Networked Collectivities: North American Artists’ Groups, 1968–1978 by Kirsten Fleur Olds A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History of Art) in The University of Michigan 2009 Doctoral Committee: Professor Alexander D. Potts, Chair Professor Matthew N. Biro Associate Professor Rebecca Zurier Assistant Professor Kristin A. Hass © Kirsten Fleur Olds All rights reserved 2009 To Jeremy ii Acknowledgments This dissertatin truly resembles a “third mind” that assumed its own properties through collaborations at every stage. Thus the thanks I owe are many and not insignificant. First I must recognize my chair Alex Potts, whose erudition, endless patience, and omnivorous intellectual curiosity I deeply admire. The rich conversations we have had over the years have not only shaped this project, but my approach to scholarship more broadly. Moreover, his generosity with his students—encouraging our collaboration, relishing in our projects, supporting our individual pursuits, and celebrating our particular strengths—exemplifies the type of mentor I strive to be. I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous support and mentorship provided by my committee members. As I wrote, I was challenged by Rebecca Zurier’s incisive questions—ones she had asked and those I merely imagined by channeling her voice; I hope this dissertation reveals even a small measure of her nuanced and vivid historicity. Matt Biro has been a supportive and encouraging intellectual mentor from my very first days of graduate school, and Kristin Hass’sscholarship and guidance have expanded my approaches to visual culture and the concept of artistic medium, two themes that structure this project. I fully appreciate all the assistance I have received while researching and writing this dissertation. The project has been generously supported by fellowships from the History of Art department, Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan, the Susan Lipschutz fellowship, the Sweetland Writing Center at the University of Michigan, and the National Gallery of Canada fellowship in Canadian Art. At the Fine Arts Library at the University of Michigan, I must thank Deirdre Spencer, Myrtle Hudson, and Katherine Kuehn for assisting me with everything from tracking down hard-to-find sources and scanning articles to offering timely encouragement. The staff of the Library and Archives at the National Gallery of Canada also merits special recognition for their support while I was researching in Ottawa; I must single out the particularly generous and knowledgeable assistance of Cyndie Campbell and Peter Trepanier for helping me navigate the General Idea and Art Metropole fonds. At the Berkeley Art Musem/Pacific Film Archive, I am grateful for Stephanie Cannizzo’s passionate and thorough knowledge of the Ant Farm archive; the conversations we had in Berkeley and subsequently have only increased my enthusiasm for the material. At the Stanford University Special Collections, iii Polly Armstrong and Christy Smith went out of their way to accommodate numerous questions and requests. Amy Scott at the Contemporary Art Musuem Houston helped me unearth archival documents, as did Miguel Juarez at the Chicano Studies Research Center at University of California, Los Angeles, and the staffs at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution; the Getty Research Institute Library; the Museum of Modern Art library in Queens; and the University of Iowa Special Collections. In the History of Art department, I am so thankful for student services coordinator Debbie Fitch—throughout the years she has averted several mini- crises, answered countless emails and phone calls, and offered encouragement, always with a beautiful smile. I have benefited personally and professionally from the incredible collective intellects and experience of the faculty and students at the University of Michigan. I was fortunate enough to take courses with Celeste Brusati, Betsy Sears, Megan Holmes, Susan Siegfried, Howard Lay, Stella Nair, Ed Dimendberg, and Joshua Shannon and to share in rich discussions with them over the years. I extend a special thank you to Pat Simons for the beautiful photographs she took of Ant Farm’s Cadillac Ranch and for many stimulating conversations about pedagogy. Maria Gough’s rigor and precision in her scholarship awes me, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement she has given me throughout my career. I thank Jacqueline Francis for her innovative teaching and scholarship, which have provided models I aspire to. Bille Wickre offered me valuable guidance and mentoring and affirmed my commitment to teaching, for which I am deeply appreciative. For talking me off a rewriting ledge and suggesting strategies for finishing this project, I must thank Louis Cicciarelli. I cherish my colleagues Angela Ho, Olivia Poska, Chris Bennett, Chris DeFay, Heidi Gearhart, Christina Chang, Katie Hornstein, Kathy Zarur, Heather Badamo, Katie Hartsough Brion, Lauren Hebert, Lisa Cakmak, and Linsday Stern for their roles as advisors, partners-in- crime, sounding boards, debaters, and supporters throughout my years at Michigan. I cannot thank Stephanie Pilat and Julie Human enough for their thoughtful commentary on this manuscript, lively discussions, and the culinary tour of Ann Arbor we shared as we read one another’s drafts. Beth Horwitz’s friendship and collaboration on many projects over the years, in particular the 2005 conference we organized on early video art, means so much, and it has shaped the way I view the field. Diana Bullen Presciutti, Heather Vinson, and Monica Huerta have been continuing sources of inspiration, not just for their scholarship, but also for their depth of character; quite simply, I will be forever in their debt. Leah Vickers, Alyssa Russo, Gianna Occhiogrosso, Hallie Goldblatt, Holly Neubert, Lauren Vasil (Cross), and Bobby Kitzinger merit iv special recognition for their unflagging support over many years of friendship and for enduring radio silence on my part as I became more entrenched in this project. Artists’ groups often resemble families in that they draw on the best qualities of their individual members to realize collective goals. Sometimes this works out better than others, but the sentiment remains. It is with great love that I thank the Russos for welcoming me for research in New York and for their encouragement throughout this process. Thanks also go to the Samuels family for good food and great conversations in my visits to Palo Alto. The tenacity through adversity shown by my mother and my paternal and maternal grandmothers demonstrates what strong, capable, resourceful women they are, and it is their examples that I have sought to emulate. My graduate career was bracketed by the passing of my sister at the beginning and of my father nearing its end. Yet their spirits infuse my work, and I would never have finished this journey without her irrepressible enthusiasm and unconditional support and his love of the arts and advice to work at a career you truly love. Finally, to my husband, who has reached every milestone with me, this is yours as much as it is mine. v Contents Dedication ........................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... xv Chapter 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 Asco’s Cinearte ............................................................................................................. 47 Chapter 3 Ant Farm’s Mediated Politics........................................................................................ 99 Chapter 4 Making the Myth of General Idea ............................................................................... 177 Chapter 5 From the Boob Tube to YouTube: Modernism, Postmodernism, and Dreams ........... 243 Figures ......................................................................................................................................... 256 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 401 vi List of Figures Figure 1 Corres Sponge Dancers on the L’Escalier d’Honneur, DeccaDance, 1974 .................. 256 Figure 2 List of Sphinx D’Or Dadacademy Awards, Hollywood DeccaDance, 1974 published in Art’s Birthday insert ............................................................................................................ 257 Figure 3 Robert Filliou lighting Art’s Birthday cake, Aachen, 1973 .......................................... 258 Figure 4 Michael Morris, Announcement for Art's Birthday, in FILE (December 1973) ........... 259 Figure 5 “Mondo Artie Episode No. 1681,” IS. (Fall 1975) ........................................................ 260 Figure 6 Be an Artist Draw in the Faces, placemat, 1974 ........................................................... 261 Figure 7 Flyer for screening of Art’s