I feel a bit sad for him. He wanted to show us the effects of time, mindless/endless routine, challenge, and strength. and for that, he sacrificed himself
I agree but I don't feel sad, I have huge respect and some empathy for him. I think he also shows us resolve and also how humans often create our own boundaries that create suffering but we still remain within those boundaries
No hit naked Dark Souls any% runs sound easier than what this man did. As an artist simply producing art consistently for 13 years and then following through on never showing it to anybody for the rest of your life would be the hardest conceivable achievement...the willpower and constitution this man must have had put him up there as one of the most interesting artists I've ever heard of
I certainly wouldn't, because I see it as stupid and unnecessary extreme discomfort , but he sees it as for the sake of art and he wanted to leave his mark ....I still see it as just unnecessary but I suppose this could be a testimony to the strength and endurance of the human mind and will power . Yes I think thats the best way to describe this , the power of Will power and human mind.
I've worked countless brutal farm jobs and also as a mechanic on 0-3 hours sleep or no sleep at all I've been awake for 8 days straight Difference was I didn't do it on purpose This is stupidity
Can’t believe I’ve never heard of him, someone like him that is willing to go those extremes for the purpose of art deserves a lot more recognition in my opinion.
@@StuffedBearSus It’s art in it’s own sense. Cooking is an art, dancing, music & many other things can be art. Art is a form of expression. What some ppl perceive as art may not be to another person. To this man, this was his way of expressing his own art & I think that’s pretty awesome. 👏🏼 👏🏼
His 13 year long art project where he doesn’t ever show anyone his art, that’s almost like most people who create art, music, movies, etc and never show it to anyone. Either they make it for themselves or their very close friends. The art they make then dies off with them. It’s kind of amazing how much art gets created and truly never gets experienced. I have some music up in random places, but I literally have days of music that only I have listened to and probably will never post anywhere. It’s the nature of art I guess? Anyway, that’s what his piece makes me think of.
I started enjoying music so much more once i quit performing/touring/recording. Making it for myself makes it feel more like genuine self expression rather than work. Maybe when im dead some relative will post it somewhere. Who knows though.
Let's be real we have dumbass kids swallowing Tide Pods if he was famous half of America wouldn't be here right now because I would have tried one of his actions in order to post it
Most folk just copy and paste based on the attention that they see others getting for what they're doing and have done. This man may have done all that he did for reasons that align with his expression (even if he was seeking fame). Some of the best artist that I have seen, (whether or not they have mimicked/copied another) bring a level of genuine expression and quality taste to whatever they produce. You are actually drawn into their work, (depending on the person, even them) as their expression isn't inspired by what they saw or heard elsewhere.
Maybe they just didn’t have RUclips back then or before when people were doing it too. Also consider that we’re living in a new world where standing at a punch clock for an entire year is even possible.
Truly is. I stayed up for 3 days because of ecstacy and on the 3rd day when I had no more ecstacy I felt like I was going to pass out and literally die, like no joke, I mean I really felt like I was going to die
You gotta be really wierd to make the best art. Wierd means different or it would mean whatever you define it as or if you go off the majority's' definition of wierd which is also first dictated by one person as it goes for anyone's personal (internal) definition of the word. So the first definition of wierd was probably when a group of people seen 1 person simply doing something different than the rest. If that wierd thing they did was good by their (internal) definition of the word good, the pack would follow. So you can see that there is a paradox and my brain hurts thats my wierd perfomance art for you lol
Bruh after working in retail for so long the time clock piece really hit me hard. The monotony, the repetition, the rat race to always be on time and present or loose ur job. Then again getting fired from a retail job is probably a good thing
I love getting fired, it's even better than rage-quitting because when you get fired you can milk the unemployment money for a few weeks before you have to even start looking for another job.
Why isn’t he talked about in public school art classes. This would have inspired me as a kid. Somthing I can do without actual talent, just sheer will and discipline. Bravo good Sir
I see a very disciplined man. I'm envious of his ablity in self control. imaginen with will that strong and all you want to do is to learn or train or studying. what a beast of a human.
That time clock piece still makes me cry my eyes out. When I think about the years I put into meaningless commitments. Whether it be jobs, college, and friends/relationships. I missed out on a lot of precious valuable time I could’ve used to create something. Or go somewhere different.
this is exactly the message Hsieh wanted to send with this piece. OP talks mad shit about Hsieh but I dont think he fully understands the underside of the iceberg here
"I punch the clock and then just wait around to punch again on the hour. Life is the same every day. I dont do anything but wait for my next time to punch the clock"
@@ThePeacePlant it seemed that time and doing things for a full year, was a big part in a lot of art this man did. Him being born the end of a year and begging of a new one seems to be a bit of a funny coincidence. It’d be like if Wes craven or john carpenter were born on Halloween.
Finally someone big made a video about this guy holy shit I remember going to a multi-artist exhibit back in 2013-2014 and watching the punch-clock performance by Hsieh not knowing what was going on and reading about it afterwards. My mind was blown away after reading about what was going on in that performance and several others he performed, and it was pretty much what brought my interest in performance art And if I can remember correctly, they were also exhibiting the very own punch-clock he used in the piece
Funny I have a very similar experience. I remember seeing an exhibit on him at least a decade ago and since then these pieces have lived in my mind and come up repeatedly. He's one of those people who it's impossible to shake the idea of.
I wonder if he decided to keep his art private in order to preserve his ability to create? When you start doing art for other people's reactions, sometimes that can ruin it. Then the emphasis moves from self-expression to trying to please someone else.
@@leuxdaprophet6204 you're right, lots of people view people taking anything they enjoy seriously as cringe. What I meant is take it seriously but with humility. Know you sound crazy to the average person but, of course there's nothing wrong with perceptions. The only things wrong are actions, so if you're calling people dumb/ignorant instead of attempting to teach them what you're seeing then you are to them, what they are to you. After that then they're stupid.
@SinCity96 I think you're missing the point of why people call others "insane". No "normal" person can reasonably imagine going through the process and being willing to sacrifice their time and opportunities for the rest of their life just in the name of art. Of course, people squander as much or more time on similarly monotonous or useless things... But they can only see that retrospectively, when it's too late. The point is, he's very respectively abnormal. Something about his mental fortitude and devotion vastly differs between the OP and the artist.
@SinCity96 While true, I'm talking about realizing the utility of a word and the textbook definition of a word is not always the same. For example, you see someone that is really good at piano and you call them talented because they said they've only been doing it for a year. You can't imagine yourself getting that good in a year, they are talented and you are not. You are writing away their skills as talent without even trying. Under the same logic, if you cannot ever imagine doing what they did (no real sleep for a full year, living on the streets for a year, etc.) they're built different, maybe even crazy to put themselves at that much risk physically, mentally and emotionally. For most people, what he did is traumatizing, it could be seen as hell on earth.
@Big Paid what exactly has he achieved doing those things? Others get really good at sports or art or playing music but this guy just wasted his time for nothing
He hasn't wasted a single second, yet used every moment as a step towards his goal. Tehching Hsieh was growing in his own and unique way. In all he did, many think was imprisonment, but he truly was free.
I see the pieces as more of testing the patience and limitations of both the human mind and body. I have to admit, I’m floored by his discipline and commitment to his craft. That’s passion.
@@Lifesizemortal Yep. And states with his own words that the passage of time is one of the major narratives to his pieces. That’s how he sees most 9-5 people based on the current paradigm running the system.
The time clock thing is absolutely absurd. Being in the jail cell for one year without any entertainment or media is one thing. But practically doing the same thing without being able to sleep for more than 1 hour is crazy, that had to have been hard to not zonk out for 24 hours. Interesting guy.
It's truly mind blowing when you think about it. I almost lost my mind when I went to jail for 3 days and had no entertainment. I was walking around in circles like an animal at the zoo and literally started to go crazy, thank God I was let out on the 3rd day
While I don't know what he did during the time clock experiment, it seems that entertainment, socialization, etc. were permitted. He just couldn't really go anywhere more than a few minutes away from the clock. Read books, play an instrument, invite friends over, whatever, just do it near the clock. The sleep interruption seems like the worst part, and the very strict scheduling could be stressful, but overall to me it seems like the cage might be worse.
Duno what the rest of the world sees in that piece of art, but for me it is a reflection of our daily lifes. No matter how funny or unpleasant our daily dutys are. We do them or by avoiding them do something else. Even sleeping is a task in itself that we devote years of our lifes too. Thats how we live task for task for task. This guy showd the naked structure of how we live trough time, because no matter what color our live is or how colorfull it went for us. From a gray perspective out it just goes by. Hour by Hour. Anyways i am no performance champ or so i just look at this and it gets me thinkin like that.
If you are ever in that situation again, I recommend meditation and escaping into your imagination. You can experience a reality as real as this one, in your own mind. You just have to exercise your imaginations muscle overtime, to get to that ability.
I think my interpretation of his art would have to be exposing the apathetic nature of Time itself. Showing regardless of whats happening wether it be suffering or pleasure to oneself or the world Time will forever be moving regardless.
@r3dhand It is very much real, send his cage near the speed of light across the universe and he would experience a year of boredom but to us observers we would see him experience boredom for billions of years.
His friends that helped him also deserve equal credit, taking his toilet and cleaning it, and bringing him food everyday is something unreal dedication to the project, or they are paid weekly from a preset account that pays them weekly in order for them not to get all thw money at once and run off
Honestly, probably the greatest artist of all time. Because it's simply not possible to be more dedicated or stronger-minded than him. He was a warrior and fought with everything he had for his pieces. I've only heard 13 minutes of infortmation of him and have studied many great artists, but already know this will be the most impressive artist I'll ever know of.
The goal of art is not to be strong minded. If anything, it is to be sensitive. It's not a contest. Not to mention, there is an endless list of people who have self-immolated for art or politics. That's way more hardcore than this.
true. I appreciate Deburke for bringing him to a new audience. His story changed my view on time and life. It makes me want to explore my mental capabilities and break my own boundaries.
To me a huge part of his performances is hope. The hope that with enough time, even the most gruesome situations can be overcome, as long as you are persistent. It's an homage to the strength we possess and to the eerie quality of time, that is stronger than any hardship.
this is probably one of my new favorite artists. I can’t that in three years of arts school they had not told us about this amazing person and his work, which happens to be his life
I've recently undergone my own revitalization as an artist. This was truly inspiring! Thank you so much for putting this video together. This may have honestly changed my life. Truly thank you.
The deep compassion of this man humbles me. I was homeless on the streets of NYC for a few years. Very few of the people who see this video or read those words will know what I mean by this. The things they take for granted are endless is scope and implication. We're better than this. Insanity artist is brute inaccuracy.
Thank you for this. I’ve never heard of this artist. It takes a special kind of human being to go through what this guy went through. His art has taught us many lessons.
I often scoff at "High" art and performance pieces, because most are pretentious and trying too hard to say something. However, on the contrary, Mr. Tehching Hsieh, he's brilliant, he is not trying to say something, he literally BECOMES that something at will. To me that is the point of art, it's not just expression or sending a message, but creating that thing you feel, envision or know and making it a real thing at will. He's a genius in my opinion.
The time punching one It wasn’t until I actually realised that he couldn’t sleep for more than an hour so he could clock on each time, just how much pure and utter fucking insanity it really is
This art piece spoke to me on I level I was not expecting AT ALL. Thanks for covering this! What an interesting person he is and his art for sure makes you think!
im glad im subscribed to u. this video genuinely touched me, especially after reading the comment "painters paint with light, musicians paint with sound, he paints with time"
I love performance art. Especially extreme performance art. My buddy was just telling about some Russian performance artist who nailed himself to the red square, so the cops would have to interact with him to free him from being nailed to the ground.
@@joshhale9355 well most of them bother those that don t want to be bother by artist who do dumb shit.For instance there was a guy who performed something and screamed for like an hour and a half from a balcony until someone hit him with a rock.They can fo what they want but when others are bothered it is just harassment
That time clock piece... Talk about commitment. I assumed he would be a raving lunatic, but he seems pretty articulate and coherent. I don't know how anyone could do that.
My first real job was as an art monitor in a huge exhibition called 29st Bienal of São Paulo, in Brazil. There were almost a thousand art pieces being exhibit, and one of the rooms was of Sam's clock piece, with all the pictures he took and some records of the work. I remember seeing it and being astonished by the concept and the strenght he had to put into it!
It’s interesting that his work contains normal human conditions of mostly everybody but pushed to the extreme. The time card, the actually being tethered to a single person, these are boiling what it means to work your whole life, and to be married to to literal expressions.
Wow. Just wow. I don't even have words to describe this. Just thinking about spending a whole year without being able to talk to the people I love and care about... This is truly the definition of art
The punch card piece hit home differently for me. Back in my early 20s, I took a job at a bread factory. It churned out thousands of buns and loaves every day, around the clock. It was a great-paying job for someone my age, and it employed numerous other college students. The catch was that it involved some hefty overtime and a graveyard schedule. It was also mind-numbingly monotonous. No windows, and boiling hot in the summer. Anyway, we also punched in with time cards. The combination of meticulous clocking in and out and being extremely sleep-deprived all the time was absolute hell.
I can thoroughly relate to his sleep deprivation and where the narrator describes him as 'looking defeated'. I've experienced various episodes of sleep deprivation where I've had little or no sleep and it really takes a toll on you. My last episode was several years ago where I experienced 7 months with little or no sleep and at the end of it, I was just done. A person I was interacting with on the last day said I just went blank for several minutes and I didn't even realise that. It's like getting the life slowly sucked out of you and it makes you feel older than you actually are. It's not recommended either as it left me paranoid, delusional, agoraphobic, claustrophobic and in a state of anxiety.
I believe you. Can't number how many 36 hour days I worked in commercial construction - I could micro- sleep standing up, in traffic, in conversation but as you say it takes a real toll. Took me four months to repay my sleep debt after one highly stressful job. Any day now, those company owners are going to thank me and then it''ll all have been worthwhile. Toward the end most of my day was spent being active on my feet - so you can't nod off, or Looking awake. Sleep deprivation is no joke.
@@abcdefghijk8925 It's not talked about or requested out loud. You find you just have to produce results and keep the ball rolling and it comes down to you throwing the only thing you have at it - your time. On a fixed salary...
@@abcdefghijk8925 no, but 80% of your time is spent Looking awake - and staying busy on your feet - sitting in front of a computer makes it too easy to nod off, so a key indicator of a truly exhausted person is that they keep moving.
the punch in clock one is absolutely amazing, i always thought if there was someone who would dedicate a year of their life to Art or a performance as such. Glad I finally watched this vid, ty for sharing.
Teh Ching Hsieh came to Singapore a few years ago and I got him to sign my book! He is a MASTER in performance arts, Time and Body is his material! One of the most amazing artist of our generation!
Performance art is one of those forms ppl look at and say “it’s just a guy sitting in a room… I can do that.” But you didn’t and no, it’s not easy. It’s thought out and has purpose. This work is just fantastic.
People couldn't do it. Try sitting in your room for one weekend with no entertainment what so ever, no TV, no phone, no internet, no radio, no nothing and you will lose your mind. That's why jail and prison sucks because there is nothing to do and it can break you down if there was nobody in there to talk to. Just try it, if you really think you can do it. You will see even after the first day you will go insane. I went to a psych ward for 5 days because in my state you can't get a psychologist appointment unless you go to a psych ward first. But on the 5 day I couldn't handle it anymore and broke down and started crying and begged for them to let me out and they did, but it's psychologically damaging
Preformance art is one of those forms people pour their own personality all over and make it about themselves and how well they understand preformance art lol
Exactly - I'm very surprised to have only heard about him today but extremely glad I did. I would like to write an article on him - in fact I am about to begin it shortly, as I feel more people should know about him and his 'Actions'. A truly fascinating man, Tehching Hsieh.
As somebody who "studied" (and spend much time doing and reading about) art at an Art Academy, I can tell, this guy is dedicated and has everything an artist should have from the personality standpoint... Him torturing himself just to get an art piece done is really insane... I could never be such a good artist. Respect.
"I can only imagine the mental fatigue-" Nah bro. This is some kind of ascended being. He's not performing magic, but he's as dedicated to his craft as someone like David Blaine. To get used to some of the things he put himself through is not something I would want to do.
Yes, I think some of the art in of itself was the approach and mindset he would develop for himself to accept his own ruleset as an unquestionable routine. I would love to know what he thought about all the time he had to himself during those performances. Do we hit a point where we stop thinking? Or do we spiral deeper into our own egos?
Sooo by wasting time by myself on my devices equals to me being disciplined? LMFAO ! Thank god no one else has to recreate his dumb 1 year timewasting projects, totally outdated and stupid 💤
I wonder how he was able to do the time piece? Like who supplied the clock and let him chill there for a year? What a masterpiece and a genius. Amazing
I’m not into art, only know big names, but after all this guy has done for art. How is he not more heard of/spoken about. This is insane and I couldn’t imagine doing what he did
This is very interesting. I've never heard of the guy but can relate. In 2015 I decided to do ten kickflips on my skateboard each day for the entire year while taking video of each one. Despite various weather conditions, lots of soreness, broken skateboards, and even some other personal dilemmas, I managed to complete the challenge. There was absolutely no reason to do it other than simply wanting to. The best part was all the skating I did after the daily kickflips. Looking at what this guy in the video did I feel like I got off easy.
I'm reminded in a way of Henry Darger the Chicago artist (writer, collagist, painter, principally known for his most famous creation, The Vivian Girls). Even though their mode of expression was _quite_ different, both were as committed to their art as they were to breathing, and neither seemed to care a jot for fame or recognition; in fact Darger's work might have been lost to the world _entirely,_ had his landlord not realised it's importance when he discovered the huge body of work in Darger's flat around the time of his death. Darger's work, much of it revolving around an epic saga of children rebelling against their enslavement, in a fantastic version of Earth which is all the more unsettling for its (and _his_ ) apparent innocence. His work is today celebrated as perhaps a quintessential example of 'outsider art', and examples of his work change hands for six figure sums on the rare occasions that they come up for auction. Both artists eschewed publicity, Sam Tsieh seemingly satisfied that his work simply be _witnessed_ in order to be validated; in his later work, it would seem, he came to see even _this_ as an unnecessarily bourgeois and self - indulgent quality!
I genuinely don't believe someone can not sleep for a year. If you've ever stayed up even "just" a week straight you know that you quickly start hallucinating.
It is common for those in certain situations to power nap 15 minutes of every how, so that you can technically keep going. It did say he slept, moreso power napped barely.. pretty intense regardless
I love this quite a lot. His art to me sums up to existentialism. Being able to, capable of existing. Existentialism is in direct correlation with time. If you have time, you exist. If you have no time, you do not exist. You are able. He was able.
Thanks for the great video, as always! Love to see how much your channel has grown over the years. Seriously can't believe I have never heard of this guy! Makes you wonder how many other people have done art like this
Photographers paint with light, musicians paint with sounds, and he painted with time
Music is sound arranged in time.
Yup, That sounds about right.
FUCKING beautifully put
Because he is talentless and couldn’t do anything else but perform useless stunts.
Chimps sometimes paint with poop
I feel a bit sad for him. He wanted to show us the effects of time, mindless/endless routine, challenge, and strength. and for that, he sacrificed himself
I agree but I don't feel sad, I have huge respect and some empathy for him. I think he also shows us resolve and also how humans often create our own boundaries that create suffering but we still remain within those boundaries
He seems to have a very strong mental fortitude. Massive respect to him.
And the response was "tHiS sAyS a LoT aBoUt CaPiTaLiSm"
@@Mutantcy1992 No shit, regard.
@@zvz5823 well regards to you too sir
The time card one is actually an amazing metaphor of the effect of tiring routines like work or school on the human psyche
Humans are slaves to routine
Immediately thought the same. Substitute an MS Teams notification or an email for the time clock and you've got the corporate experience.
Exactly, my favorite one he did
I really expected the narrator to point out this seemingly obvious allegory.
you antiwork motherfuckers I like my routines
"The day will end, with or without me." This is a phrase I've always used to comfort myself and frankly this man had made me realize why.
It comforts you knowing that one day you’ll pass away but the world will still continue as if you never existed?
Hey! Nice Tim profile pic
This guy really thought, "How can I make my life infinitely harder and more stressful than it already is?"
No hit naked Dark Souls any% runs sound easier than what this man did. As an artist simply producing art consistently for 13 years and then following through on never showing it to anybody for the rest of your life would be the hardest conceivable achievement...the willpower and constitution this man must have had put him up there as one of the most interesting artists I've ever heard of
Seek out suffering
Ian sure a girl just rejected him and he lost it
She said his art don't speak to her. He jumps of building. Art
@@brianthomason5022 easier said than done
This is the toughest mindset of someone I’ve seen. Most of us wouldn’t last a day doing this shit
The fact that he keeps the same exact expression too for each picture is very impressive
I certainly wouldn't, because I see it as stupid and unnecessary extreme discomfort , but he sees it as for the sake of art and he wanted to leave his mark ....I still see it as just unnecessary but I suppose this could be a testimony to the strength and endurance of the human mind and will power . Yes I think thats the best way to describe this , the power of Will power and human mind.
I've worked countless brutal farm jobs and also as a mechanic on 0-3 hours sleep or no sleep at all
I've been awake for 8 days straight
Difference was I didn't do it on purpose
This is stupidity
@@khoango2337 who asked bro😂
Could be ptsd from the military
Can’t believe I’ve never heard of him, someone like him that is willing to go those extremes for the purpose of art deserves a lot more recognition in my opinion.
Art? There’s no art involved lol
@@StuffedBearSus It’s art in it’s own sense. Cooking is an art, dancing, music & many other things can be art. Art is a form of expression. What some ppl perceive as art may not be to another person. To this man, this was his way of expressing his own art & I think that’s pretty awesome. 👏🏼 👏🏼
@@Tara_P_Rose this is BS
@@Tara_P_Rose When my dog takes a shit he is expressing himself. What a true artist 🎨
@@digitalcthulhu143 😂😂😂
His 13 year long art project where he doesn’t ever show anyone his art, that’s almost like most people who create art, music, movies, etc and never show it to anyone. Either they make it for themselves or their very close friends. The art they make then dies off with them. It’s kind of amazing how much art gets created and truly never gets experienced. I have some music up in random places, but I literally have days of music that only I have listened to and probably will never post anywhere. It’s the nature of art I guess? Anyway, that’s what his piece makes me think of.
I started enjoying music so much more once i quit performing/touring/recording. Making it for myself makes it feel more like genuine self expression rather than work. Maybe when im dead some relative will post it somewhere. Who knows though.
I don’t think your music is a good example of your point
@@AtticusJohn that could be correct, but in this case no one’s going to hear it whether it’s posted or not
@@AtticusJohn you mean like exercising your free will to do what you want with the art, rather than following convention and sharing it?
@@MattHanr dog.. a swing and a miss. not even almost funny. blessings on your journey homie.
it's a shame this man isn't visible to the world. never heard about him.
You'd be surprised how many things of value are hidden.
Let's be real we have dumbass kids swallowing Tide Pods if he was famous half of America wouldn't be here right now because I would have tried one of his actions in order to post it
Do you know any modern day artists?
kinda makes sense
As with many revolutionary artists he'll become much more famous for next generation as long as the knowledge isn't lost
It’s remarkable how this guys art projects are some of the most viral RUclips ideas nowadays. Ahead of his time
Especially “the jump”
Most folk just copy and paste based on the attention that they see others getting for what they're doing and have done. This man may have done all that he did for reasons that align with his expression (even if he was seeking fame). Some of the best artist that I have seen, (whether or not they have mimicked/copied another) bring a level of genuine expression and quality taste to whatever they produce. You are actually drawn into their work, (depending on the person, even them) as their expression isn't inspired by what they saw or heard elsewhere.
But no one is willing to not have enough sleep for a year to punch cards into a clock just for attention.
Maybe they just didn’t have RUclips back then or before when people were doing it too. Also consider that we’re living in a new world where standing at a punch clock for an entire year is even possible.
@@junglekutz5625But doing something for fame alone isn't nessesery bad.
Studied this dude in art school, massive respect for him, but the dude's crazy lmao
Every great person has crazy in them, even i get sometimes the zoomies.
Truly is. I stayed up for 3 days because of ecstacy and on the 3rd day when I had no more ecstacy I felt like I was going to pass out and literally die, like no joke, I mean I really felt like I was going to die
@@ThePeacePlant Meth heads can go over 20 days without sleep. They usually go into total psychosis, but they can do it.
He’s the boss of bosses in my eyes
You gotta be really wierd to make the best art.
Wierd means different or it would mean whatever you define it as or if you go off the majority's' definition of wierd which is also first dictated by one person as it goes for anyone's personal (internal) definition of the word.
So the first definition of wierd was probably when a group of people seen 1 person simply doing something different than the rest. If that wierd thing they did was good by their (internal) definition of the word good, the pack would follow.
So you can see that there is a paradox and my brain hurts thats my wierd perfomance art for you lol
Bruh after working in retail for so long the time clock piece really hit me hard. The monotony, the repetition, the rat race to always be on time and present or loose ur job. Then again getting fired from a retail job is probably a good thing
I love getting fired, it's even better than rage-quitting because when you get fired you can milk the unemployment money for a few weeks before you have to even start looking for another job.
@@CuddlyPsycho1134 lmao pleb
@@CuddlyPsycho1134 bottom feeder I use people like you on the daily
Eh, could be worse. Depending on where you work the money is not bad and having supportive co-workers get you through the day a little easier.
in jail they have a guard walk through every hour to wake you up. (they're not supposed to wake you it's just part of the torture)
He's not only into art , he is also into pain.
man of many tastes eh hahaha
He’s a clown
thats because taiwan doesn't exist
More like into misery. Pain is a flat sensation. Misery is a whole foken 5D art piece unique for every person that experience it.
He is like the David Goggins of Art...
Why isn’t he talked about in public school art classes. This would have inspired me as a kid. Somthing I can do without actual talent, just sheer will and discipline. Bravo good Sir
This comment right here sir.
They don't want you to know your trapped in a rat race. He did
Edit. Discipline is one of the higher talents. It's hard to hold
Yeah inspire you to hurt yourself lol
Because it's not art? It's just living your life in a different way.
Doing something without talent, only sheer will and discipline? You are describing majority of artists' journeys, including mine.
I see a very disciplined man. I'm envious of his ablity in self control. imaginen with will that strong and all you want to do is to learn or train or studying. what a beast of a human.
now i gotta go hear little joels reaction to charlies reaction to ians apology
That time clock piece still makes me cry my eyes out. When I think about the years I put into meaningless commitments. Whether it be jobs, college, and friends/relationships. I missed out on a lot of precious valuable time I could’ve used to create something. Or go somewhere different.
Fuck….I felt this
this is exactly the message Hsieh wanted to send with this piece. OP talks mad shit about Hsieh but I dont think he fully understands the underside of the iceberg here
"I punch the clock and then just wait around to punch again on the hour. Life is the same every day. I dont do anything but wait for my next time to punch the clock"
Same
sadge
Ugh yea god forbid you study, develop professionally and spend time with friends and family...
How ironic someone who was so fascinated with time was born on New Year’s Eve.
How? I don't get your logic. Explain please
@@ThePeacePlant it seemed that time and doing things for a full year, was a big part in a lot of art this man did. Him being born the end of a year and begging of a new one seems to be a bit of a funny coincidence. It’d be like if Wes craven or john carpenter were born on Halloween.
I'm not sure that, that is irony.
He hated himself
please educate yourself on what irony is
Finally someone big made a video about this guy holy shit
I remember going to a multi-artist exhibit back in 2013-2014 and watching the punch-clock performance by Hsieh not knowing what was going on and reading about it afterwards. My mind was blown away after reading about what was going on in that performance and several others he performed, and it was pretty much what brought my interest in performance art
And if I can remember correctly, they were also exhibiting the very own punch-clock he used in the piece
Funny I have a very similar experience. I remember seeing an exhibit on him at least a decade ago and since then these pieces have lived in my mind and come up repeatedly. He's one of those people who it's impossible to shake the idea of.
Interesting, I will watch some stuff
He’s definitely not crazy. Just reflecting on things in our society. Honestly beautiful.
I really wanna see his hidden art
Hi Perry-Poo!!
Actually you probably don’t…
@@galleryofrogues why so
Hi
I wonder if he decided to keep his art private in order to preserve his ability to create? When you start doing art for other people's reactions, sometimes that can ruin it. Then the emphasis moves from self-expression to trying to please someone else.
I'm starting to learn that art isn't something real that exists out there, it's in the eyes of the people that look at/for it. Hard thing to accept.
Yea art is a lot like spirituality, it's good to hear, see, be apart of but the ones that take it too seriously are kooks lol
@@alxeg4993 people having an above average interest in things ? ew cringe am i right ahAhaA
@@alxeg4993 i get what ya saying but taking anything seriously these days is seen as a negative, which is legit mind boggling to me
@@leuxdaprophet6204 you're right, lots of people view people taking anything they enjoy seriously as cringe. What I meant is take it seriously but with humility. Know you sound crazy to the average person but, of course there's nothing wrong with perceptions. The only things wrong are actions, so if you're calling people dumb/ignorant instead of attempting to teach them what you're seeing then you are to them, what they are to you. After that then they're stupid.
@@alxeg4993 respect your point of view bro real valid points
Sam has to be the most interesting man I never heard of. Thanks for sharing his story!
Not any more lol
Just sounds unemployed to me
He's insane, but I respect his devotion. If he can do these things, he can do just about any conceivable thing he put his mind to.
@SinCity96 I think you're missing the point of why people call others "insane". No "normal" person can reasonably imagine going through the process and being willing to sacrifice their time and opportunities for the rest of their life just in the name of art. Of course, people squander as much or more time on similarly monotonous or useless things... But they can only see that retrospectively, when it's too late.
The point is, he's very respectively abnormal. Something about his mental fortitude and devotion vastly differs between the OP and the artist.
@SinCity96 While true, I'm talking about realizing the utility of a word and the textbook definition of a word is not always the same.
For example, you see someone that is really good at piano and you call them talented because they said they've only been doing it for a year. You can't imagine yourself getting that good in a year, they are talented and you are not. You are writing away their skills as talent without even trying.
Under the same logic, if you cannot ever imagine doing what they did (no real sleep for a full year, living on the streets for a year, etc.) they're built different, maybe even crazy to put themselves at that much risk physically, mentally and emotionally. For most people, what he did is traumatizing, it could be seen as hell on earth.
@Big Paid lmaooooooo
@SinCity96trippy? Lol
@Big Paid what exactly has he achieved doing those things? Others get really good at sports or art or playing music but this guy just wasted his time for nothing
He hasn't wasted a single second, yet used every moment as a step towards his goal.
Tehching Hsieh was growing in his own and unique way.
In all he did, many think was imprisonment, but he truly was free.
I see his art as the discipline to conform to systems that consume time.
I see the pieces as more of testing the patience and limitations of both the human mind and body. I have to admit, I’m floored by his discipline and commitment to his craft. That’s passion.
I agree. The use of a time clock depicts, specifically, a time consuming work schedule.
@@Lifesizemortal Yep.
And states with his own words that the passage of time is one of the major narratives to his pieces.
That’s how he sees most 9-5 people based on the current paradigm running the system.
I see it as introspective artsy bullshit
It’s funny that the people upset this is art is probably who this art is for most
The time clock thing is absolutely absurd. Being in the jail cell for one year without any entertainment or media is one thing. But practically doing the same thing without being able to sleep for more than 1 hour is crazy, that had to have been hard to not zonk out for 24 hours. Interesting guy.
It's truly mind blowing when you think about it. I almost lost my mind when I went to jail for 3 days and had no entertainment. I was walking around in circles like an animal at the zoo and literally started to go crazy, thank God I was let out on the 3rd day
While I don't know what he did during the time clock experiment, it seems that entertainment, socialization, etc. were permitted. He just couldn't really go anywhere more than a few minutes away from the clock. Read books, play an instrument, invite friends over, whatever, just do it near the clock.
The sleep interruption seems like the worst part, and the very strict scheduling could be stressful, but overall to me it seems like the cage might be worse.
Duno what the rest of the world sees in that piece of art, but for me it is a reflection of our daily lifes. No matter how funny or unpleasant our daily dutys are. We do them or by avoiding them do something else. Even sleeping is a task in itself that we devote years of our lifes too. Thats how we live task for task for task.
This guy showd the naked structure of how we live trough time, because no matter what color our live is or how colorfull it went for us.
From a gray perspective out it just goes by. Hour by Hour.
Anyways i am no performance champ or so i just look at this and it gets me thinkin like that.
If you are ever in that situation again, I recommend meditation and escaping into your imagination. You can experience a reality as real as this one, in your own mind. You just have to exercise your imaginations muscle overtime, to get to that ability.
yeah I don't buy that, don't believe it
I think my interpretation of his art would have to be exposing the apathetic nature of Time itself. Showing regardless of whats happening wether it be suffering or pleasure to oneself or the world Time will forever be moving regardless.
I knew an artist who said that when someone tells him their own interpretation of his artwork, he says, "Oh yes, that too."
@r3dhand It is very much real, send his cage near the speed of light across the universe and he would experience a year of boredom but to us observers we would see him experience boredom for billions of years.
@r3dhand Todays poop, proves yesterdays meal
Naught may endure but mutability
@r3dhand define time.
Define real.
His friends that helped him also deserve equal credit, taking his toilet and cleaning it, and bringing him food everyday is something unreal dedication to the project, or they are paid weekly from a preset account that pays them weekly in order for them not to get all thw money at once and run off
Honestly, probably the greatest artist of all time. Because it's simply not possible to be more dedicated or stronger-minded than him. He was a warrior and fought with everything he had for his pieces. I've only heard 13 minutes of infortmation of him and have studied many great artists, but already know this will be the most impressive artist I'll ever know of.
Noice, now u trow ur life away without having any fun like I dare you... LMAO 🤡😂
@@simonshura9144
I dare YOU, coward!
The goal of art is not to be strong minded. If anything, it is to be sensitive. It's not a contest.
Not to mention, there is an endless list of people who have self-immolated for art or politics. That's way more hardcore than this.
@@simonshura9144 Shut up.
That’s not was art is about. It isn’t a competition between who’s “stronger minded”. You should probably rethink how you judge artists.
I'm certain most your viewers (including me) would have never heard of him if it wasn't for your video. Nice coverage
Yuup
Amen
Totally. I never heard of this dude in my life or heard anyone mention him in my life time
So glad I ran into this video.
true. I appreciate Deburke for bringing him to a new audience. His story changed my view on time and life. It makes me want to explore my mental capabilities and break my own boundaries.
The coolest artist ever, the dedication he really lived his life CREATING ART, lived, breathed , sleep art ! Amazing.
I don't even have enough discipline to sit through this entire video.
To me a huge part of his performances is hope. The hope that with enough time, even the most gruesome situations can be overcome, as long as you are persistent. It's an homage to the strength we possess and to the eerie quality of time, that is stronger than any hardship.
this is probably one of my new favorite artists. I can’t that in three years of arts school they had not told us about this amazing person and his work, which happens to be his life
I've recently undergone my own revitalization as an artist. This was truly inspiring! Thank you so much for putting this video together. This may have honestly changed my life. Truly thank you.
Hey, it’s cool to be you. Don’t get lost in the sauce.
cringe
@@meettherandom4711 "Cringe" often use by those who can't handle the truth or their own feelings.
@@z.m7483 cringe is cringe, no point explaining to tin foil hat npcs
@Saint Lasagna cringe is extremely real but its not for double digit iqs
The deep compassion of this man humbles me. I was homeless on the streets of NYC for a few years. Very few of the people who see this video or read those words will know what I mean by this. The things they take for granted are endless is scope and implication. We're better than this. Insanity artist is brute inaccuracy.
wasn't sure at first but thank you for pretty much verifying exactly what i was thinking and glad to hear your doing well now.
@@KingM119l
Ppp
Pull
Lplplll
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On this platform you need to be misleading your viewer to gain traction and viewership. It's the only way this works sadly.
Usually hate performance art but this was beautiful and inspiring
Thank you for this. I’ve never heard of this artist. It takes a special kind of human being to go through what this guy went through. His art has taught us many lessons.
I often scoff at "High" art and performance pieces, because most are pretentious and trying too hard to say something. However, on the contrary, Mr. Tehching Hsieh, he's brilliant, he is not trying to say something, he literally BECOMES that something at will. To me that is the point of art, it's not just expression or sending a message, but creating that thing you feel, envision or know and making it a real thing at will. He's a genius in my opinion.
The time punching one
It wasn’t until I actually realised that he couldn’t sleep for more than an hour so he could clock on each time, just how much pure and utter fucking insanity it really is
Not sure how this showed up on my feed, but I'm glad it did. What an interesting person. His work begs a lot of questions and is truly fascinating.
This art piece spoke to me on I level I was not expecting AT ALL. Thanks for covering this! What an interesting person he is and his art for sure makes you think!
Lol you’re mindless
when "THE ROPE PIECE" appeared on the screen I was like "oh shit he actually did it"
im glad im subscribed to u. this video genuinely touched me, especially after reading the comment "painters paint with light, musicians paint with sound, he paints with time"
The way he got to America is one of the most badass things I've ever heard.
Go to america with nothing, tortures himself for 5 years straight, leaves art scene, refuses to elaborate further
The discipline it must have taken to do that time clock piece is incredible. I hope he got time and a half for all that overtime.
Boi was running on triple time
Simply amazing. The will power alone is super impressive & the task he chose is insane.
this guy was a modern art version of an endurance artist. But a good one considering he's what some consider a modern art type of guy
You know what is the most insane thing about this guy? It's that he's still alive!
I've been working a piece for around 28 years now, breathing 22000 times a day. It's my crowning achievement as an artist.
I'm also working on a very similar piece but I have been doing it for 29 years, you filthy casual.
I love performance art. Especially extreme performance art. My buddy was just telling about some Russian performance artist who nailed himself to the red square, so the cops would have to interact with him to free him from being nailed to the ground.
Performance art is for weirdos that can’t draw or paint but still want to create the illusion they are artistic
@@StuffedBearSus I completely disagree, but to each their own
@@joshhale9355 well most of them bother those that don t want to be bother by artist who do dumb shit.For instance there was a guy who performed something and screamed for like an hour and a half from a balcony until someone hit him with a rock.They can fo what they want but when others are bothered it is just harassment
Yeah no extreme weirdness like eating shit off the street or biting rat heads off isn’t art it’s degenerate garbage
I do like the 1 hour every hour pictures tho
That time clock piece... Talk about commitment. I assumed he would be a raving lunatic, but he seems pretty articulate and coherent. I don't know how anyone could do that.
His hair grew down past his shoulders in only a year on the timecard one. Thats pretty insane too since he was probably malnourished
Makes jealous ngl took me 2 years to do that
My first real job was as an art monitor in a huge exhibition called 29st Bienal of São Paulo, in Brazil. There were almost a thousand art pieces being exhibit, and one of the rooms was of Sam's clock piece, with all the pictures he took and some records of the work. I remember seeing it and being astonished by the concept and the strenght he had to put into it!
It’s interesting that his work contains normal human conditions of mostly everybody but pushed to the extreme. The time card, the actually being tethered to a single person, these are boiling what it means to work your whole life, and to be married to to literal expressions.
Wow. Just wow. I don't even have words to describe this. Just thinking about spending a whole year without being able to talk to the people I love and care about... This is truly the definition of art
Or insanity
Not sure if this art is anything Except self torture? Like why fuck your body up for like no real payoff? To say "I did it? I mean ok but damn
@@k9vendettathewolfofmordor529 Exactly, people in the comments are praising him like a god lol
@@htg41 yeah, some called him "hero" which made me gringe like hell 😬
Or postmodern garbage. Strong Maria Abramovich/ GG Allin "HEY, LOOK AT ME!" vibes...
I see true art as determination, discipline, and commitment. And boy, oh boy, this man has done it like no one else I know! Bravo!
This artist and video actually makes me appreciate performance art a million times more than I did before
The punch card piece hit home differently for me. Back in my early 20s, I took a job at a bread factory. It churned out thousands of buns and loaves every day, around the clock. It was a great-paying job for someone my age, and it employed numerous other college students. The catch was that it involved some hefty overtime and a graveyard schedule. It was also mind-numbingly monotonous. No windows, and boiling hot in the summer. Anyway, we also punched in with time cards. The combination of meticulous clocking in and out and being extremely sleep-deprived all the time was absolute hell.
RESPECT FOR HIS DEDICATION. HE LIVED THE ART. NEXT LEVEL
Metal, even.
Please define "NEXT LEVEL" in this context.
Your channel is fantastic, keep looking for interesting stories that most of us have not heard about!
I just love it when someone just pointing me there's a little to known artist out there, thanks man....
I can thoroughly relate to his sleep deprivation and where the narrator describes him as 'looking defeated'. I've experienced various episodes of sleep deprivation where I've had little or no sleep and it really takes a toll on you. My last episode was several years ago where I experienced 7 months with little or no sleep and at the end of it, I was just done. A person I was interacting with on the last day said I just went blank for several minutes and I didn't even realise that. It's like getting the life slowly sucked out of you and it makes you feel older than you actually are. It's not recommended either as it left me paranoid, delusional, agoraphobic, claustrophobic and in a state of anxiety.
I believe you. Can't number how many 36 hour days I worked in commercial construction - I could micro- sleep standing up, in traffic, in conversation but as you say it takes a real toll. Took me four months to repay my sleep debt after one highly stressful job. Any day now, those company owners are going to thank me and then it''ll all have been worthwhile. Toward the end most of my day was spent being active on my feet - so you can't nod off, or Looking awake. Sleep deprivation is no joke.
@@ZoomStrangeris a 36 hour shift legal?
@@abcdefghijk8925 It's not talked about or requested out loud. You find you just have to produce results and keep the ball rolling and it comes down to you throwing the only thing you have at it - your time. On a fixed salary...
@@ZoomStranger damn that's hard. Did you hallucinate?
@@abcdefghijk8925 no, but 80% of your time is spent Looking awake - and staying busy on your feet - sitting in front of a computer makes it too easy to nod off, so a key indicator of a truly exhausted person is that they keep moving.
the punch in clock one is absolutely amazing, i always thought if there was someone who would dedicate a year of their life to Art or a performance as such. Glad I finally watched this vid, ty for sharing.
Teh Ching Hsieh came to Singapore a few years ago and I got him to sign my book! He is a MASTER in performance arts, Time and Body is his material! One of the most amazing artist of our generation!
Performance art is one of those forms ppl look at and say “it’s just a guy sitting in a room… I can do that.” But you didn’t and no, it’s not easy. It’s thought out and has purpose. This work is just fantastic.
lol
People couldn't do it. Try sitting in your room for one weekend with no entertainment what so ever, no TV, no phone, no internet, no radio, no nothing and you will lose your mind. That's why jail and prison sucks because there is nothing to do and it can break you down if there was nobody in there to talk to. Just try it, if you really think you can do it. You will see even after the first day you will go insane. I went to a psych ward for 5 days because in my state you can't get a psychologist appointment unless you go to a psych ward first. But on the 5 day I couldn't handle it anymore and broke down and started crying and begged for them to let me out and they did, but it's psychologically damaging
@@gi7685 you must be the best person in the whole world ever. Nobody could be as good as you.
Preformance art is one of those forms people pour their own personality all over and make it about themselves and how well they understand preformance art lol
@@sideeggunnecessary a lot of it yeah but some of it is alright
How have I not heard about this guy? His art projects are like nightmare situations I would conceptualize while tripping on LSD.
Exactly - I'm very surprised to have only heard about him today but extremely glad I did. I would like to write an article on him - in fact I am about to begin it shortly, as I feel more people should know about him and his 'Actions'. A truly fascinating man, Tehching Hsieh.
Oooo you do lsd. Soooooo cooool /s
@@JK8 LSD is fucking awesome, nerd.
@@JK8 😂 drug addict
As somebody who "studied" (and spend much time doing and reading about) art at an Art Academy, I can tell, this guy is dedicated and has everything an artist should have from the personality standpoint... Him torturing himself just to get an art piece done is really insane... I could never be such a good artist. Respect.
what a waste of fucking money 😂
Bro is playing the long game his hidden art is going to be worth millions when they’re released.
This guy is so outrageously interesting. And dedicated. Holy fuck.
"I can only imagine the mental fatigue-" Nah bro. This is some kind of ascended being. He's not performing magic, but he's as dedicated to his craft as someone like David Blaine. To get used to some of the things he put himself through is not something I would want to do.
Yes, I think some of the art in of itself was the approach and mindset he would develop for himself to accept his own ruleset as an unquestionable routine.
I would love to know what he thought about all the time he had to himself during those performances. Do we hit a point where we stop thinking? Or do we spiral deeper into our own egos?
This made me see performance art in an entirely different light. Thanks for sharing his story.
This is mind blowing 😳 Never heard of him
Mind blowing like it’s really stupid and you can’t believe ppl pay for this crap? Me too
@@iamthelaw9369 he’s worth over 4 mill dummy lol
@@iamthelaw9369 4 million ya more on
@def creator 4mill us more on
Wow 👏 this blows your mind 🤣 easily amused by the mentally ill are we??
This man's self discipline is unreal 👏
Sooo by wasting time by myself on my devices equals to me being disciplined? LMFAO !
Thank god no one else has to recreate his dumb 1 year timewasting projects, totally outdated and stupid 💤
I have so much respect for the amount of dedication of this artist to his art is truly remarkable and beautiful.
Very interesting story here man. Great job. Never heard of this guy before.
I wonder how he was able to do the time piece? Like who supplied the clock and let him chill there for a year? What a masterpiece and a genius. Amazing
wow what an amazing world we live in . “The Rope” is my favorite thanks so much I love this channel!
I’m not into art, only know big names, but after all this guy has done for art. How is he not more heard of/spoken about. This is insane and I couldn’t imagine doing what he did
This is very interesting. I've never heard of the guy but can relate. In 2015 I decided to do ten kickflips on my skateboard each day for the entire year while taking video of each one. Despite various weather conditions, lots of soreness, broken skateboards, and even some other personal dilemmas, I managed to complete the challenge. There was absolutely no reason to do it other than simply wanting to. The best part was all the skating I did after the daily kickflips. Looking at what this guy in the video did I feel like I got off easy.
Seems like he wanted to escape the art world, and done it in the coolest way he could think
ultimate chad jumps off building and refuses to elaborate
I don't even have words to describe how I feel about this
I think this guy might be my favourite artist now
So then you described how you feel then.
We in Antwerp, Belgium, were lucky to be able to attend a lecture by Tehching Hsieh in 2019. Thanks to Lode Geens and the N.I.C.C.
this video is so crazy i had to watch it for the second time after a year
Its almost the ultimate art, it requires the most of an artist I’ve ever seen to make the audience think and be in awe
dam that's a great point
The commitment to the piece is absolutely mind blowing to me
I'm reminded in a way of Henry Darger the Chicago artist (writer, collagist, painter, principally known for his most famous creation, The Vivian Girls). Even though their mode of expression was _quite_ different, both were as committed to their art as they were to breathing, and neither seemed to care a jot for fame or recognition; in fact Darger's work might have been lost to the world _entirely,_ had his landlord not realised it's importance when he discovered the huge body of work in Darger's flat around the time of his death. Darger's work, much of it revolving around an epic saga of children rebelling against their enslavement, in a fantastic version of Earth which is all the more unsettling for its (and _his_ ) apparent innocence. His work is today celebrated as perhaps a quintessential example of 'outsider art', and examples of his work change hands for six figure sums on the rare occasions that they come up for auction. Both artists eschewed publicity, Sam Tsieh seemingly satisfied that his work simply be _witnessed_ in order to be validated; in his later work, it would seem, he came to see even _this_ as an unnecessarily bourgeois and self - indulgent quality!
I would watch a movie about this guy’s pieces. The raw experiences he accumulated through these must’ve been astounding
This isn’t art, more mental endurance
What an absolutely incredible human.
I’m astounded that he isn’t more well known!
Great content, D
God chose the nightmare difficulty for that guy and he did challenge runs on it, what a legend.
I genuinely don't believe someone can not sleep for a year. If you've ever stayed up even "just" a week straight you know that you quickly start hallucinating.
It is common for those in certain situations to power nap 15 minutes of every how, so that you can technically keep going. It did say he slept, moreso power napped barely.. pretty intense regardless
The most consistent person I’ve ever heard of
Hi mate, whats the background music that begins at 10:12 ? Sounds beautiful.
I love this quite a lot. His art to me sums up to existentialism. Being able to, capable of existing. Existentialism is in direct correlation with time. If you have time, you exist. If you have no time, you do not exist. You are able. He was able.
This is so beautifully put
this is so deep
@@netsaosa4973 its not that deep really
I’m glad this guy is getting recognition now. Super interesting.
This one's my favorite, and I've watched a few.
Thanks!
Finally a video essay that is worth it's time.
Thanks for the great video, as always! Love to see how much your channel has grown over the years.
Seriously can't believe I have never heard of this guy! Makes you wonder how many other people have done art like this
Thanks a million glad you enjoyed!