The institution now known as MoMA PS1 began over 40 years ago as The Institute for Art and Urban Resources, an organization dedicated to rehabilitating derelict property around New York City into spaces for artists to create and display their work. Within 10 years, the Institute had occupied the iconic P.S. 1 school building in Queens and the downtown Clocktower Gallery, developed a formal studio program that drew young artists from around the world, and maintained an exhibition schedule that frequently involved hundreds of artists in a single season. Drawing on materials from the institutional records in the Museum Archives, this exhibition chronicles the growth and development of MoMA PS1 in its first decade—from its origins as a temporary art event to one of the largest art spaces in the country—and emphasizes its enduring legacy as a central participant in the New York art world and a showcase for a critical era in contemporary art.
Organized by Jonathan Lill and Alana Miller, Project Archivist and Archives Assistant, The Museum of Modern Art Archives.