Everything #4
Everything #4 exemplifies the spiritual dimension of Adrian Piper’s rigorous conceptual art practice. This oval-shaped mirror is one of eight (three in The Met’s collection) similarly etched in gold with the phrase "EVERYTHING WILL BE TAKEN AWAY," which is as much a reminder of mortality as a harbinger of transcendence. Mirrors have long been used as memento mori, or symbols of death, in the history of art. Everything #4 invites viewers to contemplate its otherworldly proclamation and their own reflection, in context. Seriality is key to the work, as its identical editions enable multiple encounters that mirror mantra-like repetition. The Met’s installation of six editions as part of Afterlives: Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt (January 29, 2024-January 25, 2026) realized, for the first time, the artist’s preferred mode of exhibiting the work, "dispersed among widely separated spaces and rooms, so that the viewer encounters this reminder of mortality and transcendence repeatedly but unexpectedly." [1]
[1] The artist quoted in Andrea Myers Achi and Akili Tommasino, "Visualizing the Afterlife," Perspectives: Religion and Spirituality [Online resource: metmuseum.org/perspectives/articles], May 17, 2024.
[1] The artist quoted in Andrea Myers Achi and Akili Tommasino, "Visualizing the Afterlife," Perspectives: Religion and Spirituality [Online resource: metmuseum.org/perspectives/articles], May 17, 2024.
Artwork Details
- Title: Everything #4
- Artist: Adrian Piper (American, born New York, 1948)
- Date: 2004
- Medium: Oval mirror with gold leaf engraved text in mahogany frame
- Edition: 5/8
- Dimensions: 14 3/4 × 11 3/4 in. (37.5 × 29.8 cm)
- Classification: Sculpture
- Credit Line: Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2023
- Object Number: 2024.6
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Multiple artists/makers
1991
Adrian Piper
2004
Adrian Piper
2004
Adrian Piper
1992
Kay WalkingStick
2004
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.