Pryings (1971)

A documentation of a live performance at New York University Pryings is a graphic exploration of the physical and psychological dynamics of malefemale interaction a study in control violation and resistance The camera focuses tightly on Kathy Dillons face as Acconci tries to pry open her closed eyes Dillon resists at times protecting her face or fighting to get away Locked in a silent embrace the couples struggle is violent passionate Acconcis sadistic coercion is tinged with a sinister tenderness The body is a vehicle for a literal enactment of the desire for and resistance against intimate contact