THINGS is an exhibition of objects made by artists best known for their work in journalism and media. Drafted during moments of leisure and distributed largely through social means, the paintings, drawings and printed matter collected in the exhibition THINGS harness the quiet radicality of their activist origins. From the hyper-sexualized drawings and comics of filmmaker Curt McDowell, to the ‘60s revisionist wall reliefs and high gloss paintings of video artist Tom Rubnitz, through music journalist and AIDS columnist Robert Fordʼs underground black culture ‘zine, THING — for “she knows who she is” — the tactics on display carry through to a younger generation, whose object-making bolsters or elaborates the artists’ primary, time-based practices. Through expressive self-portraiture, utopian world making, and scene-charting ‘zine cultures, the materials assembled in THINGS evince the intensely vital and political potential of craft to reflect the world as it appears or is perceived at immensely personal moments of artistic reflection. 

Including Curt McDowell, Tom Rubnitz and Robert Ford, with Seth Bogart, Rafa Esparza, Aimee Goguen, and Brontez Purnell

Wednesday, Aug 10, 8pm
THINGS: a reading with Stephen Winter, Tiffany Malakooti, and Brontez Purnell

Followed by screenings at ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES:

Aug 11–17
Loads of Curt McDowell! A Restoration Retrospective!

Aug 11–18
Pickle Surprise! The Eyes of Tom Rubnitz

Aug 13–18
PASSING THE TORCH: CONTEMPORARY VISIONARIES

THINGS is presented by ONE Gay & Lesbian National Archives and PARTICIPANT INC, in collaboration with Anthology Film Archives, Video Data Bank, and Visual AIDS. The exhibition will be on view at ONE Gay & Lesbian National Archives from Sep 17–Dec 11, 2016.