In 1969 Hamilton was invited to participate in the Art by Telephoneexhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. The artist decided there were interesting possibilities in trying to create a painting through a series of instructions given over the telephone.

A young American artist, Ed Paschke, was instructed:
Get a coloured postcard in the Chicago area of a subject in Chicago, Either get it yourself or, if you are worried about the aesthetic responsibilities of choosing something, ask a friend to provide it.

Take a piece of paper and cut a hole in it 1 inch high by 1½ inches wide. The hole should be square with a corner of the paper 1 inch to the left of the edge and ¾ inches from the bottom edge. Place this in the bottom right-hand corner of the postcard. Get a photographer to enlarge the area of the postcard revealed in the hole to a size of 2ft 8in x 4ft, preferably on sensitized canvas but if this isn’t possible have a paper print dry mounted onto hardboard.

Leave 20 per cent of the surface untouched black and white. Paint 40 per cent in roughly the colours apparent in the postcard. Either transparent stains or opaque colours, some thick, some thin, which areas at your discretion.

The postcard chosen by Ed Paschke depicted the Prudential Building in Chicago with part of Grant Park in the foreground.

Richard Hamilton, Tate Gallery 1992