CONTROL: ISSUE TWENTY ONE (Rare edition)

Softcover | 20.6 x 29 cm | 28 pp

Control Magazine | 2019

CONTROL represents models of self-organisation and contextualisation in art practice that are functioning within the contemporary social and cultural landscape. These models by their very existence, operation, and function, act as a critical counter consciousness to the reductive determinism that dominates the institutional and institutionalised art world of today. In the main, instead of object based monumental emulative icons for denoting immortality and power, these art practices are transient and informal, existing between people rooted in a particular context, often built around the cybernetic principles of dynamic feedback and exchange.

In the extreme uniformity in the cultural and social setting that the artist is confronted with today, new attitudes, new languages and forms in art practice have never been more appropriate and needed in transforming the function of art within society. The dominance of the possessive object has been a restrictive and inhibitory factor in holding back the development of innovative languages in art practice. The artwork has become ever more descriptive of the status quo, instead of freeing the artist to the possibilities of creating new visions of reality; transforming the world as it is, into the world as it could be.

The group of artists that are contributing to this current issue of CONTROL have all in their very different circumstances, addressed the issues of contextualisation, meaning and function in creating artwork that acts between people: that in its processes celebrates their community and society.

These are modern art practices that have a different language from the historical monumental object, and indicate the possibilities of a transformative future. They are seen as a signpost to how the world can be different, and importantly have not just been postulated in some theoretical discussion but have actually happened, been demonstrated, and are recorded here.

Contributors

• Helen Walker & Harun Morrison, They Are Here: Ayandeh Garden, 2016-ongoing
• Pete Clarke: Liverpool Notebooks, 1978-2018
• Lucie Kolb: Politics of Study
• Gary Bratchford and Robert Parkinson: - Draft Of A Memento -
• Rebecca Davies & Eva Sajovic, People's Bureau: Artist as Provocateur
• Eliana Otta: Gapado Island’s Treasures
• Stephen Willats: Polemics And Meaning In A Contextual Art Practice
• Javier Calderton, Chalton Gallery: Purpose

About CONTROL Magazine

Founded in 1965 by the British artist and conceptual designer, Stephen Willats (born 1943), CONTROL remains one of the few artists' publications from the 1960s thriving to this day. The magazine acts as a vehicle for proposals and explanations of art practice between artists seeking to create a meaningful engagement with contemporary society.

Published and edited by Stephen Willats, this pioneering magazine has documented the work of many artists, both from the UK and abroad and encouraged a wide discussion of artists’ practices. It has included contributions and original pieces from an extensive range of artists over its eighteen issues. Since 1965, the magazine has published work and writing by over 150 artists, including John Latham, Roy Ascot, Anthony Benjamin, Dan Graham, Mary Kelly, Helen Chadwick, Tony Cragg, Dennis Adams, Lawrence Weiner, Anish Kapoor, Martha Rosler, Jeremy Deller, alongside collectives and collaboratives such as Gallerie in Friedrichstrasse, Artists Placement Group and early producer’s galleries such as that of Dieter Hacker. Many of the artists have made artwork specially for the magazine.

CONTROL Magazine’s function has always been to provide a resource for artists to discuss their work and, in particular, to make connections with other disciplines such as social or computer sciences, technology etc. Its eighteen issues provide a unique record of a specific area of art practice over four decades and this non-profit making publication has had an acknowledged influence on the practice of artists.