If this piece is displayed publicly, such that anyone who is willing can work for minimum wage, what sort of artful, philosophical statement would be made when one enterprising individual attaches a solar powered motor to the crank?
It would take a lot of cranking to be able to afford a solar powered motor and crank.
Unfortunately, it would be lost on individuals whose labour is worth less than minimum wage.
Why does it have to be solar powered?
Just to avoid complicating things with electricity costs. Maybe if you spliced into a city power line you could also make a statement about reliance on government subsidies.
It could be the dawn of art gallery tennis.
Why don't you embrace true capitalist mentality and just steal the machine and break it open and leave the trash in a public place for public employees to clean up?
You are so good at capitalism.
On second thought, it would be better if you hired a temp to do the above after they signed a waiver taking all responsibility for their safety and legal risk, then writing off the lawyer's bill for writing up the contract as a business expense.
...and declare bankruptcy before actually paying the temp, then pull all the money from their retirement fund to pay your own bonus.
that's just silly. Temps don't have retirement funds.