dangling eyes and getting to zero

Here's the first little hint of Zero Sum #17, featuring a few glass eyes attached to wires, dangling in space. The taxidermy eyeballs first showed up in Zero Sum #15 (scroll down) as bit players in that lunar drama, so I thought I'd give them their moment in the spotlight with this image.

I recently asked the Fiji Island Mermaid Press' Philosopher in Residence Paul Moriarty to take a look at the Zero Sum Art Project and offer his feedback. Amongst his numerous useful and insightful comments was the observation that from day one of the project to the present, ZSAP has never once had a balance of zero. Paul pointed out that having the statement "The target balance at all times is Zero" in the rules for the project should compel me to make a better effort at reaching that goal.


Jasper Johns, Target, 1958

I must admit, I'd been thinking of my target balance as more in the model of an archery target, with the bullseye being zero, but with the project continuing as long as I kept hitting the target itself. Personally, I think the current balance of negative $14.37 is more exciting than zero, because it makes the success of the auction for Zero Sum #16 vital to the survival of the project.

BUT. . . Paul has a point. So, after Zero Sum #16 sells, I will make a real effort to actually reach a zero balance. So how can I use gumballs in Zero Sum #18?