For the blind man in the dark room
looking for the black cat that isn’t there

September 11, 2009 – January 3, 2010

To download the press release, click here.
To download the gallery guide, click here.

In September, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis presents its most ambitious group show since its grand opening six years ago. For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there starts with the premise that art is not a code that needs cracking. Celebrating the experience of not-knowing and unlearning, the artists in this exhibition understand the world in speculative terms, eager to keep art separate from explanation. Embracing a spirit of curiosity, this show is dedicated to the playfulness of being in the dark.

To download the individual artists gallery guides, click on their name.
Artists: Anonymous, Dave Hullfish Bailey, Marcel Broodthaers, Sarah Crowner, Mariana Castillo Deball, Eric Duyckaerts, Ayse Erkmen, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Peter Fischli & David Weiss, Rachel Harrison, Giorgio Morandi, Matt Mullican, Bruno Munari, Nashashibi/Skaer, Falke Pisano, Jimmy Raskin, Frances Stark, Rosemarie Trockel, Patrick van Caeckenbergh, David William. Catalog designed by Will Holder.

For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there is curated by Anthony Huberman.

For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there will travel to an additional American venue, and a slightly modified version of the exhibition will simultaneously travel to three European venues:

September 11, 2009 – January 3, 2010:
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

December 3, 2009 – January 31, 2010:
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

February 5 – April 4, 2010:
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

February – April 2010:
de Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam

May – August 2010:
Culturgest, Lisbon

Click on thumb nails below for larger images.

		Image credits (left and right): For the Blind Man… [installation view], Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 2009. Photos by David Ulmer.
		Image credits (left to right): Matt Mullican, Individual works range from 1971 – 2009. Mixed media. Courtesy of the artist; Tracy Williams Ltd., New York; and Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich. Photo by David Ulmer. Bruno Munari, Seeking comfort in an uncomfortable armchair, ca. 1950. Sequence of photographs from Fantasia (1977). Courtesy of Alberto Munari / Corraini Edizioni. Installation photo by David Ulmer.
		Image credits (left to right): Dave Hullfish Bailey, To do with a wide spot along a dusty road crossing a dry channel, between the old end of Old Red and the dead end of the New West (working prototype), 2009. Mixed media installation. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by David Ulmer. Jimmy Raskin, The Annunciation, 2009. Multi-media sculpture and video. Courtesy of the artist and Miguel Abreu Gallery, New York. Photo by David Ulmer.

For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there is generously supported by Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; The Flemish Ministry of Culture; Fundación/Colección Jumex; and Mondriaan Foundation, Amsterdam.

Additional support is provided by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis; Glazer’s
Midwest; Wells Fargo Advisors; Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis; The Cheshire Lodge and Fox & Hound’s Tavern.

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. The Contemporary’s exhibitions, programming, and operations are member supported and privately funded through contributions from generous individuals, corporations, public funders, and foundations. Additional General Exhibition support is generously provided by the Whitaker Foundation; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; William E. Weiss Foundation; Nancy Reynolds and Dwyer Brown; Regional Arts Commission; Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; Arts and Education Council; and members of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.