PIASA is organizing a sale of modern and contemporary art on Wednesday, December 7th.
"We had prepared a bath for our bird in this room; the bath was dyed with a white powder to resemble milk. At first it was cold, and the bird found itself at ease, drinking from it and frolicking in it. But when the heat of the lamps began to cool the bath, we had great difficulty keeping the bird in it. So we put a lid on the cauldron and let its head pass through a hole. The bird lost all its feathers in the bath until its skin was as smooth as a man's; but the heat did not cause it any further damage.
Rebecca Horn (née en 1944)
The blue bath, circa 1981
Estimate: 18000 / 25000 €
Amazingly, the feathers dissolved completely in the bath and turned him blue. Finally we let the bird escape from the boiler; it was so smooth and shiny that it was a pleasure to see; but as it was a little shy we had to put a collar with a chain around its neck; then we walked it here and there in the room. During this time a big fire was lit under the boiler and the bath was evaporated to dryness, so that a blue matter remained. We detached it from the boiler, crushed what remained and prepared it on a stone. Then, we applied this paint all over the skin of the bird. The bird then took on an even more unique appearance; for, except for the head which remained white, it was entirely blue."
Rebecca Horn
