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Art & Language

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This article is about the art group. For the journal, see Art-Language.
Scratched photograph of the cover of Art-Language, Vol.3 No.1, 1974.

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[1] 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.[2] A catalogue raisonné will be published in the fall of 2025.

Members and associates

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Members and associates include Terry Atkinson,[3] David Bainbridge,[3] Michael Baldwin,[3][4] Kathryn Bigelow,[5] Ian Burn,[6] Sarah Charlesworth[7],Charles Harrison,[6] Michael Corris[6],Preston Heller,[6] Graham Howard,[8] Harold Hurrell[3],Joseph Kosuth,[6] Christine Kozlov,[9] Nigel Lendon,[10] Andrew Menard,[6] Philip Pilkington,[11] Neil Powell,[12] Mel Ramsden,[3][4] David Rushton,[13] Terry Smith,[6] and Mayo Thompson and Red Crayola.[14]

Public collections

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References

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  1. ^ [1] Art & Language The Mirror Effect at Château de Montsoreau – Museum of Contemporary Art, Loire Valley, France, 17 July 2025
  2. ^ "Turner Prize 1986: Gilbert & George won the Turner Prize (Art & Language listed among the nominees)". Tate Britain. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Art Term: Art & Language". Tate Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b Morton, Tom (4 April 2002). "Art & Language: Musee d'Art Moderne Lille Metropole, France". Frieze (66). Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  5. ^ Nicolas Rapold, "Interview: Kathryn Bigelow Goes Where the Action Is," The Village Voice, 23 June 2009. [2] Archived 22 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine Access date: 27 June 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Art & Language, Britain". UBUWEB:Historical. Originally published in Aspen 8. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  7. ^ Robinson, Christine. "Sara Charlesworth: Image Language". Printed Matter. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Art-Language, 1971". National Gallery of Victoria. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Christine Kozlov". Aldrich Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  10. ^ Lewis, Ruark (15 December 2021). "Nigel Lendon 1944-2021". Artlink Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Art & Language (Michael Baldwin, born 1945; Philip Pilkington, born 1949)". Tate Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  12. ^ "The Artist Out of Work: Art & Language 1972–1981". Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  13. ^ "David Rushton / Art As Conceit". Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  14. ^ Young, Rob (2006). Rough Trade. Black Dog Publishing. ISBN 9781904772477.
  15. ^ "Secret Painting 1967-1968, Art & Language". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Art & Language". British Council, Visual Arts. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Art & Language Homes from Homes 1 2000 - 2001". Centre Pompidou. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga. (Málaga Centre for Contemporary Art)". Visit Malaga. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  19. ^ "The Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art, Loire Valley". Chateau de Montsoreau. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  20. ^ "FRAC Normandie Rouen: Collected Artists". ArtFacts. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  21. ^ "ART & LANGUAGE (Michaël BALDWIN et Terry ATKINSON)" (PDF). FRAC Languedoc-Roussillon, Acquisitions 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Art & Language". Les Abattoirs Musée - FRAC Occitainie Toulouse. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  23. ^ "ART & LANGUAGE Sighs Trapped by Liars 1-192 (Soupirs piégés par des menteurs 1-192) 1996 - 1997". Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  24. ^ Palau, Maria. "Un tresor al Macba - 30 març 2011". El Punt Avui.
  25. ^ "Collection Catalog: Art & Language". Migros Museum of Contemporary Art. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  26. ^ "Art & Language: Homes from Homes II". Migros Museum of Contemporary Art. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Vingt-Quartre Heures de la Vie D'Une Femme: Collections du MAMC". Musée D'Art Moderne Et Contemporain. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Art & Language". Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  29. ^ "Art & Language". Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
  30. ^ "Art & Language: Corrected Slogans 1976". Museum of Modern Art, New York. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  31. ^ "Art & Language: F works". National Gallery of Victoria. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  32. ^ "Picasso's Guernica in the Style of Jackson Pollock Art & Language". Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  33. ^ Tate. "Art & Language (Michael Baldwin, born 1945; Mel Ramsden, born 1944)". Tate.
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Further reading

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Library resources about
Art & Language
By Art & Language
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