BOOKS
ESSAYS, INTERVIEWS, FICTIONS
STAGEWORKS
SCREENPLAYS
PUBLIC SPEAKING
WORDS WRITINGS ETC.
VIEW Pith and Mirth: A Glossary of Invented Terms & Quotes
2023
High Entertainment, Reliable Copy, Bangalore
2020
Accrochage Motto Books, Berlin, and Milwaukee Visconti
2011
Concrete Comedy: An Alternative History of Twentieth-Century Comedy Pork Salad Press, Copenhagen
2007
High Entertainment (online book, different than the 2023 published book)
2006
The Velvet Grind: Essays, Interviews, Satires 1983-2005 JRP/Ringier Kunstverlag, Zurich
2004
The Ice Cream Social JRP/Ringier Kunstverlag, Zurich
1998
The Ice Cream Social Purple Books, Paris and Feature Inc., New York
1993
The Dr. Frankenstein Option Forum Stadtpark, Graz
1992
Foundation Papers from the Archives of the Institute for Advanced Comedic Behavior Feature, New York, Jay Gorney Modern Art, New York and Galerie Hufkens, Brussels
Prose and Cons Les Editions Belle Haleine, Paris, edition of 18
1988
The Camera Believes Everything Editions Patricia Schwarz, Stuttgart
SELECTED ESSAYS, INTERVIEWS, FICTIONS
2023
To Boldly Go: William Shatner, Celebrity Artist, Spike Magazine, December 27
2017
“Au Revoir, Underground,” Ohio Edit, January 31
2016
“On Comedy and Agency,” Ohio Edit
2015
“A Conversation with Chris Burden,” The Enemy, Vol. 2 No. 2
2014
“Avant-Garde Folk Art,” The Brooklyn Rail, October “Play Date In the Fame Complex,” The Enemy, #1
2013
“Power Play: A Conversation About Midwestern Humor, with Oli Watt, Andrew Swant, and David Robbins,” Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago “Everybody Needs Wiggle Room,” The Brooklyn Rail, Feb. 5 “David Robbins talks to Comedy Bang! Bang! Host Scott Aukerman,” The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, October 14
2012
“American Fantasy Classics,” Mary Nohl Foundation 2012 Exhibition, Milwaukee “Talent at 25,” Twenty-Five Years of Talent, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York “Independent Imagination: A Conversation between Stephan Dillemuth and David Robbins,” Mousse #32, Spring
2011
“500 Words,” Artforum.com, August “High Entertainment: Self-Presentation,” Flash Art, March “Painting notes,” Possible Press, Volume 2, November 15 “The Three Stooges and Chris Burden: What Do They Have In Common?” in L.A. Weekly, September 22
2010
“Kunst Na Het Entertainent (1989),” De Witte Raaf, Amsterdam, July-August Untitled essay in The Studio Reader: On the Space of Artists, edited by Mary Jane Jacob and Michelle Grabner, The University of Chicago Press “A Conversation: Jennifer Bolande and David Robbins,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, May 25
2008
“Platforming,” Artlies, March
2007
“Forming Fun: Hans Ulrich Obrist with David Robbins,” X-Tra, Summer 2007
2006
“Martin Kippenberger in ‘The Role of a Lifetime,’” X-Tra, Winter
2005
“Ice Cream Social at the Couvent des Cordeliers,” Frog magazine, No. 1, Summer “The Compass is the Map,” catalogue essay in No Manifesto, Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bergamo, curated by Andrea Viliani “Untitled” in Do It 2, Revolver Press, Frankfurt “Notes on The Ice Cream Social,” brochure published by Carnegie-Mellon University, Regina Gouger Miller Gallery
2004
“Concrete Comedy,” Artforum, November “My Warhol: Biz Kid,” Artforum, October “Notes on the Ice Cream Social,” brochure accompanying Art, Television, Video exhibition, Musee d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; in French “On Talent,” in Likeness: Artists’ Portraits of Artists, CCAC/Wattis Institute, San Francisco; ICA, Boston
2003
“Warm Science Fiction,” Pierre Huyghe, Le Consortium/Van Abbemuseum “Milestones: 1985: The Replacements’ Tim,” Artforum
2001
“Six Embarrassing Purchases and the Clerk Who Sold Them,” Untitled Magazine, London “Party Platform,” Camera Austria, September “My Space Program,” Black Diamond, September “Notes On A Midwest Makeover,” New Art Examiner, May; reprinted in The Essential New Art Examiner, edited by Terry Griffith, Kathryn Born, Janet Koplos, Northern Illinois University Press, 2011
2000
“Francis Picabia, Modern Person” catalogue essay for Picabia exhibition at The Arts Club of Chicago “On Deadpan,” Art Issues, November/December 
“Cumulus America: Further Adventures in the Two-Party System,” Parkett, #58 “Party Platform,” catalogue essay for A Social Event Archive, Volume Three “Herr Karl Valentin,” Art issues, April/May “A Social Event Archive: An Interview with Paul Druecke,”New Art Examiner, April “David Robbins’ Top Ten,” Artforum, March
1999
“ABC TV,” Artforum, October “Cancelled!” essay in brochure for Apex Art, New York; November/December “My Son the Artist,” Cakewalk, Winter “Dinner at Shambles,” Art issues, January/February “A Furniture Memoir,” essay to accompany Michelle Grabner exhibition, Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
1998
“On Concrete Comedy,” Cream, Phaidon Press, London “Weave,” essay for Richard Rezac exhibition, Feigen Gallery, New York “The Artifice of Democracy,” Hermetic Broadsheet, Volume 1, Number 1, Summer “Showtime,” essay for Nicholas Frank exhibition, The Institute For Visual Art, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee “The Third Option,” essay for Bicycle Thieves exhibition, Chicago “Untitled. Exactly.” catalogue essay for Adrift, Bard College Center for Curatorial Studies “Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and… Smithson,” Art issues, January/February “Second Thoughts,” catalogue essay for The Harry Carey Show, Diverseworks, Houston
1997
“Field and Screen,” Art issues, Summer “Chicago Thoughts on LA,” Art Muscle, Febuary/March “David Robbins Goes Fishing at Loch Ness: A True Story,” index, November
1996
“Hi Everybody!: Four Comic Hosts and the Prism of Democracy,” Art issues, Sept/Oct “Autodidact,” Purple Prose 10, Winter “The Jack and Connie Brooks Center for the Treatment of Cancelled TV-Family Syndrome,” Art issues, January/February “David Thomas with David Robbins,” index, February “David Robbins in Stockholm with Fireside,” index, June With Mary Clarke, “Mary Clarke and David Robbins on E! Entertainment Television,” index, June
1995
“It Can’t Happen Here,” Art issues, November/December “The Rise of Systems Man,” Art issues, Summer “Correspondence from the Institute,” Purple Prose 8
1994
“Our Lady of Angora,” Art issues, May/June “Correspondence from the Institute,” Purple Prose 6 “Correspondence from the Institute,” Purple Prose 5 “Konkret Komedie: En Introduktion,” 90tal, number 13
1993
“Memo from the Institute for Advanced Comedic Behavior,” Purple Prose 4 “Correspondence from the Institute,” Purple Prose 2 “Out of Camera Range,” Camera Austria, number 41
1992
“On the Confidence Game as a Model for Culture,” catalogue essay for Hollywood, Hollywood: Identity Under the Guise of Celebrity, Pasadena Art Alliance “The Pneumatic Tube,” Gazette, November “Hip Trouble,” Acme Journal, volume 1, number 2 “Memo from the Institute for Advanced Comedic Behavior,” Purple Prose 1 “Mr. Entertainment’s Diary,” Art issues, series published January/February through November/December
1991
“A Problem Solved,” Art issues, Summer Review of The Aerial Kit, in The Print Collector’s Newsletter, September/October Review of Cindy Sherman: Untitled Film Stills, in The Print Collector’s Newsletter, March/April “The David Robbins Show,” Arti, Amsterdam, February
1990
“Hollywood Fractals,” Art issues, December 90/January 91 “The Neilsen Family,” Art issues, September/October “Speech for Prime Time,” Art issues, March/April
1989
“A Comic Object,” Art issues, December 89/January 90 “Greetings from Television City,” Art issues, October “Another World,” catalogue essay for Special Effects exhibition, Milan, Italy “Art After Entertainment,” (part one) Art issues, February “Art After Entertainment,” (part two) Art issues, April
1988
“Solid Light,” catalogue essay for Solid Light exhibition, Stockholm “Stars,” Aperture, #110 “Monochrome Pop: Interview with Steven Parrino,” Flash Art Italiana, November “Search for Tomorrow,” essay for Information as Ornament exhibition, Feature, Chicago Review of “Blasted Allegories: A Collection of Artist’s Writings,” The Print Collector’s Newsletter, March
1987
“Robert Gober,” exhibition essay, Galerie Jean Bernier, Greece “An Interview with Clegg and Guttmann,” Wolkenkratzer Art Journal, issue #2 “Joseph Kosuth,” Arts, April “Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage,” essay for Picture This exhibition, Hallwalls, Buffalo, NY
1986
“Artificial Intelligence,” essay for Rooted Rhetoric exhibition, Naples, Italy “Shrink Rap,” (with Robert Nickas), Arts, September “Cigar-Store Indian: Andy Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians,” Arts, May “(Untitled) The Sublime Was Now,” Arts, March
1985
“James Brown,” catalogue essay, Akira Ikeda Gallery, Nagoya Interview with Richard Prince, Aperture 100, Fall Interview with Allan McCollum, Arts, October “The Flutie Thing,” Real Life Magazine, Fall “I Love New York and Am Doing Fine,” Real Life Magazine, Spring “The Guiding Light,” catalogue essay for “Infotainment” exhibition, J. Berg Press, NY
1984
“William Wegman’s Pop Gun,” Arts, March Interviews with Keith Haring and James Brown for Terrae Motus exhibition catalogue, Naples
1983
“Julian Schnabel,” essay for exhibition catalogue, Waddington Gallery, London “Brie Popcorn: An Interview with the Directors of Gallery Nature Morte,” Real Life Magazine, Summer “An Interview with Thomas Lawson,” Arts, September “The ‘Meaning’ of ‘New’: the ’70s/’80s Axis: An Interview with Diego Cortez,” Arts, January
1982
“Notes Toward FIlm,” Real Life Magazine, Summer
1981
“Democratism,” Real Life Magazine, Summer
1980
“Architext: An Interview with the SITE Architectural Team,” Interview, September
“Chris Burden interviewed by David Robbins,” March 1980, unpublished
1986
With Peter Nagy, “Behind the Scenes (With Dangerous Assholes),” The Kitchen, New York Producing Director: “Picture History;” speech by George W.S. Trow, video by Gretchen Bender; The Kitchen, New York
2004
The Ice Cream Social
2012
Logan Center For the Arts, University of Chicago, Chicago
2011
“Alternatives to Art,” Hammer Museum, Los Angeles USC Roski School of Fine Arts, Los Angeles Akademie der Bildenden Kunst, Munich
2007
“High Entertainment,” Center for Advanced Visual Studies, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts “Concrete Comedy,” Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
2006
Columbia University, New York UCLA, Los Angeles USC, Los Angeles Chapman College, Orange, California California School of the Arts, Valencia, CA University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago
2004
“Where is Adventure? What is Culture?,” Frieze Art Fair, London
2002
Cubitt, London Goldsmith’s College, London Royal College of Art, London School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2001
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
1998
Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, MI
1993
“It’s Better to Be Dr. Frankenstein,” Forum Stadtpark, Graz. Austria
1991
“Out of Camera Range,” Forum Stadtpark, Graz. Austria
1990
“Speech for Prime Time,” Institute for Futures Studies, Stockholm, Sweden
1989
“The Camera Believes Everything,” National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
1987
“Pith and Mirth,” International Center for Photography, New York
