The Panza Collection at the Hirshhorn

I wasn't anticipating the enjoyment I got out of the Panza Collection exhibit at the Hirshhorn. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find several works that fascinated me and encouraged me to think about their intended meanings.

Larry Bell's Untitled 1973 work that was made of vacuum plated glass really elicited an emotional reaction from me. My first thought was that the material was eerily similar to the bog bodies on display at the National Museum of Ireland, which I saw in March and was really fascinated with. I found it strange that here, the material was the art, whereas in Dublin, the material simply enclosed the art and provided a dim atmosphere in which to view it.

Next, I began to observe my reflection in the glass, luckily I was the only person in the room so I could really examine the piece. At first, I thought the piece was "T" shaped, then after some inspection, changed my mind and thought it was "X" shaped, and only after walking completely around it could I conclude that it was "V" shaped. To have such interaction with a simple glass piece was great- at first I thought that the piece was translucent, only after physically interacting with it could I conclude that it was opaque and reflective. It really made an impact on me for such a simple piece to inspire so much thought, and for my initial impressions of the work to be totally off.

Another piece I had an emotional reaction to was Douglas Huebler's Drawing (Reflecting essence). The work is essentially a framed piece of paper that reads at the bottom, first in French and then in English, "This surface is, at this instant, reflecting the imperceptibly changing physical essence of its percipient." My initial reaction was to dismiss it as psuedo-intellectual. I went on to the piece next to it but kept thinking about it. I returned and stood in front of the work. I wondered, how many people have stood in front of here and done the same thing? How am I changing right now? If I stood here longer would the piece become more and more relevant? I then went on to consider the implications of the piece for those who could not read French or English. If someone translated it to them, would it mean the same thing? I then chuckled at the thought of someone putting the quote at the bottom of a mirror. I think Huebler intended not to be smug and wax philosophical, but instead just to inspire thought about the changes living things endure every second of our lives; they are imperceptible but add up to a change in the cycle from infant to elderly.

Later in the week I attended Hirshhorn After Hours to see Dan Deacon perform, and discovered Bruce Nauman's From Hand to Mouth on the third floor. My roommate (who, incidentally, I was in Dublin with) immediately exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! A bog body!" The Hirshhorn and the National Museum of Ireland have totally different vibes, but somehow they independently reminded us both of each other.

The Panza Collection impressed me. It was extremely varied, yet the pieces flowed wonderfully. I thought about almost everyone one of the pieces, and I'm still wondering if one million years are really printed in the pages of On Kawara's One Million Years, or if the pages were simply opened to the one complete page. I guess there's no real way to find out, but it got me thinking, so the exhibit was successful in its goal.

The Cinema Effect exhibit at the Hirshhorn

The Cinema Effect's examination of film, pop culture, the media and the public resulted in an interesting array of films. On Saturday, August 30, I observed many of the films- taking detailed notes on the first six and the last, and enjoying many of the ones in between. Of those films, here are four favorites and three I was let down by.

Favorites

1st Light by Paul Chan

This was by far my favorite. The computer animation could have been shown on a screen but was instead projected onto the floor, which made watching it just as topsy-turvy as the scene it showed. It seems that gravity has plotted against society as humans fall from the sky and scooters, appliances, and other objects float upwards. The concept was thought provoking and creatively executed, especially with the added contrast of concrete floor versus film screen.

New York, New York, New York, New York by Mungo Thomson

What a great concept. Standing in the room completely transported you to New York- at first. From the neutral color palette of greys and browns to the tenements, sidewalks, dumpsters, and bodegas all presented in sudden, choppy cuts, everything seemed realistic, but where were all of the people? How was Thomson able to shut out the people of New York to film these scenes? Thomson slowly reveals his secret- that he is shooting film sets, by including a palm tree in the background, and exposing the apartment building as simply a facade. More of an experience than a film, Thomson's remark on New York film sets- that there's more to them the the initial glance, was successful and interesting.

Mother & Father by Candice Breitz.

The most stirring thing about this piece for me was the synergy of design, concept, and execution that resulted in the expression of a mother's feeling of isolation in her role as a mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc. The design element that contributed to this was the removal of the character from their background- all twelve were shown on a simple black background instead. The repetition of the cries of the mothers, and their originally unintended interaction with each other only fueled the feeling of isolation and pity by the viewer. Another interesting note is that occasionally several screens were reflected on the leftmost screen, most likely unintended but interesting as it only amplified the interaction of the characters.

John by Ian Charlesworth

The monotony of the screen said it all; despite playing himself, John blended into the background. He required constant encouragement and reassurance by those offscreen, but still couldn't seem to get into his character- himself. The simplicity of everything else about the film highlighted his insecurity- something not uncommon for anyone his age, and also made it seem like it could have been anyone.

Let Downs

Lonely Planet by Julian Rosefeldt

I adored the concept of this film, however; it was perhaps my biggest let-down in that it could have been so much more had the execution been different. The constant contrast of warm vs. cool colors, brown hair vs. red bandana, cacophony vs. harmony was strong, but could have been really built upon by a more narrative feel to the film. Concept might lend itself better to a longer film.

Living a Beautiful Life by Corinna Schnitt

This could have been a powerful idea, had it been presented in a different manner. The subject matter didn't really lend itself to parody, which is what the actor's cheesy portrayals of the teen's tragic responses were. The repetition of the words "sexy," "hot," and "money," as well as the ideas of safety and security reveal the conflictual ideas of beauty within life, no doubt influenced by pop culture.

Marlene Redux: A True Hollywood Story! by Francesco Vezzoli

I had conflicting feelings on this film- it was over-the-top for my tastes, but then again, why shouldn't a True Hollywood Story spoof be over-the-top? The techniques utilized- showing re-enactments of the past in black and white, still photos with over-dramatic voiceovers, were so typical that this could probably be aired on E! (instead of A!), if it were true and had the narrative been a bit more cohesive.

Overall, I enjoyed my afternoon spent at the Hirshhorn. The exhibit's examination of reality vs. illusion within the media was funny and thought-provoking, though I appreciated some films much more than others.