Gallery Report #2 | MOCA Geffen
This weekend I spent some time with work titled, The Theater of Disappearance by Adrian Villar Rojas. I was immediately struck by the work as I had never had experienced anything quite like it. Upon first entering, I was immediately excited by the dimly lit space that housed the glow of freezers holding an assortment of objects. You could tell that the artist was very intentional about how he wanted you to experience the space. Everything felt so detailed oriented - from the changing of terrain on the gallery floor to the way he placed the boulder-like and pillar-like objects. I really felt like I was in the middle of an investigation and I had a need for discovery. I saw many people putting on the flashlights on their phones to investigate the details of the pillars, so I decided to do the same. To my surprise, I was delighted to find so many objects that were not only suspended in the resin of the pillars, but also surrounding the structure.
For the most part, the room was silent with only a slight hum from the freezers. The freezers encapsulated numerous objects that varied from things found in nature, food items, technology, as well as recognizable, contemporary clothing. It was really interesting to see these things paired together. Especially since half the things did not even need to be in a freezer. I really appreciated the metaphor of preserving the things of our era.
I really enjoyed this body of work and the experience it offered. It was very unique and allows me to think about how I want viewers to experience my work.
See the press release here:
https://www.moca.org/exhibition/adrian-villar-rojas-the-theater-of-disappearance
