SUBJEKT: Annäherung und Beobachtung
Vito Acconci, Proximity Piece, 1970
During the 1970 Software exhibition at the Jewish Museum, Acconci, as the wall text denoted, followed visitors around the gallery. He stood close to them. Then, at some moment in the surreptitious performance, he stood too close. The act ended when the visitor intentionally moved away from Acconci and left the museum (Kris Paulsen 2005). Zur dokumentation der performance entstehen 12 fotografien.
Vito Acconci, Transference Zone, 1972 [ anwesenheit in der galerie..]. In der gallerie sind eine art isolierungszimmer und ein wartezimmer eingerichtet. Im hauptausstellungsraum sind dokumente untergebraucht aus Acconcis lebensgeschichte (bezüglich der "prime people" aus seinem leben). Acconci selbst ist in diesem gedächtnisraum, der von innen verrigelt ist. Der besucher kann sich bei ihm anmelden und von ihm aufgenommen werden, so als wäre er/sie eine dieser "prime people": "the viewer might fall into my history, become the prime person".
Vito Acconci, Security Zone, 1971
A person is chosen as my guard and opposition party. He is specifically chosen; someone about whom my feelings are ambiguous, someone I don't fully trust. We are alone together at the far end of the pier. I'm blindfolded, my ears are plugged, my hands are tied behind my back.
I walk around the pier; I attempt to gain assurance in walking around the pier (putting myself in the other person's control, testing whether I can trust in that control). The other person decides how he wants to use that trust I am forced to have in him. The piece is designed for our particular relationship; it tests that relationship, works on it, can possibly improve it." (V.A.)