Conceptual Art: A Critical Anthology - uncopy

introduction to art in the mind
athena tacha spear
The exhibition Art in the Mind was prompted by certain consequences of recent developments
in the visual arts. First of all, a significant amount of ecologic or other large outdoor art remains
at the stage of projects for lack of funds, or simply because it is yet unrealizable. An even
larger percentage of ecologic art enters history only through description and photographic
documentation, due to its temporary nature and the inaccessibility of its location. Furthermore,
a great amount of other recent art consists of acts and statements, or exists on the fringe
between material reality and language. A description often evokes the work to an adequate
degree. At times, the concept is as satisfactory as its execution, or even more so, because each
execution is only a particular aspect of the idea. In other cases, a description is the only possible
materialization of a work which otherwise would exist unperceived by our senses. Most often,
the piece is constituted by a set of directions to be performed by any individual; the artistic
experience may necessitate execution of the given directions, but in some instances the work
can be perceived by simply imagining the results. The performed activity or part of it can be
documented by photographs and other means, which are a by-product and, again, the only
remainder of the real existence of the work.