Gink

I've been wondering for a while now what exactly a Ginkgo seed looks like, and hearing so many complaints lately about the terrible smell of the fruit, it seemed my work was cut out for me. The Chinese who collect the fruit for the seeds wear rubber gloves to protect their hands from noxious oils like those found on poison oak. I thought they were only avoiding the abominable smell. I had no rubber gloves so I used a stick and a napkin.

Once the pulp that smells like vomit is cleaned off the seed loses the odor and is full of charm. I hear they're often eaten roasted, but although beneficial for various health reasons, I've read that adults should eat no more than 10 a day, children half that. The bad boys are toxic. Like most things if you eat enough of them.

I won't be eating mine because it's too cute. The shell has the pearly smoothness of percale, making it easy to understand why the Chinese call Ginkgos Silver Almonds. The bulge of the embryonic tree inside the thing is positively adorable, and the oddness and delicacy of the two seams that crimp off a third of the seed is compelling. To some.

I stole the name of this post from a Gilbert and George work, part of a series of, um, I guess we call them "sculptures," themed around these trees. "Gink" hangs in the show currently at the Brooklyn Museum, and it was one of my favorite pieces in there. OK, my favorite, because actually I find Gilbert and George commendable and interesting but a lot of their newer work is too deliberately heavy handed for me to get down. I experienced something like a Gucci-Versace overload at the show, which is too bad for me, because if I could stick with the work I think I'd be rewarded - many love it. Oh well. At least, by virtue of the Ginkgo leaves, I came to terms with one of the pieces a little bit.

I'd love to see their whole Gingko series someday. I'd love to know what inspired them to devote so much of their work to the tree whose fruit makes people gag. I've read that the ancient trees symbolize life, that they're living fossils. I've seen the astonishing and primitive leaves. I also read that the first thing to grow from the ruins of Hiroshima was a Gingko, somehow able to tolerate all the toxicity and unfurl its ancient Maidenhair DNA. I suppose that's enough reason right there, but I have a feeling there's more to it than that. Something more challenging.