ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Artpress debates the 1960s-70s 'parenthesis' and intellectual terrorism

publication · 2026-04-23

A 1994 article in Artpress questions the historical judgment of the 1960s and 1970s, decades often dismissed as a 'parenthesis' of intellectual terrorism dominated by theory, political engagement, and linguistic experimentation. The article notes that the 1980s had condemned this period, but a new generation now seeks to reconnect with those years, prompting a reconsideration of which decade truly deserves to be bracketed off.

Key facts

  • Article published in Artpress in October 1994
  • Discusses the 1960s-70s as a 'parenthesis' of intellectual terrorism
  • The 1980s condemned that period
  • A new generation is curious about the 1960s-70s
  • Raises the question of which decade should be placed in parentheses

Entities

Institutions

  • Artpress

Sources