FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
| VISUAL ARTS Do It I think one of the grandest clichés of the 20th century must be the one that goes, "That's art? I could do that!" (The obvious answer being, "Why didn't you, then?") Well, in answer to all of those armchair artists and critics alike, the Nickle Gallery is presenting Do It, an exhibit in which the viewer is forced to participate in the piece or experience nothing at all. The show is a collection of ideas taken from various artists around the world, though in large part they hail from New York. The participants were asked to submit instructions for pieces that could be created easily by anyone in any gallery that would agree to participate in the travelling show. Pieces were submitted by artists such as Gilbert and George, and Yoko Ono. While the show is not very visual, the concepts are heavy and the lack of things to see is made up for in the amount of interaction. For instance, take the piece "False/Right, Right/False," a large wooden box on the floor of the gallery. The instructions demand that the viewer climb inside the box, with feet facing out, and hold up the wooden lid. Then, they are supposed to coerce the "guard" of the gallery into taking a Polaroid of them, which then goes on the wall facing the piece. Then there's "Les Ecoliers," a group of individual head shots of students from the Calgary area. The instructions call for a local photographer to take individual shots of high school groups and then place them on the wall in order, separated by three inches. A local Grade 10 class participated in this piece, and now they can find themselves on the wall of the Nickle. (And you thought your yearbook picture was embarrassing.) This piece is one of the more visual ones in the exhibit and a good example of the way in which the show tends to be packed more with meaning than just art. That stands to reason, as the contributors are not just artists, but also poets and researchers. Another of the more visual ideas in the show and perhaps the best piece is "Cat. #2." It calls for the gallery to do one simple thing: carve a 36 inch by 36 inch square hole out of the gallery wall and leave the remnants on the floor. In much the same spirit as Duchamp's urinal, this piece is a demonstration more than anything else. The gallery is asked (and in this instance complies) with the call to tear up their own wall. Art becomes a sacrifice that the gallery is willing to bear. Literally. The show was conceived and is curated by Hans-Ulrich Obrist, head of the Modern Museum of Art in Paris, among other things. The show has an unreserved quality to it that is easier to find in Europe, although it has circulated throughout North America, and was organized by the Independent Curators Inc. of New York. This is probably why there are so many New York artists involved. Participants from both South America and Europe have been involved as well. When it comes down to it, Do It is a better example of art theory than art practice. And it should be commended for that. It takes concepts that are often absent from the mind of the viewer and introduces those ideas to them by making them participate in the piece itself. It's the sink or swim concept of art. Perhaps it's best illustrated by Yoko Ono's idea. She asks the viewer to find a tree and then write down a wish. Then, tie that wish to that tree and get as many friends as possible to do the same thing. (Oddly enough, Ono calls it "Wish Tree.") A stupid idea from an old hippie? Impractical? Something you wouldn't get unless you did it yourself? Exactly. That's the point. |