Jason Foumberg

The "Propagation" show is an attempt to reassess some traditional assumptions about art--how it's conceived, produced and received. As the art experience becomes ever more a commodifiable experience, many artists are broadening their purview beyond object-oriented practices. Public interventions, theoretical design and publications are all relevant artistic media in this scheme. Breaking even further new ground, "Propagation" essentially claims that the message is the medium, in that the dispersal of ideas is the content. The priorities of avant-garde culture posit a need to replace ends with means, prompting a shift from art as a noun to art as a verb. What if the method of communication is the art itself, as in the art of conversation? "Propagation" also highlights the ideas of several people who may not exclusively call themselves artists. While the 1960s and 1970s were the fertile period for artistic diversification, "Propagation" asserts that performative content is an increasingly significant inquiry into social relationships.

Propagation shows at Polvo, 1458 West 18th Street, (773)344-1940, through November 4. (2006-10-10)

Also by Jason Foumberg

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