Dan Graham is a household name in the art world, but I didn’t start taking an honest liking to him until my friend, the artist Ryan Forester, began collaborating with him. Through Ryan, I got firsthand stories about Dan and his generosity, humor, and kindness. Ryan worked with Dan to put out a book calledMorenuggets or Evolution of the Museum and Other New Writings, published by his press, Ratstar Press. It is still in circulation, and Dan had the release party at Printed Matter so he could play his new mixtape (unfortunately, I missed the opening). Dan passed away in 2022 and left behind a huge impact on many people who loved him in the art world. Being a poet and a performer, one of my most beloved books that showcase Dan's work is Theater by Dan Graham put out by Primary Information. It documents Dan’s performances from 1969 to 1977, which were types of social acts. For example, Identification Project’s premise begins: “A woman performer looks at the audience, selects and describes the various men (perhaps also women) who charismatically (‘sexually’) attract her. The description and the feeling she expresses are to be as sincere, non-theatrical, as possible.”
This premise defines Dan's work over the course of his life. Sincere, Raw, Honest.
-Jen Fisher