From Saturday, May 28, through Thursday, June 2, 2011, the artist Jonathan VanDyke will perform The Long Glance, a work in which he will stand and contemplate Jackson Pollock’s seminal work Convergence, 1952, for 40 hours over five days.

Each day, VanDyke will take his place in front of the painting just before the Gallery opens at 10 am. He will remain in the same spot, with only slight movements and just one twenty-minute break, until the Gallery closes at 5 pm. Visitors are welcome to watch the artist’s silent performance or view the painting alongside him.

VanDyke’s performance is, in part, a com­mentary on contemporary culture and the way pervasive technology has influenced how we focus our attention. VanDyke will strip away all distractions in order to concentrate on the act of contemplation. The performance also highlights the contrast between the obsessive stillness of VanDyke and the intense physicality and movement of Pollock during the creation of his massive “drip” painting.

The Long Glance will take place on Saturday, May 28; Sunday, May 29; Tuesday, May 31; Wednesday, June 1; and Thursday, June 2, during regular Gallery hours. (The Gallery is closed on Monday, May 30, and every Monday.) A live stream of The Long Glance will be available in the News & Features section during the hours of the performance.