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Martha Rosler, The Bowery in two inadequate descriptive systems

Martha’s Rosler’s The Bowery in two inadequate descriptive systems (1974–75) has played a key role in debates on contemporary art and aesthetics, but it has not (thus far) been the object of careful scrutiny. Instead, critics have relied on the artist’s interviews for their comments. In contrast, this critical study contributes to the discussion of contemporary art and political aesthetics through a detailed examination of one art work and an historical reconstruction of the cultural materials from which it was constructed. Based on 5 years of research and several public lectures, this book combines careful looking, historical research and an wide knowledge of critical theory.

The book focuses on the artwork under consideration while seeking to present a model for art theory and criticism. Three wide-ranging chapters approach The Bowery from distinct perspectives: the first engages in a labour of ekphrasis - a careful description of the image and text panels that constitute this artwork. This chapter pays particular attention to the oddities and overlooked characteristics of the work. The second chapter reconstructs the intellectual context from which the project emerged, looking at the San Diego Group of Conceptual Artists, the prevailing views of documentary photography, and the films of Jean-Luc Godard and other works of political modernism. Further, it provides an overview of Rosler’s career and the place within her oeuvre of The Bowery. The third chapter offers a more speculative reading of The Bowery within the pastoral tradition. In the process, this unlikely artwork is positioned in the long tradition of western poetics. The Bowery is shown to be an exceptionally rich artwork that requires and repays close attention and thought.