Big Steel

Richard Serra, a minimalist sculptor, is currently having a show of his work at the MOMA. It is really an amazing show. Sure some of you may be thinking "wow... big sheets of rusting metal... great" but seriously, it is so much more than that. The massive sculptures are really an amazing site to see in person- sure you can look at pictures and think "Woah that is huge"- but to walk through and around them is a whole other feeling.

Yesterday I ventured out of my hermit world into the light to meet my best pal and head to the MOMA to see the show we had been talking about seeing for weeks. We had seen Serra's work together years ago at Gagosian before it was really "Gagosian" as she likes to point out (meaning it wasn't so polished and divided- I also saw a Damian Hirst show there before the space was really established. The show was awesome, it had the sliced cow, sorry to demean the art like that but really, that's what people know it as). At the time of the Serra show I was not very into abstract sculpture, in fact I am still not someone who longs to look at abstract sculpture or seeks it out- however, Serra's work is different.

Perhaps it is indeed the grand scale, the massive plates of metal twisted to look so malleable yet hard as rocks or the precarious way in which they stand that draws me in however I can honestly say I really am a fan of his work. While walking around and through his pieces Sequence, Band and Torqued Torus Inversion there is this disarming energy, I felt as though I had no balance and almost dizzy. While inside one of his shapes surrounded by metal that looks as though any moment it may come crashing down I had this intense feeling I can only describe as "ass tingle" - crude, I know, its the same feeling I get when I am up high and there is no railing and I look over an edge ( The first time I got this feeling from art was at a Bill Viola show at the old ICA in Boston- it was then that I decided video would be my medium of choice). The feeling inside a Serra shape for me is excitement and fear with a dash of disturbing serenity - a vortex of confusion if you will...with ass tingles. However this feeling is also unique for each individual and some may not feel anything at all and just be starring at the water stains running down the seem of the curved wall- which is all good if you ask me.

If you take the time to appreciate the rusted beauty of the finish, the curves, the scale, the gouged out spots that make it appear to be clay, if you look at it from different angles, walk around, just absorb- you will not be disappointed. I found many amazing views through openings that created abstract landscapes for one to admire, or even what I like to call "sets" and enjoyed finding new ways to look at the work. There are also smaller works of his on the sixth floor that prove even without the grand scale his work is powerful, transforming and transcending materials to raise questions in one's mind. Often times when people see things like this (or art in general) they are looking to be "DONE"- They walk in and expect something amazing to happen and when it doesn't they think they either don't "get it" or it's "stupid". I know because I used to be one of those people. I learned that just by looking at something and being open to it I can enjoy it far more than if I am looking for "meaning" thus frustrating myself when I don't "get it".

It seems lately in the New York art scene "idea and person" has eclipsed skill and craft thus intimidating some people into thinking they are not capable of understanding art. I find that very unfortunate. While I am one who knows and respects ideas I also find this disheartening at times for many reasons but one in particular is that some artist now hide behind ideas and use that as an excuse for poorly crafted art (yes some people do the opposite by hiding behind skill with no idea- the key is a balance). In my opinion the self importance of the artist is what keeps the general public from wanting to be a part of it. That behaviour begs the questions- is one making art for art sake, for artists only, for the select few- or is one making art as an expression of self, for the masses, even just FOR oneself? I do not know the answers to any of these questions and once again it is a personal question for each artist.

There is one thing I do know- once art is made and on view it is open to interpretation in as many ways as the human mind can go and there is nothing wrong with that. An artist may be frustrated because you do not see what they intended you to see however a good artist (once again, in my opinion) is open to new ideas and welcomes the new views on something they have made (I mean who the heck doesn't like to talk about themselves or something they made).

Serra's work is open for interpretation , he may in fact find it disgusting that I do not see some ideas embedded deep withing the spiraling sheets of steel or that maybe I even missed his point all together. I honestly don't care- sure I would love to hear what he had to say, but for me my reaction and my interpretation was all I needed. I read the essays provided by the museum (I always do) however it did nothing to increase my enjoyment of the work- it did inform me as to a historical time line and what the museum sees in the work, however once again, I enjoyed it on my own level. This work ultimately reminded me of why I love art- and that is something I have not felt in a long time. So please, go to the museum's this summer, enjoy the air conditioning and fuck all the "arty" people- just go and look at something nice and enjoy it on any level you can. If you don't enjoy it- hey no love lost at all but at least you stayed cool while you tried.