Information (1970 Exhibition Catalog)

“In 1970, the Museum of Modern Art opened their groundbreaking Information show, a survey of conceptual art addressing burgeoning technologies, data and surveillance, and social and political systems. Documentation and visitor interaction were paramount to the show. Numerous artists performed actions that were later transformed into data, either textual, numerical, or photographic (often in the form of photo sequences). Other artists offered visitors instructions, such as Hans Haacke's Poll of MoMA Visitors which asked participants whether or not they would vote for a candidate who had not denounced the Vietnam War. The full catalog of the show was recently re-released, containing documentation of the works and accompanying artist statements. The collection is so stimulating to scroll through, and many of the approaches taken still feel fresh and relevant from a contemporary perspective.”

“Functionality, form, design. Hardware. Find it in an antique store, on the side of the road, or in the scrapyard. Use it to create your own machinery (you = technologically savvy) or transform it into your own sculptural object. Don't forget: it came from somewhere. A doorknob transformed still retains the fact that once, it was a doorknob. A lock transformed still retains the fact that once, it was a lock. Opening, closing. Access, restriction. An object's history never fully disappears. Use that to your advantage.”