Founded in 1987 at the initiation of Kasper König, Portikus is Frankfurt’s hottest venue for contemporary art and has quickly become one of Germany’s leading venues, with an impressive roster of shows by artists such as On Kawara, Luc Tuymans and Franz West. In 2004 Portikus gained a new curator, Nikola Dietrich, a prominent presence on the European art scene. Dietrich has done much to further energize Portikus, and this volume presents a survey of the gallery’s last three years under her guidance. Dietrich has mounted more than 20 exhibitions with international artists, among them Koo Jeong-a, Felix Gmelin, Yoko Ono (in collaboration with students from the Städelschule), Olafur Eliasson, Matthew Ritchie, Chung Seoyoung, Sean Snyder, Mark Leckey, Marjetica Potrc, Tomas Saraceno, Dan Perjovschi, Francis Alÿs, John Baldessari, Daniel Buren and Maurizio Cattelan.

Contents ‘WHAT are examples of these movements?’ Contemporary and historical writings, including reprints of ‘Suicidal Desires’ (from the book Superstudio: Life Without Objects, by Peter Lang and William Menking) and ‘Designer as Author’ (from the book Design Noir by Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby), historical reflections by Helena Mattsson and Christina Zetterlund and an interview with Doina Petrescu (FR) by Ramia Mazé. ‘HOW does it happen and what does it take?’ A substantial analysis of the tactics and methods of the examples of projects featured in the DESIGN ACT archive, by Ramia Mazé and Natasha Marie Llorens. ‘WHERE does it happen and in what contexts?’ A broad perspective on practice from institutions, education and research to new forms of practitioner initiated projects: Interviews with Pelin Derviş (TK), Joseph Grima (IT/US), Ou Ning (CH), Meike Schalk (SE/DE), Yanki Lee (UK), Ana Betancour (SE), Otto von Busch (SE), Mauricio Carbalan (AR) and Tor Lindstrand (SE), by Magnus Ericson. The book also includes descriptions of 36 projects from the DESIGN ACT archive by: A+URL, Camilla Andersson, Anti-Advertising Agency, Jon Ardern and Benedict Singleton, atelier d’architecture autogéréé, Otto von Busch, Constant in collaboration with Recyclart, City Mine(d) and Speculoos, Dunne & Raby, eskyiu, Fantastic Norway, Aslı Kıyak İngin and Teike Asselbergs, International Festival with Front, Natalie Jeremijenko and the xClinic staff, Yanki Lee with Paula Dib, live|work, m7red, MINE, muf, New Beauty Council, Josh On, Marjetica Potrč and STEALTH in collaboration with A5 Arkitekter, Michael Rakowitz, Raumlaborberlin, Hannah le Roux, School of Missing Studies / Centrala – Foundation for Future Cities, Stalker, Think Public, UnSworn Industries, Zoom Architecture

This publication brings together the proposals for monuments for the United States of America by the over 60 international artists invited to participate in the attendant exhibition. Freed from contextual, budgetary, or practical constraints, the proposals reflect each artist’s ideas about the type of monument the people of the United States currently need or deserve, and reexamine our notions of what monuments can be, and what role they can play in our civic and imaginative life. Featured Artists Allora & Calzadilla,Tariq Alvi,Janine Antoni,Edgar Arceneaux,Artemio,Robert Beck,Michel Blazy,Monica Bonvicini,Andrea Bowers,Fernando Bryce,Los Carpinteros,Paul Chan,Adam Chodzko,Martin Creed,Enrico David,Jeremy Deller,Thomas Demand,Jessica Diamond,Sam Durant,Shannon Ebner,Elmgreen & Dragset,Meschac Gaba,Anya Gallaccio,Hans Haacke,Susan Hiller,Thomas Hirschhorn,Chris Johanson & Kal Spelletich,Michael Joo,Ilya & Emilia Kabakov,Brad Kahlhamer,Barbara Kruger,Gabriel Kuri,Ken Lum,Jason Meadows,Aleksandra Mir,Liliana Moro,Mike Nelson,Paul Noble,Yoshua Okon,Jennifer Pastor,Kiersten Pieroth,Paola Pivi,Marjetica Potrc,Tobias Putrih,Qiu Zhijie,Rigo 23,Matthew Ronay,Michael Ross,Santiago Sierra,Gary Simmons,Yutaka Sone,Frances Stark,Michael Stevenson,Do-Ho Suh,Torolab,Shirley Tse,Jeffrey Vallance,Mark Wallinger,Olav Westphalen,Xu Zhen,Zhang Huan

In this age of globally connected information societies–of cell phones, email, home shopping, and the Internet–we retreat deeper and deeper within our own four walls. Yet–and perhaps, consequently–public urban spaces are becoming more and more important, having lost none of their significance as interfaces of human communication. Featured here are more than 30 artists who have developed their own personal visions, utopias, and fantasies of a life in and with the city, realized over 30 years of public projects for the city of Bremen. Included are works by Kim Adams, Louise Bourgeois, Olafur Eliasson, Isa Genzken, Hans Haacke, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Atelier van Lieshout, Olaf Nicolai, Julian Opie, Panamarenko, Marjetica Potrc, Tobias Rehberger, Thomas Ruff, Roman Signer, and Winter/Harbelt.