Response 4- Vito Acconci

In “Theme Song”, Vito Acconci intrudes on the viewer as he presents himself very close to the audience. Throughout his conversation with the viewer, he assumes the audience possesses an active role of feedback and even responds to possible reactions. He talks in a comfortable manner about how he knows “you” can see him, which makes the viewer somewhat uncomfortable. This uncomforting feeling arises from the idea that the audience is not solely watching Vito Acconci perform, but rather he is now watching our every move. This concept is prevalent in the comparison between surveillance cameras and a man going around videotaping people; one seems comfortably impersonal while the other is rather close and personal. Vito continuously comes in close to the audience and wraps his legs around the screen, as he wants the viewer to come in closer to his body with sexual connotations. He makes many arguments and rather strange and farfetched stories that support his claim that the viewer’s body is meant to be next to him. Meanwhile, Vito constantly changes the music in order to set the sexual mood as he hums and sings what he supposedly feels towards the audience, which is very creepy. It isn’t until after thirty minutes of speaking into a camera that he admits that he is just dreaming that there is a live connection to an audience as if during the entire video he was only persuading himself.

This idea of persuading a different reality is prevalent in Vito Acconci’s second video, “Undertone.” During the video he repetitively convinces himself of what is going on underneath the table, which he changes frequently. The audience also plays an active role since what is underneath the table is not visible to the viewer, which lets the imagination wonder. This video was just as strange and creepy, if not more awkward, but for different reasons. In this case, Vito is much further away from the audience than he was in the first video, which relieves some of the discomfort. Vito Acconci is also very occupied in a sexual dream and does not constantly acknowledge the audience for their feedback. In that sense, “Undertone” resembles more of a surveillance camera watching the disgusting habits of a dirty man. At a few infrequent times, Vito does break down this surveillance camera and address the audience in need of their help in catching him if he rolls off the table, but for him to roll off the table would be very improbable.

Overall, Vito Acconci uses these two videos in order to break down the audience's comfort barrier. In doing so, he emphasizes the power of video and its ability to spark strong feedback from the viewer. Hey Vito if you’re listening, no I will not catch you if you roll off! And there is no way that I will ever get close to you!