Chryssa & New York

Chryssa, a Greek-born artist who was a key player in the New York art scene after World War II, is the subject of a new book that explores her work. It charts the development of her unique aesthetic, particularly her use of neon, and culminates in the creation of her monumental and rarely seen installation, The Gates to Times Square (1964–66). Essays place her art in the context of other New York-based artists of the 1950s and 1960s, consider it through the lenses of queer theory and the Greek diaspora, and reveal her significant impact on light art today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 21 March 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

Chryssa, a groundbreaking artist in the field of light art, has been the subject of a major publication after a gap of more than thirty years. Chryssa & New York: A Reassessment of Greek-born Artist Chryssa (Chryssa Vardea-Mavromichali, 1933–2013) provides a timely exploration of the artist's remarkable career.

Chryssa, a prominent figure in the postwar New York art scene, made significant contributions to the use of signage, text, and neon. However, her remarkable work, which seamlessly blends Pop, Conceptual, and Minimalist artistic approaches, remains relatively underappreciated. This book delves into the artist's early career, particularly her time in New York from the 1950s to the 1970s, charting the emergence of her distinct aesthetic, notably her innovative formal experiments with neon. It culminates in the development of her monumental and rarely seen installation, The Gates to Times Square (1964–66).

In addition to essays that place Chryssa's art within the context of other New York-based practitioners of the 1950s and 1960s, the book explores her work through the lenses of queer theory and the Greek diaspora. It uncovers her profound influence on the field of light art, which continues to resonate today. Rounding out the volume, a conversation on the technical aspects of her practice and a comprehensive chronology make this the definitive publication on Chryssa for years to come.

Published by the Dia Art Foundation and the Menil Collection, Houston, Chryssa & New York: A Reassessment of Greek-born Artist Chryssa is scheduled to be exhibited at various venues. The exhibition will commence at Dia Chelsea, New York, from March 2 to July 23, 2023. It will then move to the Menil Collection, Houston, from September 29, 2023, to March 10, 2024. Additionally, the exhibition will be showcased at Wrightwood 659, Chicago, from May 1 to August 15, 2024.

Dimension: 279 x 248 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300271980