Even works of art that we think of as coming from the minds of lone creative geniuses were group efforts: Michelangelo, for example, recruited some 11 painters to assist him with the Sistine Chapel. Still, it’s only in the past few decades that attitudes around labor and the power of collectivism have shifted, making artists not only quicker to collaborate but also to give credit where credit is due. No matter the field, though, certain projects require an outsize number of bodies. Then, too, there’s the practical if unstated fact that, as artists and creative types, these people are in the business of pursuing perfection. Often, combining forces is the only way to get them closer to it.

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Persons: Michelangelo, Michael Heizer, ”, Judy Chicago, Miriam Schapiro, Schapiro, Judith E, Stein, Toby Olié, “, It’s, Miles Greenberg, that’s Organizations: California Institute of, Arts Locations: Nevada, Los Angeles, Canadian