Cats and Mice - 1970

Super-8 Film, transferred to Digital Video 2002
Performance at Southampton, New York.
2 tethered domestic cats, 4 white mice.

On a hillside of the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, Long Island, the artist gathered and protected a group of white mice from potential harm. Two house cats where each restrained by a string whose length allowed them the option to reach the artist, the mice or each other. The artist sat cross-legged as the mice moved over his arms and chest. The cats positioned themselves at a near equi-distance from either side and settled down in the grass. The performance lasted for approximately 15 minutes.