Franklin Furnace @ 40

Franklin Furnace is on a mission to make the world safe for avant-garde art, and advocate on behalf of artwork that may be vulnerable due to institutional neglect, cultural bias, or politically unpopular content. This year, they are celebrating their 40th Anniversary on April 22 at Metro Pictures, NY, and honoring Yoko Ono, artist; Thea Westreich Wagner & Ethan Wagner, collectors; and Marian Goodman, gallerist.

Contributing artists: John Ahearn, Eleanor Antin, Ida Applebroog, Judith Bernstein, Nicolas Ceccaldi, Patty Chang, CRASH, Kate Gilmore, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Ann Hamilton, David Hammons/Clifford Owens, Mona Hatoum, Jenny Holzer, Joan Jonas, Barbara Kruger, Suzy Lake, Louise Lawler, Maggie Lee, Robert Longo, Ana Mendieta, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Portia Munson, Lorraine O’Grady, Lady Pink, Pope.L, Ed Ruscha, Carolee Schneemann, Dread Scott, Michael Smith, Anton van Dalen, William Wegman, Lawrence Weiner, Martha Wilson, David Wojnarowicz, Martin Wong

Refreshments provided by City Winery and Material Vodka.

Franklin Furnace was founded in 1976 by artist Martha Wilson to champion ephemeral forms neglected by mainstream arts institutions. We have developed a place in art history for artists’ books, temporary installation art, and performance art, and researched the history of the contemporary artists’ book. Most profoundly, Franklin Furnace has had an indelible impact upon art by launching the careers of artists whose work has influenced art and cultural discourse; Franklin Furnace’s niche remains the bottom of the food chain, premiering artists in New York who later emerge as art world stars. 

Now Franklin Furnace is 40. To mark this improbable achievement and to raise money in support of our signature programs—Franklin Furnace Fund grants to emerging performance artists; SEQuential ART for KIDS arts-in-education workshops in Brooklyn public schools; and our ongoing archival preservation and online event records publication, Metro Pictures is hosting a benefit art sale and auction.