Surls, James, Cut Hand Hurt Eye (Execution planning materials II), 1999
$25,000.00
Sale price
$25,000.00
Regular price
Skip to product information
Surls, James, Cut Hand Hurt Eye (Execution planning materials II), 1999
$25,000.00
Sale price
$25,000.00
Regular price
Color woodcut with bullet holes, FB II, 79-7/8" x 42-1/8"
The text clearly legible on the right side of the sheet explicitly references a Smith & Wesson .38 Spl and text by William S. Burroughs, contextualizing it as part of Surls's specialized collaborative printmaking work. Surls is widely recognized for his striking, wood-carved, and linear visual style
The work represents a unique event in printmaking history:
- The "Execution" Event: The second edition of this woodblock print was pulled in 1999. In 2003, Surls teamed up with fellow artist David Bradshaw for a collaborative conceptual performance titled "The Execution".
- The Bullet Holes: Bradshaw literally "executed" the suite of prints and the original woodblock by firing nine .45-caliber bullets through them. This explains the actual physical bullet holes and ballistic fractures present across the left and center sheets in your image.
The textual element on the right sheet references a Smith & Wesson .38 Special and a passage by William S. Burroughs, which served as the conceptual, thematic layout accompanying this specific iteration of the print.