Anastasi’s instructions for realizing this piece are simple: “Set a rectangular piece of hot-rolled carbon steel level on the floor. Pour on it a measure of tap water so that the resulting pond holds its position short of overflow. Each time the water evaporates, repeat.” According to the artist, the title of the work comes from his being told by a metallurgist that if this action were repeated continuously, then after 40,000 years the rusting erosion would “sink” through the steel plate. See also the version previously owned by John Cage, now in the collection of MoMA as a gift from Aardt’s founder in honor of Wynn and Sally Kramarsky.
