Leo Copers. The Blind Seer, since 1977

Copers (b. 1947) is a pioneer of installation art and performance in Belgium. One of his themes is the critique of the museum as an institution. In 1977 he started a guerrilla-type performance series, in which he wandered through museums as a blind man (De Blinde Seer/ The Blind Seer), wearing dark glasses and carrying a fluorescent white cane. This lot contains rare material related to the project.

(1) The Blind Seer I. Folded leaflet, 21 x 15 cm, 4 pp. Self-published and distributed in conjunction with the very first Blind Seer action in 1977. Features the performance title, location 'Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou', and entrance time. This is the sole publication made for the guerilla-series, sequential performances were only documented with photos. (2) Five photo prints, 29.7 x 21 cm, each with 2 images of Blind Seer performances, mostly in b/w, three in colour. The performances were held at Centre Pompidou (1977), Kunsthalle Basel (1978), Museen der Stadt Köln/Westkunst (1981), K21 Dusseldorf (2013) and Fundacio Tapies Barcelona (2018). (3) Code Magazine No.9 May 1988. Leo Copers, The unstoppable advance of Blind Seers, pp. 4-9. Artist' contribution comprising a participation call for 'Blind Seers'. The idea was for anyone to visit a museum as a blind person, have it documented, and send the photos to Code, to be assembled in a book. (total 7)