Pictures Generation Retrospective at Met Prompts Double Take
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is hosting a retrospective of the Pictures Generation, a group of artists who emerged in the late 1970s. The term originates from the 1977 exhibition "Pictures" curated by Douglas Crimp at Artists Space, featuring artists who appropriated and re-photographed existing images. Key figures include Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince, Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler, Laurie Simmons, and others. The article, written in 2009, reflects on the lasting impact of this generation, noting that while theoretical frameworks like Hal Foster's anti-aesthetic critique have aged poorly, the artworks remain vital. The author also mentions John Baldessari receiving a Golden Lion at the 2009 Venice Biennale for lifetime achievement, linking his conceptual appropriation methods to the Pictures Generation.
Key facts
- Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts a retrospective of the Pictures Generation.
- The term 'Pictures Generation' comes from the 1977 exhibition 'Pictures' curated by Douglas Crimp at Artists Space.
- Artists include Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince, Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler, Laurie Simmons, Troy Brauntuch, Jack Goldstein, Tom Lawson, Robert Longo, David Salle, Barbara Bloom, James Casebere, Sarah Charlesworth, James Welling.
- The article was published in 2009.
- John Baldessari received a Golden Lion at the 2009 Venice Biennale for lifetime achievement.
- Yoko Ono also received a Golden Lion for her contributions to Fluxus.
- The article compares the double take technique in Hollywood cinema to the experience of viewing the retrospective.
- The author critiques Hal Foster's anti-aesthetic anthology 'The Anti-Aesthetic' for its economic determinism.
Entities
Artists
- Cary Grant
- Troy Brauntuch
- Jack Goldstein
- Tom Lawson
- Robert Longo
- David Salle
- Barbara Bloom
- James Casebere
- Sarah Charlesworth
- Barbara Kruger
- Louise Lawler
- Laurie Simmons
- Richard Prince
- Cindy Sherman
- James Welling
- John Baldessari
- Yoko Ono
- Douglas Crimp
- Hal Foster
- Jacques Demarcq
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Artists Space
- Venice Biennale
- Fluxus
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Venice
- Italy
Sources
- artpress —