By Jonathan Shih
Measuring the Universe is a performance art installation by Slovak artist Roman Ondák, first presented in 2007. The piece invites museum visitors to actively participate by having their height measured, along with their first name and the date, which are then marked on a white wall by museum attendants. Over time, the accumulation of these markings turns the wall into a collective portrait of the audience.
The concept draws from the familiar practice of parents marking their children's growth on doorframes, transforming this personal ritual into a shared, public experience. Ondák's installation blurs the boundaries between art and everyday life, making the visitors an essential part of the artwork. Over 90,000 people have participated in the installation, which has been showcased at major institutions like MoMA in New York, Tate Modern in London, and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, each time evolving with the participation of its audience.
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