Crossword Work

Nancy Holt
1966
4 parts overall: 2 parts graphite on paper, each 8 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. (21.6 x 27.3 cm); 2 parts ink on paper, each 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm)

Based on Lucy Lippard’s exhibition at the Fischbach Gallery entitled, “Eccentric Abstraction,” Crossword Work is a functional crossword puzzle and artwork of the unexpected. While it adheres to basic principles of crossword, Crossword Work uses the grid to create an unconventional design. The words in the answer key range from high-brow artistic concepts to simple colloquialisms: bra, ants, tacos. The humorous juxtaposition invites viewers to engage in spectatorship, investigation, and self-awareness - an invitation that resounds throughout Holt’s oeuvre.

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