A diaristic glimpse of a zeitgeist on the brink, from the influential New York curator and writer

Widely recognized for his bold, dissenting and prolific criticism and curation, Bob Nickas has been a fixture of the New York City art scene for nearly 40 years, having organized more than 120 exhibitions since 1984. He has left an indelible impression on the artistic milieu as the founding editor of index magazine; a regular contributor to Artforum; a curatorial advisor for MoMA PS1; and the author of several collections of writing and interviews, including Theft Is Vision, Live Free or Die, The Dept. of Corrections and Komplaint Dept.

Nickas’ most recent undertaking, Bob Nickas: Yesterworld, consists of hundreds of diary entries written over the course of 2019. Part memoir, part social commentary, Yesterworld is a richly detailed, intimate account of the New York art world in the final years of the Trump administration and in the final months before the advent of Covid-19. Nickas reflects on significant exhibitions, openings, major news headlines, recently published books and his own social escapades.