Internal Necessity: A Reader Tracing the Inner Logics of the Contemporary Art Field

This rich and extensive collection of writings, interviews, image spreads, letters, graphic essays and Skype conversations is the product of 2009's fertile ''summer academy'' at the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern. Guest curator, the Berlin-based writer/curator Tirdad Zolghadr, surprised participants by canceling the scheduled annual ''fellow exhibition'' that summer. Instead, participants were asked to contribute to this book, which makes a strong argument for print publications as equally worthy sites of art production alongside studio practice and exhibitions. The cancellation ''did not stem from a boredom with art, nor even with its rituals, but simply from an impatience with the unquestioning exhibition routine that predominates,'' writes Zolghadr. Featured writings include Bruce Hainley, Los Angeles, a contributing editor at ArtForum and professor at Art Center College of Design, Mariangela Mendez Prencke, Bogota, Columbia, curator, professor and graduate from BARD College, Uriel Orslow, Swiss artist, and many, many more.