Give and Take

By ALEX CAMBOURIS and KAT MEIAS

On Aug. 26, 2025, The Wright Museum introduced a profound piece of art from Cuban-born American conceptual artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. The piece (“Untitled”[L.A] but dubbed “Give and Take”) is located in the South gallery on the building’s first floor. It is entirely made up of hundreds of pieces of wrapped hard candy in the corner of the room. Any onlooker is invited to take a piece of candy, indulging in the art and in turn becoming a part of it. 

Participation is aimed at being a deeply personal experience asking viewers to trust the safety of the candy without knowing its origin story. The piece was devised in the wake of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. During a time where minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community were becoming increasingly isolated, the art piece challenges the audience to break down barriers and put in effort toward their communities. Written on a placard in the gallery, “Taking candy is immediate, but taking action might come later.” Felix Gonzalez-Torres encourages his audience to take that first tiny step toward progress, giving us the little push we need to become more engaged in society. 

The piece also asks us to consider the effects of HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses on the body. By taking candy, we are accelerating toward the inevitable end of the art piece, which will be dissolved on March 28, 2026. One might look at “Untitled” (L.A) and only see the pile of candy, yet the sweets represent an idea far greater than a simple treat. We, the participants, are the illness that wreaks havoc upon the pile. Depleting the pile until it is nothing more than the ground below it. The pile itself is a body and human. HIV/AIDs attacks the body in whole and soul depleting of its strength, all consuming. We are all consuming.

Felix Gonzalez-Torres lost his partner Ross Laycock to an AIDS-related illness in 1991, the year the piece was created. We could only imagine the pain of losing a loved one to an illness. Watching their health slowly decline with no solution is an incredibly painful experience for all involved. This pain, this suffering, is represented in the candy spill. Watching as the candy sits hopeless and helpless as we take. An important ritual of remembrance, immortalizing the life and death of the sufferer. A symbol of grief, pain, and yet love for all those who lost the battle, as well as a wave and notice to those who sat on their sides watching. 

Beloit acquired Gonzalez-Torres’ piece via loan from Art Bridges and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Art Bridges partners with museums across America to display art pieces of all shapes and sizes. Over one thousand art pieces have been funded across 49 U.S. states. Hundreds of artists have been able to impact over 20 million people. Once again, the piece will be removed on March 28, 2026, so there is plenty of time to visit and experience the exhibit. We encourage you to give your trust to this piece, and take a treat for yourself. Perhaps, someday we can all give back.

Featured Image: Alex Cambouris’27