Abstract
Abstract Art and nightlife have intermixed in many cabarets and nightclubs throughout the modern era, and this project focuses on the New York nightclub Area (1983–87). Inspired by surrealism, neo-dada and pop art, Area’s owners acted as artistscurators, as they reinvented their club approximately every five to six weeks by demolishing and rebuilding it based on quirky themes including ‘Suburbia’, ‘Confinement’ and ‘Natural History’. Sculptures, films, photographs, performance art projects, installations and dioramas were featured, and artists included Karen Finley, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. Such a club questioned issues related to curating living persons and the stereotypical notions of patronage and spectatorship. This social historical analysis, which touches upon gender and queer theory, examines the ethics of participation and how Area exemplified the intermixing of art and nightlife in New York’s nightclubs.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
