Harry Anderson 1980 - 1984, a written account.
By 1980 all of Harry Anderson’s interests are fully integrated. Haunting the flea markets in search of the early to mid twentieth century objects he collects he happens upon random assortments of unrelated goods that might just possibly be the found object components of some future work the documentation of which could be used the creation of yet another work.
A box of two hundred plastic toy tanks that started life as merchandise for a James Bond Movie is found at a flea market. Anderson thinking that he might be able to use them takes a chance and purchases them all for ten dollars. Then in 1981 he is one of six artists invited to participate in MADE IN PHILADELPHIA 4 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, PA. Anderson creates an integrated environment for the exhibition. One of the installations created for the exhibition responds to the challenge and the opportunity posed by the extremely high ceilings. Taking advantage of the height, the toy tanks are used in two groups facing each other swooping down and up the wall in an distorted grid. Later in that same year he will use the image of the tanks and other parts of the installation in his book work THE OBJECT SCENE IS THE OBJECT SEEN.
Also in 1981 he is one of 64 artists asked to contribute a work to ARTIFACTS AT THE END OF THE DECADE, a Book/Multiple Edition of 100 that was published and edited by Carol Huebner and Steve Watson, New York, NY.
These are busy years for Anderson. He participates in several group shows annually in addition to his solo exhibitions while teaching full time. In 1983 he receives his first individual artist grant from the Pennsylvania council of the Arts. In 1983 he is also an artist in residence at ART PARK in Lewiston, NY. In 1984 he receives a second NEA, an individual grant in Sculpture.