Description
Book SynopsisG. H. Hovagimyan is an absurdist, a strategist, a serial collaborator, and nothing short of a cultural icon in the world of contemporary art, particularly as it relates to how artists have adopted the digital technological tools of our times, adapting them in his work for critique of art, popular culture, and social engagement.
Situationist Funhouse is a joyride through this history. The journey Stephen Zacks so meticulously documents and describes is not only an incredibly comprehensive ride through G. H.’s life work to date - Hovagimyan adopted G. H. as an acronym in the 1990s as a kind of gesture of personal rebirth and to ease others’ difficulty with his last name [pronounced ho-va-GIM-yan] - it also serves as a document that tracks a particular view on the alternative contemporary art scene of New York from the 1970s to the present day.
Table of ContentsForeword by Amanda McDonald Crowley / 8 Introduction / 12 1. Early Collaborations / 16 Rafael Ferrer, Three Leaf Pieces, 1968 / 17 112 Greene Street / 20 Robert Bell and Richard Serra, Prisoner’s Dilemma, 1974 / 22 Gordon Matta-Clark, 1975–76 / 24 Day’s End, 1975 / 25 Conical Intersect, 1975 / 27 Salvatore Ala Gallery and Arche Du Triomphe for Workers (unrealized), Milan, 1975 / 28 Substrait [Underground Dailies], 1976 / 31 597 Group, 1975 / 31 Videotapes and Performances, The Kitchen, February 1975 / 32 Loft Show, 597 Broadway, Spring 1975 / 34 Colab, 1977–79 / 37 The Communists, punk/No Wave band, 1977–1978 / 44 Virtual Garrison Gallery, 19 2nd Avenue at 1st Street, 1984–1985 / 51 2. Early Work / 58 Control Designators, 112 Greene Street, Sep. 21–Oct. 3, 1974 / 59 About 405 E. 13th Street, Apr. 18–21, 1974 & Jun. 10–20, 1975 / 61 Scale 1/1, James Yu Gallery, May 1975 / 63 Thought Models, Idea Warehouse, Jun. 11–12, 1975 / 64 Rubber Room, P.S. 1, Mar. 24–Apr. 10, 1977 / 65 Rich Sucker Rap, Artists Space, 1977/Chant à Capella, Jean Dupuy and Davidson Gigliotti, Museum of Modern Art, 1978 / 67 A Tower at P.S. 1, February 1978 / 69 75 Warren Street, Jan. 6–Feb. 1, 1979 / 70 Tactics for Survival in the New Culture, Manifesto Show, Colab, Apr. 1979 / 70 Excerpts from a Novel, 112 Workshop, Apr. 24, 1980 / 73 3. Net Art / 74 BKPC (Barbie and Ken Politically Correct), The Thing, 1993, 1995 / 75 Terrorist Advertising, Bowery & 5th Street, Sep. 23, 1993–Feb. 23, 1994 / 79 Hey Bozo, Use Mass Transit, MTA Arts for Transit & Creative Time, Apr.–May, 1994 / 80 Surveys & Questionnaires, Gallery 128, 1994 / 86 Faux Conceptual Art, artnetweb, 1993-1995 / 92 Art Direct/ Sex Violence Politics, Thing.net/artnetweb, 1995 / 94 Barbie and Ken Politically Correct / 96 Flowers & Ecstasy / 96 Pray for Death / 98 Sacred & Profane / 98 Art Dirt, Pseudo Online Radio/ Collider, The Thing, 1995–1998 / 100 Art Dirt Im-Port, Port MIT: Navigating Digital Culture, MIT List Visual Arts Center, Jan. 25–Mar. 29, 1997 / 105 Complete Art Dirt Im-Port Lineup / 111 4. Multimedia Performances / 112 A Soa(p Op)era for Laptops, 1997–1999 / 113 A Soa(p Op)era for iMacs (with Peter Sinclair), 1999–2005 / 118 Heartbreak Hotel (with Peter Sinclair), 2000 / 122 Shooter (with Peter Sinclair), EGyebeam, 2001o–2002 / 12f5
