Localized practice, universal concepts

An interesting show, entitled ‘State of Mind: New California Art circa 1970’ offers an in-depth survey, probably first of its kind. of Conceptual art and related avant-garde activities in both Northern and Southern California during a pivotal period in contemporary art.

‘State of Mind’ features works by sixty artists and collectives, some of whom now internationally renowned, including Ant Farm, John Baldesarri, Chris Burden, Lynn Hershman, Bruce Nauman, Martha Rosler, Ed Ruscha. Organized thematically, the exhibit brings together artists whose works are seldom seen together in an effort to underscore their related interests.

The exhibition also tries to offer a fresh perspective on the development of Conceptual art in California. Organized as part of Pacific Standard Time, it showcases over 150 artworks, including installations, photographs, videos and films, artists’ books, apart from extensive performance documentation.

The showcase demonstrates the critical role that California artists played in the development of Conceptual art and other new genres. The most enduring legacy perhaps was the diversity of early California Conceptualism that impressed upon succeeding generations a broader understanding of what art could be.

The place attracted creative minds seeking alternatives to traditional modes of art making. Incidentally, the state was emerging as an incubator for social change and a youth-oriented counterculture. If New York represented tradition, California stood for the future. The distance from the New York art press, commercial galleries, and art museums provided artists with a greater sense freedom, allowing them to experiment. They challenged the very definition of art, the role of the artist, and the art world’s academic and institutional structures.

Key aspects or tenets of contemporary practice like collectivity, ephemerality, the merging of art and life, body-oriented performance, social interaction and political commentary – all appeared in California Conceptualism and related practices during this formative period. These factors still continue to influence artists even after over forty years.

'State of Mind' is co-organized by the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) and the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA). It’s co-curated by Constance M. Lewallen, and Karen Moss.