Roth Gewuerztruhe 1970 by Dieter Roth
Roth Gewuerztruhe
Dieter Roth’s Spice Cabinet: A Fluxus Manifesto in Mixed Media
In 1970, Dieter Roth created Roth Gewuerztruhe (Spice Cabinet), a work that embodies the anarchic spirit of Fluxus while exploring the boundaries between art and everyday life. This mixed-media composition transforms a humble spice cabinet into a canvas, layering found objects, printed matter, and organic materials in a deliberate rejection of traditional artistic hierarchies. The piece emerged during Roth’s prolific period in Reykjavík, where he collaborated with artists like Joseph Beuys and Nam June Paik, pushing Fluxus beyond performance into tangible, decay-prone artifacts.
The cabinet’s grid-like structure references both domestic order and the systematic chaos central to Roth’s practice. As MoMA’s archives document, his works from this era often incorporated foodstuffs—sausages, chocolate, cheese—that would decompose over time, forcing viewers to confront impermanence. Here, the spice motif serves as both literal subject and metaphor for cultural preservation: spices, like art, are commodities that lose potency when removed from their context. The 1970 dating places it alongside Roth’s Literaturwurst (literature sausage) series, where printed pages were ground into meat, further collapsing high and low culture.
The Fluxus Kitchen: Roth’s Domestic Provocations
By 1970, Dieter Roth had become a linchpin of Fluxus, the anti-art movement that sought to dissolve boundaries between creator and audience, object and event. His work from this period—including Roth Gewuerztruhe—exemplifies Fluxus’s obsession with the mundane as a site of radical potential. Unlike his American counterparts, who often focused on performance, Roth’s Swiss-Icelandic perspective emphasized material transformation. The spice cabinet series, as Tate Modern’s holdings reveal, emerged from his collaboration with Icelandic fishermen, where preservation techniques (salting, drying) became artistic metaphors.
What distinguishes Gewuerztruhe is its tension between system and entropy: the grid promises order, yet the organic materials embedded within it guarantee decay. This duality mirrors Roth’s own existence—straddling Reykjavík’s isolation and the international Fluxus network’s chaos.
The work’s title plays on German compound words, fusing “Gewürz” (spice) with “Truhe” (chest), a linguistic mirror to its layered physicality. This wordplay reflects Roth’s broader engagement with language as material, seen in his “poetry machines” and altered books. The 1970 date is significant: it marks the year he began his Flat Waste series, where household refuse was meticulously documented, further blurring art and life’s detritus.
Material Alchemy: How Roth Built a Decaying Monument
Composition: The Grid as Anti-System
The cabinet’s 12×16-inch format (30×40 cm) mimics standard kitchen storage, yet its contents defy utility. Roth arranged the compartments in a 4×6 grid, but filled them with non-functional elements: printed paper fragments, dried herbs, and what appear to be oxidized metal shavings. The grid—a modernist trope—becomes ironic, as each cell’s contents resist uniformity. This tension between structure and chaos reflects his training under Max Bill at the Ulm School of Design, where Bauhaus rigor clashed with Roth’s instinct for disorder.
Surface and Decay: The Chemistry of Time
The work’s surface combines screen-printed elements with hand-applied materials, creating a palimpsest of processes. Roth likely used a combination of offset lithography for the textual components and direct collage for the organic matter. The visible oxidation on certain panels suggests he incorporated reactive metals, ensuring the piece would evolve post-creation. This aligns with his statement that “art should rot like everything else”—a philosophy that positioned him as Fluxus’s most materially radical practitioner.
Own This Fluxus Provocation
Bring Dieter Roth’s Roth Gewuerztruhe into your space as a 30×40 cm gallery-framed print. Each piece arrives ready to hang, with archival inks and UV-protective glass to preserve the work’s vibrant contradictions. Free worldwide shipping ensures this slice of Fluxus history reaches you without compromise.
Add to Cart — Ships FreeWhere to Hang a Spice Cabinet That Isn’t One
This print’s earthy palette—ochres, umbers, and faded reds—demands a setting that contrasts its conceptual edge with warmth. In a kitchen, it would hang ironically above actual spice storage, its grid echoing cabinetry while subverting it. For living spaces, pair it with raw wood furnishings and matte black accents to emphasize its industrial-organic duality. The 30×40 cm size suits a study or reading nook, where its textual fragments invite closer inspection. Avoid overly bright rooms; the work’s patinated surfaces thrive in diffused northern light, much like the Icelandic studios where Roth created it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What framing and materials are included?
Each print arrives in a solid wood frame with UV-protective glass, designed to replicate gallery presentation standards. The archival mat board and acid-free backing prevent direct contact between the print and glaze, ensuring longevity.
Where do you ship, and how long does delivery take?
We offer free express shipping to all countries, with no minimum purchase. Delivery typically takes 5–10 business days, regardless of destination. Your order will be dispatched from our climate-controlled facility within 48 hours.
How do you ensure the print won’t fade over time?
The print uses pigment-based archival inks rated for 100+ years without noticeable fading. Combined with the UV-filtering glass and acid-free matting, this protects against both light damage and environmental pollutants.
What’s your return policy?
You may return your framed print within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We cover return shipping costs and provide a prepaid label. The print must arrive back in its original packaging and condition.
Sources & Further Reading
- The Museum of Modern Art. "Dieter Roth: A Retrospective." moma.org
- Tate Modern. "Dieter Roth: The Icelandic Years." tate.org.uk
- The Art Story. "Fluxus Movement Overview and Analysis." theartstory.org
More Works by Dieter Roth
Explore Roth’s boundary-pushing oeuvre through these key framed prints, each capturing his obsession with decay, language, and the absurd.
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Ready to Bring Roth’s Radical Vision Home?
Roth Gewuerztruhe arrives framed and ready to display, with free global shipping and a 30-day return window. This isn’t just a print—it’s a fragment of Fluxus history, designed to provoke conversation and defy expectations. Delivery takes 5–10 business days worldwide.
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