Reading Position for Second Degree Burn 1970

Editor: This is Dennis Oppenheim's "Reading Position for Second Degree Burn," from 1970. It's a conceptual body art piece presented through black and white photography. The diptych is striking! The top half shows a man lying in the sun with a book on his chest, and the bottom half shows the result – a sunburned rectangle where the book was. What's your take on this piece? Curator: It hits me right in the gut, actually. This work... it's about control, isn't it? Sun, as a destructive force, or even knowledge. "Tactics," the title of that book, it feels deliberately pointed. A tactic to dominate one's body or, on a larger scale, landscape, using knowledge, using the sun. You tell me, does that book act as a shield or target? Editor: That's a great point, framing the book both ways! I initially saw it as an absurd, almost comical act of self-infliction, but your interpretation about domination is interesting! How much does knowing that it's a performance, a deliberate act for art, influence how we see the scar? Curator: The performance aspect gives it that sharp conceptual edge. It transforms a painful physical reality into a sort of grand theatre, questioning where our control ends, and the elements begin. Perhaps the scar becomes the art. Isn't it ironic that the land gives life, warmth, nurture; and that very earth, the sand, then aids in literally burning this person. I get a visceral feel when seeing this, like staring at an ancient hieroglyph recording a bygone sacrifice! Editor: So it’s less about, “Ouch, sunburn!” and more about a bigger statement on power and control? That gives me a whole new appreciation for Oppenheim’s work! Curator: Exactly! Or maybe, it's a wry observation. Sometimes, seeking knowledge *does* burn, in ways more profound than skin deep. Think about that, if only to keep some shade during noon!