Monday December 10th “Offer For Sale”.

‘Artist Placement Group’ – Offer For Sale.1971 .This is a seminal APG manifesto and the most important summary to date of their aims and activities. TGA 20042/4/1/7. APG . Printed material – Published + unpublished material.

…‘Some artists had long considered the commercial gallery as incompatible with art. Although many galleries had extended their scope and function, and had provided space for event-art and conceptual-art, they retained their glass-case quality, and failed to maintain an essential ingredient, context. Contextual art functions in relation to all departments of human activity and does not necessarily focus on an art gallery. APG chose to obtrude the industrial context….”

Howard Wise, a New York art dealer, wrote in ‘Studio International’ Feb 1971 about the changes in art and why he was closing his gallery-Its exciting, revolutionary stuff and supports APG’s visionary aspirations.

“…Many artists …are focussing their energies on works of such scope that these can only be hinted at in the gallery, and cannot be shown or realised here. These artists are going out of the gallery and into the environment, the sky, the ocean, even into outer space. Others are seeking imaginative ways of utilizing modern technology to humanize people..”

..”Furthermore, as modern technology becomes more sophisticated, artists who use its products as their medium are producing works of increasing complexity….Although many of these visionary projects are ‘impractical’ and are not readily realizable at this time, they nevertheless are of great importance, for they may stimulate the imaginations of those who control our destinies, and suggest what might be done if only they were to apply their intelligence to making this a better world for people to live in.”

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