Colleen Asper's Critical Review of 'Life on Mars' at the New Museum
Colleen Asper provides a sharp critique of the New Museum's 2009 exhibition, 'Life on Mars,' which is actually the third Triennial. She points out that this show has striking similarities to the previous year's 'Unmonumental' exhibit. Of the 39 artists included in 'Life on Mars,' around one-sixth had also been part of 'Unmonumental,' featuring notable figures like Mark Bradford and Cao Fei. Asper questions curator Eungie Joo's involvement in the 2008 International and its supposed commitment to global representation. She notes that only seven artists are from outside the US or Europe and just twelve are women. Despite the title referencing David Bowie’s quest for meaning, she criticizes the exhibition for its lack of diversity.
Key facts
- 'Life on Mars' is a group show at the New Museum in 2009.
- The show shares six artists with the 2008 'Unmonumental' exhibition.
- Shared artists include Mark Bradford, Cao Fei, Thomas Hirschhorn, Matthew Monahan, Manfred Pernice, and Susan Philipsz.
- Eungie Joo served on the advisory committee for the 2008 International.
- Only seven of the 39 artists are from outside the US or Europe.
- Only twelve of the artists are women.
- The exhibition's title references David Bowie's song 'Life on Mars'.
- Asper criticizes the show's lack of global representation and gender balance.
Entities
Artists
- Colleen Asper
- Mark Bradford
- Cao Fei
- Thomas Hirschhorn
- Matthew Monahan
- Manfred Pernice
- Susan Philipsz
- Eungie Joo
Institutions
- New Museum
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Europe