You may have noticed that entries have been few and far between lately. We’ll be picking up the pace again as everyone settles back into Portland. Nature Club has been on unofficial hiatus as key members tour the states with various other projects and bands (and a certain illustrious graphic designer takes time to heal his broken collarbone).
As for me, submerged in New York for a spell kept me in gallery mode, which brings us to this week’s find! Standing in complete physical opposition to our previous post on the Earth Room, Urs Fischer’s installation “You” guts the Gavin Brown gallery, leaving ‘em with a $250,000 bill and a 38 x 30 crater in the heart of SoHo.
I came across Fischer this winter via a pretty scathing review of his New Museum three-floor take over, Marguerite de Ponty. And while the institution that is Roberta Smith seemed more keen on the show, my enthusiasm had already begun to wane. He seems to be a bit of a mixed bag of innovative surrealism, hyperrealism, and constant nods to prior art movements. Yet his work also has a kind of contrived art-star ala Jeff Koons feel to it. Which makes me puke a little in my mouth.
That said I can’t deny that “You” is a profound gesture. The work is not only physically engaging but also drenched in art historical critique, nodding to earth art’s broad manifesto to re-evalute gallery/museum space, while literally taking a jackhammer to the sanctity of it.
I’m not going to indulge further on the art historical relevance , but if you’re interested, Jerry Saltz basically ties this installation to every piece of art ever made. Over the top? Yes. Bit of a stretch? Maybe. Please don’t ever use the word mojo again? That’s directed at you Saltz. Still some interesting thoughts nonetheless. Stay tuned shortly for a Nature Club piece not at all related to dirt in or out of a gallery!
