In a very literal interpretation of the idiom “finding a needle in a haystack,” performance artist Sven Sacselber tries to do exact that. For about two days in a gallery in Paris, he is attempting to find an actual needle in an actual mound of hay.
Performance art often straddles a fine line between brilliance and inanity. Marina Abramović adventurous “Rhythm” series and Joseph Beuys shamanic “I Like America and America Likes Me” are widely agreed to have achieved the former category.
Will Sacselber’s piece do the same? Who knows. But we can hope that his straightforwardly titled “Performance” may spawn a new genre that literally depicts cliches. Perhaps three days of looking gift horses in their mouths is next on the agenda. Or maybe an enterprising camel would be willing to have his back broken by the last straw.
You can catch a stream of Sachselber’s “Performance” below.
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Why It’s OK to Say No to That Party You’re Dreading
- COP28 Is a Business Bonanza. Should It Be?
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- Column: When India Was a Human Rights Leader
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
