Over the course of his career, Dennis Oppenheim has engaged and often defined some of the most important art movements of the last thirty years.<\/p>\n
His early work addressed the urban and natural landscapes. Drawn to the new sense of space offered by the natural environment and by the ephemeral character of actions effected in it, Oppenheim helped to define the then nascent Earth Art movement. Time Line<\/em>, 1968, belongs to this period. The work has its origins in an action developed in Maine, where the St. John River marks the border between the United States and Canada, and also marks the International Date Line. Cutting a line in the frozen river, the artist created a sort of physical transcription of the political boundary that runs along the river, rendering physically visible information that otherwise would remain abstract. Photographs, an aerial map, and a short text document the work.<\/p>\n The power of this relationship with the natural environment soon led Oppenheim to approach his own body as a field of resistance and energy, and he became one of the pioneers of Body Art. In addition to photography, the artist used film and video to document the birth and development of simple activities, often using a movie camera in a fixed position and allowing it to record in real time. Rocked Hand<\/em>, 1970, is a sequence of three images taken from an 8-millimeter film that documents the action of one hand slowly covering the other with stones, so that it became weighted down and mimicks its rock-filled surroundings. With this action, the artist divides his body into two distinct parts, one active, the other passive. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the artist began to use marionettes in place of his own body.<\/p>\n In his more recent works Oppenheim has created installations of growing complexity, including mechanical parts and sometimes resorting to almost theatrical techniques.<\/p>\n In Between Drinks<\/em>, 1991, a thick carpet of confetti visually unites the forms of three large glasses overturned on the floor together with another work by Oppenheim, Double Headed Woman with Floating Hearts<\/em>, 1991. The work, mounted on the wall, consists of a long shelf that holds a series of bottles, partly warped, as if seen through the befuddled eyes of someone who has imbibed their contents. Silhouettes of female figures in polystyrene emerge from the bottles, each of which contains within a small floating heart. Repetitive and fragmented like a hallucination, the installation refers in tragic tones to a weakened mental condition, portrayed behind an apparent theatrical playfulness.<\/p>\n A sense of anguished expectation emanates from Gathering<\/em>, 1993, a work that brings together a row of figures crouching on the ground, above which there hangs an enlarged teaspoon brimming with white powder, a clear reference to the widespread destructive power of drugs. The artist\u2019s black humor depicts the figures as a series of identical wax candles, complete with wicks and destined to burn, one after the other.<\/p>\n [M.B.]<\/p>\n Upon completing his studies at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and after a visit to New York in 1966, Dennis Oppenheim decided to stop creating artistic objects. He moved to New York and up until 1969 he dedicated himself to making large-scale projects centered on interventions in natural settings. The artist engaged in the landscape or the transfer of landscape elements to a radically different space, such as the land works on the two snow-covered banks of the St. John River or the concentric circles imposed on the border between Canada and the United States. Among the first artists to employ film and video as a means not only of documenting but also of investigating and testing his own physical and psychological limits, Oppenheim, in a vast series of experiments conducted mainly between 1970 and 1974, used his body as a site for challenging limits. Through the transformation and manipulation of materials with his own body, he created performative actions possessing an intense ritualistic component. Using natural elements taken from the environment\u2014such as plants or stones\u2014he developed physical forms of relationships between his own forces and these objects, or directly on the natural environment itself. In his films and videos, the actions are developed in real time. In some exceptional cases, the artist also intervenes in the works’ post-production. [F.B.]<\/p>\n Program One: Aspen Projects<\/em>, 1970 Program Two<\/em>, 1970 Program Three<\/em>, 1972\u20131974 Program Four<\/em>, 1971\u20131972 Program Five<\/em>, 1970\u20131971 Program Six<\/em>, 1971\u20131972 Program Seven<\/em>, 1968\u20131972 Program Eight<\/em>, 1969\u20131972 Over the course of his career, Dennis Oppenheim has engaged and often defined some of the most important art movements of the last thirty years. His early work addressed the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"collezione":[1969],"class_list":["post-100985","artista","type-artista","status-publish","hentry","collezione-castello-di-rivoli-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n
\nWithin a few years he produced a seires of open-air actions, key works of the first period of Land Art, and, almost concurrently, developed a series of performances of intense physical involvement, attracting the attention of critics. A precise awareness of the potentials of his body, developed during the creation of numerous Land Art projects, led him to consider it as a malleable field of transformable resistance and energy.<\/p>\nList of Works<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nvideo, black and white, color, silent, 30 min. 15 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nMaterial Interchange<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 44 sec.
\nA close-up of the artist\u2019s nail rubbing against a wooden surface.
\nIdentity Transfer<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 8 mm film, black and white, silent, 1 min.
\nThe artist records the pressure between a thumb, an index finger, and finger nails, which in turn leave a sign on the skin.
\nRocked Hand<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 8 mm film, color, silent, 3 min. 34 sec.
\nOne hand is slowly covered with stones by the other hand.
\nCompression – Fern (Hand)<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, silent, 5 min. 46 sec.
\nA fern is slowly crushed inside the hand that holds it.
\nPressure Piece #1<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 8 mm film, color, silent, 1 min. 40 sec.
\nThe fingers of a hand produce pressure and mark the surface of a mirror covered with condensation.
\nGlassed Hand<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, silent, 2 min. 56 sec.
\nA hand is slowly covered with small glass splinters.
\nCompression – Poison Oak<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, silent, 2 min. 46 sec.
\nAnalogous to the fern, a red oak flower is slowly crushed in the hand that holds it.
\nCompression – Fern (Face),<\/em> 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, silent, 5 min. 22 sec.
\nHidden behind a fern he holds, the artist progressively crushes the entire plant in his hands.
\nLeafed Hand<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, silent, 3 min. 44 sec.
\nA hand is progressively and entirely covered with dry leaves.<\/p>\n
\ntransferred from Super 8 and 16 mm film, color, silent, 15 min. 08 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nExtended Armor<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 08 sec.
\nIn a fixed shot, the artist pulls out some hair, makes a ball with it, and then uses it to inhibit the movements of a tarantula inside a narrow wooden container.
\nGingerbread Man<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 8 mm film, black and white, silent, 1 min. 42 sec.
\nThe artist spreads molasses on his teeth and proceeds to eat a gingerbread man.
\nNail Sharpening<\/em>, 1970
\nTransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 57 sec.
\nA close-up of a toenail sharpened by a stone.
\nToward Becoming a Devil<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 20 sec.
\nThe artist methodically sleeks his hair onto his forehead, hiding his face.
\nRocked Stomach<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, silent, 2 min. 48 sec.
\nStones placed on the artist\u2019s stomach are moved with muscular contractions.
\nFusion: Tooth and Nail<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 2 min. 58 sec.
\nOppenheim brings his fingernails to his teeth and paints them with red nail polish.<\/p>\n
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, color, sound, 24 min. 30 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nBrush<\/em>, 1973
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, sound, 4 min. 56 sec.
\nAn extreme close-up of a brush placed on a spinning long-playing record playing soul music.
\nI’m Failing<\/em>, 1972\u20131973
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, color, sound, 1 min. 48 sec.
\nA series of close-ups of air bubbles emitted by the mouth of the artist who is under water. The view is fuzzed by the same bubbles he produces.
\nMy Father’s Socks<\/em>, 1972
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, sound, 5 min. 50 sec.
\nThe artist\u2019s legs are shown in extreme close-up as he methodically puts on a series of socks, one after the other.
\nMittens<\/em>, 1974
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, sound, 4 min. 21 sec.
\nA little girl is engaged in a struggle with her gloves as though they provoke the continuous movement of her arms.
\nDisappear<\/em>, 1972
\ntransferred from 16 mm film, black and white, sound, 5 min. 57 sec.
\nA continuous shot of a right hand frenetically moving challenges the possibility of recording the action.<\/p>\n
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 44 min. 50 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nVibration #1<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 13 min. 30 sec.
\nA lengthy shot from above a membrane that is made to vibrate by the percussive action of two hands in such a way as to progressively move dust.
\nVibration #2<\/em>, 1972
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 11 min. 24 sec.
\nWith the shadow of his hand the artist mimes the gesture of destroying a pile of sand that, in reality, is flattened by concomitant vibrations.
\n2 Stage Transfer Drawing (Advancing to a Future State)<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 7 min, 42 sec.
\nErik, the artist’s son, traces out a drawing on his father’s back who in turn tries to duplicate the drawing on a wall.
\n2 Stage Transfer Drawing (Returning to a Past State)<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 12 min. 04 sec.
\nWith regards to the previous exercise, the roles are reversed and the artist draws on his son’s back who in turn tries to reproduce the same drawing on a sheet of paper.<\/p>\n
\nvideo and transferred from 8 mm film, black and white, color, silent, 37 min. 45 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nAir Pressure (Hand)<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, color, silent, 5 min. 25 sec.
\nTwo close-up shots show the results of strong air pressure, first on the back and then on the palm of a hand.
\nLead Sink for Sebastian<\/em>, 1970
\nvideo, color, silent, 4 min. 42 sec.
\nThe video shoots a performance in San Francisco. The protagonist is a man with an amputated leg. The missing limb is substituted with a lead prosthesis that, due to the heat of a torch, gradually melts.
\nNail Sharpening<\/em>, 1970
\nvideo, color, silent, 6 min. 02 sec.
\nA new color version of the unusual, previously recorded sculptural gesture.
\nGingerbread Man<\/em>, 1970\u20131971
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, video, black and white, silent, 8 min. 45 sec.
\nThe artist chews and then swallows a gingerbread man.
\nFusion: Tooth and Nail<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, video, color, silent, 12 min. 03 sec.
\nAs in the previous version, Oppenheim brings the nails of a hand to his teeth, although this time he paints them with nail polish of different colors: silver, red, blue, and yellow.<\/p>\n
\nvideo and transferred from Super 8 film, black and white, color, silent, 27 min. 18 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nForming Sounds<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, color, silent, 7 min. 14 sec.
\nIn a close-up, a face is manipulated by two hands that alter vocal emissions.
\n2 Stage Transfer Drawing (Advancing to a Future State)<\/em>, 1971
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 2 min. 48 sec.
\nA new color version of the drawing exercise previously recorded in black and white.
\n2 Stage Transfer Drawing (Returning to a Past State)<\/em>, 1971
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 2 min. 57 sec.
\nA new color version of the drawing exercise previously recorded in black and white.
\nA Feedback Situation<\/em>, 1971
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 3 min. 02 sec.
\nOppenheim and his son simultaneously draw on each other\u2019s back without seeing the results.
\n3 Stage Transfer Drawing<\/em>, 1972
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 3 min. 07 sec.
\nThe artist draws a series of shapes on the back of his daughter, Chandra, which the little girl then draws on the back of her brother who, in turn, tries to reproduce them on a sheet of paper placed in front of him.
\n2 Stage Transfer Drawing (Returning to a Past State)<\/em>, 1971
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 3 min.
\nA further version of the drawing exercise carried out by father and son.
\nObjectified Counterforces<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, color, silent, 2 min. 06 sec.
\nErik and Kristin Oppenheim have a sack race.
\nShadow Project<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, color, silent, 3 min. 04 sec.
\nThe hands of the artist rapidly produce a series of Chinese shadows on a wall.<\/p>\n
\nvideo, transferred from Super 8 film and from 35 mm slides, black and white, color, silent, 27 min. 19 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nFeedback<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 1 min. 50 sec.
\nThe artist mimes the letters of the alphabet on his daughter Kristin\u2019s back.
\nExtended Expressions<\/em>, 1971
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 5 min. 05 sec.
\nOppenheim and his son Erik are shot in close-up, imitating each other by making faces.
\nGround Gel<\/em>, 1972
\ntransferred from a 35 mm slide, color, silent, 6 min. 50 sec.
\nIn a film composed of still-images, one dissolving into the next, a human figure spins a little girl round while holding her arms.
\nAir Pressure (Hand)<\/em>, 1972
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 6 min. 37 sec.
\nThe results of strong air pressure are shown on a hand.
\nLandslide<\/em>, 1968
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 2 min. 55 sec.
\nThe work consists in a sequence of shots of landslides filmed in Long Island.
\nPreliminary Test for 65\u00b0 Vertical Penetration,<\/em> 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 3 min. 37 sec.
\nIn a series of shots, from a distance and in close-up, the artist lets himself slide down a landslip hill.
\nArm Scratch<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, color, silent, 1 min. 56 sec.
\nThe focus is on the continuous image of a hand scratching an arm.
\nIdentity Transfer<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 4 min. 24 sec.
\nTwo thumbs and thumbnails touch and rub each other, rotating and marking each other with black ink.<\/p>\n
\nVideo, transferred from Super 8 film, black and white, color, silent, 28 min. 44 sec.
\nCastello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Rivoli-Turin
\nGo-Between<\/em>, 1972
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 6 min. 15 sec.
\nWhile seated, Oppenheim and his family touch each other and cross their arms and legs.
\nStewing Around<\/em>, 1972
\nvideo, black and white, silent, 3 min. 37 sec.
\nIn a series of still images, the artist rotates a weight around himself.
\nWhipping into Shape<\/em>, 1972
\nvideo, color, silent, 5 min. 35 sec.
\nWith whip lashes the artist tries to give form to some objects and wooden rods placed on the ground.
\nLandslide #2<\/em>, 1972
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 6 min.
\nFurther shots of stones rolling down a hill.
\nParallel Arcs<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 35 sec.
\nOppenheim progressively lets himself fall frontwards, dragging with him a young tree that is tied to his belt.
\nBroad Jump<\/em>, 1969
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 2 min. 20 sec.
\nFixed framing records the artist jumping over a line.
\nSlow Punch<\/em>, 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 1 min. 02 sec.
\nA slowed sequence of punches to a stomach.
\nRocks in Navel,<\/em> 1970
\ntransferred from Super 8 film, black and white, silent, 2 min.
\nA series of close-ups of small pebbles placed on a bare navel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"