The average American, ages 20 to 65, works 40 hours a week. That adds up to approximately 10.3 years over the course of a lifetime. While some people have jobs that require them to work outdoors, or in labs, factories, classrooms, and theaters, most of us spend our days working in an office environment. Desks, chairs, computers, and filing cabinets populate these spaces, walls are typically white with no decorative elements, and some are windowless. Offices like this can make work a real drag, so it is exciting when a company makes an effort to create a stimulating environment for their employees. In 2002, Devon Dikeou created what would be her “ideal office” for the French media and publishing company, Outcasts Incorporated. For four months, the Outcasts office was customized with furnishings picked out by the artist, as well as artworks of her own creation. Devon’s Ideal Office is still in operation today at the Dikeou Collection, and continues to be a fun and inspiring space to work. 

Outcasts Incorporated had six ideal office installations by different artists until July 2004, with Dikeou’s being the first of the series. As an artist whose concepts analyze the inner workings of the art world and different viewing contexts, and whose studio also operates as an office for the production of zingmagazine, designing an ideal office was an appealing opportunity to present her multifaceted practice in a novel environment. Wall color was of primary importance when beginning the project, and Devon opted for a shade a of blue that matched the color of Peggy Guggenheim’s bedroom at her palazzo in Venice, which she renamed “Peggy Guggenheim Blue.” Blue signifies loyalty, confidence, and intelligence, and is said to be the most productive color for an office environment, as it stimulates the mind and easily compliments other colors in the space. This particular shade is lively yet soothing, suggests luxury but not ostentation, and sets the tone for the individual artworks and modern décor. 

Plants like the ones in Dikeou’s Cajole are known to reduce stress at work and can help diffuse office noise. They would also decrease the frequency of airborne illness and help maintain room temperature if they were real, but their artificiality is what best suits the idealized scene. The use of plants suggests a desire to bring the outside in, and she extends this idea by considering not only what goes inside of an ideal office, but where an ideal office would physically exist. She envisions her office to be in one of America’s most iconic landmarks, Yankee Stadium, first base to be specific, represented via Touch of Greatness: Babe Ruth. The fact that Outcasts’ headquarters is in an entirely different country from Yankee Stadium makes the setting even more outlandish, therefore pushing the impracticality of idealism to its maximum. But like the wall color and the plants, Touch of Greatness could have a beneficial impact on the employees, perhaps working as a subliminal motivator, instilling greatness through osmosis. 

The baseballs signed by Babe Ruth and the green Astroturf with base and baseline that comprise Touch of Greatness inspire success, but they also call for interaction and bring a sense of play to the setting. The Trick Is, There Is No “K” is another work by Dikeou installed in the office where players collect the letters printed in matchbooks to spell out “Dikeou” in hopes of winning a carton of cigarettes. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has written extensively about work and business psychology, and says game playing at work relaxes the mind and allows for creative thinking and breakthrough ideas. However, this game is impossible to win without the letter K, and will likely lead to frustration rather than a celebratory smoke. 

While the overall scheme of the Ideal Office is imbued with wit and joviality, Dikeou’s Takes A Licking, and Keeps on Ticking serves as a reminder that time is not free, and when an employee checks in at that clock he/she is then obligated to put all personal matters on hold until they punch out. The title, though, which refers to the popular Timex campaign introduced in the 1950s and brought back in the ‘90s, is about resilience and the ability to function under stress. Strong work ethic and professional integrity are qualities that define an ideal employee, and only those who fit that motto have the honor of clocking in at the Ideal Office

The Ideal Office is still ticking today at Dikeou Collection, albeit not in the exact form as installed at Outcasts Incorporated. Two employees work in this office and share a desk, which allows for easy communication and collaboration, and also democratizes the space. It still symbolically exists on first base in Yankee Stadium, but its real location is in the heart of the collection itself, which means visitors pass through all the time as they make their way through the galleries. This facilitates opportunities to engage with our audience and adds a personal touch to their experience. The best part is witnessing people’s reactions when they realize they can handle the baseballs in Touch of Greatness: Babe Ruth. The intention of the piece is that the balls lose value as collectibles when handled, but gain value as art objects. Like the baseballs, the office has accumulated the marks of everyday use and interaction, but that is what distinguishes it as a place where meaningful work happens. Dikeou’s Ideal Office, in both its original temporary installment and in its current ongoing state, shows how “the ideal” can be obtainable but is impossible to maintain long-term. An ideal office evolves with the needs of the people who use the space yet holds true to the principles of the company, and Devon Dikeou’s office has held up to this criteria for over a decade.

-Hayley Richardson