The 2022 Whitney Museum Biennial Show
The curators of the Whitney began preparing the 2022 Museum Biennial show before the pandemic started, but as the pandemic continued they decided to allow the Biennial to reflect what was going on during the pandemic. The curators choose to describe the exhibit as follows:
“The spaces here contrast significantly, acknowledging the acute polarity of our society. One floor is a labyrinth, a dark space of containment: another is a clearing, open and light filled.”
This perfectly describes how the spaces were designed. The curators also chose to not have a unifying, theme but included many artworks that talked about climate change, death, and race, often in the context of questioning the meaning of what it is to be American.
The first floor of the Biennial was light and airy and made use of unconventional curating techniques, such as geometric structures that held up the various artworks and that managed to divide up the room while still allowing for the space to feel open and allow for people to move freely and throughout the room. This floor mainly contained a lot of large-scale paintings, sculpture, and installation-style artwork. The other main floor was mainly painted with matte black paint and was divided into smaller rooms, this floor contained many sound and video installations. Overall, both spaces worked well together and were able to give the Whitney Museum Biennial show a contrasting yet cohesive feeling.
One of the artworks that stood out to me the most was a sound installation entitled Silent Choir, by Raven Chacon. This installation was made up of two main components; one was a bottle with a cork that represents the last breath of Thomas Edison. This bottle was in a glass case on the center of one of the walls. The other part of the installation was a recording of a humming sound that the artist recorded from Backwater Bridge between the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and Bismarck, North Dakota. This northeast corner of the reservation became the location of a ten-month standoff during 2016 to 2017. The standoff was protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline which would have jeopardized the Hunkpapa Lakota’s primary water source and in the process destroyed sacred sites and cultural belonging that belonged to this tribe. This issue brought together tribal members, Water Protectors and environmentalists to protest the construction of the pipeline. The artist Raven Chacon recorded the female leaders of the tribe leading hundreds of protestors in a silent confrontation of the North Dakota state police and pipeline security officers who were stationed on the bridge. Chacon describes the audio in the following:
"An audio capture of dense silence, the field recording holds power: it instills in the listener knowledge of the women's action and their sonic resistance."
I found that this sound installation was one of the most powerful artworks I saw at the Biennial because of how it allowed for the viewer to come to their own conclusions about what the installation was about, and that the audience, faced with a mystery, could choose to find out its true meaning only if they elected to read the wall text. In this way, the piece only becomes complete when it engages the listener intellectually and emotionally. I felt that Raven was able to say such much with this piece simply by combing two objects that are simple in their nature, both of which were sound and breath that had managed to be bottled up. By combining the bottle of the last breath of the Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, sound recording, and mass communication together with the recording of silence, this artwork is able to represent many things, such as the loss of important people and the losses faced by indigenous tribes. It also implicates big corporations and our government’s role in global warming and the devastation of a sacred environment. It accomplishes this while also being able to represent how sometimes silence is more powerful than words.
The Surrealist Work of Fuyuko Matsui
Thinking about contemporary artists that could also be considered surrealists, one of the names that jumped out at me was the Japanese artist Fuyuko Matsui. She is known for creating artworks that are steeped in Japanese tradition and myths while also putting a modern spin on these concepts. She expresses things such as pain and suffering that are usually not easily portrayed through visual means. She tends focus on this idea of pain because she feels that it is a very solitary feeling and that it can be hard for others to understand what is going on inside of you just from the outside world. She tries to find ways to makes the viewer understand and feel the pain by embellishing these elements of death and decay. The author Anna Maria Sienicka describes this in the following quote.
“Matsui's work takes up the elements that led to this perversion by amplifying them, while giving a feminine interpretation of the exhibition of female and bruised bodies, which she embodies, paradoxically, in women with serene faces. Perversion, in the sense that we understand it throughout this article, is not a formal disfigurement of the canon, but a recovery at the root of the object in order to corrupt its foundation and achieve the integrity of the original work. What does this perversion reveal about our disturbing relationship, both fascinated and repugnant, to the body in putrefaction or monstrous, and how does Matsui transcribe it formally? How is female pain translated into works arousing male desire?”
Through these surreal paintings of often ghostly figures of women, Matsui’s artwork aims to help the viewer understand the pain and the suffering of women in general. Even if the viewer may not fully understand the Japanese traditions and myths that inspire the work, or fully understand what is happening beneath the surface, the viewer is still able to understand the pain and suffering that the subjects of her paintings are going through. Many of her artworks are inspired by artists, such as Frieda Kahlo, who also depict such pain in their artworks. In their ambiguous narrative quality, Matsui’s work also resembles that of the British-born surrealist, Leonora Carrington.
Fuyuko Matsui, Nyctalopia, 2005. Color on silk, hanging scroll 138.4×49.5cm
The painting Nyctalopia is inspired by the Japanese style of art called yūrei – ga, which depicts ghostly or spectral forms who typically have long, messy black hair, and a thin and almost fragile appearance which makes them seem more ghostly. They are typically wearing a white or light-colored kimono or something similar to a kimono. According to Japanese folklore this type of ghost is a vengeful spirit who has unfinished business tying its spirit to the living. In its right hand the spirit is holding a dead rooster by its legs. The rooster has an almost skeletal and fragile appearance with most of its feathers plucked off. It also appears as though you can almost see through the figure’s translucent skin. Matsui brings up the issue of gender in this painting by creating the contrast between the female ghost of the vengeful spirit who is holding a rooster, a male chicken. This was probably intentionally done in order to further drive home the myth of these Japanese spirts. Anna Maria Siennicka describes the rooster in the following quote.
“Heralding the beginning of the day and the end of the night, the crowing of the rooster muffled by the murderous hand of the specter – creature of the night – symbolically traps the spectator in an endless night. The apparition creates a kind of suspension in the narrative logic, it breaks the sense that forces us, in the scandalous seduction it exerts on us, to an involuntary contemplation.”
The lines of the rooster’s limp body allow for the viewer’s eyes to follow the lines of the ghostly figure towards the woman’s face, which is mostly covered in her long black hair. Despite this, her face is one of the more defined parts of her figure. She appears to be staring off into the distance at something that is off the canvas. Even though she is angled partly away from the viewer it still appears as though the viewer could be the person that she is looking at.
Fuyuko Matsui, Keeping Up the Pureness, 2004. Color on silk, hanging scroll, 29.5×79.3cm
In the painting, Jousou no jizoku, which translates as Keeping Up the Pureness, and which is the first part of “Kuso-zu”, or the Nine Aspects of Decomposition series in which represents the nine stages of the body decomposing, Matsui depicts a nude woman lying in what appears to be a field or pond with flowers surrounding her. The woman is shown with a slit that goes from her chest down to her pelvis, with her organs spilling out. When the viewer starts to look closer at the woman’s figure they may take note of certain details, such as the fact that all the blood has started to drain from her heart and that it has an almost pale and translucent color to it. When you look closer at the woman’s uterus you will notice that there is an embryo curled up inside it, probably in the first few months of pregnancy. The woman’s head is also turned towards the viewer; although she is dead her eyes are still slightly opened and she has an almost victorious smile on her face. In an interview in the Tate, the author Yuko Hasegawa talks about how Matsui describes her inspiration behind the painting in the following quote.
“The woman has slit open her stomach to flaunt her uterus. The flowers that swirl around her are also displaying their female parts, as though attuned to this act. Her face conveys pride and satisfaction because she has carried it out herself. The work also addresses men with a possible desire to commit rape. The pain that she has passively accepted to date as a woman – the pain of being a victim, as well as the pain associated with the fear of retaliation either against the perpetrator or, at times, against herself – is now the driving force behind her power and strength.”
Matsui is able to incorporate the Buddhist message about purifying one’s soul in order to become one’s truest self while also examining how others are view someone and how that perception changes once someone is dead. Matsui has also stated that she is inspired by the Bulgarian-French philosopher Julia Kristeva, and the Japanese feminist critic Chizuko Ueno, who both refer to their own experiences with the process of being cast off from the typical norms of society. Like these writers, Matsui transforms the conventions of beauty through anger and aggression by depicting the female body in a horrifying and unappealing way which results in a depiction that is unappealing to the male gaze. Anna Maria Sienicka describes this in the following quote.
“This aspect takes on its full meaning in the representations of kusōzu , since usually this type of work exposes the entrails and brings out what is internal, but within the framework of the natural process of decomposition. Here, Matsui's kusōzu pervert the objective of the genre, since it is about a body having made the conscious decision to exhibit its entrails, as in an act of vanity. This perversion corresponds to a reversal of the initial intention of the kusōzu , and to the incorporation of details (such as the fetus) breaking the traditional coherence of the image represented.”
Fuyuko Matsui, Scattered Deformities in the End, 2007. Color on silk, hanging scroll 124.3×97.4cm
The third and final painting by Matsui that I found to be surreal was Scattered Deformities in the End; which depicts a naked woman running through a field at night. She is being attacked by a dog and a flock of birds who are grabbing at her long black hair and limbs while tearing apart her skin. She appears to have one long cut across her back, and several smaller cuts across her arms and legs, her organs and muscles are being pulled out from within her by the flock of birds and the dog. In the trees there are even more birds that are watching her be attacked. This painting depicts the female body as prey struggling to escape.
In conclusion, Fuyuko Matsui creates surrealist works of art that combine elements of traditional Japanese art with modern day subject matter that revolves around how women must deal with pain and suffering. Her work is reminiscent of Frida Kahlo’s portrayal of her own pain while also taking inspiration from the way Leonora Carrington tells stories through her surrealist works of art. But Matsui’s body of work draws on distinctly Japanese mythology and imagery and has a darker, more visceral tone.
To Cut, To Crease, To Fold.
Exhibition Description
This exhibition To Cut, To Crease, To fold explores play as a method of art making. It recontextualizes how play is perceived, and how different artists unconsciously and consciously utilize play in their work. Drawing inspiration from Richard Serra’s Verbal List, this exhibition highlights the importance of play as an artistic process. It includes artists that work with a wide range of mediums such as painting, sculpture, and video to demonstrate the vastly different ways in which the philosophy of play can manifest itself in the creation of artworks. While the existence of playfulness is sometimes evident in a work’s final form, it can also be a hidden aspect of the process of creation. Playfulness can be drawn from instinct, flexibility of thought and action, movement, intuitive creation, or freedom of exploration. This exhibition demonstrates how artists use methods of play as a means of creation while inviting the audience to engage with the artwork in a way that engages their own sense of imagination.
There is an assumption that play solely functions as a tool in childhood, only to be left behind as we grow old. The lessons we learn on the playground such as sharing toys, negotiating who bats next, and taking turns going down the slide, help us navigate stressful situations for the rest of our lives. To Cut, To Crease, To fold embraces how artists implement play in ways that benefit their practice in adulthood. Society expresses the importance of play in childhood for its ability to enhance cognitive flexibility and aid in stress regulation, but the dialogue around its importance dwindles as we age. Play, something that was once seen as crucial to our development, becomes irrelevant overnight. The exhibition demonstrates how play makes us more present individuals, and focuses on how it allows artists to better navigate the world and uncover difficult truths. In other words, play is a serious matter.
Richard Serra’s Verbal List is the first piece in the exhibition. To cut, to fold, and to crease are actions one might apply to their process when first working with a material. Serra’s work asks viewers to see play as a tool for understanding. Hasani Sahlehe utilizes watercolor, a medium that is heavily associated with childhood, to create abstract works that remind the viewer of a sense of freedom associated with childhood painting. While his works elicit untethered creativity, his watercolors are tools that explore the seriousness of memory and migration. Louis Bourgeois’ installation utilizes the processes of play to better understand and confront her fears of death and the concept of mortality. Her expansive works highlight the intensity of her own psychology by experimenting with and moving through her own bodily forms.
Cindy Sherman’s series depicts a process of self fashioning into different characters and personas, playing with various identities in an effort to better understand herself and the worlds that she constructs around her. Senga Nengundi’s works are playful in their focus on freedom of movement and “glorious exploring.” Her works relate to play through their awareness and connection to the body. In her series “Panty Hose,” Nengundi experiments and engages with her materials in a playful manner, allowing her work to freely develop through limitless experimentation. Mika Rottenberg’s video installations juxtapose different mass produced objects in a nonsensical order. Carried out through playful colors and plastics, Rottenberg constructs an alternative world that critiques capitalism and labor. Rottenberg uses play in a serious way to ask the public questions about the state of our society, visualizing hard truths that we may not otherwise see. Julie Mehretu’s large format canvases deal with charged historical, social and political themes. Through a dynamic and playful use of line, color, and composition, Mehretu creates compositions that serve as an urban landscape. The coexistence of political and historical themes, along with her use of abstraction — which codes into compositions, maps and diagrams— reminds the viewer of the possibility of play in a work that covers complex subject matter. Isamu Noguchi is an artist whose practice focuses on freedom, openness, and a sense of play that works to transcend all else in order to reach a point of profound awareness. His works explore the untethered formation of materials and forms in a way that is crucial to the process of play. Mike Kelly’s work “More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid” consists of assembled handmade dolls and blankets that are reminiscent of childhood play. The piece covers the harsh reality of loving, and the pain that comes from not receiving love in return. By incorporating playful elements, Kelly constructs a composition that works to better understand the pains of giving and receiving love.
John Dewey once said, “Our central and consistent effort is to teach method, not content; to emphasize process, not results; to invite the students to the realization that the way of handling himself amid the facts is more important than the facts themselves”. We hope this exhibition will evoke the feeling of reminisce, to a moment of fun, maybe perhaps that feeling when you are on the swing and for a second at the top, you fly!
Checklist:
Artwork information Image
Louise Bourgeois, “Cell (The Last Climb)”, 2008
Steel, glass, rubber, thread and wood
151 1/2 × 157 1/2 × 118 in (384.8 × 400.1 × 299.7 cm
Mike Kelley, “More Love Hours than Can Ever Be Repaid and The Wages of Sin” 1987
Stuffed fabric toys and afghans on canvas with dried corn; wax candles on wood and metal base.
120 3/4 × 151 3/4 × 31 3/4in. (306.7 × 385.4 × 80.6 cm
Julie Mehretu, “Stadia II” 2004
Ink and acrylic on canvas
107 3/8 × 140 1/8 in. (272.73 × 355.92 cm).
Senga Nengudi, “Performance Piece” 1977
Pantyhose
Silver Gelatin Print
31 1/2 × 40 in (80 × 101.6 cm)
Senga Nengudi, “R.S.V.P” 1977/2003
Pantyhose and sand (10 pieces)
Dimensions are variable
Senga Nengudi, Inside/Outside
Nylon, Mesh, and Rubber
60 x 24 in (152.4 x 61.0 cm)
Isamu Noguchi, “The Kite” 1958
Folded sheet aluminum.
62 1/4 x 17 5/8 x 5 1/2 in. (158.1 x 44.8 x 14 cm)
Wood base: 5 x 13 1/4 x 11 1/8 in. (12.7 x 33.7 x 28.3 cm)
Isamu Noguchi, “Lunar Infant”, 1944
Electric components, Magnesite, Wood
22 x 16 x 16 in. (55.9 x 40.6 x 40.6 cm)
Isamu Noguchi, “Contoured Playground”, 1941 (cast 1963)
Metal
24 x 24 in.
Mika Rottenberg, “Cosmic Generator” 2017
Video/Film
Sculpture and video installation; approximately. 27’; dimensions variable; edition 6 of 6 + 1 artist’s variant
Hasani Sahlehe, “Grandmaster” 2021
Acrylic, acrylic gel and paper clay on canvas.
75 x 65 in.
Hasani Sahlehe, “Sunburst” 2021
acrylic and cast acrylic on paper
Hasani Sahlehe, “Abbey”, 2021
oil on canvas
10 x 8 in.
Richard Serra, “Verbal List” 1967
Pencil on two sheets of paper
10 x 8 ½ (25.4 x 21.6 cm)
Cindy Sherman, “Untitled Still #6” 1977
Gelatin silver print
9 7/16 × 6 1/2" (24 × 16.5 cm)
Cindy Sherman, “Untitled Still #2” 1977
Gelatin silver print
9 7/16 × 6 1/2" (24 × 16.5 cm)
Cindy Sherman, “Untitled Film Still #17” 1978
Gelatin silver print
7 1/2 × 9 7/16" (19.1 × 24 cm)
Cindy Sherman, “Untitled Film Still #16” 1978
Gelatin silver print
9 7/16 × 7 9/16" (24 × 19.2 cm)
Artists’ Biographies
Louise Bourgeois
(Paris, France, b. 1911) With a career spanning around 80 years, the French artist is considered one of the most prolific figures of the contemporary art period. Bourgeois was a multidisciplinary artist working with large format sculpture and installation works as well as painting and printmaking. Her works deal with themes of domesticity, motherhood, sexuality, death and the unconscious.
Mike Kelley
(Detroit, Michigan, b. 1954) one of the most influential members of the Conceptual art movement. Kelley worked in different genres and styles including performance, installation, drawing, painting, video, photography, sound works, text, and sculpture. He worked on curational projects and collaborated with other artists and musicians; also left us with much critical and creative writing. Kelley came to fame in the 80s with a series of sculptures composed of common craft materials. https://mikekelleyfoundation.org/mike-kelley/biography
Julie Mehretu
(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, b. 1970) abstract printmaker and painter. Works in large format canvases that embed abstract and visual idiom with the history of different geographies, cities, and at times personal biography. Her work examines our connection to places and identity through her abstracted landscapes. http://www.artnet.com/artists/julie-mehretu/biography
Senga Nengudi
(Chicago, b. 1943) interested in visual arts, dance, body mechanics and matter of the spirit from an early age. These elements still play themselves in her art. She has always used natural materials such as sand, dirt, rocks, and seed pods; and unconventional materials such as panthose, found objects, and masking tape. She utilized these materials like how a jazz musician uses notes and sounds to improvise. The mission of her art is to share common experiences in abstractions that hit the senses; they also often welcome the viewers to become part of the work.
Isamu Noguchi
(Los Angeles, b. 1904) considered one of the Twentieth Century’s most important sculptors. Throughout his life he created sculptures, gardens, furniture, and lighting designs, ceramics, architecture, and set designs. His work is both subtle and bold, modern and traditional.
Mika Rottenberg
(Argentina, b. 1976) specializes in practice that combines film, installation, and sculpture to explore themes of labor and the production of value in our hyper-capitalist world. She uses traditions of cinema and sculpture and seeks out locations around the world where specific kinds of production and commerce are in place (such as China). Through editing, Rottenberg creates disparate places and things to create elaborate and subversive narratives. By putting fact and fiction together she highlights the beauty and craziness of our existence.
Hasani Sahlehe
(Atlanta, GA, b. 1991) a multidisciplinary artist residing in Atlanta, GA. Sahlehe’s work explores the transfer of information, memory, migration, and the supernatural. They draw influence from abstract expressionism and the visual language of urban art. The work distorts familiar imagery to contemplate the malleability of perception.
Richard Serra
(San Francisco, b. 1938) contemporary Minimalist artists known for his monumental steel sculptures. He also makes paintings and prints. He is very interested in exploring unconventional materials. He hoped to redefine the relationship between art and the viewer by creating space that is "discerned physically rather than optically."
Cindy Sherman
(New Jersey, b. 1954) Sherman was an important member of the Pictures Generation. Her practice of photographing herself under different disguises has produced one of the most influential images. The main theme of her work is the multitude of identity stereotypes that have arisen throughout history of art, advertising, cinema, and media. Sherman reveals these stereotypes through her photos. “I am trying to make other people recognize something of themselves rather than me.” —Cindy Sherman
