Tehching Hsieh - Emily McGowan

            Emily McGowan

November 10, 2012

TMP III

The performance artist I have chosen to research is Tehching Hsieh. His work was mentioned to be briefly once before. He intrigued me, but only now have I begun to research him. The artist has accomplished six performances. Each performance lasted for the duration of at least one year. I have chosen to delve into Teching Hsieh’s outdoor piece that started in on September 26, 1981 and ended on September 26, 1982. This work of art was his third performance piece.

            The artist spent one year in the earth’s exterior. He did not enter any sort of shelter, including that of transportation and tents. “Instead of withdrawing into a confined inner space, Hsieh opened himself up, as fully as possible, to the outside” (Shaviro). He stayed within New York City with a bag and sleeping bag. The artist became a drifter. In doing so, he was able to test his body and mind’s ability to survive in uncontrollable conditions (Shaviro). He used his body to “highlight and question the very conditions and circumstances of social isolation and estrangement” (Tam 4). Hsieh documented his work with photographs, a contract, and maps he had drawn throughout the year. The artist’s performance explores the idea of a dwelling. It has become a basic necessity for humans physically and symbolically. Dwellings identify an individual and without it, an individual becomes indiscernible. Does lacking a dwelling bring freedom in addition to loneliness and anonymity? Tehching Hsieh willingly set himself in such a predicament in order to explore the other side (Shaviro).

Shaviro, Steven. "Performing Life: The Work of Tehching Hsieh." Web log post. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. <http://performancelogia.blogspot.com/2008/01/performing-life-work-of-tehching-hsieh.html>.

Tam, Kenneth. Disappearing In Plain Sight Or How We Used To Have Casual Sex Before Craigslist. Thesis. University of Southern California, 2012. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. <http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assetserver/controller/item/etd-Tam-3948.pdf>.