Artists Space

Interviews on Michael Asher

Over the course of organizing Michael Asher at Artists Space, Jay Sanders and Stella Cilman spoke with many of the curators and facilitators of Asher's projects included in the exhibition. The conversations provide critical context for these site-specific undertakings. Each week, throughout the run of the show, additional interviews will be released.


Mara Lonner on the Second Rotation of Student Reinstallation
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California, 2002-2003

A conversation with artist and educator Mara Lonner on July 5, 2024 about her role as moderator for the second iteration of Michael Asher's student reinstallation project at LACMA with a group of 11th graders from the nearby Fairfax high school in Los Angeles, 2002-2003.

Frederik Leen on Intentie en Rationele Vorm
Vrij Genootschap Voor de Beeldende Kunst, Mol, Belgium, 1987

A conversation with curator and art historian Frederik Leen on November 10, 2024 about his involvement in curating Intentie en Rationele Vorm in Mol, Belgium in 1987.


Jean Milant on A Southern California Collection
Cirrus Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 1986-1987

A conversation with Cirrus Gallery's founder Jean Milant on July 24, 2024 about Michael Asher’s participation in the exhibition A Southern California Collection at Cirrus Gallery in Los Angeles (1986-1987), featuring the works of 170 California artists.

Cindy Bernard on A Southern California Collection
Cirrus Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 1986-1987

A conversation with artist and non-profit FAR's former board member Cindy Bernard on July 11, 2024 about Michael Asher’s contribution to A Southern California Collection at Cirrus Gallery in Los Angeles (1986-1987), as well as the history of FAR.

Ellen Grinstein Perliter and Nancy and Ayn Grinstein on the Grinstein Collection
441 N. Rockingham, Los Angeles, California, 1979

A conversation with sisters Ellen Grinstein Perliter and Nancy and Ayn Grinstein on October 14, 2024 about living with Asher's only private commission, realized on their property in 1979.


Bettina v. Dziembowski on the exhibition Outlook
Kunstverein Springhornhof in Neuenkirchen, Germany, 2003

A conversation with Bettina v. Dziembowski on September 12, 2024 on working with Asher while organizing the group exhibition Outlook, featuring a group of artists who made outdoor works at Kunstverein Springhornhof in 2003.

Tom Marioni on Asher's contribution in Vision Magazine
Vision, Number 1, Edited by Tom Marioni, published by Kathan Brown, Crown Point Press, Oakland, California, 1975

A conversation with Tom Marioni on July 17, 2024 on Asher's site-specific contribution to the first issue of Vision Magazine, which featured contributions of a number of artists from California, published in 1975 with artist Kathan Brown.


Flavin Judd on Asher's artwork No Title (Checkers), 1965-1966

Annie Ochmanek joined us for a conversation with Flavin Judd on August 2, 2024 on a range of topics related to Michael Asher, including Asher's checker set (1965-66), which was purchased by Donald Judd at the time and is currently on display in the exhibition at Artists Space.

Linda Lyke on organizing the exhibition Ex-tension
Weingart Center, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California

A conversation with Linda Lyke on September 9, 2024 on Asher's participation in the four person exhibition Ex-Tension at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California (1986) for which Asher worked with a class to produce hand-made paper.


Kimberli Meyer on the exhibition How Many Billboards? Art in Stead
MAK Center for Art and Architecture, California, 2010

A conversation with curator Kimberli Meyer on July 18, 2024 about Michael Asher’s contribution for the group exhibition How Many Billboards? Art in Stead, for which he presented a billboard featuring an iconic 1959 advertisement for Volkswagen.

Barbara Bloom on Asher’s contribution for Corps de Garde
Groningen, Netherlands, 1979

A conversation with artist Barbara Bloom on July 9, 2024 about a custom-made t-shirt designed by Asher and sold at a farmers market stand as part of a project at Corps de Garde in Groningen, Netherlands in 1979.


Mathieu Gregoire on Asher’s redesign of The Stuart Collection stationery
Stationary, 1985, The Stuart Collection, University of California, San Diego

A conversation with The Stuart Collection’s Mathieu Gregoire on July 18, 2024 about Asher's reworking of institutional identity via stationary, a design project he took on while planning his permanent outdoor artwork for the Collection, a public drinking fountain completed in 1991.

Mary L. Beebe on Asher’s participation in Via Los Angeles (Portland Center for the Visual Arts, 1976, Portland Oregon) and his redesign of The Stuart Collection stationery (Stationary, 1985, The Stuart Collection, University of California, San Diego)

A conversation with the former Director of PCVA in Portland and later The Stuart Collection at UCSD, Mary L. Beebe on July 19, 2024 about working with Asher on various projects during her tenure at each institution, throughout the 1970s and 80s.

Paul McMahon on presenting a film by Michael Asher
August 18, 1973, Project Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts

A conversation with the artist and founder of Project Inc. Paul McMahon on October 25, 2024 about screening Asher’s only film, made using chemical developer in a lab and meant to be viewed once, inside of a vacant dormitory at the Cambridge School in 1973. The film was remade and screened a second time at Orchard Gallery in 2005, and will be remade a third time to be screened at Artists Space on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:30pm.


Ian Murray on Asher’s work made for the radio series Radio by Artists
Walter Phillips Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada, 1983

A conversation with artist Ian Murray on January 13, 2025 about presenting Asher’s only artwork made for radio, a taped recording of him stating his mailing address. Asher’s segment was included on three of the ten 30-minute programs and broadcast in 1983.

Kerry Brougher on Asher’s contribution to the In Context project series
The Temporary Contemporary, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California

A conversation with former MOCA curator Kerry Brougher on December 18, 2024 about Asher’s occupation of the Temporary Contemporary’s lobby (1983–85), now the Geffen Center, thus complicating the roles of artist and donor within the space of the museum.


Next Wednesday, February 5th, we will release a conversation with former assistant curator at MoMA Lilian Tone about Asher's deaccessions catalogue, made for the watershed exhibition Museum as Muse at MoMA in 1999. Tone's interview is the last to be published in this series, and coincides with the final week of the Michael Asher exhibition at Artists Space, on view through February 8th, 2025.