The most interesting part about the Whitney Museum of American Art organization of the retrospective exhibit of the late Brazilian Artist Helio Oiticica, was not its numerous rooms of artwork but rather its title. The title, “Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium” speaks volumes alone about the perspective the curators had of his work. The proper definition of Delirium is an acutely disturbed state of mind. Not only were curators suggesting that Helio’s art came from a state of disturbance, they were also trying to depict to viewers that his journey and struggles inspired his abstract work. The curators of this exhibit had one purpose in mind, to organize Helio Oiticica’s art and form of expression, into an organized view for the common public to understand and comprehend.
One piece of art that really spoke to me about Helio’s intuition was the hanging art he began to create. It was said in the description of the piece that in 1959 he began to take his art on paper and transform them to suspension works from the air. His ability to take his geometrical art work from paper to space really set him apart and began to make visitors feel engaged with the 3-D work. This piece was centered in the middle of the room, meant to catch everyone’s gazing and wandering eyes. The orange color he used also acted as an offset and contrast to the white all around the room.
The second piece of artwork that spoke to me was his creation of the Tropicália. Another interactive exhibit that allowed visitors to feel the same way Helio did when he was in Brazil. From the details of the warm granulated sand beneath our toes, to the huts and tents that caught our eyes, to the sounds of the parrots that attracted our ears to the source, and finally to the Tropical smell of the entire exhibit; Helio Oiticica was able to utilize the senses of visitors to create an illusion that they were walking in the same paths he did in Brazil. By doing this he created a sense of understanding between his life story and visitors who now could not only read about it, but experience it first hand.
Overall, my experience of the Whitney Museum of American Art, as a whole, helped me to enjoy the exhibit even more. The inclusivity and interaction the Whitney Museum provides, allows for viewers to be prepared artistically for each floor. From the great rooftop views of the city skyline to the artwork displayed outside, up the stairs and on each floor really put viewers into the mindset that art is a journey and has transformative power. The overall feeling of the Museum parallels the feelings I encountered in Helio Oiticica’s Exhibit. From being invited to walk along the sand and water pits, to the hammocks and beds in the screening rooms, to the wardrobe spots where we tried on different attire, to the parrots, all the way to the simple things like being able to play a game of pool with Ron. Running into fellow classmates only made the experience that much better, to visualize and understand their perspectives enriched the entire experience.
Abishek (AJ) Johnson
Hello! I really enjoyed the details you provided about Helio’s progression from 2D work to transforming and hanging his work to render a greater feeling from the audience. The point you made about making the viewer feel as though they were walking in the same pathways as Oiticica had, is something I also felt as I was there. It didn’t feel like we were in a museum, in a way it truly did feel like we were experiencing what Oiticica had felt and he did a remarkable job of transporting us to that place.
After reading the New Yorker and the New York Times reviews of Helio Oiticica, I am blown away by his background and life story. There were so many things I didn’t know that would have possibly enriched or maybe even created a bias on my perspective of his Artwork. The fact that he comes from a generally creative and artistic family doesn’t surprise me even to the slightest. However, the fact that he has been to so many different places really showed me that although he drew inspirations for his Art from Brazil, he also used his other visits to add a sense of variety into his pieces. Overall, I’m glad I was able to do some extra research on him to really put his work and art into perspective.
AJ, I really enjoyed how you provided factual evidence as to how and why each piece of artowrk was made the way it is. I liked reading your blog post because if I got confused somewhere, I knew you would have factual evidence that described why the artwork was the way it was. I also thought it was quite clever how you used the actual definition of delirium to tie into Helio Oiticica’s overall interpretation of his own artwork and life. Loved the blog!