Joe Brainard, a pivotal figure in the New York School, embodied the essence of art as a personal and communal experience. In letters, he expressed a desire to please, showcasing a unique artistic identity that celebrated relationships and collaboration. His works, from illustrations for poets to personal collages, reflected his effervescent personality and were often crafted as gifts for friends. A new collection of Brainard's letters, titled "Love, Joe," curated by Daniel Kane, highlights his collaborative spirit and willingness to engage others in his artistic journey, making art an act of love and connection.
"People-pleasing has a bad artistic reputation-it's more common to imagine serious artists driven by an uncompromising inner vision-but he made a poetics of it."
"His work demonstrates the power of art made specifically for another, and delivered as a gift."
"Brainard is eager for friends to see his work but just as eager to enlist them in making it..."
"His œuvre includes breezy chronicles of his friends' social lives, odes to the cigarettes he smoked..."
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