Francis Alys

This is the first comprehensive monograph on the work of Francis Alys (b. 1959), which blurs the boundaries between artist and subject. Alys employs a range of media - including painting, video, and other more unorthodox materials - in innovative takes on observation, participation, and performance. Alys's work stems from his interest in the powers that shape urban existence, as well as the innovative schemes that ordinary individuals devise to subvert them. Alys invents his own fables, weaving them into the social fabric of such cities a Venice, London, and Mexico City, his home for nearly 20 years. Alys's work has been included in the world's top international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (2001), the Carnegie International (2004), and the Sao Paulo Biennial (2004).

FRANCIS ALYS includes a survey of Alys's work by Cuauhtemoc Medina, an interview with the artist by Russell Ferguson, Focus by Jean Fisher, Artist's Choice by Augusto Monterroso, and writings by Francis Alys.