Erika Nelson's World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things
Some of you might remember a funny-looking bus parked in front of the Library for a weekend back in the summer of 2007. That was Erika Nelson, Lucas, Kansas artist, and her World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things. She was a featured guest artist along with Brian Collier for our annual art exhibit for children, Very Small Objects.
Erika Nelson travels the United States visiting all the “World’s Largest” sites—World’s Largest Beaver, World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, etc.—makes a miniature replica of the monument, photographs it in front of the original then adds it to her museum collection, a bus whose windows have been transformed into display cases, making the entire collection visible from the exterior of the vehicle.
Nelson is able to record local history and retell it all over the country.
Recently the Conan O’Brien show caught wind of Erika’s project and invited her to appear as a featured guest. Below is the interview as well as pictures from Erika’s visit to TSCPL, including shots of, as Erika calls it, “the most fun Library program she’s ever done”: SPAM-Carving. Erika had people imagine what “world’s largest thing” they would build, then carve it out of Spam and have it photographed. We later grilled and ate our creations.
Hooray for Kansas Art! Way to represent, Erika!
>>View pictures from Erika Nelson’s visit to TSCPL in 2007>>