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In his piece Displaced
Person, Vito Acconci has taken a childhood activity of tracing
the human figure and made it into a play on spatial relationship.
Featuring two distinct but visually interconnected parts, Acconci’s
piece confronts the viewer by inhabiting part of the pathway it is
seen from. On the left side, a human form is cut out of the grassy
bank. The limbs extend onto the pathway allowing the viewer to walk
through the negative space. On the opposite side of the path, the
removed grass and dirt fill in a concrete outline of the same human
form. It’s as though the whole form has been removed entirely
and placed, dirt, grass and all, on the other side of the path. The
title, Displaced Person, lets the viewer know that this figure
has been taken out of its original surroundings and placed into a
new environment. In this way Acconci plays on ideas of positive space
verses negative space and invites the viewer to recognize that an
absence of materials can still create a form. Coming with such a strong
background in performance art, it is not surprising that Acconci has
now moved on to works that require active participation on the viewers
part.  (For Grades 4-6) What does this sculpture demonstrate about positive and negative space? Does this sculpture remind you of any childhood games? Which ones? Why do you think Acconci chose to call it Displaced Person? Which point-of-view do you prefer observing this piece, and why? |
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Vito Acconci United States, born 1940 Garden Installation (Displaced Person) Concrete, stones, dirt and grass, 1987 Courtesy of the artist EL 1987.2 © Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego |
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