32,066 Days Within On Kawara’s One Million Years project my time, so far, could easily be contained in a single column—in mere minutes when recited out loud. I decided to use the scale of “days” instead of years to explore my own plausible life span. After completing an online quiz from the website livingto100.com, I determined my predicted expiration date. A figure such as “32,066 Days” is more difficult to imagine. It sounds like an eternity, and indeed, it is a lifetime. While contained in a pocket-sized vessel, the volume of content is substantial. I feel the weight in my hands, noting where I am in the book, reflecting on the past, and wondering about the future. Each time I pick up the book and flip through it, my eyes skim the information. Naturally a handful of dates such as birthdays will catch my attention. But mostly, the list of dates is simply about progression. And each time, I have progressed a little further to the end. |
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| On Kawara’s One Million Years is a listing of all the years from one million years past to one million years into the future. Part of the project is a live recording of the dates, with volunteers reading the years in a gallery sound booth. Listening to even a portion of the list is mesmerizing. It is easy for me to relate to the years immediately surrounding my lifetime, but years such as 956,232BC are impossible for me to really comprehend. So the numbers by themselves begin to lose meaning, but what they do form, is a sequential order. |
