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Rirkrit Tiravanija. Untitled 2008-2011 (the map of the land of feeling) I. 2008-11 298

Scroll with digital printing, lithography, chine collé and screenprint, sheet (approx.): 36 x 334 1/2" (91.4 x 849.6 cm). Acquired through the generosity of Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis in honor of Paul Emile Cherix. © 2018 Rirkrit Tiravanija

GLENN LOWRY: Rirkrit Tiravanija considers this to be his first officially completed print as well as his first truly autobiographical work.

RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA: The spine of the work is my three passports. What I did was to go through each book and to re-trace the visas or the stamps, or the place and the location, what happened to me at that moment, when and how and what I was doing.

I would say that each of them are different periods of life. The first one has a lot of stories about coming to America, or trying to stay in America. The last one is kind of like trying to leave America. [Laughs] Or something, you know, or not worrying anymore about having to be anywhere in a sense.

There’s always this idea that we are nomadic and the world is globalized and, we are more in touch with the other. I mean there’s a lot of barrier [Laughs], It’s really about passages and finding ways around the barrier.

It’s not something that you could passively look at. You actually have to be quite active. You actually have to move in and out of it. You have to try to, decode it, or find your own line.