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A color photograph of a landscape and highway with text.

The color photograph shows and aerial view of a landscape with the words “Pretty Ideas” spelled out I a series of two sets of bright yellow dots to form an outline of each letter. The letters are shown against a landscape of lighter gray along the three lane highway which is visible at the bottom of the picture. Above the light gray area is a dark gray area with uneven edges. At the bottom of the photograph two sides of a highway are visible, each side has three lanes. Text below the photograph reads, “Red, Green, Yellow, Strontium Nitrate Flares (1974)/10 Minutes/75 feet x 850 feet/Exit 56, L.I. Expwy., N.Y.”

Identification and Creation

Object Number
2011.8.3
People
Dennis Oppenheim, American (Electric City, Washington 1938 - 2011 New York, New York)
Title
Pretty Ideas
Other Titles
Series/Book Title: Mind Twist: A Portfolio of Burnt Out Thoughts
Classification
Photographs
Work Type
photograph
Date
1974
Places
Creation Place: North America, United States, New York, Long Island
Culture
American
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/337321

Physical Descriptions

Technique
Chromogenic print
Dimensions
50.1 x 75.3 cm (19 3/4 x 29 5/8 in.)
sheet: 76.2 x 101.6 cm (30 x 40 in.)
Inscriptions and Marks
  • inscription: recto, below image: RED, GREEN, YELLOW, STRONTIUM NITRATE FLARES (1974) / 10 MINUTES / 75' X 850' / EXIT 56, L.I. EXPWY.,N.Y.
  • inscription: recto, bottom edge of sheet, in blue ink: Pretty Ideas TP 2/2 Dennis Oppenheim 1977

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Sotheby's, London, c. 2000, sold; to [Richard Saltoun], London, c.2000-2010, sold; to [G.W. Einstein Company, Inc, New York, New York], 2010, sold; to Harvard Art Museums, 2011.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Margaret Fisher Fund
Accession Year
2011
Object Number
2011.8.3
Division
Modern and Contemporary Art
Contact
am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 1100 60’s Experiment, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 10/07/2015 - 04/06/2016

Related Works

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Modern and Contemporary Art at am_moderncontemporary@harvard.edu