Art of the Year - 1977 - The Red Tapes is considered Acconci's masterwork, a three-part epic that is one of the major compositions in video.
The 1970’s art world showed the continued influence of movements from the 1960’s such as Minimalism, Post-Minimalism and Performance Art. The mid-70’s brought the return of painting as a serious medium for avant-garde artists. Feminist Art, Land Art and Photorealism also became increasingly prevalent during this era, largely due to evolutions in the broader social and political climates.
The Red Tapes, Vito Acconci, 141:27 min, b&w, sound, 1977.
The Red Tapes is considered Acconci's masterwork, a three-part epic that is one of the major compositions in video. The work is structured to merge the video space of the close-up with filmic space of the landscape. Acconci creates a topography of personhood within a larger cultural and social context, defining personal identity through history, cultural artifacts, language and representation. In this tri-phase chronicle of search for self and country, the work moves ‘from Vito Acconci to a larger Americanism, between a psychological personal space and a cultural personal space.’
Image courtesy De Appel, Netherlands.