Performa 09: Back to Futurism

Written and edited by RoseLee Goldberg
Forward by Irving Sandler

Performa 09: Back to Futurism is the definitive document of the unforgettable Performa 09 biennial. As the third volume to draw content and inspiration from the world-renowned Performa biennials, this beautiful 400-page book features creative documentation by the 150 artists who made Performa 09 so extraordinary—among them Guy Ben-Ner, Candice Breitz, Omer Fast, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster and Ari Benjamin Meyers, Mike Kelley, Arto Lindsay, Wangechi Mutu, Christian Tomaszewski and Joanna Malinowska, and Yeondoo Jung (all of whom presented special Performa Commissions) and Keren Cytter, Tacita Dean, Alicia Framis, Loris Greaud, William Kentridge, and Joan Jonas (who brought US premieres to the biennial). Vibrant photos of each artist’s performance by renowned photographer Paula Court and texts contributed by a range of curators and critics provide accounts of every show, as well as an understanding of the importance of each work within the artist’s individual career and in relation to larger historical trends. Taking place at over 80 of New York’s most exciting art and cultural venues, Performa 09 was created as a collaboration between all of these moving parts, so a portrait of the city’s remarkable history of cultural innovation also emerges from these pages. Performa 09: Back to Futurism is not only a gorgeous document of a remarkable biennial, but also an invaluable reference guide to the most significant artists of our time, for art historians and fans alike.