constituent

constituent - noun

1. a component part of something 

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An in-depth analysis of the artist of Gustav Metzger resulted in the following work. Metzger was a pioneer of the auto-destructive art movement wherein art is returned to a state of nothingness. Each of these cubes contains a component of a framed painting: a wooden frame, painted canvas, and glass; all reduced and collected by hand. The painting remains, albeit in an altered state.