Barbara Rosenthal (b. 1948, The Bronx, New York) is an American avant-garde artist and writer. Her existential themes have contributed to contemporary art and philosophy. Her pseudonyms include "Homo Futurus," taken from the title of one of her books, and "Cassandra-on-the-Hudson", which alludes to her studio and residence since 1998 on the Hudson River in Greenwich Village, NYC.
As an artist, Rosenthal works in media including photography, video, performance, projection, installation, interactive and New Media (digital media), text, collage, prints, artists' books and objects. Almost all are produced in editions. Most combine camera, text and performative aspects. Elements of Rosenthal's body of work, "Surreal Photography" are often present. Rosenthal is known for often revisiting past works, recombining old elements with new, and often appears in her work in some way. These may include x-rays, brain scans and clothing. Sometimes she utilizes physical or textual elements from her journals. As a creative artist within the fields of surrealism and existentialism, Rosenthal brings existential content, via the subconscious, to conceptual art, and is known for her intense introspection.
As a writer, Barbara Rosenthal has kept a lifelong journal since age eleven, and produces aphorisms, slogans, quips, poetry, stories, novels, text-based art, artist's books, pamphlets, art criticism, reviews and essays. Rosenthal is a regular contributor to NYArts Magazine and is known for her principled stand against art as advocacy, which she labels “retro-garde”. This sets her in opposition to the prevailing political, cultural and feminist trends in contemporary art.
Read more about Barbara Rosenthal: Education and Early Career, Image /text Art, Video, Art Philosophy, Recent Solo Exhibitions, Major Collections, Teaching Positions and Other Employment, Grants, Honors, Awards