Bay Area Premiere!With rare performance works by Vito Acconci. In the early'70s, Vito Acconci made a series of super-8mm films, rarely seen because of theirfragile nature. Now beautifully transferred to videotape, these seminalperformance works are again available. As with many of Acconci's works, theydepict a confrontation with his physical limitations. Endurance and discomfortare embodied in Acconci's actions, as are gestures that encapsulate the body'sexternal doublings. In Three Adaptation Studies (8:03 mins, B&W, Silent),Acconci tries to overcome his reflex defenses, dousing his eyes in soapy waterand gagging on his hand. In Three Relationship Studies (12:33 mins, B&W,Silent), he challenges his own ego projections, shadow-boxing with himself anddictating postures to another performer. In the minimalist masterpiece Openings(13:15, B&W, Silent), Acconci closely frames his abdomen, painstakinglyplucking hairs from his flesh. By tape's end, a virgin canvas has been revealed,fleshy and formed through pain, but starkly pure. A startling new work by MikeKelley and Paul McCarthy, Fresh Acconci (43:42 mins, Color), is at once a paeanand a pasting of the eponymous artist. Restaging five Acconci pieces, Kelley andMcCarthy address similar issues of seduction, invasiveness, and power with thebody as matrix. Only here their use of opulent settings with naked fashion modelsas performers declares the total commodification of Acconci's once-privateenterprise.-Steve Seid Look for another vintageAcconci program in the nearfuture.