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The ugliness factor
By roberta
April 26, 2006 · 6 Comments
Matthew Barney
Originally uploaded by sokref1.
Even before I knew it was Matthew Barney I knew it might be. Who else? An installation in a Chelsea gallery that snakes through four rooms and the entryway with huge objects made out of what appears to be fat or wax or some other dense repulsive material. This installation at Gladstone Gallery” has something to do with the artist’s new movie, made with his wife Bjork. I’m not sure the sculptures were used in the movie but they probably were. That’s the Barney m.o.
Steve said “Yuck.” And that pretty much summed it up. The motif was nautical, the color was white or the off white lard color. There were ropes covered with white wax that connected things together from room to room, and basically it didn’t cohere except as some Moby Dick-ish visual diary of a mad man.
I don’t know but I wish we could get over this guy. Or more than that I wish Barney could get real and give us something meaningful that looks away from his navel and into the sight lines of the real world where people actually do work and worry about the rent money and have sons and fathers that go off to war and don’t come back. Enough already.
Tags: matthew barney
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Readers Comments (6)
It was probably solidified petroleum jelly, which is supposed to represent whale blubber, which is supposed to bring to mind the modern whaling ship that he used as a set for his last film…. or that’s my best guess (he’s coming to SF next.)
What’s especially funny about whale blubber is it brings that old shaman Joseph Beuys to mind. And that sheds a wee bit of light on what Barney thinks he is up to, if you ask me. Goodness knows, he’s equally puzzling. But his objects have a pristine quality, like Beuys sterilized.
To me, that’s what makes Beuys endlessly mysterious and appealing, and Barney kind of yawn-yawn…the metaphorical and literal dirt and grime that settles around Beuys, that is not evident in (what I’ve seen) of Barney’s work.
No, Barney is actually clinical, and some of his pieces have that operating-theater and surgical tools affect. There’s not much that passes for elemental here; it’s cool and hermetic. Beuys is totally elemental. I confess I’m not wild about either of them, however–too interior and into their own heads.
Wow! Im blown away that you were not aware of
Barney’s recent film before seeing this exhibition.
I was hoping to see a really intelligent view independent of the film press instead its shooting
fish in a barrel. Ohh boo-hoo Barney is so boring.
I expect more from you!!!
hello redred, please do some homework before you make accusations. See post . Everybody here is aware of the movie. Also, the best comments further the discussion instead of lodging a complaint. We’ve written reams about Barney. Look at the index if you’re interested.