Author Description

This book explores the form of the ziggurat (a rectangular stepped structure) as a motif in the work of General Idea, the artist collective active between 1967 and 1994. Published in conjunction with General Idea's first solo exhibition in the U.S. in 10 years, this monograph contributes to the long lineage of artists' books in the artist collective's oeuvre. "Ziggurat: General Idea 1968-1994" serves to illustrate the pervasion of the signature ziggurat form in their body of work. Aiding their semi-fictional "1984 Miss General Idea Pageant," the ziggurat was a representation of progress, power, and success, and repeated, coupled, and combined to express control through a basic form. AA Bronson, the last living member of General Idea, was instrumental in creating this artist book--its design based on "Katsura: Tradition and Creation in Japanese Architecture," an influential publication from his childhood. The Ziggurat paintings are fully illustrated in color alongside images of drawings, installations, sculptures, and other works that incorporate the ziggurat form