By / Buy Me, curated by David Platzker

About

By / Buy Me explores the artist as self-publisher of artworks in editions — multiples, prints, posters, wallpaper, artists’ books and other goods that interrogate, parody or question the commodification of art. Since Duchamp produced his first Boîte-en-valise, containerizing his oeuvre and assuming the mantle of traveling salesman, artists have consistently advanced new means of self-publishing and subverting, if not distorting, the traditional role of artist as maker tied to the middleman of publisher and dealer. By cutting out these actors, artists could work untethered to produce works on their own terms and enjoy the benefits of selling directly to consumers. As a mantra, By / Buy Melikewise recognizes that many of the works in the show were intended by the artists to be ephemeral, temporary and transitory objects that have a use value beyond that of static artworks that sit upon their asses in museums (or collectors' homes). These works provoke, question and call to action new conditions within which artists can insert them into the flux of commerce. 

Artists featured include Tauba Auerbach, Fiona Banner, Lynda Benglis, Paul Chan, Claude Closky, Hans-Peter Feldmann, General Idea, Gilbert & George, the Guerrilla Girls, Dan Graham, Jenny Holzer, Reverend Jen, KAWS, Yayoi Kusama, Louise Lawler, Cary Leibowitz, George Maciunas, Piero Manzoni, Jonathan Monk, Takashi Murakami, Bruce Nauman, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Prince, Edward Ruscha, Tom Sachs, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Ben Vautier, Visitor Design, Kelley Walker, Robert Watts, Hannah Wilke, and Mathieu Mercier as Marcel Duchamp.