General Idea
General Idea is a groundbreaking Canadian artist group that rose to international prominence in the 1970s and 1980s for its playful, satirical approach to the media and the art world. The exhibition is the most comprehensive overview of their oeuvre, consisting of giant sculptures and installations, paintings, surprising and innovative videos and publications, archive material, and iconic wallpapers.
General Idea
Serious Humour
General Idea, consisting of Felix Partz, Jorge Zontal and AA Bronson, ceased to exist in 1994 after Partz and Zontal died of AIDS. General Idea criticized society and the art world through playful and striking works of art. With their serious humour, they made complex subjects negotiable, and they looked critically at society. For example, General Idea drew attention to issues such as mass media, consumer culture, social inequality, queer identity, the art economy and the AIDS crisis. Many of their topics are still relevant today. General Idea can be seen as precursors of 'creative activism'; they paved the way for a younger generation of artists.
Pop Art with a deeper layer
Like their Pop Art contemporaries, General Idea embraced the concept of magnification and repetition, combining it with mass media as a platform for their satirical and critical messages. Their use of different media was unprecedented for artists at the time. General Idea also always encouraged the public to playfully interact with their work, for example, through mail art in museums and on the street.
Dates and times
| Thursday 1 June | 10:00 |
| Friday 2 June | 10:00 |
| Saturday 3 June | 10:00 |