April 8, 2014–June 16, 2014
Ryerson & Burnham Libraries

Throughout the 20th century to the present, artists have found both clever and practical methods of questioning the idea of authorship and authenticity in the production of an art object. Artists have continually reenvisioned their own involvement in artistic production by utilizing a variety of strategies, such as outsourcing labor to studio assistants or skilled craftspeople, making artwork under pseudonyms, providing instructional parameters for ephemeral installations, and co-opting other artists' artwork as a material base for use in new works. Stemming from early conceptual practices and moving toward high-production studio models developed by contemporary artists, this exhibition showcases images and texts that elucidate the methods, work, and studio practices of artists including Francis Alÿs, John Baldessari, Vern Blosum, Marcel Duchamp, Gaylen Gerber, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Sol LeWitt, Martin Kippenberger, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Stephen Prina, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, and Christopher Williams.

John Baldessari. Commissioned Painting: A Painting by Anita Storck, 1969. Courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York and Paris. © John Baldessari.