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Vito Acconci

Life Histories of the North American Marsh Birds, 1977

chalk and color photographs on board
overall: 39 1/2 x 59 1/4 x 3/4 inches (100.33 x 150.50 x 1.91 cm)
George Cary Fund, 1980
P1980:24

Inscriptions

  • signature/front, lower right, Vito Acconci
  • inscription/front, lower right, LIFE-HISTORIES OF THE NORTH-AMERICAN MARSH-BIRDS [underlined] - FINE ARTS BUILDING, NY - SEPT 1975 -
  • object text/upper right and lower right panels, AUDIOTAPE SAMPLE / IF THIS WERE WHAT IT IS - / IF THINGS WERE WHAT THEY SEEMED - / IF WE WERE SEEING THINGS - / IF THERE WERE A SINK HERE - / IF WE HAD A SINKING FEELING - / IF WE KNEW THE WATER WOULD / GO ON DRIPPING - / IF WE HAD TO SIT DOWN - / IF THERE WERE A CHAIR NEARBY - / IF WE DIDN'T WANT THE LIGHT / SHINING IN OUR EYES AS WE SAT THERE - / IF THE LIGHT WERE DIM - / IF I COULD MAKE OUT COLORS - / IF THEY GAVE US THE GREEN LIGHT - / IF I WENT ON - / (FADE-IN: PIANO BLUES) / NO, NO, NOT THAT SONG AGAIN, I / DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT SONG - / (PIANO BLUES FADE-OUT) / IF I WENT ON, I SAID - / IF WE WENT BACK - / IF THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING ELSE - / IF THERE WERE SOMETHING WE DIDN'T / UNDERSTAND - / IF IT HAD BEEN PUT AWAY, OFF IN THE / CORNER - / IF WE WERE PUT OFF - / IF WE WERE PUT TO SLEEP - / (FADE-IN: BIRDS) / YES, YES, I BELIEVE, YES, YES, WE / KNOW... / (THE BIRDS GET LOUDER AND WIPE OUT THE VOICE)
  • object text/lower left panel, SINK - CHAIR PLACED IN CORNER, AUDIO / SPEAKER ON WALL - BOARD BLOCKS / DOORWAY - GREEN LIGHT COLORS ROOM -
  • object text/lower left panel, CLOSET SPACE, CLOSED DOOR - / VIEWER OPENS DOOR AND ENTERS, DOOR SPRINGS SHUT BEHIND -

Provenance

  • Sonnabend Gallery, 1980 (purchased from Sonnabend Gallery by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1980)