Tony Oursler. Hoisted from the Pit

To this day, the >> Cardiff Giant<< is one of the most incredible scientific forgeries in the history of North American archaeology. The stone figure is named after the site where it was discovered in upstate New York. George Hull, an atheist, had become acquainted with the Bible verse Genesis 6:4 at a methodist revival meeting. It inspired him to have an oversize stone figure carved that he subsequently buried in the ground on the property of his accomplice William Newell. One year later, they arranged to have a well dug on the site, and during the excavation the giant was >> discovered<< . The sensational discovery of the primeval giant was reported on in newspapers all over the country. The strategy was successful, drawing numerous sightseers who were allowed to view the giant for a fee. Although the figure was soon revealed to be a fake, the story of the giant generated its own momentum that even convinced scholars to develop theories about the prehistoric period. With his >> Cardiff Giant<<, Tony Oursler creates an entertaining and abysmal parable of double standards and the loss of trust in the great Western narrative of science and progress.