Some of the most exciting discussions in contemporary art that arose during the ’80s and ’90s, especially on the American scene, involved the relationship between art and public life. It has become almost a given that art must be continually reconceived if it is to generate real dialogue. Vito Acconci is one of the few artists who have consistently striven to achieve this effect. Both his discrete pieces, which often solicit the viewer’s participation, and his site-specific urban projects, which are intended to produce new perspectives by altering urban spaces, constitute some of the best