Art & Language

Scratched photograph of the cover of Art-Language, Vol.3 No.1, 1974.

Template:Use dmy dates Art & Language is an English conceptual artists' collaboration created around 1967. The name Art & Language is derived from the journal Art-Language (first published in Coventry in May 1969), which had its origins in the work of Terry Atkinson and Michael Baldwin (from 1966) in association with Harold Hurrell and David Bainbridge. These were its original editors. Art & Language was used subsequently to identify the joint and several artistic works of these four in an effort to reflect the conversational basis of their activity, which, by late 1969, had already included contributions from New York by Joseph Kosuth, Ian Burn and Mel Ramsden. By late 1976 the genealogical thread of this artistic work had been taken into the hands of Michael Baldwin and Mel Ramsden, with whom it remains.

The facts of who did what, how much they contributed and so on are more or less well known. The (small) degree of anonymity that the name originally conferred continues, however, to be of historical significance.

The first issue of Art-Language (Volume 1, Number 1, May 1969) is subtitled The Journal of Conceptual Art. By the second issue (Volume 1, Number 2, February 1970), it had become clear that the journal did not speak to or for some Conceptual Art and some Conceptual artists. The inscription was accordingly abandoned. Art-Language had, however, laid claim to a purpose and to a constituency. It was the first imprint to identify a public entity called ‘Conceptual Art’ and the first to serve the theoretical and conversational interests of a community of artists and critics who were its producers and users.

As the distribution of the journal and the teaching practice of the editors and others developed, the conversation expanded and multiplied to include by 1971 (in England) Charles Harrison, Philip Pilkington, David Rushton, Lynn Lemaster, Sandra Harrison, Graham Howard and Paul Wood, and (in New York) Michael Corris, and later Paula Ramsden, Terry Smith, Mayo Thompson, Christine Kozlov, Preston Heller, Andrew Menard and Kathryn Bigelow.

Decisive action had become necessary if any vestige of Art & Language’s original ethos was to remain. There were those who saw themselves excluded from this who departed for individual occupations in teaching or as artists. There were others immune to the troubles who simply found different work. Terry Atkinson had left in 1974. There were yet others whose departure was expedited by those whose practice had continued (and continues) to be identified with the journal Art-Language and

its artistic commitments. While musical activities continued (and continue) with Mayo Thompson, and the literary conversational project continued with Charles Harrison (died 2008), by late 1976 the genealogical thread of this artistic work had been taken into the hands of Michael Baldwin and Mel Ramsden, with whom it remains.

Secret Painting Art & Language (Mel Ramsden), 1967

Mirror Piece, 1965

Air conditioning show 1966-7

Cover of volume 5 number 1 of Art-Language, reproducing a self-portrait of Mel Ramsden

Art & language documenta 5 index 01

Celebrating 60 years of Art & Language, in 2025 Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art in Montsoreau France presented the group exhibition Art & Language : The Mirror Effect<ref>[1] Art & Language The Mirror Effect at Château de Montsoreau – Museum of Contemporary Art, Loire Valley, France, 17 July 2025</ref> that Lara Pan, curator of the exhibition, describes as an examination of the relationships between artists and their art in light of the principles of Art & Language. The title of the exhibition refers to the Mirror Piece installation Michael Baldwin created in 1965.

In 1986, Art & Language was nominated for the Turner Prize.<ref name="Tate-Turner">Template:Cite web</ref> A catalogue raisonné will be published in the fall of 2025.

Members and associates

Members and associates include Terry Atkinson,<ref name="Tate-A&L">Template:Cite web</ref> David Bainbridge,<ref name="Tate-A&L" /> Michael Baldwin,<ref name="Tate-A&L" /><ref name="Frieze-2002">Template:Cite journal</ref> Kathryn Bigelow,<ref>Nicolas Rapold, "Interview: Kathryn Bigelow Goes Where the Action Is," The Village Voice, 23 June 2009. [2] Access date: 27 June 2009.</ref> Ian Burn,<ref name="UBUWEB">Template:Cite web</ref> Sarah Charlesworth<ref name="PM">Template:Cite web</ref>,Charles Harrison,<ref name="UBUWEB" /> Michael Corris<ref name="UBUWEB" />,Preston Heller,<ref name="UBUWEB" /> Graham Howard,<ref name="NGV-1971">Template:Cite web</ref> Harold Hurrell<ref name="Tate-A&L" />,Joseph Kosuth,<ref name="UBUWEB" /> Christine Kozlov,<ref name="AM">Template:Cite web</ref> Nigel Lendon,<ref name="AL">Template:Cite journal</ref> Andrew Menard,<ref name="UBUWEB" /> Philip Pilkington,<ref name="TM-PP">Template:Cite web</ref> Neil Powell,<ref name="MoMA-1999">Template:Cite web</ref> Mel Ramsden,<ref name="Tate-A&L" /><ref name="Frieze-2002" /> David Rushton,<ref name="UE">Template:Cite web</ref> Terry Smith,<ref name="UBUWEB" /> and Mayo Thompson and Red Crayola.<ref name="Rough Trade">Template:Cite book</ref>

External links

• Interview with Michael Baldwin and Mel Ramsden about Art & Language (2011) MP3
• Art & Language: Blurting in A & L online Hypertext version of a complete print work of 1973 by American members of Art & Language, with articles and a discussion forum.

Further reading

• Bailey, Robert. Art & Language International, Duke University Press, Template:ISBN
• Thomas Dreher: Intermedia Art: Konzeptuelle Kunst with four German articles on Art & Language and a chronology with illustrated works.
• Morton,Tom. Art & Language, Frieze, April 2002.
• El análisis crítico de la modernidad de Art & Language