. That would take everything back, wouldn’t it?