In the 1960s, Nauman worked with throwaway materials—aluminum foil, plastic sheets, foam rubber, felt, and grease. Here, he layers them into a soft, suede-like blanket. His choice of inexpensive materials that transform with time reflects his broader interest in decay and entropy. During this time, Nauman also began using his body to create sculptures through casting and recording his performances and actions with the newly available handheld camera. The holes piercing the materials directly relate to the body—he described his fascination with the negative space of forms as a way of “thinking about the underside and the backside of things.”
Gallery label from "Collection: 1940s—1970s", 2019
