Performance Actions

-http://www.e-flux.com/projects/do_it/itinerary/itinerary.html

In his piece “Les Ecoliers”, Christian Botlanski has created a work executed by another artist of subjects he has never met for which he receives credit. I think that his idea of using school portraits is a clever one as they are such emotionally loaded objects. Basically, his project recreates a page of a yearbook in a new form (blown up on a wall). I personally appreciate this piece not only for its questioning of the role of the artist, but its ability to discretely and subliminally cull such powerful emotions inherent to memory.

This piece is characteristic of Botlanski in that it deals heavily with memory and loss (two themes characteristic of looking back on school portraits). It also memorializes the anonymous subject by not only enlarging their photo, but deeming them particularly important enough to make into art.

-http://www.e-flux.com/projects/do_it/itinerary/itinerary.html

The backbone of Dan Graham’s “Do-it-Yourself Two-Way Mirror Mylar Window” is the distinction between public and private space and the consequential blurring of that line. By essentially superimposing images from one onto the other or making one a mirror while leaving the other a window calls into question aspects of reality, appropriateness and voyeurism.

Dan Graham’s ability in numerous fields in reflected in this piece. In addition to visual art, Graham is also respected as a music writer and an architect. Clearly, this piece identifies with architecture and the importance of structure in the piece. In addition, the overall concept and poeticism of the work is indicative of his talent as a lyricist.