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    20th Century
    • Andy Warhol
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    JOANNE TOD "FINAL DRAUGHT" OIL ON CANVAS, 2010

    $18,500

    SOL LEWITT "DERIVED FROM A CUBE 12" ETCHING, 1982

    $2,950

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General Idea

In 1967, General Idea was founded in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). 

Their pioneering conceptual practice critiqued mass culture using appropriation and satire. The group adopted a performative and proudly queer identity and inspired by their Fluxus predecessors, manifested ideas in mediums like performance, multiples, and painting. Their campy humor, satire, and queer mischief stayed constant throughout their career, as did many motifs, such as drag beauty pageant proceedings, flamboyant poodles, and inflated AZT pills.

As the AIDS crisis intensified during the 1980s, affecting many with both disease and stigma, General Idea's practice increasingly incorporated social activism as an essential component. Influenced by contemporary media theories, they reinterpreted popular images with small but critical mutations, coining the ‘image virus'.

Treasures in General Idea’s oeuvre take unconventional forms including wallpaper, crests, sex toys, cigars, and flags, each interconnected and clandestinely referential. Caviar20 is unique to focus on the group’s multiples.

 In 2022, the National Gallery of Canada held a major retrospective of the group's work, which has since traveled to Amsterdam and is scheduled to open in Berlin this fall 2023.

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Phoenix with a P General Idea Caviar20Phoenix with a P General Idea Caviar20

GENERAL IDEA "PHOENIX WITH A P" SILKSCREEN, 1986

$8,000
GENERAL IDEA “PLA©EBO (PIN)”, 1991GENERAL IDEA “PLA©EBO (PIN)”, 1991

GENERAL IDEA “PLA©EBO (PIN)”, 1991

$650
General Idean Yen Scarf 1991 Caviar20GENERAL IDEA, “YEN SCARF”, 1991

GENERAL IDEA, “YEN SCARF”, 1991

$3,500
General Idea, Canadian Art, "A Poodle Creates a Portrait of General Idea as Three Pee Holes in the Snow"  Signed, numbered and dated by the artist.  Canada, 1981  Offset and gold hot-stamping on paper  12.25"H 12.25"W (work)  From an edition of 81  Published by Parachute, MontrealGeneral Idea, Canadian Art, "A Poodle Creates a Portrait of General Idea as Three Pee Holes in the Snow"  Signed, numbered and dated by the artist.  Canada, 1981  Offset and gold hot-stamping on paper  12.25"H 12.25"W (work)  From an edition of 81  Published by Parachute, Montreal

GENERAL IDEA, “A POODLE CREATES A PORTRAIT”, 1981

$3,500
General Idea multiples Nine Lives 1992 Caviar20 editionsGeneral Idea multiples Nine Lives 1992 Caviar20 editions

GENERAL IDEA, “NINE LIVES”, 1992

$3,000
General Idea, "Hot Property!"  Canada, 1977, Screenprint on paper, From an edition of 300,  44"H 34"W (sheet),  Very good condition. General Idea, "Hot Property!"  Canada, 1977, Screenprint on paper, From an edition of 300,  44"H 34"W (sheet),  Very good condition.

GENERAL IDEA, “HOT PROPERTY" SCREENPRINT, 1977

$3,600
General Idea Going Thru the Motions 1975 screenprintGeneral Idea Going Thru the Motions 1975 screenprint

GENERAL IDEA, “GOING THRU THE MOTIONS" 1975

$16,500
General Idea poster Paris Caviar20General Idea poster Paris Caviar20
On sale

GENERAL IDEA "HAUTE CULTURE - PARIS" GIANT POSTER, 2011

$700 $950
GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983

GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983

$3,000
GENERAL IDEA "AIDS" 1988General Idea AIDS screenprint Caviar20
Sold

GENERAL IDEA "AIDS" 1988

$8,500
Iconic Canadian Art, Available to buy, General Idea, "Mondo Cane Kama Sutra"  Canada 1983, printed 2001  Serigraph on wove paper  Signed "AA Bronson for GI"  From an edition of 27  19"H 36.5"W (work)  29.5”H 40”W (framed)  Very good condition  Minor wear to frame  Published by Art Metropole, TorontoIconic Canadian Art, Available to buy, General Idea, "Mondo Cane Kama Sutra"  Canada 1983, printed 2001  Serigraph on wove paper  Signed "AA Bronson for GI"  From an edition of 27  19"H 36.5"W (work)  29.5”H 40”W (framed)  Very good condition  Minor wear to frame  Published by Art Metropole, Toronto
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GENERAL IDEA "MONDO CANE KAMA SUTRA" SERIGRAPH, 2001

General Idea, Canadian Art, "Artist's Conception; Miss General Idea Pageant 1971" Canada, 1971 Screenprint on wove paper Signed and numbered by artist From an edition of 10 40"H 26"W (work) 42.5"H 28.25"W (framed) Self-published Mild toning but overall very good condition.General Idea, Canadian Art, "Artist's Conception; Miss General Idea Pageant 1971"  Canada, 1971  Screenprint on wove paper     Signed and numbered by artist  From an edition of 10  40"H 26"W (work)  42.5"H 28.25"W (framed)  Self-published  Mild toning but overall very good condition.
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GENERAL IDEA, “ARTIST'S CONCEPTION; MISS GENERAL IDEA", 1971

General Idea, Test Pattern Placemats, Lithograph, 1988, Caviar20General Idea, Test Pattern Placemats, Lithograph, 1988, Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA "TEST PATTERN PLACEMAT", 1988

GENERAL IDEA "NAZI MILK GLASS", 1980GENERAL IDEA "NAZI MILK GLASS", 1980
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GENERAL IDEA "NAZI MILK GLASS", 1980

GENERAL IDEA “COEUR VOLANT” SCREENPRINT, 2000GENERAL IDEA “COEUR VOLANT” SCREENPRINT, 2000
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GENERAL IDEA “COEUR VOLANT” SCREENPRINT, 2000

General Idea When the Fur Flies Caviar20General Idea When the Fur Flies Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA "WHEN THE FUR FLIES" 1986

General Idea Ghent Scarf 1984 Caviar20GENERAL IDEA, “GHENT SCARF”, 1984
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GENERAL IDEA, “GHENT SCARF”, 1984

General Idea, Fin De Siecle, Ektacolor print, 1990, Caviar20General Idea, Fin De Siecle, Ektacolor print, 1990, Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA "FIN DE SIECLE", 1990

General Idea Magic Palette 1980 Caviar20General Idea Magic Palette 1980 Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA "MAGIC PALETTE", 1980

GENERAL IDEA "SELF IMMERSION" LITHOGRAPHGENERAL IDEA "SELF IMMERSION" LITHOGRAPH
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GENERAL IDEA "SELF IMMERSION" LITHOGRAPH

General Idea Generic mulpliple 1992General Idea Generic mulpliple 1992
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GENERAL IDEA "GENERIC" MULTIPLE, 1992

GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983
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GENERAL IDEA "URSA MAJOR & TAURUS" 1983

General Idea white AIDS wallpaper Caviar20General Idea white AIDS wallpaper Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA "BLAN© / BLAN© / BLAN©", 1991

GENERAL IDEA "BLACK, WHITE & RED ALL OVER" 1993GENERAL IDEA "BLACK, WHITE & RED ALL OVER" 1993
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GENERAL IDEA "BLACK, WHITE & RED ALL OVER" 1993

Caviar20 General Idea Mondo CaneCaviar20 General Idea Mondo Cane
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GENERAL IDEA "MONDO CANE" SCREEN PRINT

General Idea Cigar Box 1985 Caviar20General Idea Cigar Box 1985 Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA, “SIGARBOX”, 1985

General Idea pavilion model replica 1986 Caviar20General Idea pavilion model replica 1986 Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA, “ARMOURY / PAVILION”, 1986

General Idea CanicheGeneral Idea Caniche
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GENERAL IDEA "CANICHE" SIGNED, 1984

TSX "GENERAL IDEA PAVILION FRAGMENTS" 1983TSX "GENERAL IDEA PAVILION FRAGMENTS" 1983
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TSX "GENERAL IDEA PAVILION FRAGMENTS" 1983

General IdeaGeneral Idea
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GENERAL IDEA CREST

GENERAL IDEA, “MIDDELBURG TILE”, 1985GENERAL IDEA, “MIDDELBURG TILE”, 1985
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GENERAL IDEA, “MIDDELBURG TILE”, 1985

General Idea Jockey Short Caviar20General Idea Jockey bag editions Caviar20
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GENERAL IDEA, “JOCKEY SHORT SHOPPING BAG”, 1991/98

General Idea “Monet Cane”   Canada, 1989.  Mixed media, oil stick on canvas. Original painting by famous Canadian artist trio, General Idea.General Idea “Monet Cane”   Canada, 1989.  Mixed media, oil stick on canvas. Original painting by famous Canadian artist trio, General Idea.

GENERAL IDEA “MONET CANE” PAINTING, 1989

About Caviar20

Art resale experts, Caviar20 focuses on the 20th century with an emphasis on works on paper. Troy Seidman, the founder, has a particular interest in sculpture, works on paper, photography and abstraction of the 60's and 70's. Our inventory includes turn of the millenium blue-chip artists with an emphasis on works created between 1965-2005.

Caviar20 has placed works in the permanent collections of the following institutions:
- Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo, New York)
- Burnaby Art Gallery (Burnaby, British Columbia) 
- Columbus Museum (Columbus, Georgia)
- Kunstmuseum Heidenheim (Germany)
- University Galleries, University of San Diego (California)

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+1 (416) 704-1720
info@caviar20.com

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