Regina Silveira: “Octopus (Track Series)“, 2009
Vinyl and wooden models, Dimensions variable
Courtesy Alexander Gray Associates, New York
Manfred Bocklemann: “Horizonte“, 2003
Watercolour on newspaper
Courtesy of the artist
Deconstructing spectatorship at the Courtauld Institute The East Wing Biennial at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, presents ‘Interact: Deconstructing Spectatorship’, an exhibition that seek to challenge pre-existing, traditional and even new perceptions of viewers and their place. 25 January 2014 to 13 July 2015]]>
Source: Courtauld Institute of Art, London
We are not artists but art historians, curators and critics – viewers. A conceptually-driven exhibition, the eleventh installation in the East Wing Biennial series provides the opportunity for young curatorial minds to work with contemporary artists. The artists of INTERACT will play with the role of the spectator: some invite them to interact with the works (and draw attention to this interaction) in order to realise and overcome this preconceived role, whilst others pose different questions and terms of reference.
Visual perception takes on different roles and is particularly significant in the works of Emilie Pugh, Bridget Riley and Sebastian Brajkovic, each of which manipulates optical understanding as visual interventions. Julie Mehretu’s drawings require the spectator to move back and forth in the space in order to decipher the layers of references, techniques and meaning that the works contain.
De-privileging the visual field, the viewers’ bodily awareness and other sensations will become their critical apparatus when encountering the work of Katie Paterson, which necessitates a sensitive appreciation of the importance of sound.
The spatial (and cultural) context of the Institute spaces influences the viewers role, making him a spectator. In creating a space for reflection, through the work of Tina Gonsalves, the visitor’s own image will be cast back into the exhibition space. The viewers’ confrontation with themselves will therefore be mediated by the artwork, setting the terms with which they confront their own perspective. Identity thus forms the enigmatic point of convergence for these works, which includes the evocative photography of Cordelia Donohoe and Liu Bolin. Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ iconic ‘Untitled (Ross)’ also serves as a convergence of personal and public identity and their interaction.
Through a subtle orchestration of space, movement and perception, the apparent and obscure, The Courtauld Institute’s environment at once becomes an international representation of contemporary art. At the same time, it is an encounter with art which, through engaged spectatorship, conscious interaction is brought into a position of prominence.
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