Contemporary artist Cornelia Parker is obsessed with ‘formalizing things beyond our control’ (www.fithstreetgallery.com, 23/05/07). My favorite piece of hers, which was exhibited in the Tate Modern Gallery, illustrates this concept perfectly. ‘Cold Dark matter- An exploded view.’(Seen above) She has exploded a shed with the help of ‘British Army’ (www.tate.org.uk in 1991.) The pieces were then hung up using fine string and a light was placed in the center. The light appears as the center of the explosion. When I viewed this piece, I was allowed to walk round it. It appeared as if the explosion had been paused or slowed like used at the opening of the film ‘Sword Fish,’ 2001. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8K3CfUHKx8, 23/05/07), (however it has to be said -less brutal.)
This concept has been used in popular culture. The recent Scissor Sister video ‘She’s My Man,’ (http://www.youtube.comwatch
v=obDALgFz4F4) where a black background is used, and people are dressed in black walk round the band moving objects and band members in unusual ways. Again this suggests the sensation of creating the impossible by illusion.What I liked most about the video is the viewer’s ability to see the covered up extras, so the concept is essentially revealed.
Back to the shed…
Found within the blown up shed were ‘objects which have certain modesty and/or sentimental value (www.tate.org.uk 23/05/07), suggesting a more personal piece, and the gaining of a more emotional disturbing reaction. This reaction maybe also produced by our cultural perceptions, ‘A terribly British institution, the shed functions as a place of refuge, a safe place, a place for secrets and fantasy’ (www.tate.org.uk 23/05/07).
2 comments:
the piece of art is really cool, it has a big visual presence one with its actual size but then with the light creating the shadows it emphasises everything moreso even though you cant see much. Reminds me of when you create shapes on the wall using your hands too.
Some of Parkers work, including ‘Cold Dark matter- An exploded view’ was exhibited at Norwich, Castle Museum in 2004. I was able to see the work and be a part of coming up with ideas for an interactive to be placed along side the exhibition.
A group of students from my art class and I came up with an interactive piece based on the idea of attaching significance to seemingly meaningless objects, one of the concepts explored by Cornelia Parker.
Like the shed in Cold Dark Matter, which is filled with normal, apparently unemotional objects, we find that our pockets, wallets, purses and bags become filled with things we haven’t been able to throw away. By asking people to display these objects and write a brief explanation of their significance we were able to get an insight not only into individual peoples mindset but also into modern society.
These inherently worthless objects achieve a kind of emotional importance, bearing no material value but reminding us of people, places and feelings. Just as a shed becomes a sort of half way house of objects we cant bring ourselves to through away.
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