In the 1960s, artists increasingly made work to be seen on the street and on public transportation, in shopping malls and in restaurants. Their collaborations took the form of collectives, periodicals, and businesses that bypassed the need for museums and commercial galleries to display and promote their work. Artists aimed to reenvision performance by using unusual venues, writing instructions they promised to enact, and involving audience members as active participants. Some of their projects were meant to be short-lived or never intended to be realized. Brought together by city living, these artists embraced process, creative relationships, and ideas put into action.
Many of the works in this gallery are drawn from the recent gift of 800 works on paper the Museum received from the Gilbert B. and Lila Silverman Instruction Drawing Collection.
Organized by Thomas (T.) Jean Lax, Curator, Department of Media and Performance, with Ana Torok, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Drawings and Prints.
