RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA / Do Not Ever Work

Rirkrit Tiravanija
Do Not Ever Work  2015
Softcover, 102 pages
22.5 x 14cm, 250 numbered copies
One Star Press, Paris

Condition: New

For his participation in the 56th Venice Biennale, Rirkrit Tiravanija realized Untitled 2015 (14,086 unfired) an event located in the Central Exhibition, Arsenale, allowing visitors to purchase construction bricks stamped with a Mandarin translation of Guy Debord’s protest slogan “Ne Travaillez Jamais” with proceeds benefiting the Italian foundation ISCOS, a nonprofit supporting international worker’s rights in Italy and developing countries.

Inspired by the ubiquitous presence of construction bricks piled before various building sites in Beijing, Tiravanija decided to “make a little factory” in China where this slogan was stamped into bricks by workers, emphasising their labor as literal building block of society whilst highlighting the various ways in which their force is equally taken for granted.

onestar press is happy to present DO NOT EVER WORK, an artist book by Rirkrit Tiravanija wherein the famed slogan “Ne Travaillez Jamais” has been translated into an international chorus of voices, printed in the artist’s typeface Tiravanija 1.

During its active years from 2000 to 2019, onestar press boasted a remarkable production line consisting of over 300 books, 300 multiples, and artists' films. The organisation's commitment to granting artists space, freedom, and flexibility in realising their creative concepts, along with its embrace of new technologies, fostered fruitful collaborations with international artists across a wide array of projects.

onestar press held a steadfast vision when it came to contemporary creation, maintaining a non-didactic and diversified approach. This vision manifested in their publication of artists from different generations, countries, and perspectives, effectively serving as a subjective "encyclopedia" that reflects our multifaceted civilisation.