Joseph Cornell: Brownies and Cherry Coke

A Joseph Cornell Exhibition for Children, arranged by Dore Ashton, Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture, February 10 -March 2, 1972 (images from A Joseph Cornell Album, Dore Ashton, Viking Press, 1974---photo essay by Denise Hare)

"Cornell exhibited 26 boxes and collages---The works were hung at child's-eye level, no more than 3 feet off the ground." Brownies and Cherry Coke were served at the afternoon reception. Cornell gave the children a tour of the show and enthusiastically answered questions. This was the last exhibition Cornell attended before his death.

Since I first read about this exhibition in Cornell's biography a few years ago, I haven't stopped thinking about it (and how I might one day 'appropriate' the idea). I was very happy to finally find these photos in Ashton's book.