When Time and Mrs Tiber was purchased from the author by the National Gallery of Canada in 1977, it was recognized that the work was unstable and subject to slow deterioration. Although perhaps an extreme case, this work reflects the contrasts in perceprion of time which exist between the museum, the artist, and the public. Contemporary art has as its aim to slow down and hold, for purposes of consideration, the thoughts, objects, materials, processes, and images encountered on a daily basis - material which is largely ephemeral and essentially intended for current or seasonal consumption. While the traditional artist may render these subjects in relatively permanent materials, the contemporary artist attempts to inhabit the subject by working in materials and techniques which correspond more closely to the character of that subject. Given that the subject is the fugitive and the unstable, this can lead to a situation which is inimical to preservation. These problems, and related aesthetic and social issues with respect to mechanical reproduction - and distinguishing the authentic from the false - are discussed in relation to several of the author's own works.