Passes (6 parts) 1971

Editor: We're looking at Vito Acconci's "Passes (6 parts)" from 1971. It combines photography with text and seems to document a performance. I’m immediately struck by the intense gaze in the photographs, and the claustrophobic feeling they create. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, let’s consider the recurring motif of the hand. Notice how it interacts with the artist's face across the images. In art, the hand has traditionally symbolized power, creation, or even divine intervention. Editor: But here, it seems almost aggressive, intrusive. Curator: Precisely. Acconci is exploring the boundaries of the self. The hand, acting as both a barrier and a facilitator, touches on themes of visibility, concealment, and psychological space. What emotions do you think the obscuring hand conveys? Editor: I think I see vulnerability mixed with confrontation. The artist seems to be pushing back while simultaneously revealing something very personal. It almost makes me uncomfortable to look at. Curator: That discomfort is key. This work is a product of its time. Body art of the 70s often pushed boundaries. Acconci challenges conventional notions of portraiture, using his own body to question control, agency, and the relationship between the artist and the viewer. The hand’s repeated movements imply that the “passing through” is constant, that the artist is ever negotiating the relationship of exposure. Editor: So it’s less about a specific event, and more about an ongoing process. I didn’t initially consider how much the work is "of its time.” That definitely shifts my understanding. Curator: Exactly. And by focusing on the symbolic weight of these repetitive gestures, the image's historical importance becomes increasingly meaningful. Editor: I appreciate your pointing out the historical and emotional complexity embedded in this photograph; it certainly adds another layer to my understanding of the work.