Exhibition

Advertising Blog / Exhibition - Bumble Bee

This is the final card I designed specifically for this project. I felt I needed a slightly more diverse collection of images as it would be able to attract a wider variety of people. For this particular design I really thought about how the text advertising the blog would work within the design as well as how large the text box would need to be to become successful.

 

The Bumble bee design is the final piece of work I will produce before the final piece is exhibited on the Blog on the evening of the 3^rd of February and as such I spent a great deal of time ensuring it was exactly how I intended it to be. I have thoroughly enjoyed this elective, it has been a challenge, I have had to be self reliant and motivated to get the amount of work done needed. I have developed I.T. skills that I never thought I would be able to, as well as learning a great deal about the many different ways to create and hold an exhibition.

Advertising Blog / Exhibition - Panda

This is the newest design I have drawn to advertise the exhibition on the blog. I have managed to keep a fairly steady flow of work produced over the Christmas period, which has really helped me hit the deadlines I needed to meet. The Panda design was not as time consuming as the Rhino, however it is just as effective.

Again, I wanted to show the image in it’s original context as well as the edited version. I decided to show the original and the final version. Attempting to fit too much text into the thought bubble meant that the words were too small and it became almost pointless them being there. So I simplified the text and cut it down, to compensate for this I have decided to edit the blog slightly, putting more information about myself as well as contact details.

 

These invitations have been received very well so far and generated a lot of interest. Without them I do not think the blog would have had many hits at all. It has helped me realize that putting in the effort with publicity and publicizing really does work. Doing it myself, although time consuming, meant that I saved money and learnt how to successfully create and design something to advertise my work. I intend to build upon these ideas, I thoroughly enjoyed drawing these cards and think they have a great deal of potential.

Advertising Blog / Exhibition - Rhino

Rhino flyer advertising the blog and the exhibition of work shown online at www.friends-in-formaldehyde.blogspot.com

I am really happy with this drawing, it took me a week to complete and was massively time consuming. 

I was not completely happy with the text within the speech bubble of the previous (Bat) design and it was mostly because of the length of the blog address I needed to fit inside the bubble. In this design I removed the www. but kept the basic formula the same. It seems to work much more effectively. 

From the two designs above I think that the lower design is slightly more informative and therefore a better example of what I am hoping to achieve with these cards. I really wanted to create flyers that would reflect my work and give a taster of things to come in the exhibition and blog.

Jonathan LeVine Gallery 'Josh Keyes' Exhibition

Although I am planning to exhibit my work online I really want to research as many different exhibitions as possible to understand how to present work. The Jonathan Levine gallery had an exhibition of environmental artist Josh Keyes work. The exhibition was beautifully curated, in a dimmed room, using spotlights to highlight each individual painting.

This exhibition is a good example of the effects of lighting on a show. The dimly lit room and spotlights on the paintings really accentuates each canvas, setting it apart from the stark white walls. Without the lighting the paintings could have become lost in their surroundings and lacked definition, instead they are framed by their shadows and the room as a whole becomes more atmospheric and involving.

Advertising Development / Research

A project for the center of biological diversity, Endangered Species Condoms distributed 350,000 condoms in all 50 states of the United States of America (as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico). The Endangered Species Condoms campaign distributed free condoms with clever slogans "to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of human overpopulation and overconsumption, on endangered species and their habitats." 50,000 condoms were distributed around New Year's Eve by more than 600 volunteers all over the United States. The packaging includes original artwork featuring six endangered species: 

The Polar Bear:

The Snail Darter:

The Spotted Owl:

The American Burying Beetle:

The Jaguar:

The Coquí Guajón Rock Frog:

In the 1980s volunteers distributed free condoms to raise awareness about AIDS prevention, and free condoms are still available now from groups promoting safe sex. Endangered Species condoms are now attempting to promote environmentally safe sex. The campaign has raised a lot of publicity for the cause and has brought attention to an important subject. Even though the condoms are not advertising a show or event I feel they are relevant to this project.

Advertising Blog / Exhibition - Bat

This is the raw finished drawing, before adding the text advertising the exhibition as well as the blog. A wide selection of my own art is heavily influenced by endangered animals and for these cards I wanted to create designs that would reflect this. The first design features a Kitti's Hog Nosed Bat, (also known as the Bumblebee Bat). This specific breed of bat is the smallest mammal in the World and is also at risk of extinction. I needed to add some text to advertise the blog - hence the additional of the speech bubble.

I think the text within the speech bubble works well, however I'm not sure that the text is correct in terms of letting the audience know exactly what is taking place on the website/blog.

This one seems better, I think I might need to work on it a little bit more as I'm not 100% happy and feel like it needs more development. For the next card I intent to draw a Rhino, which will probably be much more time consuming as there will be much more line work to do. However I think it is very important to create cards that are striking and represent the style of my work. Hopefully the cards will be a successful tool in the advertising of my blog and subsequent exhibition.

The Hunterian Museum / Research

The Hunterian Museum contains 'a collection of anatomical specimens assembled by 18th Century surgeon John Hunter. Largely self-taught, Hunter was at the forefront of a systematic and scientific approach to anatomy. His evidence-based medicine was at odds with the establishment, who still clung to the ineffective treatments of Galen, Hippocrates and other ancient practitioners. 

'Displayed in the museum are embryos, diseased organs in jars, and the skeleton of the 7′ 7” giant Charles Byrne, complete skeletons, bones, skulls and teeth; dried preparations, corrosion casts and wax teaching models; historical surgical and dental instruments together with modern surgical instruments and technologies; as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture.'

The UK has a long history of scandalous 'body-snatching'. Since the 1832 Anatomy Act, enacted to discourage the illicit sale of body parts, specimens like those in the Hunterian Museum have been more and more tightly restricted. Since 2006, the Human Tissues Authority has regulated the donation, disposal, and use of medical specimens and cadavers, and requires special licesning for the public display of remains from persons who died since 1906. But since John Hunter lived, collected, and died years before the Anatomy Act, his collection can be displayed without the restrictions that impact the pathology collection.

Written Proposal

The main objective I have set myself for this project is to conceive, design, and execute a compelling online exhibition showcasing new drawings produced solely for this exhibition. The underlying theme of the exhibition will be strongly feminine but will combine animal imagery to express feeling of nurturing and camouflage. I am interested in the way we effect and are affected by the environment around us as well as the animals that attempt to survive alongside us.

My current interests lie in storytelling and narrative through drawing, usually combining animalistic imagery with nude of almost nude human figures. I am very much inspired by the work of Christina Pettersson and the way she reenacts and recreates well know fairytales and stories, modernizing and personalizing them to reflect her own thoughts and desires. This play with narrative and the way Pettersson takes often child like themes and gives them a sinister and sometimes sexual undercurrent is fascinating to me and I would like to work in a similar way within this project. I will search for inspiration regarding ways of executing and displaying the collection of work I produce specifically for this exhibition. I am motivated by popular culture and communication, which I feel directly relates to the Internet and the way in which I am proposing to exhibit my work. I have decided to work individually and will be undertaking all aspects of organizing the website / blog myself. I have no prior knowledge of setting up or operating webpages so this in itself may be a challenge, but I see the benefits of learning these new skills, as they may be valuable in the future.

My main focus for this elective will be on the production of a new body of work to be displayed in the online exhibition and it is my intention to use the Internet as the main platform for my proposed Exhibition. I will need to research and investigate the most successful way in which I can exhibit the work I produce online. A large part of the blog will be the documentation of the research I undertake relevant to this project, as well as key pieces of information from the Exhibition Elective seminars I attend. I will document research, including photography of exhibitions and the finished body of work, exhibited online for an indefinite period. The Internet is an increasingly accessible and popular tool in self-advertising and promotion. I intend to familiarise myself with blogging sites available online as these are particularly efficient and inexpensive ways of displaying work and encourage feedback or comment – similar to an online crit.  I hope to create a blog that not only shows the final pieces I produce for the exhibition but is an online diary of the progress I have made during the elective. The Internet can be an incredibly useful learning tool and I want to use it and share the information and knowledge I gain with others. The final Exhibition will show the flyers and posters I design to advertise the blog and its address as well as the piece I draw specifically to be exhibited online.

I chose this specific elective to learn as much as I possibly could about how to show work in a public space, either on a small or large scale as well as learning about how galleries are run and the commission they take. I am going to take advantage of all the advice given during the Seminars and set myself a realistic timeline to work within, setting mini deadlines for myself until the February 3^rd hand in. The exhibition will be shown online, accompanied by the research and relevant information from the elective Seminar at the web address, www.friends-in-formaldehyde.blogspot.com that will be active for an indefinite period of time and may even be something I decide to continue with if it proves to be a success.  I hope to use this elective as an opportunity to get my work out into the public domain.

CoproGallery 'Metamorphosis ' Exhibition

I visited the CoproGallery in Santa Monica CA in June 2010 for the 'Metamorphosis' exhibition and it was worth the two bus journeys to get there. Again, I managed to get some pretty decent photographs of some of the work on show (including a beautiful Mark Ryden painting).

The 'Metamorphosis' exhibition presented work by over 50 international artists, many of whom had never shown their work in California or the USA, alongside a number of well known artists who have. Each artist was chosen for their ability to express themselves imaginatively with exceptional technique and uncompromised individuality. The works covered many themes central to the human experience portrayed with a surreal, dreamlike and often nightmarish aesthetic. This exhibition was the celebration of a huge international movement of figurative artists who have resisted current trends in the art world and remained true to their artistic vision.

As well as the vast array of artwork on display in the exhibition itself I was also thrilled to see a truly exquisite collection of paintings on display behind the counter of the gallery. Work by artists such as Lori Earley, Audrey Kawasaki and so many back issues of Hi Fructose magazine I literally couldn't get there fast enough.

For me the 'Metamorphosis' exhibition at CoproGallery was one of the most exciting exhibitions I have ever visited. The curation of the exhibition was excellent and the atmosphere was electric. The collection of past exhibition catalogues and various American contemporary art magazines got me slightly giddy and I spent as long examining the books as I did admiring the exhibition.

C.A.V.E. Gallery: 'Repeat Offenders' Exhibition

I visited the C.A.V.E. Gallery, Venice Beach CA in June and was able to get some photos of some of the great pieces shown in the 'Repeat Offenders' Exhibition. I was so inspired by the work on show in the exhibition that after the Opening Night I decided to go back to take some photos, including artists names.

The Centre for Audio and Visual Expression (C.A.V.E. Gallery) is dedicated to supporting contemporary art and prides itself in showcasing both emerging and established artists. The 'Repeat Offenders' was excellently curated and the high standard of work was really impressive.

Exhibition Flyers / Examples

I thought it might be a good idea to collect a couple of exhibition flyers. All the information needed is on the flyer: dates, times, gallery, address, artists involved and websites. As well as the information there are bold images of work exhibited in the shows, this provides the 'eye catching' element of the flyer. Personally, the flyer is one of the main things that inspire me to visit exhibitions as they can really capture the essence of the show.

Private View

• Ensure everything is ready, including: Press Release, Labels, Prices, Maps and Security. 
• It is possible to arrange a pre-private viewing for VIPs?
• After party: Could be held at a local bar or pub, if this is decided on it is best to forewarn the owners and staff of said establishment to ensure they are appropriately staffed and aware there may be a large influx of clientele. 
• Beverages: Beer / Wine / Spirits? Find out what is being marketed at other events. Determine which products have a current high profile or launch campaign.
• Call PR and Marketing companies to find out what they are marketing.

Security / Health and Safety

• Security during the exhibition for equipment or work. 
• Physical securing of work and invigilation rota.
• Health and Safety considerations need to be considered: Risk assessments for work / installation / access / electrical. 
• Insurance: Does the venue require liability insurance in case of a public accident?
• Security may be needed for opening or private view. Depending on the location of the site and how work is secured on site. 
• PAT test: Electrical equipment assessment - approximately £20

Commission

Most Galleries take a commission of 50% - this is normal for most galleries, however professional artists can beat the commission down to around 40%

If a Gallery wants 60% or more, be cautious. Make sure any contracts are looked over by a professional before signing. Be aware.

Installing an Exhibition

The installation of an exhibition is probably one of the most stressful things to undertake, especially if it's on a larger scale. Important things to consider when installing an exhibition include:

• The transport and delivery of the artwork: If the work to be shown is on a large scale will transport need to be hired to safely move the work from A. to B. Will help also need to be hired? These are important aspects of the transportation process, that need to be considered carefully and planned in advance.
• Equipment hire costs.
• Lighting and Electrical consideration.
• What is the wall made of? Ascertain construction of space, including the walls, ceiling and floor materials.
• Siting the work: It is important to think of the exhibition as a 'Whole Artwork', using all of the venue available to you.
• Floor Plans, Model Making, CAD and other visualisation methods should be used to decide where is best to hang/install the pieces, and will help ensure that the exhibition flows and is well curated.
• Try out different layouts and see. Trust instinct and intuition, unusual solutions sometimes work, standing back and sleeping on it will help. Do not panic. 
• Labels/Map: Create labels or a map, with information about work. The artist, title, materials.
• Prices: Ask for a list to be submitted or collect a list from all the artists (if working as part of a collaboration or in a group event), detailing prices of work - if for sale - and decide on any commission if relevant.

Inviting the Public

The primary focus of any exhibition is showing work to or interacting with the public. For an exhibition to be successful the following things need to be taken into consideration.

•  The Invitation should clearly indicate the address / opening times / contact details. It is also important to think carefully about how far in advance invitations/flyers/emails should be sent out - too far in advance and the event may be forgotten, too late and those invited may have prior engagements. 
• Press Release should be concise & interesting - it is worthwhile here to contact a well known writer for maximum coverage.
• Create a suitable and seductive image for the press. The image needs to be striking and memorable, it is important that the image relates well to the theme of the exhibition and explains clearly what to expect at the exhibition.
• Consider: Who is the audience and what is the aim? 
• Begin collecting addresses now, build a database . Collect contact details and forge relationships with other artists / curators / writers / collectors. Borrow contact lists from other artists and attempt to take some information / email addresses from galleries mail lists.
• Invite established artists to participate in the exhibition. More artists will ultimately result in more people.
• Produce Flyers / Posters / Emails, go to exhibition openings and hand out flyers.
• Consider the benefits of Printed invitations versus Paperless invites and mail out costs versus email.

Funding and Budgets

Being a full-time student the funding and budgeting of an exhibition is a main factor when deciding how and where to exhibit work. I need to decide carefully how is best to manage costs. 

• Make detailed budget and costing.
• Seek funding if necessary, Arts Council  provide funding but I will need to carefully read the eligibility information and standard conditions. 
• Look for opportunities and advice - a-n Magazine is an Artist's newsletter whose 'mission is to stimulate and support contemporary visual arts practice and affirm the values of artists in society.

I definitely need to fully research and take advantage of any kind of funding available to me. I feel like creating an online exhibition may be the way forward. I like the idea of the entire blogging/diary process being part of the final piece and exhibition. The internet is accessible to a vast number of people and as such the feedback I could potentially get is varied.

Finding a Venue

When looking for a suitable place to hold an exhibition there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration. 

• The Geographical location & the relationship of this to the audience: The location of the exhibition is important as it needs to be easily accessible by the general public, preferably with decent transport links. It is also important that I can easily get to the site with the work to be exhibited. 
• Recognised venues, versus spaces without History: Obviously there are benefits of showing work in a recognised art space. Recognised spaces are usually in more convenient locations, with better transport links and due to having better funding can be maintained to a high standard with good lighting, clean walls and attentive staff. However the great thing about showing work in a space without History is the fact you can be part of something new and exciting, as well as being able to hold a more intimate private view. I personally prefer the idea of exhibiting work in a less known place. 
• Local Councils/Unusual Venues/Property Developers: Southwark Council are known to have been very accommodating to artists over recent years. Southwark Council have an Arts & Culture grant, offering funding to Southwark based organisations. Unusual venues such as the 'Frank's Cafe & Campari Bar' situated on the 7th floor of Peckham Multi-Story Car Park a temporary site from which you can eat, drink and view art, the only negative of this is that the site is only open from July-October. The 'economic downturn' in the UK has led to many shops being closed/disused meaning many great sites with exhibition potential are standing unused, getting in touch with local councils or property developers may lead to finding an exhibition space in a great location, that only needs a lick or two of paint. 
• Gaining press and successful documentation of the exhibition will convince prospective sponsors to back projects in the future: Setting up a date for a Private view and using the Exhibition as an opportunity to network and gain new contacts will hopefully result in a good turn out at the exhibition. Documenting the show through photography and inviting journalists to review the exhibition may also be a positive thing to consider in the planning of a private view/exhibition.

Exhibition Spaces / Research

Creative Process is a great Website for those who want to find local exhibition spaces / artist studios / music space in London and has a huge variety of links to various spaces. I decided to use this website as a starting point in locating exhibition spaces in an area convenient to my needs. 

BEARSPACE GALLERY - The Besarspace Gallery in Deptford has a wide variety of spaces for hire, including exhibition space as well as space for events including catering and a cafe. BEARSPACE also offer two different Internships: 
6 Month Internship - 2 Days a Week: (Responsibilities including exhibition and art fair assistance as well as assisting in the general programme and projects at the gallery).
6 Week Internship - 2 Days a Week: (This internship is focused on working on a specific exhibition, from marketing to hanging, a great way to have a snapshot of how to produce a successful show).

I don't think BEARSPACE is suitable for this particular project, however it would definitely be worthwhile to look into the internships on offer.



Café Crema - Café Crema in New Cross holds regular film screenings, showcases, film clubs and can be hired for private screenings. 

Café Crema is a small venue and is better suited for more digital work. I like that it is a cafe as well as a site used for film screenings, however due to it's size I don't think it is suitable for this project.

Cor Blimey Arts - Cor Blimey is an artist-led co-operative that provides affordable studio space and a hall gallery space for exhibitions in Deptford. They aim to provide affordable studio spaces as well as an easily accessible exhibition space as well as producing group shows, solo shows, external shows and open studios. This space is an interesting one, I think it may be worthwhile emailing to find out when space may be available for an exhibition, if I do decide to use a gallery space. 

Initial Exhibition Ideas

Current ideas to be taken into consideration...

1. Ophelia inspired paintings. Make prints from paintings and display in secluded spots in parks around central London, similar to the setting in the original Ophelia painting by Sir John Everett Millais. To add colour and imagery to specific sites around London.
2. A performance piece, taking images recently produced and repainting them on a clearly visible place on the Human body, walking through central London, using photography to document the exhibition.
3. Create and display a series of paintings inspired by the anatomical specimens on display at the Hunterian museum. The lead up to the exhibition will be documented via blogging and the final body of work will be displayed on the website as an online exhibition.
4. Create a book, similar to an exhibition catalogue. Documenting the production of a body of work leading up to an exhibition. 

These are ideas that suit the style in which I work, will benefit me in other aspects of my degree and will encourage me to learn and use new skills. The next step I need to take will be to write a proposal for the exhibition, clearly describing what I intend to achieve during the exhibition elective, as well as they way I intend to achieve it.

Exhibitions in the Public Domain

Agnes Denes was one of the early pioneers of conceptual and environmentalist art. In 1982 Denes carries out one of the most widely publicised and well-known environmental art projects with Wheatfield: A Confrontation. Agnes Denes planted a two-acre field of wheat in Battery Park landfill in New York, situated between the World Trade Centre and the Statue of Liberty. Wheatfield: A Confrontation addressed both human values and misplaced priorities.

In 1980 Mierle Laderman Ukeles performed a large-scale performance, Touch Sanitation, a handshake ritual involving more than 8,500 workers in the New York City Department of Sanitation. The performance itself lasted eleven months. Her intention was to face and shake hands with each one of the sanitation workers while saying the words: "Thank you for keeping New York City alive." As a performance artist, she wanted to emphasize the basically human side of the operation; the activity of picking up trash was essentially no different than the disposing of it, the process was, in fact, one cycle. By shaking hands with a sanitation worker she was demystifying another stereotype. There is a necessary task to be done and a necessary separation to be made between the task and those who perform it. Waste products are not created by "garbage men," but by individuals who designate leftovers as trash.

From late Autumn to mid Winter the small Austrian town of Rattenberg gets no Sunlight at all. Bartenbach Light Laboratory in the Austrian Tyrol plans to install giant rotating mirrors known as Heliostats. “The idea is not just to light the village, the idea is to give them the impression they have sun.” - Silvia Pezzana. 

All three of these ideas are fantastic in the sense they aim to help and add to the lives of the public. Proposing an exhibition in the public domain that aims to enhance the surroundings of an area would, in most cases, need to be on a larger scale than what I can personally afford for this elective. However, if there was a way to create something that would impact the general public in a positive way without having to spend over £30 that would be excellent.

Memorable Exhibitions / Inspirations

In preparation for the next Exhibition Electives meeting we were encouraged to think about what kind of exhibition we were hoping to create. The scale of the exhibition was discussed, the exhibition can be on a smaller scale. The style of the piece or body of work to be shown needs to be taken into consideration when deciding on the size of the exhibition. 

Conceptual ideas are welcome, at the moment the ideas can be complete fantasy as at this stage it is irrelevant how possible the exhibition may be. Here I will document initial thoughts and reactions. 
 

Belgian installation and performance artist Benjamin Verdonck built a giant birds nest and attached it to the side of an office tower, perching inside it for hours at a time. During his time in the nest, Verdonck staged the fall of a giant birds egg from several stories above street level. The nest was built out of birch, willow and beech trees, cement, straw, sand and glue. Benjamin Verdonck conducted extensive research prior to his nesting, measuring wind levels, fire precautions, and structural stresses. The spectacle was witnessed by thousands of passersby in Brussels, and has since been recreated in Rotterdam and Birmingham. 

This installation by Verdonck is by far one of the most extreme and impressive artistic endeavors I’ve ever seen completed to date and is an excellent example of a performance piece, turned exhibition.

Bookworks and Irwinn Susskind

Bookworks - Specialise in commissioning specific artists work to be published in a book or a series of books. Bookworks explore the innovative possibilities of the book and what makes Bookworks even more interesting is the entire book can become the final piece/exhibition. For me this process is exciting as it further blurs the line between Illustration and Fine Art. The idea of producing a book is something inspirational in itself as I collect - and am passionate about - books. I don't think the book would necessarily need to be filled with work, the work could be solely exhibited on the outside or the book could become a sculptural piece in itself. 

Irwin Susskind creates bookworks and altered texts, as a lover of books and all their physical connotations, Susskind felt that the tactile and intimate experience of reading a book would fade with the rise of digital books/internet/the digital age. In response to this, Susskind began creating pieces using books as the raw material in his work. Shredding and rearranging text in an attempt to convey his feelings about the loss of the book.

Artangel

'An urban fox let loose inside a gallery and observed by grainy CCTV; a pale, life-sized concrete cast of a terraced house and the impassioned, national debate it inflames; a bright blue crystalline grotto, hidden behind the doors of a council flat; the re-enactment of a riot; a requiem for an abandoned village...

Based in London but working across Britain and beyond, Artangel commissions and produces exceptional projects by outstanding contemporary artists. Over the past two decades, the projects have materialised in a range of different sites and situations and in countless forms of media.

Each new project evolves from a singular commissioning process, born from an open-ended conversation with an artist offered the opportunity to imagine something extraordinary. Artangel’s work is powered by the belief that artists are capable of creating visionary works which impact upon the way we view our world, our times and ourselves in unusual and enduring ways.

Many Artangel projects are given shape by a particular place and time. They can involve journeys to unfamiliar locations, from underground hangars to abandoned libraries. Or sometimes they can offer unfamiliar experiences in more familiar environments – a terraced house, a department store or daytime television.

This open-ended approach to the artistic process has seen Artangel generate some of the most talked-about, contentious and acclaimed art of recent times, including work by Francis Alÿs, Matthew Barney, Jeremy Deller, Douglas Gordon, Roni Horn, Steve McQueen, Michael Landy, Brian Eno, Gregor Schneider, Robert Wilson and Rachel Whiteread.'

Image, Still from The Nightwatch part of Francis Alÿs: Seven Walks. Text taken from www.artangel.org.uk/home

Artangel

Contexts: Examples & Models

Salon: Usually held in a large Reception Hall, a salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, a meeting place to discuss science, culture and politics. The salon was an Italian invention of the 16th century which flourished in France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

Salon Hang: Term used to describe the positioning of work on the wall, where the work is hung from floor to ceiling.

The First Papers of Surrealism exhibition was held at the Whitelaw Reid Mansion in midtown Manhattan from October 14, 1942. Several hundred feet of twine, hung by Marcel Duchamp, festooned the primary exhibition space. Duchamp himself never provided any explicit interpretation of his twine. Instead, he tended to stress it's functional value rather than its symbolic meaning.

Allan Kaprow wrote a manifesto on bringing art into everyday life. With the 1959 work 18 Happenings in 6 parts, a series of seemingly random but carefully choreographed activities executed with such friends as composer John Cage and artist Robert Rauschenberg, he embarked upon a career of intellectually rigorous site-specific, impermanent works that defied commoditization and ultimately gave birth to performance and installation art. Kaprow created installations outside the exhibition space including Yard in 1961, in which he filled the outdoor courtyard of the then Martha Jackson Gallery with tires, a gesture whose documentation has become iconic.

Guy Debord a Situationist and Marxist theorist, wrote The Society of the Spectacle, a work of philosophy and critical theory in 1967. As a Situationist, Debord was interested in using the city and urban environment as a form of artistic expression. Debord did not believe that art needed to be in a gallery but that it could be a social commentary. "The spectacle is not a collection of images; rather, it is a social relationship between people that is mediated by images."