The artwork titled “It was it No. 4” was created by Joseph Kosuth in 1984. It belongs to the Conceptual Art movement and is classified as an installation artwork.
The artwork consists of a projected text on a wall, which engages the viewer in contemplation about the act of reading and comprehension. It features a paragraph discussing the conditions and implications of misreading. The text illuminates the critical examination of how attention shifts and how frequently the reader loses the thread of content by turning to personal thoughts. Kosuth’s installation prompts viewers to reflect on their own reading and understanding processes, embodying the essence of Conceptual Art by focusing on ideas and concepts rather than aesthetic appearance. The text itself becomes the primary medium, encouraging an intellectual engagement with the nature of interpretation and meaning.
