Art/Life: One Year Performance (a.k.a. Rope Piece)

Performance artist Linda Montano and Tehching Hsieh blured the lines between what is art and what is life, by tying theself together with a 8foot rope for a whole year! Both artist shaved their hair at the begining of the year. Both artist were together from 6pm on the 4th of July 1983 till 6pm on the 4th of July 1984 they where in the same space the same room but did not touch each other for a year. Hsieh's original idea, the rope represented the struggle of humans with one another and their problems with social and physical connection, however as the work evolved, the rope took on more meanings and futher blured the differents between art and life. The rope became a visual symbol of the relationship between the two artist. As the piece when on and on life and art could not be seperated within their art was their life and within their lifes was their art. Hsieh explained that if the piece was only one or two weeks, it would be more like a performance, but a year, "has real experience of time and life."

STATEMENT

We, Linda Montano and Teheching Hsieh, plan to do a one year performance.
We will stay together for one year and never be alone.
We will be in the same room at the same time, when we are inside.
We will be tied together at waist with an 8 ft rope.
We will never touch each other during the year.

The performance will begin on July 4, 1983 at 6 P.M. and continue until July 4, 1984 at 6 P.M.