What Makes Art Canadian Sarah Smith on General Idea

We wanted to be famous, glamourous and General Idea (active 19691994) came to embody and employ this maxim in their art. Like many of the groups works, this statement was a cheeky reflection on the conventional public image of the artist as individual genius. Comprised of AA Bronson, Felix Partz, and Jorge Zontal, the group took on a single point of view, creating a unified, nonhierarchical entity. Sarah E. K. Smith is an assistant professor of communication and media studies at Carleton University. Her research focuses on contemporary art and cultural institutions. Smiths current project explores the relationship between Canadian curators and museums and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). To read General Idea: Life Work by Sarah Smith, visit