Archiving the 1970's Art World - Das Schubladenmuseum

The Museum of Drawers by Herbert Distel

From 1970 to 1977 Distel started working on his landmark 'Museum of Drawers' (Das Schubladenmuseum)], a found cabinet with 20 drawers each containing 25 tiny rooms where he invited living artists to contribute a miniature work of art. Artists included were: Arnulf Rainer, Carolee Schneemann, Mergert Christian, Pablo Picasso, Robert Cottingham, Billy Al Bengston, Joseph Beuys, John Baldessari, Carl Andre, Chuck Close, Tom Blackwell, Tom Phillips, Joe Goode, Charles Arnoldi, Camille Billops, Nam June Paik, Frederick J. Brown, Robyn Denny, Valie Export, Mel Ramos, Edward Ruscha, Dieter Roth and John Cage. At the same time George Maciunas was working on his Fluxus "Flux Cabinet" (1975-77).