General Idea
Life & Work by Sarah E. K. Smith
The National Gallery of Canada General Idea left behind a wealth of materials of interest to art enthusiasts and scholars alike. The most significant collection is held in the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives( NGCLA), which currently administers the General Idea fonds. This cache contains text and audiovisuals related to the artists.
The NGCLA also holds the Art Metropole Collection, donated by Jay A. Smith, Toronto, 1999, as well as the General Idea fonds. Dating from 1969 to 1994, the General Idea archive, on long-term loan, includes invitations, postcards, photographs, clippings, periodicals, and the files and working drawings from the group’ s various projects. The Art Metropole Collection also contains materials by the group’ s contemporaries and collaborators.
In addition, the NGCLA holds the related Art Metropole fonds, as well as original copies of FILE Megazine( 1972 – 89). Further archival files at the NGCLA, including the Fern Bayer fonds, hold related materials pertaining to the group’ s activities.
Installation view of General Idea, One Year of AZT, 1991, and Pharma © opia, 1992, taken during the touring retrospective General Idea’ s Fin de siècle, Kunstverein in Hamburg, Germany, 1992 – 93
Key Exhibitions General Idea has presented their work in numerous solo and group exhibitions dating from 1969 to the present day. For a complete list of all of their solo and group exhibitions, and a complete list of General Idea editions, publications, and
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