Variable Piece No. 44
The themes of this work are changing human appearance, and the owner's own responsibility to complete the piece. It existed as a work in progress for ten years and was not complete until 1980. As the instructions printed on it show, it is a collaborative work between the artist, the current owner and the owners of the works directly preceding it and directly following it in the series. This example belonged to the artist until it was sold to the Tate so he appears as an owner until 1974. The Tate is represented by a photograph of the current Chairman of the Tate Trustees during the six remaining years.
David Burliuk
1950
Xu Beihong
1943
