Chryssa & New York

Book excerpt: The first major publication in more than thirty years on contemporary artist Chryssa, an innovator of light art Chryssa & New York offers a timely reassessment of Greek-born artist Chryssa (Chryssa Vardea-Mavromichali, 1933-2013). Chryssa was a leading figure in the postwar New York art world and in the use of signage, text, and neon, yet her work, which bridges Pop, Conceptual, and Minimalist approaches to art making, remains under-recognized. Focusing on the artist's early career, in particular her time in New York from the 1950s to the 1970s, this book charts the emergence of her singular aesthetic, especially her formal innovations with neon, and culminates in the development of her monumental and rarely seen installation The Gates to Times Square (1964-66). Essays situate Chryssa's art alongside that of other New York-based practitioners in the 1950s and 1960s, consider her work through the lenses of queer theory and the Greek diaspora, and uncover her crucial influence on light art today. Rounding out the volume, a conversation on the technical aspects of her practice and a comprehensive chronology make this the definitive publication on Chryssa for years to come. Distributed for Dia Art Foundation and the Menil Collection, Houston Exhibition Schedule: Dia Chelsea, New York (March 2-July 23, 2023) Menil Collection, Houston (September 29, 2023-March 10, 2024) Wrightwood 659, Chicago (May 1-August 15, 2024)