44th Wire Piece, 1972

Part of Tuttle’s series of forty-eight wire works, 44th Wire Piece is a dance between the artist, traces of graphite, florist’s wire, and shadows. To install this work, Tuttle begins by drawing a line in pencil directly on the wall, along its imperfections, bumps, and crevices. He then presses wire against the graphite line, however the wire resists pressure to stay flushed to the wall. The undulations if the wire cast a shadow that is dependent on the gallery lights. Much like the artist, 44th Wire Piece is attuned to the details of the ambient environment. According to the parameters detailed by the artist when the piece was acquired, Richard Tuttle is the only person permitted to install 44th Wire Piece, and it must be refashioned each time it is displayed. Accordingly, 44th Wire Piece will no longer be able to be exhibited after the artist is no longer available to install the piece.