Francis Alÿs: A Story of Deception

May 4—September 12, 2011

Francis Alÿs: A Story of Deception, a two-part exhibition on view at MoMA PS1 and The Museum of Modern Art, presents a range of work from the mid-1990s to today by the artist Francis Alÿs (Belgian, b. 1959), who uses allegorical methods to explore the cyclical nature of change in modernizing societies, the urban landscape, and patterns of economic progress. The artist's personal, ambulatory studies of cities form the basis for his practice, through which he compiles extensive documentation that reflects his process, producing complex and diverse bodies of work that include video, painting, performance, drawing, and photography. Organized in collaboration with Alÿs, the presentation at MoMA PS1 highlights the artist's engagement with cities around the globe, from New York to Mexico City to London to Venice. These projects draw attention to local conditions through habitual interaction and chance, revealing the disconnection and displacement often experienced by inhabitants of urban areas and playfully attempting to overcome them.

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The exhibition is made possible by a partnership with Volkswagen of America.

Major support is provided by MoMA's Wallis Annenberg Fund for Innovation in Contemporary Art through the Annenberg Foundation, Mr. Eugenio López Alonso, The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art, and Jerry I. Speyer and Katherine G. Farley.

Additional funding is provided by The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art and by Flanders House, New York.