Selections from the Archives:
Celebrating 50 Years of The Kitchen
Selections from the Archives: Celebrating 50 Years of The Kitchen includes posters and facsimiles of ephemera from The Kitchen’s archives to highlight a selection of thirteen notable events that took place during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Each of the eight vitrines corresponds to a poster available for purchase: the range of events showcases the different disciplines The Kitchen presents and the artists, musicians, and performers who have shown their work. The vitrines include internal memos, press releases, and reviews, along with selections from Printed Matter’s inventory related to the events. The featured posters—as well as others available online—are part of a special sale organized by Printed Matter in partnership with The Kitchen to benefit both institutions.
The exhibition is on view from April 22–May 9, 2021 at Printed Matter (231 11th Ave, NYC) during store open hours.
Curated by 2020–2021 Curatorial Fellow, Kathy Cho. Special thanks to the Printed Matter staff for facilitating the exhibition, and to The Kitchen’s Spring 2021 Curatorial Interns, Julia Brzozka and Sherry Tseng, for research assistance.
Posters, displayed on wall, left–right
1. Various artists, New Music, New York (June 1979)
2. Various artists, Dance Day (January 1980)
3. Eric Bogosian, Sheer Heaven (January 1980)
4. Dara Birnbaum, Pop-Pop Video (March 1980)
5. Various artists, Pictures and Promises: A Display of Advertisings, Slogans, and Interventions, curated by Barbara Kruger (January 1981)
6. Various artists, Polysexuality, organized by Semiotext(e) (April 1981)
7. Various artists, Aluminum Nights (June 1981)
8. Oskar Schlemmer, Bauhaus Dances (October 1982)
9. Robert Ashley, Perfect Lives (Fall 1983)
10. Nam June Paik, 1984 in 1984: Good Morning Mr. Orwell (January 1984)
11. Various artists, Super 8 Motel, curated by Peggy Ahwesh (March 1985)
12. Charles Atlas, S&D (May 1988)
13. Diamanda Galas, Vena Cava (February 1992)
Vitrines, left–right
1. Various artists, Dance Day (January 1980)
Top row:
Memo describing event
Press release
Handwritten ticket sale sign
Bottom row:
Phone message, artist calling to confirm performance
Photographs, SoHo Weekly News (three pages), photography by Nathaniel Tileston
2. Eric Bogosian, Sheer Heaven (January 1980)
Top row:
Book, In the Dark, Eric Bogosian (front cover). Courtesy of Printed Matter.
Photograph, photographer unknown
Review, “Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow” by Michael Feingold for Village Voice
Cast list
Bottom row:
Book, In the Dark, Eric Bogosian (open spread). Courtesy of Printed Matter.
Press release
3. Various artists, Pictures and Promises: A Display of Advertisings, Slogans, and Interventions, curated by Barbara Kruger (January, 1981)
Top row:
Book, Art & Social Change, U.S.A. (front cover). Courtesy of Printed Matter.
Press release
Exhibition Checklist, two pages
Bottom row:
Letter from Barbara Kruger
Pamphlet of recent work, Barbara Ess. Courtesy of Printed Matter.
Postcard, Untitled (We don’t need another hero), Barbara Kruger. Courtesy of Printed Matter.
4. Various artists, Polysexuality, organized by Semiotext(e) (April, 1981)
Top row:
Press release
Photograph of Kathy Acker, photography by Paula Court
Photograph of Miss 3-D, photography by Robin Holland
Bottom row:
Event listing, “Whats Up? Polysex!”, Soho News
Event listing, “Thursday / 30”, Soho News
Memo from The Kitchen’s staff, regarding animal cruelty controversy around artists’ performance
Book, “Stop it, Ted,” I screamed… (front cover), Kathy Acker. Courtesy of Printed Matter.
5. Various musicians, Bands at The Kitchen (December, 1982)
Top row:
Program
Press release
Photograph of Beastie Boys, photography by Teri Bloom
Bottom row:
Review, “Sonic Youth, On Edge” by C. Carr for Village Voice
Review, “Rock: 3 Bands on Single Bill” by Jon Pareles for New York Times
Multiple listings, Village Voice
Two CDs, Disappearer (front and back views), Sonic Youth. Courtesy of Printed Matter.
6. Nam June Paik, 1984 in 1984: Good Morning Mr. Orwell (January, 1984)
Top row:
Score, four pages
Bottom row:
Photograph of Nam June Paik, photography by Lorenza Bianda
Press release
Two postcards (front and back views)
7. Women of the Calabash, Edwina Lee Tyler and a Piece of the World, Women of the Calabash and Edwina Lee Tyler and a Piece of the World (April, 1984)
Top row:
Press release
Program (front cover)
Poster
Bottom row:
Review, “Concert: African-American” by Jon Pareles for New York Times
Program (open spread)
8. Charles Atlas, S&D (May 1988)
Top row:
Press release, two pages
Interview, “TV or Not TV”, with Tom Rubnitz
Bottom row:
Book, Charles Atlas (front cover). Courtesy of Printed Matter.
Two DVDs, MuX (front and back view), Chiaki Watanabe. Six visual music works with one audio track by David Linton. Courtesy of Printed Matter.