Archaeology and hyperart: wrecked and weird

This paper will explore the connection between the archaeological record and hyperart, with examples of weird things drawn from a derelict 19th century landscape garden. Hyperart, or Thomassons, are weird things and structures with no apparent purpose and meaning. They are works of “art” which is not made by an artist, but is rather shaped through unconscious actions and unwitting assistants. The Japanese artist and novelist Genpei Akasegawa is the person behind the concept of hyperart, which is defined as useless but beautifully preserved objects rooted in some form of architecture (Akasegawa 2009). The first piece of hyperart Genpei noticed was a staircase, which he could not make any sense of – it lead nowhere and for some inexplicable reason the banister had recently been repaired; the staircase was neither entertaining, useful, nor ornamental, but purely non-functional. What happens when an archaeologist searching for truth and deeper meanings in things encounter a seemingly purposeless and intentionless object? Mysteries are a part of the archaeological discipline, where some drive our research forward, but others might seem too weird or meaningless to pursue. How do we handle such weird objects? References: Akasegawa, G. 2009: Hyperart: Thomasson. Kaya Press, New York.