Artists Space

ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999

October 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021

Artists Space presents the first comprehensive retrospective of the work of ART CLUB2000. Spanning the group's entire career, from 1992 until their planned dissolution in 2000, the exhibition includes restagings of ART CLUB2000's complex and theatrical multimedia installations and site-specific mise en scène, as well as the presentation of extensive ephemera and research material, much of which has never been on public view.

A painting on the wall of an industrial room depicts a network of television antennas, repeated horizontally. Cartoon birds sit atop the poles, each with a numbered speech bubble floating above their heads.
ART CLUB2000, Gli Avvoltoi (The Vultures), 1995, wall painting. Installation view of FuoriUso '95: caravanserraglio arte contemporane, Fuori Uso, Pescara, Italy, 1995. The wall painting was originally produced for the exhibition Milanarian at Gallerie Facsimile, Milan, Italy, 1995. [A painting on the wall of an industrial room depicts a network of television antennas, repeated horizontally. Cartoon birds sit atop the poles, each with a numbered speech bubble floating above their heads.]

Artists Space presents a special collection of highlighted materials from ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999.

Surfacing the typically unseen labor that both props up and enables artistic pursuits, ART CLUB2000's exhibition Working! (1995) at Forde in Geneva, Switzerland became an office environment with a table, rolling chairs, and a coffee machine surrounding a central video monitor topped by a taxidermied seagull. Addressing the numerous forms of labor implicitly at play in the room, AC2K produced a video, viewable below, that featured members of the gallery’s cooperative committee recounting every job they had held prior to working at Forde, all while feeding stale bread to the local swans.

ART CLUB2000, Untitled (Cyclones at Travail), 1995. Video on CRT monitor with mini fridge, coffee maker, and artificial seagull. [A number of figures discuss past job experiences while feeding stale bread to local swans in Geneva, Switzerland.]

The exhibition 1970 (1997) mined New York artistic life in its legendary living forms and was centered on video interviews with a constellation of artists who were active and accessible to the group: Alex Katz, Isa Genzken, Henry Flynt, Vito Acconci, Carolee Schneemann, Les Levine, Simon Cerigo, Niki Logis, and Olivier Mosset. Each artist was recorded opining on the topic of “1970,” and their interviews were then presented simultaneously as a cacophony of voices on a nine-square grid of vintage televisions—invoking both Ant Farm’s Media Burn and Nam June Paik’s loft-era video walls. The interviews with Niki Logis and Vito Acconci are available in their entirely below. 

ART CLUB2000, Untitled (Video Interviews with Artists on the Year 1970), 1997. CRT monitors with videos of Vito Acconci, Simon Cerigo, Henry Flynt, Isa Genzken, Alex Katz, Les Levine, Niki Logis, Olivier Mosset, and Carolee Schneemann. [An interview with the artist Niki Logis about the history of the art world.]
ART CLUB2000, Untitled (Video Interviews with Artists on the Year 1970), 1997. CRT monitors with videos of Vito Acconci, Simon Cerigo, Henry Flynt, Isa Genzken, Alex Katz, Les Levine, Niki Logis, Olivier Mosset, and Carolee Schneemann. [An interview with Vito Acconci about the history of the art world.]

In 1998, ART CLUB2000 mounted its final exhibition Night of the Living Dead Author, a morose and haunting body of new works including a cobbled-together "manifesto" of sorts implicating the emerging artists of their generation, including AC2K itself, in relation to actual critical practice. Presented in the style of a Jenny Holzer LED work, this text became a swan song for AC2K's impending demise the following year. Echoing throughout the largely empty space, a soundtrack of gnashing and moaning zombies and a mechanical voice further heightened the pervading mood of horror.

ART CLUB2000, Untitled (Statements Relating to the Death of the Author), 1998. LED Sign. 28 x 4 1/2 inches. [A view of an LED sign crawl of a text.]

Formed in 1992, the fabled collective ART CLUB2000 provocatively articulated eminent crises in youth and artistic identities within the neoliberal post-recession economy that epitomized 1990s New York. Under the guidance of the mercurial art dealer Colin de Land, who hosted the group's debut exhibition in 1993 at American Fine Arts, Co., the members, all Cooper Union students, conceived of their collaboration as an opportunity to parody and critique the dispassionate Generation X attitudes that were celebrated in commercial culture and advertising of the time. Overtly employing their own youth, they began at a time when the New York art world was eager for the voices and images of emerging-artist-personae. After receiving press coverage for their first exhibition, ART CLUB2000 became the group’s official name and simultaneously set the terms of its own demise with the promise to disband at the turn of the millennium. The group would produce an exhibition for each of the next seven summers at American Fine Arts, Co., as well as participating in solo and group exhibitions at institutions across the US and abroad.

Taking the group’s seven New York City exhibitions as its central focus, Selected Works 1992–1999 elucidates the artists’ radical and expansive exhibition-making techniques, weaving together discrete exhibitions and their multifaceted elements—wall paintings, sculptures, texts, interviews, photographs, videos—into a comprehensive overview of the group’s working trajectory. Over the past three years, Artists Space has undertaken the preservation of ART CLUB2000's extensive archive, which serves as the foundation for reconstructing many of these installations for the first time since their original display.

ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999 has been realized in partnership with Kunsthalle Zürich, where it will be on view from September 19, 2021 – January 16, 2022.

Founding members of the group were Patterson Beckwith, Gillian Haratani, Danny McDonald, Shannon Pultz, Sarah Rossiter, Soibian Spring and Craig Wadlin. The configuration of the group changed occasionally as exhibitions were made; when Rossiter resigned after the first exhibition, Will Rollins joined the group. Colin DeLand passed away in 2003 at the age of 47.

Artists Space is very pleased to present a special evening of reflections on the work of ART CLUB2000. Featuring Bernadette Van-Huy, Collier Schorr, Douglas Coupland, Jack Pierson, Malik Gaines, and Natasha Stagg, these eminent panelists will each offer a close reading of one or more aspects of AC2K's work. Each focusing on an exhibition, a single image or artwork, or an element from the archive, they will present their observations, memories, inferences, focuses, and extrapolations on ART CLUB2000's artistic project.

January 21, 2021

• intent • content • form:
six takes on ART CLUB2000
Talk
7pm

A white sign that reads "Stop on in when staying at The Mega Hotel!" sits outside of the gallery door.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Stop on in when staying at The Mega Hotel), 1996 Oriented strand board, acrylic paint, plastic chain, and hardware 48 x 36 inches Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A white sign that reads "Stop on in when staying at The Mega Hotel!" sits outside of the gallery door.]
A view of multiple works including an orange wall that reads "Wandering with no specific intent or has something specific in mind but doesn
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of multiple works including an orange wall that reads "Wandering with no specific intent or has something specific in mind but doesn't tell what it is." met with a tower of gap shoe boxes. Near the gallery wall are life like cutouts of individuals dressed in animal costumes.]
A view of a life like cutout of an individual dressed in an animal costume placed against a gallery column. Behind the cutout is a series of seven images displayed on a white gallery wall
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a life like cutout of an individual dressed in an animal costume placed against a gallery column. Behind the cutout is a series of seven images displayed on a white gallery wall]
A view of a small store display shelf stuffed with Gap clothing store bags and a small palm tree. On the wall, a blue band wraps around to the adjacent wall with text that reads "Every customer will have their needs determined and merchandise suggested to meet those needs." A group of life like cutouts of individuals dressed in animal costumes are clustered together near the gallery wall.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21 – January 30, 2021. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a small store display shelf stuffed with Gap clothing store bags and a small palm tree. On the wall, a blue band wraps around to the adjacent wall with text that reads "Every customer will have their needs determined and merchandise suggested to meet those needs." A group of life like cutouts of individuals dressed in animal costumes are clustered together near the gallery wall.]
A close up of a store display planter stuffed with Gap clothing store bags and crumpled documents.
ART CLUB2000 Plantar, 1993 Slatwall, mirror, spider plant, shopping bags Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A close up of a store display planter stuffed with Gap clothing store bags and crumpled documents.]
A display of Gap shoe boxes that meet an intersecting wall. Behind them, on the gallery wall is a series of images showing found documents. Above the images is a yellow band that wraps to the adjacent wall with text that reads "A youngboy might start crying, a middle aged housewife".
ART CLUB2000 Seven Black and White Photographs (Untitled), detail, 1993 Silver gelatin prints 11 x 14 inches each Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A display of Gap shoe boxes that meet an intersecting wall. Behind them, on the gallery wall is a series of images showing found documents. Above the images is a yellow band that wraps to the adjacent wall with text that reads "A youngboy might start crying, a middle aged housewife".]
A display of multiple images on a white gallery wall.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A display of multiple images on a white gallery wall.]
A view of a small drum set lit by a spotlight underneath a demolished wall, blue and green gallery walls displaying dynamic images of individuals hung by large push pins.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a small drum set lit by a spotlight underneath a demolished wall, blue and green gallery walls displaying dynamic images of individuals hung by large push pins.]
A close up of a dramatically lit small drum kit that reads "art club 2000".
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Drum kit), 1994 Miniature drum kit and spotlight Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A close up of a dramatically lit small drum kit that reads "art club 2000".]
Four dynamic images of a group of individuals pinned by large push pins on a blue gallery wall.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [Four dynamic images of a group of individuals pinned by large push pins on a blue gallery wall.]
Two dynamic images of a group of individuals pinned by large push pins on a green gallery wall.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [Two dynamic images of a group of individuals pinned by large push pins on a green gallery wall.]
A view of multiple works including a black and white image on a beige wall, CRT monitors displaying individuals in a bluish hue, a tulip chair against a seafoam colored wall, and a single viewing station.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of multiple works including a black and white image on a beige wall, CRT monitors displaying individuals in a bluish hue, a tulip chair against a seafoam colored wall, and a single viewing station.]
A display of four black and white photographs on a beige gallery wall.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A display of four black and white photographs on a beige gallery wall.]
A display of nine CRT monitors showing nine individuals in a bluish hue.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Individual Viewing Station for Interviews with Artists on the Year 1970), 1997 CRT monitor with videos of Vito Acconci, Simon Cerigo, Henry Flynt, Isa Genzken, Alex Katz, Les Levine, Niki Logis, Olivier Mosset, and Carolee Schneemann Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A display of nine CRT monitors showing nine individuals in a bluish hue.]
A view of multiple works including a vending machine against a glazed over window, a glass display table backed by tiled photographs, a lightbox with an image of sitting individuals and a colorful shack structure.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of multiple works including a vending machine against a glazed over window, a glass display table backed by tiled photographs, a lightbox with an image of sitting individuals and a colorful shack structure.]
A view of a vending machine against a glazed over window, tiled images on a white gallery wall, and a glass table surrounded by four wooden chairs.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a vending machine against a glazed over window, tiled images on a white gallery wall, and a glass table surrounded by four wooden chairs.]
A view of a built shack structure displaying a colorful cartoon face and a graphic sign that reads "Sharf Shack".
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Sharf Shack) after Kenny Scharfs “Scharf Schak,” 1996 Wood, vinyl coated wood paneling, paint, glitter, and hardware 8 x 8 x 3 feet Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a built shack structure displaying a colorful cartoon face and a graphic sign that reads "Sharf Shack".]
A lightbox displaying a group of sitting and standing individuals. Behind them is a wall of small photographs and artworks.
Untitled (Dealers in a round table dialogue, Basilico Fine Arts, July 18, 1996), 1996 Duratran lightbox 3 x 8 feet Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A lightbox displaying a group of sitting and standing individuals. Behind them is a wall of small photographs and artworks.]
A view of multiple works displayed in a multilevel gallery space. An old tv monitor, a coffee machine, and an artificial seagull are placed near a yellow boombox sitting on a black rug. Beside the boombox is a large image of a group of individuals in a defaced bedroom.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of multiple works displayed in a multilevel gallery space. An old tv monitor, a coffee machine, and an artificial seagull are placed near a yellow boombox sitting on a black rug. Beside the boombox is a large image of a group of individuals in a defaced bedroom.]
A view of a large image of multiple individuals sitting and standing in a defaced bedroom. A yellow boombox sits on a black carpet.
ART CLUB2000 Kaputtmachen im Graz, 1994 Printed vinyl, carpet, and boombox Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of a large image of multiple individuals sitting and standing in a defaced bedroom. A yellow boombox sits on a black carpet.]
A view of two rows of red-eyed, cardboard cutout, police officers with sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime." A blue police light sits in the corner of the red lit room.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime), 1998 Eight printed cardboard standees, satin sashes, and LED lights Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of two rows of red-eyed, cardboard cutout, police officers with sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime." A blue police light sits in the corner of the red lit room.]
A view of four red-eyed police officer cardboard cutouts with sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime." A blue police light sits in the corner of the red lit room.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime), detail, 1998 Eight printed cardboard standees, satin sashes, and LED lights Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of four red-eyed police officer cardboard cutouts with sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime." A blue police light sits in the corner of the red lit room.]
A view of four police officer cardboard cutouts with red eyes in a red lit room. They are wearing sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime."
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime), detail, 1998 Eight printed cardboard standees, satin sashes, and LED lights Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of four police officer cardboard cutouts with red eyes in a red lit room. They are wearing sashes that read "Punishing Enforcers of an Oppressive Regime."]
A view of two black leather stools in front of an LED sign crawl of a text.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of two black leather stools in front of an LED sign crawl of a text.]
A grim reaper shrouded in deep red light pulls back a black curtain, beckoning one into a seperate vacant room.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (Grim Reaper), 1999 Wood, galvanized netting, black fabric, chain, plastic scythe, and rubber skeleton hand Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A grim reaper shrouded in deep red light pulls back a black curtain, beckoning one into a seperate vacant room.]
Behind two large columns is a wall mural displaying multiple cartoon vultures resting on black scaffolding. Beside the mural sits a pile of newsprint flyers.
ART CLUB2000 Gli Avvoltoi (The Vultures), 1995 Vinyl paint and newsprint flyer Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [Behind two large columns is a wall mural displaying multiple cartoon vultures resting on black scaffolding. Beside the mural sits a pile of newsprint flyers.]
A glass case displaying archival documents and images
ART CLUB2000 Selections from ART CLUB2000 archive, detail, 1992–1999 Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A glass case displaying archival documents and images]
A view of multiple glass cases displaying archival images and documents.
ART CLUB2000 Selections from ART CLUB2000 archive, 1992–1999 Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of multiple glass cases displaying archival images and documents.]
A view of low windows on a brick facade covered in layered black and yellow film.
ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999. Installation view, Artists Space, November 21, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Image courtesy Artists Space, New York. Photo: Filip Wolak [A view of low windows on a brick facade covered in layered black and yellow film.]
An off white planter reading "The Drawing Center" sits beneath a glazed over window displaying the Old Navy logo.
ART CLUB2000 Untitled (What Ever Happened to the Drawing Center Planters/Proposal for Two Semi-Permanent Planters), 1996 Painted wood, vinyl lettering, silk flowers, mulch Image courtesy Artists Space, New York Photo: Filip Wolak [An off white planter reading "The Drawing Center" sits beneath a glazed over window displaying the Old Navy logo.]

ART CLUB2000 Exhibition Brochure

ART CLUB2000 Exhibition Checklist

Krayak, Janet. "ART CLUB2000 Artists Space looks back at the 1990s collective." 4Columns, December 18, 2020. Online.

Ammirati, Domenick. "ART CLUB2000." Art Forum, January 2021. Online.

"Why the New ART CLUB2000 Retrospective Offers Lessons for Today’s Artists That Transcend Pure ’90s Nostalgia The art collective as conceptual 'pose band.'" artnet News, December 10, 2020. Online.

Wu, Simon. "The Nostalgia for ART CLUB2000’s Cool Cynicism At Artists Space, New York, a retrospective of the collective’s body of work reminisces on the punkish criticality of the 1990s." Frieze, January 27, 2021. Online.

Korman, Sam. "ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999." The Brooklyn Rail, December 2020. Online.

Scott, K. Andrea. "Art Club 2000." The New Yorker, November 6, 2020. Online.

Schwendener, Martha. "ART CLUB 2000: Selected Works 1992-1999." The New York Times, December 2, 2020. Online.

Richman, Jordan. "ART CLUB 2000: The Collective Who Presaged Today's Cultural Wasteland." High Snobiety, March 30, 2021. Online.

Rahel, Alma. "Art CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992–1999." SPIKE Magazine. Winter 2020/2021, no. 6. Print. 140-141.

"Art CLUB2000 at Artists Space, New York." Mousse Magazine, December 21, 2020. Online.

Kramer, Lola. “Selling Out.” Kaleidoscope. Spring/Summer 2021, no. 38. Online.

ART CLUB2000: Selected Works 1992-1999 is supported by Barbara and Howard Morse, Anonymous, and The Friends of Artists Space.

Additional support provided by Lambent Foundation Fund of Tides Foundation, The Cowles Charitable Trust, The Cy Twombly Foundation, The David Teiger Foundation, The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The New York Community Trust, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, The Willem de Kooning Foundation, The Danielson Foundation, The Fox Aarons Foundation, Herman Goldman Foundation, The Destina Foundation, The Luce Foundation, May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, VIA Art Fund, Arison Arts Foundation, The Chicago Community Fund, The David Rockefeller Fund, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, The Jill and Peter Kraus Foundation, The Richard Pousette-Dart Foundation.

    A pile of trash, including Starbucks cups, empty packs of cigarettes, newspaper, and food remnants, is strewn across the ground.
    ART CLUB2000, Untitled (Starbucks Trash), 1995, 11 x 14 inches, black and white photograph. [A pile of trash, including Starbucks cups, empty packs of cigarettes, newspaper, and food remnants, is strewn across the ground.]