Some of us who studied art history in college yearn for the chance to be part of an identifiable art movement or paradigm.  It seems that since Conceptualism deconstructed the art object itself, everyone seeks independent directions and solitary careers.  (There are exceptions of course such as Guerilla Girls and Tim Rollins + KOS). 

     I think that the art movements of the early and mid 20th century weren’t just about developing modernist concepts but also about connecting with artists and the human communities around them, even if some individuals at the time balked to cubism or surrealism of expressionism.  Art movements were communities and while most artists work alone, the connections art movements and salons fostered enriched the lives and art of the members just as friends and colleagues enrich most people. 

     Art that emphasizes human connection reweaves our social fabric.  Walking through the galleries of Chelsea or the Whitney Museum or the Museum of Art and Design (my latest favorite), I think about the human communities implied by the art, and sometimes I see community created by the art as friends and strangers share reactions.