Coetzee depicts the bust of Sisyphus the ancient Greek King who was punished by Zeus for his overbearing pride. This punishment consisted of rolling a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll down again as he reached the top. This never-ending punishment was maddening and was selected for Sisyphus for his hubristic or arrogant belief that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus. This bust is surrounded by several unrelated objects. The construction shows the maddening effect of art on the artist and is a reflection and criticism of the artists and art historians of the time, who had a hubristic image of themselves.