Made it to Germany!

I stopped over in New York for a couple days on the way and got a chance to see Cindy Sherman's retrospective at MOMA. It was great to finally see the entire Untitled Film Stills series together. Her giant wallpaper mural was great as well.

 

(Taken off ArtNet as photography was not allowed)

There were so many other amazing works on display and spending an entire day there wasn't enough. Here are a few highlights...

My favorite exhibition was Sanja Ivecović's "Sweet Violence". She is a feminist, activist, and video pioneer from Croatia who became known during the 70's. This is her first museum exhibition in the U.S. and it spans four decades of her work. She introduced me to the fact that the U.S. is one of only eight countries left in the world who have yet to adopt CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The other countries not participating are Iran, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga. Among many other issues relating to equality for women it affirms the reproductive rights of women, which is something the U.S. is definitely behind on (please note CEDAW is abortion neutral, but promotes access to family planning).

The performance captured on video titled "Practice Makes a Master", was very powerful. It showed a woman on a stage in black dress and shoes with a white bag over her head falling over in violent reactions to an invisible assailant while a spotlight switches on and off. This was set to Marylin Monroe singing a sensual tune from the movie "Bus Stop", slowed down to where it eventually sounds like a man's voice at the end of the film. It had a Lynchian feel with a very direct message about the rehearsal of violence and psychological savagery.

(The version I saw was different. The one at MOMA had more of the song, the falling was not in slow motion, and it did not show the lighting/camera etc.)

This piece was not in the show, but I think it's brilliant.  Eve’s Game, 2009

I was also happy to see some of Hannah Wilke's pieces including these...

The incredible sand filled nylons of Senga Nengudi.

Senga Nengudi, R.S.V.P. I, 1977

There was plenty of fabulous photography as well...

 Two pieces from Ai Wei Wei's Study in Perspective, 1995-2003.

Nan Goldin

1. Nan and Brian in Bed, New York City
1983

2. Philippe H. and Suzanne Kissing at Euthanasia, New York City

1981

3. Rise and Monty Kissing, New York City
1980

 

And an entire Eugene Atget Exhibit. I loved this one of a prostitute. I would definitely sport those leather boots with knee socks and giant mink.

I checked out the last day of the H.R. Geiger retrospective today and found out there is a Louise Bourgeois exhibit at the Hamburg Art Hall. More to come...