Exhibition Histories, Volume 5
An exhibition history of Culture in Action, 1993

A show challenging conventional understandings of public art, Culture in Action in Chicago had a new social agenda, and rethought what an exhibition of contemporary art might be. Through eight projects by artists initiated in the early 1990s and developed in collaboration with local community members, the intention was to engage diverse groups over time, in addition to the visiting public in 1993. In this fifth volume in Afterall's Exhibition Histories series, the course of these projects is documented, with critical reappraisal of this important exhibition by Joshua Decter and of its international context by Helmut Draxler. Texts from the time by Hafþór Yngvason and Joe Scanlan are complemented by a statement by Mary Jane Jacob; recent interviews with artists Mark Dion, Simon Grennan of Grennan & Sperandio and Daniel J. Martinez; and an introduction by David Morris and Paul O’Neill. Reviews from the time of the exhibition provide historical context.

Designed by A Practice for Everyday Life

Published by Afterall Books, 2014

Softcover, 224 pages, full color and b&w images, 6 × 8 inches

ISBN: 978-3-86335-448-0