Robert Blanchon (1965-1999) was a conceptual artist whose decade-long exhibition history is marked by a witty, insightful treatment of loss, memory and mortality; mischievousness concerning the pretenses of the art world; and an original treatment of the construction of identity. Blanchon's interest in photography -- specifically, the materiality of a photograph -- did not preclude works in sculpture, video, mail art, text and performance. Like his predecessors, Paul Thek, David Wojnarowicz and Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Blanchon sought relevance beyond the poetics of queer culture. Indeed, the vulnerability, pathos and humor of Blanchon's oeuvre resonate with anyone who has felt the fragility of being human. He died at a moment of increasing exhibition opportunities and growing critical acclaim. Blanchon was feverishly productive in his condensed life span and left behind a body of work with unusually lucid themes.
The Robert Blanchon monograph includes 76 color plates; essays by Gregg Bordowitz and Sasha Archibald; an annotated color checklist of the Robert Blanchon archive; selections of his written art projects and pedagogical works; and a special insert inspired by Blanchon's untitled (sympathy) series. Published by Visual AIDS.