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General IdeaAIDS1987
1987
$2,500
£1,938.97
€2,197.75
CA$3,577.93
A$3,909.63
CHF 2,026.88
MX$46,706.04
NOK 25,793.29
SEK 24,148.63
DKK 16,411.04
About the Item
In 1967, General Idea was founded in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). Over the course of 25 years, they made a significant contribution to postmodern and conceptual art in Canada and beyond.
At the onset of the AIDS crisis in the early 1980s, the illness and the apathy/ignorance toward it became a dominant motif culminating in this work (and its multitude of incarnations).
This iconic print is perhaps their most recognizable artwork. Appropriating Robert Indiana’s “LOVE”, General Idea subverted his iconic work to read "AIDS" while using the same font and bold color arrangement of red/green/blue as the original.
This subversive design appeared in a number of different iterations beginning in 1987. This print is one of the earliest versions. Created as a screenprint in an edition of 1000, it was intended as one of General Ideas first forays into street art or public art. Hundreds of examples from the edition were wheat-pasted on the streets of New York City (in November 1987) and San Francisco (in January 1988)
The San Francisco action coincided with General Idea's exhibition at Artspace which opened on January 12, 1988. This example of the print comes from the private collection of the gallery's founder Anne MacDonald.
This version is distinct from the offset lithograph from 1988 (used on the streets in Toronto and Berlin) as it is of significantly better quality being a screenprint as well as having the General Idea printed signature and copyright date printed vertically in the lower left corner as well as being approximately 5" larger.
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"AIDS"
USA, 1987
Screenprint on paper
Edition of 1000, unnumbered
Printed signature, copyright and date
27"H 27"W
Sold unframed
Overall very good condition. Minor handling marks.
Literature:
"General Idea: Editions 1967-1995", Fischer, pg. 172-173 (2003)
- Creator:
- Creation Year:1987
- Dimensions:Height: 27 in (68.58 cm)Width: 27 in (68.58 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Framing:Framing Options Available
- Condition:Overall very good condition. Minor handling marks.
- Gallery Location:Toronto, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: 04-241stDibs: LU215214257082
General Idea
General Idea was commissioned by the Toronto Stock Exchange to install a work/mural. Shortly after the TSX published two prints, a lithograph poster and a limited edition print. However, most of the edition was destroyed/thrown away, when they moved from the trading floor at the TD Centre to their offices. As a result, the work has almost achieved mythological status amongst General Idea collectors.
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With their subversive approach and interest in parody and appropriation, General Idea addressed a broad range of social (and art-world) issues such as the cult of the artist, mass media, queer identity, and consumerism.
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