Enlarged from the Catalogue: Michael Asher Writings 1973-1983 on Works 1969-1979 (The Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 1983)

1990


This installation, commissioned for a group exhibition entitled "New Directions," was derived from a work of conceptual art executed in the late 1960s by the artist Michael Asher. The Asher work was itself a response to a request for participation in a group exhibition, for which he had a piece of glass cut to the median measurements of all the works of art by the other contributors in the show. Asher then had his piece of glass installed on the gallery wall with small finishing nails. 

For this project, a photo of Asher's glass installation was photographically reproduced from the titular monograph of his work, then framed and hung in the "New Directions" group show. In addition, a catalogue/brochure was made available in the gallery, signaled by the inclusion of a line of type - CATALOGUE AVAILABLE - on the wall next to the framed photograph.


The catalogue/brochure for this project includes texts reproduced from the Asher book, texts from the official catalogue accompanying the 1990 exhibition, and additional texts comprising a discussion of the genre of group exhibitions, the philosophical and political purport of the individual and the group, and a history of the project itself. When opened to its full size the catalogue/brochure has the same dimensions as Asher's piece of glass.


(Framed photograph, brochure, wall type.)


Enlarged from the Catalogue: Michael Asher is in the collection of Sebastien Pluot.


*

This project also exists as a powerpoint presentation tracing the development and eventual sale and resale of the project. 



Selected Bibliography

Silvia Kolbowski, XI Projects (New York: Border Editions), 1992

"Silvia Kolbowski," by Josefina Ayerza, Lacanian Ink 3, 1991

New Directions, by Sam Hunter (S. Bitter-Larkin Gallery, catalogue)

ghd sale



© 2024 Silvia Kolbowski