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Do It: The Compendium Paperback – April 30, 2013

by Bruce Altshuler (Author), Hans Ulrich Obrist (Editor), Kate Fowle (Foreword)

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Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Do It began in Paris in 1993 as a conversation between the artists Christian Boltanski and Bertrand Lavier and Obrist himself, who was experimenting with how exhibition formats could be rendered more flexible and open-ended. The discussion led to the question of whether a show could take “scores” or written instructions by artists as a point of departure, which could be interpreted anew each time they were enacted. To test the idea, Obrist invited 13 artists to send instructions, which were then translated into nine different languages and circulated internationally as a book. Within two years, Do It exhibitions were being created all over the world by realizing the artists’ instructions. With every version of the exhibition new instructions were added, so that today more than 300 artists have contributed to the project. Constantly evolving and morphing into different versions of itself, Do It has grown to encompass “Do It (Museum),” “Do It (Home),” “Do It (TV),” “Do It (Seminar)” as well as some “Anti-Do Its”, a “Philosophy Do It” and, most recently, a “UNESCO Children’s Do It.” Nearly 20 years after the initial conversation took place, Do It has been featured in at least 50 different locations worldwide. To mark the twentieth anniversary of this landmark project, this new publication presents the history of this ambitious enterprise and gives new impetus to its future. It includes an archive of artists’ instructions, essays contextualizing Do It, documentation from the history of the exhibition and instructions by 200 artists from all over the world selected by Obrist, among them Carl Andre, Jimmie Durham, Dan Graham, Yoko Ono, Christian Marclay and Rosemarie Trockel, including 60 new instructions from Matias Faldbakken, Theaster Gates, Sarah Lucas, David Lynch, Rivane Neuenschwander and Ai Weiwei, among many others.

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Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Obrist's ongoing curatorial experiment, this anthology collects 250 "scores"―written instructions for the production of an artwork―from the artists invited to participate in the 50 iterations of the globally traveling "do it" exhibition to date. (Editors Art in America)

Obrist recruited more than 60 artists (icluding Ai Weiwei and David Lynch) to write instructionsfor creating all manner of works, which have been interpreted by others and put on display alongside those directions. (Jonathan Aprea Time Out Magazine)

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Independent Curators International/D.A.P.; y First edition edition (April 30, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1938922018
ISBN-13: 978-1938922015
Product Dimensions: 8 x 1.5 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
Average Customer Review: 10 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,432,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7517 in Arts & Photography Criticism

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Kate

Directions /instructions on how various performance pieces.

January 10, 2019

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I did not understand that this book memorializes performance art by providing almost “directions” to create various performances again. No a book of photos showing the performances. That said if you want to understand some of the thought-processes and problems to which some performances were intended to solve intellectual or cultural issues. My stars are few because I really expected a different book. Kept this book because it is fun to read/explore at breaks or when in a fallow period.

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Expanded my understanding of Art. And made us giggle at some of the more goofy 'exhibit' ideas.

February 3, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I'm an engineer, not an artist. But my artist friend positively *loved* this book as a holiday gift. And I have to say, reading the (often hilarious) notes from many different artists describing the how AND why of creating a art exhibit did expand my concept of Art. But whether they struck me as goofy or serious, all of the entries are quite thought-provoking. (search online for "David Lynch Ricky Board" for an interesting example) My personal favorite involves the instruction to "buy or rent a Ferrari" then crash it in a very very particular method so as to create the art exhibit. (That irreverent "or rent" made us laugh.) This book made me think, "hey, if this is Art, I could do Art. Which, in the end, is probably the point of the book. A funny, funny read, chock full of crazy who-thinks-of-this-stuff ideas.

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Estevan Gorro

Excellent ideas for creating art using a variety of media!

July 24, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a great book that contains a wide variety of ideas for creating art--using a wide variety of media and digital tools. The 'Do It!' project began in the early 1990's and continuues until today. The concept behind the book is to allow a wide range of artists to provide 1-2 page instructions on how to create an art work that could be created by anyone and displayed at a 'Do It!' exhibition. The book is full of a lot of interesting and fun ideas for creating art works.

4 people found this helpful

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Tervuren

Book Description is incorrect

March 2, 2019

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The book description said: Signed by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Christian Boltanski, and Bertrand Lavier. However, this is not the case as the book is not originally signed by those three people; it just includes a reprint of their signature, which is part of the book design.

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Roger Ralston

Five Stars

November 12, 2016

Format: TurtlebackVerified Purchase

Arrived and is great. A shorter version than I thought st Horst. But it's a good collection.

One person found this helpful

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Aman

Five Stars

March 8, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Did it!

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Janine D

Fantastic!

September 20, 2013

Format: Paperback

I absolutely loved this book! It's gorgeous and super engaging. This is a book of instructions for art, rather than pictures of art -- so could you take a hands-on approach and try to `do it yourself'. The instructions have been contributed by a really exciting range of artists, and each is kind of a fun insight into their work and mindset. It's an experience rather than just a read -- If you are interested in contemporary art and want to rediscover it in a new light, I would definitely recommend picking up "Do It!"

3 people found this helpful

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Can L. Misirlioglu

One of the most underrated art movements of 20th century.

May 9, 2014

Format: Paperback

This compendium was long overdue for this highly influential art idea.
It's thorough, and does an awesome job at explaining the context and content of DO IT.
I also really liked the design - it has an anti-design sensibility that makes the book somehow more accessible.
You can pick this up from time to time to get inspired for projects, and little ideas as well.

One person found this helpful

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Do It: The Compendium Paperback – April 30, 2013

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Do It: The Compendium Paperback – April 30, 2013

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