2 Wings for Wall and Person [top row, panel E]

About this artwork

Vito Acconci's *2 Wings for Wall and [top row, panel]* (1979-1981) is a striking photo-etching on Arches Satine w paper, exemplifying the artist's shift from provocative performance art to explorations of space, body, and architecture. A key figure in 1970s conceptual and art, Acconci often blurred boundaries between viewer, performer, and environment. This print, part of a larger modular series suggested by its panel designation, invites contemplation of how forms extend from walls into personal space—like prosthetic "wings" bridging architecture and the human figure. The medium of photo-etching is particularly significant here, combining photographic precision with the tactile depth of etching to reproduce intricate, expansive images on fine wove paper. Note the dramatic scale: the image measures an immense 130.8 x 613.4 cm (51½ x 241½ in.), evoking panoramic immersion, while the sheet itself is more intimate at 65.4 x 101.6 cm (25¾ x 40 in.), hinting at a multi-panel installation. Acquired as a gift from printer Kathan Brown and housed in the National Gallery of Art's Prints department (CG-W), it reflects the era's innovative printmaking collaborations that democratized bold conceptual ideas. This work captures Acconci's enduring fascination with interaction, encouraging visitors to imagine its "wings" unfolding in real space—a testament to art's power to reshape our physical world.