Self-portrait 1971

Editor: So, this is Wolf Vostell's "Self-portrait," a small print at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s striking how he’s combined his own image with these place names and dates. What do you make of this layering? Curator: It's a powerful commentary on identity, right? Vostell maps personal history onto his face. The dates—Extremadura 1958, Berlin 1971—aren't just biographical; they're signposts in a Europe scarred by conflict. "Die Mauer," the Berlin Wall, literally crosses his face. What does that suggest to you about the relationship between personal experience and larger geopolitical forces? Editor: It makes me think about how history shapes us, literally leaving its mark. Curator: Precisely. And whose history gets remembered, and how? That's what Vostell compels us to confront.