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Today Open today 11–8

Oct. 31, 1978 (Today Series, "Tuesday")

A work made of acrylic on canvas, with two newspapers.
© On Kawara. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York

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  • A work made of acrylic on canvas, with two newspapers.

Date:

1978

Artist:

On Kawara
American, born Japan, 1933-2014

About this artwork

On Kawara’s work renders the passage of time and one life within its continuum. From 1966 until his death, the artist produced thousands of works in a series called Today. In each, he painted the date (notably, without using stencils) in white on a monochromatic field. While usually not exhibited a newspaper accompanies every work to document the location and context of its execution. Kawara always began and completed these works on the date represented, and if he did not finish a painting on its date, he destroyed it. While following these self-imposed guidelines, Kawara used a set range of canvas sizes for his date paintings. Oct.
31, 1978
is one of only ten works painted at this scale, the largest used in the series.

Status

On View, Gallery 297

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

On Kawara

Title

Oct. 31, 1978 (Today Series, "Tuesday")

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1978

Medium

Acrylic on canvas, with two newspapers

Dimensions

155 × 226 cm (61 × 89 in.)

Credit Line

Twentieth-Century Purchase Fund

Reference Number

1980.2a-b

Copyright

© On Kawara. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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