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Phoebe Washburn's 'Tickling the Shitstem' Installation at Zach Feuer Gallery Explores Waste and Productivity

exhibition · 2026-04-22

Phoebe Washburn's exhibit, 'Tickling the Shitstem,' debuted at Zach Feuer Gallery in Chelsea in mid-August 2008 and will be on display until October 4. Situated at 530 W24th Street, the installation features a framework constructed from 2-by-4s, with interconnected workstations linked by tubes and wires. It showcases a washing machine that supplies colored golf balls and aquatic plants to glass tanks, alongside an orange Igloo cooler filled with sand. Vendors offer soft drinks, t-shirts, and memorabilia. The work delves into themes of production, waste, and commerce. At 35, Washburn had previously shown her art at the Berlin Guggenheim and UCLA's Hammer Museum. A private viewing was set for September 4.

Key facts

  • Phoebe Washburn's installation 'Tickling the Shitstem' runs at Zach Feuer Gallery until October 4, 2008
  • The gallery is located at 530 W24th Street in Chelsea, New York
  • Washburn was 35 at the time and had solo exhibitions at Berlin Guggenheim and UCLA's Hammer Museum
  • The work combines sculpture and performance with improvised production systems
  • Installation includes washing machines, glass tanks with golf balls, and souvenir sales
  • Work explores themes of waste, productivity, and commerce through Dada-inspired systems
  • Private view scheduled for September 4 after mid-August opening
  • Washburn's aesthetic connects to Marcel Duchamp, Jean Tinguely, and contemporary artists like Jason Rhoades and Roxy Paine

Entities

Artists

  • Phoebe Washburn
  • Marcel Duchamp
  • Jean Tinguely
  • Jason Rhoades
  • Danica Phelps
  • Roxy Paine
  • Wim Delvoye
  • Thomas Hirschhorn
  • Sarah Sze
  • Andy Warhol
  • Oscar Wilde
  • Kim Levin

Institutions

  • Zach Feuer Gallery
  • Berlin Guggenheim
  • UCLA's Hammer Museum
  • LFL
  • New York Sun
  • artcritical

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Chelsea
  • Berlin
  • Germany
  • Los Angeles
  • California
  • Switzerland

Sources