Material in this collection roughly describes the emergence of the downtown New York art world of the 1970s and 1980s through Ahearn's/Dickson's participation in the artist's groups Collaborative Projects (Colab) and Fashion Moda, as well as their involvement in three highly influential art exhibitions in the latter half of the 20th Century: the Real Estate Show (1980), the Times Square Show (1980), and the "Messages to the Public" series (1982).