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Lot Essay
This decades-long passing of time is captured in painting and photography, and the photographic panels here are accompanied by seven images of Opalka himself as well as the sound recording. Every day, Opalka has taken a self-portrait photograph of himself in exactly the same pose and position, referring to them as 'extreme details.' Looking at the photographs from throughout the length of his career, from when he began on this epic undertaking over four decades ago, one sees the progression of the years in an almost flip-book progression, as Opalka has aged gradually. While the difference between any two sequential images is minimal, over the arc of time he has devoted to this endeavour, one can perceive subtle, gradual changes, for instance in his hair length, and thus becomes aware of his gradual ageing. The incredible single-mindedness of his work is also captured in his forward stare, as is clear in the seven photographs - a week's worth - accompanying these Detail panels, which record his appearance and, like the recordings and the paintings, his existence and his approach towards the culmination of this incredible, life-consuming and life-containing work