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| Irving Petling (American artist, b. 1934). SMS No. 1 (open) |
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| Marcel Duchamp (French/American artist, 1887-1968). SMS No. 2 (open) |
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| John Battan (John Sebastian Matta) (American artist, son of Roberto Matta, 1943-1976). SMS No. 3 (open) |
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| Robert Stanley (American artist, 1932-1997). Untitled. Cover design for SMS: A Collection of Multiples vol.4. 11 x 7 x-1/2 inches (closed) |
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| Congo (Chimpanzee, active 1960s). Untitled. Cover design for SMS: A Collection of Multiples vol.5. Painting by chimpanzee whose creative activity was studied by Desmond Morris in The Naked Ape. Also William Anthony (American artist, b. 1934) Custer’s Last Stand. Inside cover drawing. 11 x 7 x-1/2 inches (closed). |
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| Richard Artschwager (American artist, b. 1924). Untitled. Cover design for SMS: A Collection of Multiples vol.6. 11 x 7 x-1/2 inches (closed) |
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| Bruce Nauman (American artist, 1941). Footsteps. Magnetic tape around card containing sound loop. 7-5/8 x 10-3/4 inches |
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| ollis Frampton (American artist, 1936-1984). Phenakistiscope. Paper disk with photographs for simulated motion. 6-3/4 inches, round |
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| Yoko Ono (Japanese/American artist/composer, b. 1933). Mend Piece for John. Box containing materials and instructions to “Take your favorite cup. Break it in many pieces with a hammer. Repair it with this glue and this poem in three stanzas dedicated to John.”. 6-1/4 x 6 x-1/4 (case) |
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| Robert Rohm (American artist, b. 1934). Cut Corners. Silver paper printed with pattern and scored for folding to form three sculptures. 11 x 7-1/8 inches (pieces) |
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| Mel Ramos (American artist, b. 1935). Candy. Materials and instructions for assembling three-dimensional sculpture. 10-3/4 x 13-3/4 inches |
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| Paul Steiner (American writer). Johns in Art Galleries. 24 index cards with typography. 3-1/2 x 5 inches |
Centered around a loft on Manhattan's Upper West Side rented and maintained by the American Surrealist William Copley, SMS ("Shit Must Stop") was an open-ended collective that epitomized the community ethos of the late 1960s. Frequented by artists, curators, performers and composers both accomplished and aspiring, Copley's loft became renowned for its utopian morale and hospitable working conditions.
The six volumes of the SMS portfolio were the crowning achievement of Copley's experiment, embodying the spirit of the collective and serving as time capsules of an extraordinary moment in American art. Bypassing the institutions of museums and galleries, the portfolios were mailed directly to their subscribers, opening a direct line of communication between artist and audience. Each portfolio included meticulously editioned works by a roster of artists both world-famous and obscure--as well as some tongue-in-cheek contributions by art dealers and critics--each of whom received $100 for their contribution regardless of reputation or medium. Among the many artists and composers represented are Marcel Duchamp, Roy Lichtenstein, Man Ray, Christo, Richard Hamilton, Claes Oldenberg, John Cage, Terry Riley, and Yoko Ono.
