Tehching Hsieh

Conceptual artist, originally from Taiwan, lived in New York for 25 years • Born on 31 December 1950 in Noncho, Taiwan • Dropped out of high school in 1967. End of formal schooling in Taiwan • 1969–73: focused on painting in Taiwan • 1970–73: Conscripted into the Taiwanese army • 1974: Began working as a shipping clerk on an oil tanker, left the ship on 13 July • Entered the USA illegally (Philadelphia), arrived in New York without identification. Lived in the US as an illegal immigrant until the North American amnesty (1988) • 1978–79: one-year performance from 29 September 1978 to 30 September 1979: spent a year in a cage without speaking, reading, writing, listening to the radio or watching television• 1980–81: one-year performance from 11 April 1980 to 11 April 1981: operated a time clock every hour on the hour, 24 hours a day, in New York City • 1981–1982: a one-year performance from 26 September 1981 to 26 September 1982: remained outdoors at all times, without entering a building, a tube, a train, a car, an aeroplane, a ship, a cave or a tent, New York City • 1983–84 Art/Life – a year-long performance from 4 July 1983 to 4 July 1984: Linda Montano and Tehching Hsieh tied themselves together at the waist with a 250 cm long rope and did not touch each other for the entire year, New York City • 1985–86: a one-year performance from 1 July 1985 to 1 July 1986: did not make art, did not talk about art, did not look at art, did not read anything about art, did not set foot in a museum or a gallery, simply lived his life for one year, New York City • 1986–99, 13-year plan: will make art during this period. Does not wish to show it to the public. ‘This plan began on my 36th birthday, 31 December 1986, and continues until my 49th birthday, 31 December 1999, Earth.’ • 1 January 2000: end of the 13-year plan, public report: "I KEPT MYSELF ALIVE. I SURVIVED 31 December 1999", Earth.