Setting a Good Corner (Allegory & Metaphor)

Setting a Good Corner (Allegory & Metaphor)

1999
Artist
Bruce Nauman, American, 1941-
Born: Fort Wayne, IN
Work Locations: Santa Fe, NM
Country
United States
Object
single-channel video
Medium
Single channel video transferred to DVD-R.
Accession Number
2001.30.1-3
Credit Line
Funds from Colorado Contemporary Collectors: Polly and Mark Addison, Noël and Tom Congdon, Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein, Suzanne Farver, Louise Merage, Vicki and Trygve Myhren, Bernard and Beverly Rosen, Wagner and Analee Schorr, and an anonymous donor; and 1998 Alliance for Contemporary Art Auction.

Bruce Nauman
Setting a Good Corner (Allegory & Metaphor), 1999
Digital video disc
Funds from Colorado Contemporary Collectors: Polly and Mark Addison, Noël and Tom Congdon, Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein, Suzanne Farver, Louise Merage, Vicki and Trygve Myhren, Bernard and Beverly Rosen, Wagner and Analee Schorr, and an anonymous donor; and 1998 Alliance for Contemporary Art Auction. 2001.30

Dimensions
diameter: 5 1/2 in, 13.9700 cm; depth: 1/16 in, 0.1588 cm
Edition
22/40
Department
Modern and Contemporary Art
Collection
Modern and Contemporary Art
Using a stationary lens focused on his building site, Bruce Nauman recorded an hour's worth of the monotonous, repetitive activity involved in building a fence. Instead of running credits at the end of his film, he provided an experienced rancher's critique of his work. Why would Nauman choose to document this boring task? And why would visitors want to watch it? A philosopher as well as a rancher and artist, Nauman might argue that there is no other way to express mind-numbing repetition except by showing it--and no way for us to experience it except by watching him work.
Exhibition History
  • "Rodney Graham and Bruce Nauman: "...the nearest faraway place...", 5/10/2000 - Spring 2001

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