Do It: The Compendium

Do It is a collection of artist instructions and scores compiled by curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, expanding on his 1993 exhibition of the same name. The book contains contributions from over 100 international artists who provided written directions for artworks that can be interpreted and executed by others. The instructions range from simple actions to complex conceptual pieces, with artists including Yoko Ono, Ai Weiwei, Marina Abramović, and Louise Bourgeois among many others. Each artist's contribution is presented alongside contextual information and, in many cases, documentation of previous realizations of the works. The format follows the tradition of instruction-based art that emerged in the 1960s through movements like Fluxus and Conceptual Art. The book serves as both an archive of participatory art practices and an ongoing exhibition that continues to generate new interpretations. This collection explores themes of authorship, participation, and the relationship between artist and audience. The work raises questions about ownership in art and challenges traditional notions of artistic creation.

Many readers found the interview format repetitive and lacking clear organization, with comments scattered across Goodreads noting the book comes across as a collection of unstructured conversations. Multiple reviews mention appreciating the perspectives from contemporary artists and cultural figures, but struggle with the book's "stream of consciousness" style. What readers liked: - Diverse range of voices and perspectives - Raw, unfiltered artist insights - Historical documentation of art movements What readers disliked: - No clear narrative thread - Minimal editing made content hard to follow - Redundant questions across interviews Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (6 ratings) One Goodreads reviewer wrote: "Contains valuable primary source material but needed tighter editing." Another noted: "The informal style preserves authentic voices but makes for challenging reading." Limited review data exists online for this niche art book, with most discussion occurring in academic/art circles rather than consumer review sites.

Ways of Curating by Obrist Hans Ulrich An exploration of exhibition-making through conversations with artists, philosophers, and curators provides insights into the evolution of art display and cultural programming.

Inside the White Cube by Brian O'Doherty This examination of gallery spaces and their ideological framework reveals how contemporary art presentation shapes meaning and artistic discourse.

A Brief History of Curating by Hans Ulrich Obrist The development of curating through first-hand accounts from pioneering curators illuminates the transformation of exhibition practices from the 1960s to the present.

Thinking Contemporary Curating by Terry Smith This analysis of curatorial practice maps the intellectual and practical tasks of curators in the context of contemporary art and institutions.

What Makes a Great Exhibition? by Paula Marincola Essays from curators and critics examine the components of exhibition-making and the decisions that shape meaningful art experiences.

🔷 This book is a collection of over 100 artists' instructions and DIY artworks, allowing readers to recreate famous conceptual art pieces in their own homes or spaces 🔷 Hans Ulrich Obrist was inspired to create this project after discovering Yoko Ono's 1961 book "Grapefruit," which contained artistic instructions for readers to follow 🔷 The book includes contributions from major artists like Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, and Gilbert & George, spanning multiple generations of contemporary art 🔷 Many of the instructions in the book challenge traditional notions of authorship and ownership in art by making artwork reproducible by anyone who follows the directions 🔷 The project began in 1993 with just a few artists' instructions and grew over two decades into this comprehensive collection, demonstrating the evolution of participatory art