Large Field Array
There were a lot of excellent galleries in Chelsea and the experience was very new and helpful for me. This was the first time I have visited a gallery like this and the atmosphere of the work was very different from that of a large museum. What I liked most of all about visiting the galleries was the feeling that each work of art was part of a much larger meaning, a part of a whole. I could also compare works by the same artist and find a connection between them. This is not possible at a large museum since there are an overwhelming amount of very different works by very different artists in the same gallery.
The most striking exhibit I viewed was “Large Field Array” at the Pace Wildenstein Gallery. As I passed through the heavy black curtain at the entrance of the gallery, I had no clue of what to expect. Although I knew that Professor Orensteing had told us that the exhibit was very striking, nothing prepared me for scope of what I was about to see. I felt like I stepped into an eerie “Alice in Wonderland” setting. I had such a hard time viewing the pieces individually because there was so much to see. With every turn of my head I saw something either very beautiful, very grotesque, or just plain odd.
I want to focus more on the gallery as a whole instead of an individual piece. I felt that the gallery was a sort of reflection on the hyped American culture. I saw so many cultural icons in the pieces: the enormous coffee cup with the cast of “Friends” on it, Ronald Reagan on a cube, Kermit the Frog sitting on the stairs, a movie theater marquis with “Top Gun” and “The Fly” premiering, Fred Astaire on a couple of works, etc. The works that actually depicted people were extraordinarily realistic. I often had to look over my shoulder to make they were fake. Many pieces showed body parts suspended in mid-air, like the two huge hands shaking. Everything was exaggerated, such as the giant telephone, giant cowboy hat, a giant top hat, all symbols of American wealth and culture. Many objects had a sense of dualism to them, like a ying and a yang, such as the black and white owl, chess piece, and Asian-style chest. I felt that tried to capture America’s exaggerated and fanciful dreams and lifestyle. Some even seemed a little foreboding, that these dreams of ours are foolish and detrimental. I was really amazed at how much I could relate to these pieces.
September 21st, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I have to agree with szweig on how that particular exhibit at the Pace Wildenstern gallery did have a lot going on it. Also, I felt as if I had to take the exhibit in as a whole along with other exhibits. I think that sometimes, the artists or whomever is arranging the exhibits puts the pieces in a certain way in order to promote such feelings of interconnectivity in the observers. One thing I have to disagree with is the focus on American culture, because there were many pieces that focused on other cultures as well. These pieces include the Middle-Eastern snake charmer climbing the rising rope, a piece featuring a large Russian stack doll, and an elephant created by smaller sculptures of mice (an animal not in American culture). But once again, I do agree in the fact that this exhibit took a large toll on my attention by having so much to look at and it all be worthwhile.
September 25th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Sorry if this troubles you but the post labeled “On a large field array” was actually meant to be a comment, I just didn’t know how to post a comment. Sad but true. Or it could just be that I posted too early.