Published October 29, 2009 by Molly
You can judge art by any number of criteria, but practicality is not one of them. It is not the job of art to be practical, just as its not the job of practical things to look pretty. But there’s always a middle ground, as TRASH: anycoloryoulike demonstrates.
A project dedicated to “urban beautification and environmental awareness,” the stunt involves placing the trash produced by select blocks inside artist-designed biodegradable bags that “transform standard piles of trash into vivid sculptures of color through the participation of local business owners and residents.”
Is it a great idea? Is it incredibly frivolous? An experiment in altering civilian perceptions of the urban landscape? Or all of the above? At any rate, the project calls attention to the staggering amount of garbage we humans produce…which is always a valuable thing to consider.
Published June 25, 2009 by Molly
The Yayoi Kusama show currently exhibiting at New York’s Gagosian Gallery a is either a splendidly appropriate birthday present to the 80-year-old artist or a free public service for the masses. Either way, it’s worth a pilgrimage to pay tribute or just ponder the void.
A staple of New York’s avant-garde scene in the 1960s, Kusama is known for her psychedelic repetitions and floating dot patterns, both of which originated in hallucinations from a neurotic disorder that Kusama first experienced at age ten.
The exhibit’s crown jewel, the above “Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity”, is a dazzling installation of white lights draped from the ceiling and reflected on four walls. A shallow pool of water on the ground completes the illusion, and taken in total the installation is an apt expression of infinity (a concept dear to Kusama).
If you can’t get to the exhibition, sate your curiosity with a peek at Kusama’s MySpace.
Subscribe to RSS