Merce Cunningham 1919-2009
Walkaround Time (1968)
The title for "Walkaround Time" came from Cunningham’s fascination with computers and technology. When asked about his inspiration for the piece he said, “You feed the computer information, then you have to wait while it digests. There’s some argument as to whether the computer is walking around or those who are waiting.” The decor for "Walkaround Time" was created by Jasper Johns after the Marcel Duchamp work, "The Large Glass." The piece was divided into seven sections, and explored ideas of perception when the spectator looks not only at an object but through it, to see another viewer on the other side. David Behrman composed the music, and Jasper Johns designed the costumes.