by Robert Boyd
This conceptually weak show is like a lot of shows one sees in summer at the galleries--various odds and ends from the storeroom. For example, a wall full of paintings and prints by a variety of blue chip artists.
On the wall, left to right: untitled, 5.06 by Rob Reasoner, (untitled) by Victor Vasarely, Target-660 by Stephan Dean, Five by Donald Baechler, Trytophan by Damien Hirst, Blue by Ellsworth Kelly, Mandala 03 by Alexander Haas, Untitled Spin Painting by Damien Hirst. Far right--Dream by Sylvia Fleury. Foreground, hanging from the ceiling--A Piece of Infinity #13, Jonathan Borofsky
It's hard to see where the circus theme comes in with most of these pieces. At the very least, I associate circuses with stimulation (over-stimulation, actually); this weird grouping, on the other hand, is really kind of boring. Except for the Jonathan Borofsky piece. Whatever happened to Jonathan Borofsky? It seems like in the late 80s/early 90s, you couldn't turn around without seeing his work. Now he seems largely forgotten. Personally, I always liked his work and I like this piece. It appeals to the math geek in me.
I don't mind that McClain wants to clear out its overstock--lots of retail establishments do this. I just wish that instead of creating a fake-ass theme like "Under the Big Top," they had called it something like "Summer Clearance Extravaganza." The whole "circus" thing feels like an afterthought. There are a few clown paintings (I always wonder who hangs pictures of clowns in their homes) and there's this piece by the Art Guys that actually made me laugh.
The Art Guys, Clown Noses (Double Self-Portrait), clown noses on broken concrete, variable dimensions, 2011
They also had a kinetic piece, Pretty as a Picture.
The Art Guys, Pretty As a Picture, cut plywood lettters, gear motors, wood, wire, 2009
I guess it's obvious that in this exhibit, I liked the things that made me laugh. And nothing made me laugh more than this piece Dennis Oppenheim.
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
A gallerina told me that she thought this was a model for a larger public piece, which seems extremely unlikely. That said, I would have preferred a giant mouth with books for teeth than his Radiant Fountains sculpture at the airport. But there are two reasons why I doubt that this was meant to be a model for a large public piece. First, it's part of an edition (9 of 27). Second, the book titles are nasty, funny and quite personal. Oppenheim is doing a little score settling.
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
I thought it was particularly funny that Hirst and Baechler both also had pieces in this show.
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Dennis Oppenheim, Upper Cut detail, plywood, steel, enamel paint, silkscreen on books, 2000
Thursday, July 28, 2011
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Hmmm, an "Art and Mathematics" show might be interesting. Bochner, Borofsky, certainly Roman Opalka and maybe even certain Twombly's. Some conceptualists. Who else...?
ReplyDeleteBernar Venet did a bunch of "equation paintings."
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