Following his belief that art should inspire creative processes within an actively participating viewer, Camnitzer created The Assignment Books (2011–13) as a series of questions and enigmas to which the viewer is invited to respond. The artist presents a written “assignment” accompanied by a visual prompt and provides either sheets of paper or pencils to write directly on the walls allowing viewers to proffer solutions. Demonstrating Camnitzer’s commitment to non-hierarchical education, viewer’s responses are then incorporated into the artworks themselves.
The juxtaposition of visual object and text is consistent throughout Camnitzer’s practice. In The Assignment Books, these discrete entities work together to stimulate the viewer, while also demonstrating their often-ambiguous relationship. Of the series Camnitzer has stated, “In The Assignment Books I am trying to bridge the distance between artist and viewer, and start a dialogue and collective research instead of merely communicating by way of a monologue. I would like to share unresolved and sometimes ridiculous conundrums and questions that hopefully lead to critical inter- and multidisciplinary thinking, and unleash similar but collectively generated stimuli. Not unlike the blog format, answers and suggestions should enter the exhibition space so that the stage is shared with the visitors, leading to deinstitutionalized learning: Learning Without a School. In this I abandon the traditional declarative stance of the artist/teacher. Being accountable for how I deal with the assignments I become an unprotected artist/learner.”