Bag of Donuts
- Artist: Robert Gober
- Date: 1989
- Medium: Doughnuts, graphite on paper and synthetic resin
- Dimensions: object: 279 × 159 × 152 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is the “Bag of Donuts” by Robert Gober, created in 1989. It’s a sculpture of twelve ring doughnuts packed into a plain white paper bag. The donuts are sealed in synthetic resin, giving them a dry, almost plastic look that preserves the deep‑fried surface. The bag itself carries a tiny pencil‑written logo, “Union Camp,” a doodle of an OK hand, and the words “Made in America.” The work is part of a larger room‑size installation called *Untitled* 1989, shown in New York’s Paula Cooper Gallery. Gober’s fascination with ordinary objects led him to hand‑make each element, from the wallpaper to the pewter drain, and he collaborated with conservator Christian Scheidemann to keep the donuts from deteriorating. The original exhibition sparked a debate about nudity and public attitudes toward sex, with writer Elizabeth Hess noting the work is graphic but not pornographic. The piece remains a proof from an edition of eight, showcasing Gober’s meticulous process and conceptual depth.
See it in person
Bag of Donuts is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
