Taking its title from the Elaine May’s 1987 film Ishtar, this group exhibition curated by Los Angeles-based critic Bruce Hainley touches on many of the same interests and dichotomies: a comedy that is political and analytical at the same time; an abstraction but also a representation; and a cultural production outside of much discourse. The catalogue traces the attempt to create an informed dialogue for artwork that evades easy classifications and readymade discussions of abstraction vs. representation. Featured artists include: Brian Calvin, Samara Caughey, Lecia Dole-Recio, Trisha Donnelly, Vincent Fecteau, Richard Hawkins, Larry Johnson, Patrick Hill, Cady Noland, Sturtevant.

Produced on the occasion of the exhibition Kunst Aus Los Angeles Der 60Er Bis 90Er Jahre at the Kunstverein Braunschweig, 2 December, 2006–18 February, 2007, which concentrated on artistic positions from the Sixties to the Nineties and on works which explore conceptual approaches (Bas Jan Ader, Michael Asher, John Baldessari, Chris Burden, Douglas Huebler, Larry Johnson, William Leavitt, Bruce Nauman, Maria Nordman, Stephen Prina, Allen Ruppersberg, Ed Ruscha, Christopher Williams) as well as on Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy and Raymond Pettibon’s more recent Pop-Art-based assemblages which expose everyday myths, prejudices, and tenets of belief as lies that serve to perpetuate social oppression.

Designed by Yvonne Quirmbach.

Produced on the occasion of the exhibition The IMAGE in Singular at Amer Gallery, Vienna, 27 October–28 November, 1987. Including the artists; Fareed Armaly, Alan Belcher, Larry Johnson, David Robbins, Gerwald Rockenschaub, Wolfgang Schrom, Josef Strau and Heimo Zobernig.