Ahead of the curve for 35 years

Since its opening in 1963, the Institute of Contemporary Art has been a pacesetter in the current art world, spotting new trends ahead of the crowd. It was the ICA that gave Andy Warhol (whose 1984 work "Grace Kelly" is shown here) his first 15 minutes of fame with a solo exhibition in 1965, and its Robert Mapplethorpe retrospective in 1988-89 went on to ignite a firestorm of controversy over government arts funding when it reached Washington as part of a national tour.

Both of these artists, plus many other notable names whose early and later works have graced the ICA's exhibit spaces, will be featured in a gala 35th anniversary exhibit, "From Warhol to Mapplethorpe: Three Decades of Art at ICA." The artists represented include those, such as Robert Morris, who have done pieces specifically for exhibit at the ICA; influential local artists such as Ree Morton, and innovators such as multimedia performance artist Laurie Anderson, whose work at ICA brought her to the attention of a wider audience.

--S.S.

FROM WARHOL TO MAPPLETHORPE: Opening Saturday, Sept. 12, at the ICA, 118 S. 36th St. Hours: noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission $3, students/artists/ seniors $2, ICA members/children under 12/PennCard holders/all visitors before 1 p.m. Sundays free. Info: 898-7108. Through Nov. 1.

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