This fascinating volume explores the rich and varied history of participatory art, from early happenings and performances to more recent practices demanding audience interaction. As browsing, sharing, collecting, and producing increasingly permeate every aspect of society, this timely project reveals the ways in which artists and viewers have approached the creation of open works of art. Featured artists include Abramović/Ulay, Vito Acconci, Joseph Beuys, John Cage, Janet Cardiff, Lygia Clark, Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz, Dan Graham, Hans Haacke, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Allan Kaprow, Antoni Muntadas, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, and Erwin Wurm.
Essays by Rudolf Frieling, Boris Groys, Robert Atkins, and Lev Manovich identify seminal moments in participatory practice from the 1950s to the present day and are accompanied by hundreds of color illustrations, including documentation of significant projects by major figures such as Hélio Oiticica, Joan Jonas, Gordon Matta-Clark, Komar & Melamid, and Gabriel Orozco.