“Infinite Line,” Sarah Sze’s latest exhibition at the Asia Society was in fact infinite as promised. Sze’s rarely exhibited drawings, and three dimensional displays, all different, yet repetitive, either irritated or perplexed her viewers. From one arrangement to another it was a guessing game. And for a moment, everything made sense, and everything in the display began to connect.
It is almost impossible to know what Sarah Sze is thinking, but ironically, it seems she is not thinking about much. Almost random elements in each setting such as a coffee cup or a handful of pennies suggest inconsistency with the rest of the pieces that seem to coexist.
One display more irritating than the next, one, having long, rainbow-colored strings that link the two ends of a large paper scroll. They are anchored by pill containers and travel documents. Off to the side, a cinder block with a rolodex resting on top. Pinned to the wall is a large photograph of a blue sky; on the ground is a blinking alarm clock.
While observing the extraneous details in each scene, it all seems very complex. But, one cannot help but question, is it complexity or confusion that holds our attention?
Ms. Sze does a phenomenal job in creating scenes that play upon the amount of light coming through the room. It is fascinating that depending on what time of day the exhibit is viewed, the pieces will all be observed differently. Because Sze’s art is not constant, it lacks permanence.
For the precision and level of detail, these works are bound to be admired. The exhibition is intriguing, unique, and challenging but unfortunately easily detested.
[“Infinite Line” closed on March 25, but you can still check out a video about it here.]
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