wise crack

[racine]

new piece at the tate gallery london. the turbine hall is a notoriously difficult space to fill .. this seems an interesting answer. the title left me cold as did her explanation. physically though it cannot be denied, and there are better images than this one


Doris Salcedo Shibboleth 2007 Photo: Tate
About
Doris Salcedo’s Shibboleth is the first work to intervene directly in the fabric of the Turbine Hall. Rather than fill this iconic space with a conventional sculpture or installation, Salcedo has created a subterranean chasm that stretches the length of the Turbine Hall. The concrete walls of the crevice are ruptured by a steel mesh fence, creating a tension between these elements that resist yet depend on one another. By making the floor the principal focus of her project, Salcedo dramatically shifts our perception of the Turbine Hall’s architecture, subtly subverting its claims to monumentality and grandeur. Shibboleth asks questions about the interaction of sculpture and space, about architecture and the values it enshrines, and about the shaky ideological foundations on which Western notions of modernity are built.

In particular, Salcedo is addressing a long legacy of racism and colonialism that underlies the modern world. A ‘shibboleth’ is a custom, phrase or use of language that acts as a test of belonging to a particular social group or class. By definition, it is used to exclude those deemed unsuitable to join this group.

[GlennT]

Doris forgot to mention that the work also addresses the cracks and voids that may appear in ones intellect when stumbling to apply too many metaphors onto a piece of concrete.

[Stephen]

Great post, racine!

[jOe~]

Doris forgot to mention that the work also addresses the cracks and voids that may appear in ones intellect

Glenn, you crack me up.

[suburbanartists]

Originally Posted by GlennT

Doris forgot to mention that the work also addresses the cracks and voids that may appear in ones intellect when stumbling to apply too many metaphors onto a piece of concrete.

Now that's a good wise crack!

[grommet]

Okay, I like the concept & would love to see it in person, on such a massive scale.
I'm pretty sure none of the naysayers can claim a more attractive crack.

[jOe~]

I'm pretty sure none of the naysayers can claim a more attractive crack.

They couldn't submit to the pleasure of a beautiful crack. Their heads would get in the way.

[evaldart]

I used to love it in the comic books when Thor served his wrath to fleet-footed adversaries by dispensing them into a huge crack that he would produce in the ground by an almighty blow of his hammer. Made me love hammers. Oh how I wanted to be Thor (except for the striped Pippy leggings).

[jOe~]

Ya, the almighty hammer. My first one still works--ball peen. Been with me a long time.

[Ries]

People who see it in person (I know, that in and of itself means you know nothing about ART with a capital A) seem to like it.
Dummies, trusting their senses and feelings.

Anyway, within a day or so, its already gathering quite a flickr file- and its interesting to see it in more detail.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Dori...&ct=3&ss=2&z=t

The artist herself is someone I find quite interesting.
Nope, she is not concerned with beauty.
Instead, her work is intentionally political and provacative.

Some of it, like the stack of a thousand chairs at the Istanbul Biennial a few years ago, was quite beautiful, in its own way-
http://www.whitecube.com/artists/sal...oorsculptures/

[CroftonGraphics]

I would like to see it in reality but am on the north extremity of the uk so its hard to get there a lot.

Has anyone seen it here in real life?
I wonder if it wil ever be revealed how it was done....

[grommet]

Thanks, Ries for posting the links. Now I really would like to see it in person. I loved the photo of the small child walking on it, following the crack. How's that for symbolism? Interpret as you will.

[Ries]

Interestingly enough, Andy Goldsworthy did a crack of his own, in San Francisco, a few years ago-

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=gold...&ct=3&ss=2&z=t

When two artists do the same thing, does it become a genre, like still life or landscape painting?

I think Goldsworthy is interesting, and does some good work, but I find his aesthetic of intentional minimalism a bit forced at times- and I think, given the similar idea, Salcedo does a lot more with it.

[jOe~]

Yup, Goldsworthy is an excellent photos stylist so that creations look better photographed in a coffee table book than in person.

[suburbanartists]

Originally Posted by Ries

Interestingly enough, Andy Goldsworthy did a crack of his own, in San Francisco, a few years ago-

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=gold...&ct=3&ss=2&z=t


I think Goldsworthy is interesting, and does some good work, but I find his aesthetic of intentional minimalism a bit forced at times

From the photos i agree. Don't like the way the crack goes thru the free standing rocks. Maybe if they were sunken in the ground as if the floor was 1 solid structure it would work better.
But for me that crack would never happen like that making it feel awkward and "forced" as you put it.

Looks more like a disney creation to me.

[grommet]

From the photos i agree. Don't like the way the crack goes thru the free standing rocks. Maybe if they were sunken in the ground as if the floor was 1 solid structure it would work better.
But for me that crack would never happen like that making it feel awkward and "forced" as you put it.

I think some of this is aside from the point, but when something cracks, it may crack through all layers. Even if you work down into a piece, the crack still shows on the unfinished surface. I realize this is stating the obvious, but it is why Goldsworthy's piece works for me. It is not contrived, it's an observation of a natural occurrance.
I've included a photo of faux marble I've done just so you know I've probably spent too much time staring at inanimate objects.

[Stephen]

Times Online and agencies:

A crack in the floor which forms Tate Modern's latest installation has claimed its first casualties.

Three visitors lost their footing and fell into the gap made by Doris Salcedo's art work.

They were among more than 12,000 people who viewed the installation, which runs the full 167 metres (548 feet) of the Turbine Hall.

The Tate said the trio did not sustain serious injuries.

[evaldart]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Times Online and agencies:

A crack in the floor which forms Tate Modern's latest installation has claimed its first casualties.

Three visitors lost their footing and fell into the gap made by Doris Salcedo's art work.

They were among more than 12,000 people who viewed the installation, which runs the full 167 metres (548 feet) of the Turbine Hall.

The Tate said the trio did not sustain serious injuries.

Big damn surprise...and I gotta make sure everything I install is BABYPROOF or it will be excluded or cancelled.
And that photographer Goldsworthy...he has set up some pretty damn precarious situations with his stick and stones props and the fact that "nature" causes them to fall apart is supposed to be part of the content.

Different rules for different people.

[grommet]

Times Online and agencies:

A crack in the floor which forms Tate Modern's latest installation has claimed its first casualties.

Three visitors lost their footing and fell into the gap made by Doris Salcedo's art work.

They were among more than 12,000 people who viewed the installation, which runs the full 167 metres (548 feet) of the Turbine Hall.

The Tate said the trio did not sustain serious injuries.

Maybe liability insurance is part of the content of the piece.

[jOe~]

PHP Code:

Maybe liability insurance is part of the content of the piece 


It wouldn't surprise me given her statement. Poor U.S. kids without health insurance are now guaranteed the opportunity to fall through the cracks. The art of being stingy and having backasswards priorities.

[suburbanartists]

Originally Posted by grommet

I think some of this is aside from the point, but when something cracks, it may crack through all layers. .

I was refering to where the tile floor crack meets the freestanding blocks placed on the tiles surface. If the floor cracks the block would just float over the gap. Having the block crack and the floor crack perfectly lined up just doesn't make any sense. If the cracks are to appear to be caused naturally which is what it looks like to me than the boulders cracks should be from seperate events and not lined up.

That's just my view and it makes it look fake to me which is why i still say it's more like a disney theme park.

And it's also fun to say crack way to much.

[fritchie]

Sorry I got into the discussion so late, but from the photos I actually like the piece.

On the liability issue, I think the U. S. protection requirements are a good idea. Probably the hall itself covered that cost, but just how far should the public be endangered for art? Wouldn't this piece work as well if the public simply observed from aside?

[racine]

cracks are wonderful, often the enemy or recreation of a sculpture. where would the venus de milo be without arms or french critics. the british museum has complete versions which are without an iconic status.
even here on this site mr M Manjul has deliberately cracked a buddha, a sensational crack. the 'death of a sculpture' is not the end?
cracks appear in every genre except arguably music. perhaps Salcedo has been reading the stone raft by Jose Sarramago.

[grommet]

I was refering to where the tile floor crack meets the freestanding blocks placed on the tiles surface. If the floor cracks the block would just float over the gap. Having the block crack and the floor crack perfectly lined up just doesn't make any sense. If the cracks are to appear to be caused naturally which is what it looks like to me than the boulders cracks should be from seperate events and not lined up.

That's just my view and it makes it look fake to me which is why i still say it's more like a disney theme park.

And it's also fun to say crack way to much.

I see what you're saying. I guess I still view it as part of the same piece, as a whole that's been "worked".

[suburbanartists]

Originally Posted by racine

cracks appear in every genre except arguably music. .

Have you ever heard a band stop playing in the middle of the song and a few uncomfortable seconds later start right back up? Or what about a soloist hitting an obvious bad note? You are right that cracks are everywhere. And if they're not there now they will eventually be coming. I'm all for cracks and imperfection.