Paul Pfeiffer Knihy

Paul Pfeiffer is among the most recognized and influential American artists today. This is a select overview of his work over the last decade, including his most recently produced projects, as well as his fundamental works on new technologies through video, installation, sculpture and photography. In his most widely recognized work, the artist digitally alters old film footage and TV sports events to erase the main characters of the scenes, dissecting the role of mass media and the cult of celebrity. The book also examines his creative process with original essays by Lawrence Chua (critic, Cornell University, New York), Jessica Hagedorn (writer, Philippines), Niklas Maak (critic, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and Katy Siegel (critic, Artforum), and other writings selected by the artist, including works by Don Delillo, Ellias Canetti, Gary Indiana and Roger Caillois. Born in 1966 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Paul Pfeiffer spent most of his childhood in the Philippines, until he settled in New York in 1990. Pfeiffer was selected for the 49th Venice Biennial and most recently for the Sydney Biennial 2008.

With a mix of irreverence and sincerity, artists John Baldessari and Meg Cranston here tackle nothing less than the question of God. Acting as curators, they have invited 100 artists to respond to one of art's most enduring picturing the divine. The artists selected are those whose work the curators know and admire, those who possess the sense of humor and audacity necessary for such a project, or artists who are "likely to surprise." The works in this exhibition explore many different themes, including miracles, divine intervention, baptism, heaven, martyrdom, and the search for enlightenment. Included is one work by each of the 100 artists--primarily drawings, photographs, and paintings, along with a few sculptures and single-channel videos--some of them made in response to the curators' call for participation. Represented artists include Reverend Ethan Acres, Eleanor Antin, Chris Burden, Sam Durant, Jimmie Durham, Nicole Eisenman, Katharina Fritsch, Liam Gillick, Jack Goldstein, Scott Grieger, Rebecca Horn, Christian Jankowski, Mike Kelley, Mary Kelly, Martin Kippenberger, Louise Lawler, Roy Lichtenstein, Rita McBride, Paul McCarthy, Catherine Opie, Tony Oursler, Jorge Pardo, Raymond Pettibon, Paul Pfeiffer, Richard Prince, Rob Pruitt & Jonathan Horowitz, Gerhard Richter, Susan Rothenberg, Ed Ruscha, Gary Simmons, Lawrence Weiner, James Welling and Franz West.