THE DAYS OF THIS SOCIETY IS NUMBERED, screamed a well-known text work by Rirkrit Tiravanija over the watch party for the first presidential debate at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise on 26 September. Some 100 people basked in the blue glow of Clinton’s televised victory, surrounded by political works from Christopher Knowles, Rob Pruitt, Deborah Kass, John Giorno, and Dread Scott.
The party was organised by artist Jonathan Horowitz. “Something really ominous is going on in the country right now and it’s hard to think about art,” he told The Art Newspaper. “But if you’re an artist, it’s important to think about art and how it might relate to what’s going on. I wanted to provide a space for that to happen.”
Horowitz also provided Coke and Pepsi, a nod perhaps to the problems inherent in a two-party system but mostly a reference to his Coke/Pepsi painting series, along with vegan hot dogs. There was also Budweiser and PBR for those who needed stronger choices.