Why is Tilda Swinton sleeping in a glass box?

Tilda Swinton is a quirky woman. She's an incredibly talented, unique, quirky woman. Over the weekend, she reminded all of us just how quirky she really is, by napping in the middle of New York City's renowned Museum of Modern Art. And no, she wasn't snoozing through one of MoMa's film screenings - she was part of a performance art piece called "The Maybe."

And yes, Swinton actually was snoozing away in a large glass box, complete with cushions, pillows and a jug of water. Did she really sleep? It seemed that way, though it's hard to imagine anyone being able to get some shut eye with hundreds of people walking by, gawking openly at you. Tilda Swinton is an actress, after all.

I have to ask: Is this art? I guess it is. It's certainly unique and it's very intriguing. If I was in NYC right now, and heard that this was happening, I'd go check it out. Then again, if I was in New York right now, I'd probably already be at the Museum of Modern Art (or the Whitney, my second favorite museum in the city). I'm game for anything, even watching an Academy Award-winning actress snooze inside a box all afternoon.

This isn't the first time Swinton's appeared in "The Maybe." She first debuted the installation in 1995 at one of London's most famed art galleries, the Serpentine Gallery. It was a collaboration with contemporary artist Cornelia Parker. She's also participated in "The Maybe" in Rome, too.

As for this run of "The Maybe," reports say that Swinton will only be in the glass box on occasion, not daily. In fact, a Museum of Modern Art source says that the museum staff "doesn't know she's coming until the day of."

What do you think? Is "The Maybe" really art? Is Tilda Swinton truly into high art, or is she just seeking attention? If nothing else, Tilda Swinton's role in "The Maybe" is certainly provocative enough to get everyone talking about it.

Photo courtesy of Gothamist.com