After a month of either walking around a dark studio with my projections or cramped over a book and writing a paper, it was refreshing to get out this weekend. We headed up to Vermont with the main objective to visit my mother but our visit came with the bonus of stopping in to see our friend and colleague Jessica Phillips. It was great to connect with her in her studio and share our mutual Group 1 frustrations. Made me feel less isolated and alone. I’m only sorry I did not allow more time for our visit.
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| Jessica's Studio (Jessica not shown) Set up for Open Studio Tour |
After a nice brunch with my Mom and sister we headed home with a slight detour to Mass MOCA in North Adams. On view is Katharina Grosse’s project one floor up more highly. As you walk into the gallery you’re not sure which you notice first, the gigantic white forms jutting out of the floor, the florescent colored mounds of something, the distinct smell of earth or the spectacle of the cavernous room itself. As you walk around the installation you become aware that the materials used are Styrofoam and spray painted mounds of dirt. Around and in the dirt she has placed article of clothing conjuring up images of abandonment. She also builds a bench into the piece as if to welcome us to sit down and visit. Her paint spills over the forms and onto the gallery floors, walls and windows creating a totally symbiotic relationship between them. As you walk through the sheer scale of the installation is impressive making you feel a little like you are in a very bizarre “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” episode.
The installation provides you with the opportunity to walk above to another gallery to view the piece from above. This point of view offers a different but, I found, not as powerful response. When you are among the pieces on the ground floor you are kind of part of it, from above you are more of a viewer. It’s interesting to note that also included in the project is a lone painting. It hangs in the upper gallery, separate from the rest of the installation. I get the feeling that it is an homage to James Rosenquist. After experiencing the installation the painting seems stagnant, conventional and well, boring.
Also on view is a huge selection of Sol LeWitt and lots more. If you are nearby it's worth the trip.
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