When Thomas Lawson and Susan Morgan started REALLIFE Magazine in 1979, they wanted to make a publication that would be “by and about artists.” The magazine’s first issue was made possible by an NEA grant in art criticism, awarded to Lawson through Artists Space. During the 1980s, REALLIFE Magazine attentively addressed current art and its influences while continuously speculating about culture and questioning politics.

Curated by Kate Fowle, REALLIFE Magazine: 1979-1990 looks at the decade through the lens of this publication and its extraordinary roster of contributors—including Richard Baim, Eric Bogosian, Glen Branca, Critical Art Ensemble, Jamie Davidovich, Jessica Diamond, Mark Dion + Jason Simon, Jack Goldstein, Kim Gordon, Group Material, David Hammons, Michael Hurson, Ray Johnson, Mike Kelley, Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler, Sherrie Levine, Sol Lewitt, Robert Longo, Ken Lum, Allan McCollum, Paul McMahon, Matt Mullican, Adrian Piper, Richard Prince, David Robbins, John Roberts, Cindy Sherman, Michael Smith and James Welling.

The exhibition coincides with the launch of the publication REAL LIFE Magazine: Selected Writings and Projects 1979-1994, edited by Miriam Katzeff, Tom Lawson and Susan Morgan and published by Primary Information (NY, 2007)