Tom Marioni: The Act of Drinking Beer with Friends is the Highest Form of Art

In 1970, California-based conceptual artist Tom Marioni invited 16 friends to have a drink with him at the Oakland Museum of California, the museum’s curator provided the beer, and a tradition was born. By 1973, the artist was hosting weekly salons in his studio and staging the still-ongoing participatory and social piece at designated times, presented in various contexts and by museums across the globe. Though superficially lighthearted, this installation suggests that communion with others, conversation and open dialogue, the exchange of ideas, knowledge, information and philosophies, and shared experiences are the greatest possible outcomes of engagement with visual art. This installation will include a performance and new works from the artist, highlighting the importance of his drawing practice, as well as weekly FREE BEER events.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.