Those who believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder are bound to enjoy the newest exhibition at the Barbara Krakow Gallery on Newbury Street. The show displays works that seem to be longing for something in a way that makes their incompleteness both provocative and enjoyable.
"Missing!" is a compilation of works by twelve different contemporary artists that, at first, seem to have little in common. The title, however, provides a unique and useful way to approach each piece and to find the thread linking them all together. In this show, the theme of the exhibition, rather than the works themselves, is the most stimulating aspect of the visitor's experience.
Upon entering the gallery, the viewer is at once confronted with the show's most prominent work, "Car on Bricks" (2008), by South African born Robin Rhode. The piece is a monumental wall drawing that immediately invokes Sol LeWitt's famous works done in the same medium. In spite of this, "Car on Bricks" is inherently different from LeWitt's abstract designs because it is a simplified, yet rather life-like, representation of a common sedan.
This work relates to Rhode's earlier performance pieces in which he would draw a common object like a bicycle on a wall and interact with it as though it was real. The removal of the artist from this piece leaves the viewer with a simple drawing which is juxtaposed by two piles of brick replacing the missing wheels. While the car symbolizes motion, the immovability associated with bricks negates that idea. In addition, the contrast between the reality of the bricks and the fiction associated with a drawing of a car, creates a further sense of opposition in the work.
The lack of an actual car relates directly to the desire associated with not having enough money to possess a car. Although this piece relates to consumerism and capitalism by engaging the idea of longing for an extravagant object, other works in the show point to less tangible absences.
Joseph Grigely's "Songs Without Words" (2008) is a piece that compiles twelve newspaper clippings of singers and musicians into a minimalist grid, drawing attention to the grand gestures and gaping mouths of the performers. If the piece consisted of only one photo it would have little impact, but the presence of so many voiceless musicians together makes the viewer painfully aware of the lack of sound in the almost silent gallery setting.
"Collection of Ten Plaster Surrogates" (1982/92) by Allan McCollum takes on the theme of absence in a completely different manner. From a distance, this piece appears to be a set of ten framed, rectangular paintings arranged in a crowded space. But these paintings lack any sort of definable subject, as McCollum has covered them completely in black paint; all the paintings are exactly the same except for their size and the color of their frames.
Furthermore, as the viewer comes closer to the paintings, it becomes clear that each one is actually a single object — consisting of frame, matting and the central, monochromatic subject. This set directly relates to McCollum's earlier works in which he was concerned with the relationship between art and mass production. Each of the "Plaster Surrogates" is handmade and unique due to slight variations, yet they overtly contradict the idea of a traditional painting and make the viewer rethink his understanding of art objects.
The central theme of this exhibition conveys a setting in which the relationship among all of the works is incredibly powerful. While each piece is interesting on its own, they all come together to create something that is rarely found in galleries these days: a grand, museum-worthy idea for a show. It is not a one-man artist retrospective or a collection of Impressionist paintings, but a creatively designed experience that leaves the viewer questioning the importance of completeness in a world where the thirst for something more is never quenched.
Although the price of artwork is enough to scare away most college students, the friendly and helpful staff create a welcoming environment in which to enjoy this unique approach to contemporary art, making this gallery exhibition a worthwhile stop during any routine Newbury Street shopping trip.
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Missing!
At the Barbara Krakow Gallery, through March 4
10 Newbury Street
Boston, Massachusetts
617-262-4490
