MOMA PS1
An exhibition at MOMA PS1 that really caught my attention was Samara Golden’s “The Flat Side of the Knife”. Golden refers to her work as the sixth dimension because her installations portray past, presents and futures all at the same time. In this installation Golden is trying to show the layers of consciousness as well as illusion and hallucination.
The work consists of staircases, musical
instruments, beds, luggage, couches, wheelchairs, lamps, projected landscapes, and
a television. The work has a strong use of the color silver. The stair cases wheelchairs
and musical instruments are silver. The mirrors give the illusion of space/
depth with the top of the installation reflecting on the bottom.
When I first saw this piece I believed that this was the life of someone whose world is totally upside down and that person wishes that the reflection were true when in reality it’s really not. I also thought maybe this might be sick person who desires a vacation but they can’t go on one due to medical conditions. I came to this conclusion after seeing empty bags that could have either contained serum or blood and the luggage. Since the person can go on this desired vacation they install the landscape view to make it seem like they are where they want to go.
After researching the true meaning of this work of
art I can determine that my evaluation of the work was pretty similar to the
actual meaning behind it. The installation is meant to portray the conflict
between opposing forces and perspectives. These include optimism and pessimism,
tragedy and tranquility, right and wrong, true or false, etc.
This art makes me see that we are not limited to only what the eye may see. Our imagination is a fantastic example of this and through imagination we can create images that we can later make become real. Also it made me see that we are not entitled to choose between just two different opinions, there is nothing wrong with remaining in between.
“I hope my work can be like a door that opens to
different times or moods. Maybe we can see that this kind of door is possible,
but we don’t yet know how to cross its threshold.” - Samara Golden