Sociological Art - Key Moments

Key Moments

• 10 October 1974 – Official proclamation of the Sociological Art Collective with Manifesto #1 published in newspaper Le Monde.

• December 1974 - “Art against Ideology” exhibition organized by Bernard Teyssedre with the Sociological Art Collective at Galerie Rencontres, Paris, with works from Jean-François Bory, Collectif d’Art Sociologique, Groupe de Rosario, Guerilla Art Action Group (Jon Hendricks and Jean Toche), Hans Haacke, Michel Journiac, Henri Maccheroni, Serge Oldenberg, Joan Rabascall, Sosno, Bernard Teyssedre, and Louis Chavignier.

• January 1975 – “Art and its socio-economic structures” exhibition organized by the Sociological Art Collective at the Galerie German, Paris, with works from Art et Language, Willy Bongard, Hervé Fischer, Fred Forest, Hans Haacke, John Latharn, Les Levine, Lea Lublin, Jacques Pineau, Adrian Piper, Klaus Staeck, Bernard Teyssèdre and Jean-Paul Thenot.

• March 1975 - “Problems and Methods of Sociological Art” exhibition organized by the Sociological Art Collective at the Galerie Matthias Fels, Paris, with works from Art et Language, Jean-François Bory, Jacques Charlier, Hervé Fischer, Fred Forest, Hans Haacke, Les Lévine, Léa Lublin, Antonio Muntadas, Joan Rabascali, Maurice Roquet, Jean Roualdes, Sanejouand, Sosno, Jean-Paul Thénot, Tomeck, Horacio Zabala.

• April 1975 - Sociological Art Collective exhibition at the International Cultural Centrum (ICC), Anvers, Belgium.

• May 1975 – Sociological Art Manifesto #2

• June 1975 - Sociological Art Collective exhibition at Musée Galliera, Paris.

• Summer 1975 - Neuenkirchen symposium organized by Galerie Falazik and l’Office franco-allemand de la jeunesse.

• August 1975 – Sociological Art Collective exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

• November 1975 - “Photo, Film, Video: A Socio-Ecological Experience, Neuenkirchen” exhibition of the work done in Neuenkirchen at A.R.C. at Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris.

• March 1976 – Sociological Art Manifesto #3

• May 1976 - Founded Ecole Sociological Interrogative in Fischer’s apartment in Paris.

• July 1976 – Sociological Art Collective invited by Pierre Restany to exhibit in the French Pavilion at Venice Biennale.

• February 1977 – Sociological Art Manifesto #4

• June 1977 - Sociological Art Collective intervention in Documenta 6, Kassel.

• March 1979 - “Art Sociologique que se passe-t’il?” Debate organized by Plus minus zero with Jean Pierre Van Tieghen with Fischer, Forest, Thenot, and Alain Snyers.

• November 1980 - Fred Forest and Jean-Paul Thenot publish “Mis au point” ostensibly calling an end to the Sociological Art Collective.