MOCA's
varied, intricate contemporary works
By:
Michelle Zenarosa
Daily Forty-Niner
Just
in time for Halloween, the Museum of Contemporary
Art (MOCA) brings a mix of fright and
oddity in an array of physically challenging
works. Highlighting the growth and complexity
of installation art over the past 30 years,
"Sitings: Installation Art 1969-2002,"
is a collection of works that seem to
have taken 30 years itself to create.
For
the first time in the United States Gregor
Schneider's haunting "Dead House
Ur" will be presented in its entirety.
Room
upon room, the maze-like house bears no
resemblance to any regular home. With
trick doors and secret passageways thrown
throughout the home, one can easily get
lost, in hidden rooms and dead ends.
The
city of Rhedyt has an incredible amount
of sacredness and history to Schneider.
Five generations of his family invested
much financial and emotional time there.
"I
dream about taking the whole house away
with me and building it somewhere else,"
said Schneider in an interview with author,
Ulrich Loock.
Paul
McCarthy's "Tokyo Santa, Santa's
Trees," are haunting depictions of
a Santa Claus that no child should ever
see. Created in 1999, the photographs,
surrounded by an assortment of Christmas
trees, present Santa playing and cutting
with what looked like sausages and animals
with blood smeared all over his face,
hands and clothing.
Mountains
of melted candles and pictures posted
to cardboard of Middle-Eastern refugees
and soldiers are what make up the political
work, "Non-Lieux" by artist
Thomas Hirschborn.
Dramatically
succinct, the artwork contains a controversial
juxtaposition with a collage of top models
and advertisements on its outskirts, and
upright soldiers on the inner region.
Both
exhibits are mind blowing, considering
the intricacy involved in each artists'
works, leaving you staring at it over
and over again, each time discovering
something new.
EVENTS
LISTING
What:
"Sitings: Installation Art 1969-2002,"
"Gregor Schneider: Dead House Ur"
When: Displaying until Sept. 13, 2004
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art
152 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, Ca
