Dear Hans-Ulrich,
Thank you for inviting me to participate in "Unbuilt Worlds - unrealized artist-projects". Sounds terrific.
In 1986 I was invited to participate in a program called "Messages to the Public". The invited artists would be given a 30-second time slot after each 30 minutes of advertising on the Spectacolor advertising board at One Times Square.
I decided since I had the chance to go really public! to get out a pro-choice message!! "CERTAINLY, CHILD BIRTH IS OUR MORTALITY, WE WHO ARE WOMEN, FOR IT IS OUR BATTLE". This quote was from the Sahagun, a book of the Aztecs. I also used "THIS WOMB DOES NOT BELONG TO DOCTORS, LEGISLATORS, JUDGES, PRIESTS, THE STATE, ETC." Parts of the second statement were taken from an apron I had worn in a 1970 pro-choice march and I recomposed it for the sign.
The Aztec quote came from my large piece of 1979 "Notes in Time". I had used both statements together previously on a 48' high banner that I had created for the interior of Anchorage in a series for Creative Time in 1985.
When I presented the statements to the art director of the Spectacolor project, Piet Halberstadt, I thought he was disapproving...but I was mistaken. He helped me compose a story board using Indian-like patternings and rhythms. The thirty second piece was finally realized after a lot of work on my part and his and was shown only once to be photographed for documentation by the Public Art Fund.
Other pieces that had political messages did not seem to the owner, but when he saw my piece I was told he went into a rage. And so my piece was never played and the art director was subsequently fired.
Nancy Spero
Dear Hans-Ulrich,
Thank you for inviting me to participate in "Unbuilt Worlds - unrealized artist-projects". Sounds terrific.
In 1986 I was invited to participate in a program called "Messages to the Public". The invited artists would be given a 30-second time slot after each 30 minutes of advertising on the Spectacolor advertising board at One Times Square.
I decided since I had the chance to go really public! to get out a pro-choice message!! "CERTAINLY, CHILD BIRTH IS OUR MORTALITY, WE WHO ARE WOMEN, FOR IT IS OUR BATTLE". This quote was from the Sahagun, a book of the Aztecs. I also used "THIS WOMB DOES NOT BELONG TO DOCTORS, LEGISLATORS, JUDGES, PRIESTS, THE STATE, ETC." Parts of the second statement were taken from an apron I had worn in a 1970 pro-choice march and I recomposed it for the sign.
The Aztec quote came from my large piece of 1979 "Notes in Time". I had used both statements together previously on a 48' high banner that I had created for the interior of Anchorage in a series for Creative Time in 1985.
When I presented the statements to the art director of the Spectacolor project, Piet Halberstadt, I thought he was disapproving...but I was mistaken. He helped me compose a story board using Indian-like patternings and rhythms. The thirty second piece was finally realized after a lot of work on my part and his and was shown only once to be photographed for documentation by the Public Art Fund.
Other pieces that had political messages did not seem to the owner, but when he saw my piece I was told he went into a rage. And so my piece was never played and the art director was subsequently fired.
Nancy Spero