The Uncanny
Arnhem, Netherlands/Los Angeles: Sonsbeek 93/Fred Hoffman, 1993. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher’s stiff photo-illustrated paper wraps.
First edition catalog published in conjunction with a landmark exhibition of work curated by late American artist Mike Kelley held at the Museum Arnhem in the Netherlands in 1993, signed and dated in the year of publication by him on the front endpaper. Sonsbeek, an outdoor sculpture exhibition held periodically in the eponymous park, was established in 1949 to revitalize the city following significant damage from the Battle of Arnhem in WWII. Organized by former director of Artists Space Valerie Smith, the star-studded Sonsbeek 93 showcased work by Ann Hamilton, Lawrence Weiner, Allen Ruppersberg, Rémy Zaugg, and featured an "exhibition within an exhibition" curated by Kelley. Comprising artworks, artifacts, and documentation related to Freud’s concept of the uncanny, the site-specific installation was both an overt response to postmodern art world discourse and an injunction for greater artist involvement in the curatorial process. The show and catalog subsequently achieved almost mythical status, and was re-staged for the Tate Liverpool in 2004. This catalog includes an extensive essay by Kelley alongside over 150 black-and-white photos of the presented work by Hans Bellmer, Jasper Johns, Cindy Sherman, Paul McCarthy, Jeff Koons, Tony Oursler, Paul Thek, and others. With a bibliography, detailed list of plates, and exhibition checklist. Light creasing and rubbing to wraps. Near fine. Item #9568
$900.00