A publicity still for Walter Robinson: Artist Provocateur, a film by Paul Tschinkel; photo courtesy ART/new york 2019. For a taste of Walter’s humor, stream this film at Tschinkel’s Art /New York site on Vimeo.
The sudden passing of Walter Robinson last weekend caused quite a stir on social media. More than just a successful artist and art writer, the engaging and long active Robinson was a point of connection for several generations of downtown artists. He literally knew everyone. Some remember his biting wit and sarcasm; others admired his willingness to push the limits of convention both as a critic and artist; while many recalled how he provided them with their first opportunities as either writers or artists. He was respected by all.
It would be impossible to cover all the highlights of Robinson’s life in a single Gallery 98 newsletter. Here you’ll find mostly ephemera from his early years in the 1970s and 80s, when he started to establish his art world presence. During these years he was closely connected with art critic Edit DeAk whom he first knew at Columbia University, and as part of the Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Program. Together they started Art-Rite, a do-it-yourself, low budget magazine that despite the lack of resources succeeded in finding a place in the art world for a good five-year run.
Although at first Robinson saw himself as an art critic, he also had ambitions as an artist. When Art-Rite lost momentum, he became active in Collaborative Project Inc. (Colab), an artist group that explored new ways of reaching non-art audiences, and connecting art and life. His art could be seen at the Colab sponsored Times Square Show, in exhibitions at the alternative art space ABC No Rio (a Colab affiliate), and in the “A More Stores” that Colab organized during the holiday, gift-buying season. Increasingly, Robinson’s art was also embraced by commercial galleries like Metro Pictures, where it fit in easily with the work of other artists later grouped as part of the future Pictures Generation movement.
In addition to his success as an artist, Robinson remained active as an art writer. He was a critic for Art in America, and from 1980 – 85 he was the arts editor at the East Village Eye, at precisely the time when the East Village art scene was receiving international attention. Robinson’s career ascended further, when in 1995 he was appointed the founding editor at Artnet Magazine, the first exclusively online art journal. As the impact of the internet grew, Robinson’s role in choosing exhibition coverage and hiring writers transformed him into a true art world power. Although he continued to paint, it was only after he left Artnet in 2012 that his career as an artist fully took off.
More Walter Robinson ephemera on Gallery 98
Art-Rite Magazine, 1973 – 1978
“For Edit, Josh and Mike. My favorite artriters, whose minds I helped screw up – Brian.” Inscription inside American Masters: The Voice and The Myth sent by Brian O’Doherty to Edit DeAk, Josh Cohn, and Mike (Walter) Robinson at the Art-Rite offices, 1974
It was in O’Doherty’s class at Columbia University that Walter (then called Mike), Edit DeAk and Josh Cohn were inspired to start Art-Rite magazine. Cohn’s involvement was short-lived.
Whitney Museum, MUƎƧUM, an exhibition curated by the students of the Whitney Independent Study Program, including Edit DeAk and Walter Robinson, card, 1973. Size: 5.25 x 5.25 inches.
Both Walter and Edit were part of the Whitney Museum’s Independent Museum Program at a time when minimalism was still the reigning style. Instead, MUƎƧUM, an exhibition curated by Edit, Walter and other ISP students, highlighted new trends in conceptual art, performance art, and the growing influence of social and political issues.
Art-Rite Magazine, Business Card with contact numbers for Edit deAk and Walter Robinson, c. 1975. Size: 2 x 3.5 inches.
Walter Robinson, Edit DeAk, Joshua Cohn, Art-Rite, Primary Information & Printed Matter Inc., 678-page Catalogue, 2019. Available through Printed Matter.
Art-Rite published twenty issues between 1973-78. In 2019 the magazine’s importance was acknowledged when Primary Information and Printed Matter published a compilation that featured all of the issues.
Frankie Teardrop and Alan Suicide
Art-Rite Magazine, Alan Suicide, Issue #13, 1977. Size: 8 x 10.5 inches.
Art-Rite caught new trends in the quickly evolving art world. One favorite was the artist/musician/performer Alan Vega (aka as Alan Suicide), who edited Art-Rite #13.
Frankie Teardrop by Suicide; Video Directed by Paul Dougherty and Walter Robinson; Produced by Edit deAk, 1978
In the mid-1970s punk music and nightclubs were dominant cultural forces downtown. Walter and Edit worked with director Paul Dougherty on a music video of Suicide’s song “Frankie Teardrop.” This video was shown in the 1978 Punk Art exhibition in Washington D.C., and is now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Collaborative Projects Inc (COLAB)
Colab at ABC No Rio c. 1984. (front) Andrea Callard; (2nd row) Kiki Smith, Sally White, Tom Warren, Becky Howland, Jolie Stahl, Bebe Smith, Walter Robinson, Alan Moore; (3rd row -left) Julie Harrison, Ellen Cooper; (3rd row –right) Maria Sutcliffe, Matthew Geller, Jim Sutliffe (standing), Bobby G (back to the camera); (back row) Jody Culkin, Brian Piersol, Joseph Nechvatal, Cara Brownell, Cara Perlman, Brigitte Engler, Doug Mulaire, Mindy Stevenson. Photo by Peter Sumner Walton Bellamy
As Robinson became more active as an artist, he joined the artist group Collaborative Projects Inc. (Colab) which provided a strong social and creative network. For a period, Walter was the group’s director.
Sign-in Sheet for Colab Meeting, early 1980s. Size: 7 x 11 inches.
Over the years, somewhere between sixty and one hundred artists were part of Colab. Among the many members not featured in either the group portrait or on the signup sheet were John Ahearn, Charlie Ahearn, Jenny Holzer, Jimmy de Sana, Diego Cortez, Liza Bear, Stefan Eins, Judy Rifka, Robin Winters, and Beth B.
ABC No Rio’s Cardboard Air Band, Photograph, 1981. Size: 8 x 10 inches. Back row from left to right: BeBe Smith, Christy Rupp, Kiki Smith, Ellen Cooper, Walter Robinson, Bobby G (kneeling in front)
The A More Stores – Artist Multiples for the Holidays
Walter Robinson, “Woman with Cocktail,” Signed spray paint and stencil on paper, from the first A More Store organized by Colab, 1980. Size: 14 x 22 inches.
The A More Stores organized by Colab were pop-up exhibitions featuring low-priced artist multiples. In creating art for these stores, Robinson developed his skills by identifying subject matter that appealed to both art and non-art audiences.
Walter Robinson,”Kitty,” Signed Offset Print, Sold at The A More Store, edition of 900, 1982. Size: 8 x 10 inches.
Pictures Generation Artist
Walter Robinson, Paintings, Metro Pictures, Card, 1982. Size: 3.75 x 7.25 inches.
Like other artists at Metro Pictures, Robinson was both influenced by, as well as a critic of images found in popular culture. At the time, many thought of this group as neo-pop. They were later christened as the Pictures Generation in an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum.
Walter Robinson, Piezo Electric, Card, 1984. Size: 4 x 5 inches.
Many of Robinson’s early works appropriated imagery from the covers of pulp fiction paperbacks.
Walter Robinson, Piezo Electric, Card, 1985. Size: 3.5 x 5 inches.
Walter also found his subjects in common objects from life. His goal was to discover things that people were strongly attached to, like dolls, kittens and later, money and hamburgers.
Walter Robinson, Paintings of Antonia Smith, Metro Pictures, Card, 1984. Size: 4.25 x 6 inches.
Robinson also developed into a successful portraitist. This exhibition featured paintings of his adopted daughter Antonia Smith.
Walter Robinson and Duncan Hannah, Postcard, Semaphore Gallery, 1984. Size: 4 x 6 inches.
Two handsome men. Yasmin Ramirez humorously observed in her East Village Eye review of this exhibition that finally men have caught up with women artists and are being judged by their looks as well as their art.
Walter Robinson, Spin Paintings, Metro Pictures, Card, 1986. Size: 5.25 x 7.5 inches.
Robinson’s appropriation of spin art preceded similar work by the English artist Damian Hirst. Robinson also did paintings of nurses before Richard Prince became famous for using the motif.
Artnet
Walter Robinson, “Editor in Chief” Artnet Business Card, 1996-2012. Size: 2 x 3.5 inches.
Walter Robinson – The Painter and Raconteur
Paul Tschinkel’s ART/new york, a short excerpt from Walter Robinson: Artist Provocateur, 2019
Paul Tschinkel’s 2019 video captures Robinson’s offbeat and often very amusing ideas about what makes great art. You can click the image above for a short preview of the film. The full 51 minute film can be streamed on Vimeo.
More Walter Robinson ephemera on Gallery 98
