When I was last in DC, I made a beeline for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the "Directions" installation by Jim Lambie and it was duly rewarding. In Lambie's pop-psychedelic montage, mundane items are given intricate, esoteric meaning via their presentation, replication and application. While sections of the exhibition are arresting, it is somewhat poorly presented in the museum's high-traffic lobby.
Noted:
Turner Prize finalist Lambie (b. Glasgow, Scotland,1964) has transformed the Hirshhorn's lobby into a vibrant, colorful, and immersive environment. The artist meticulously adheres vinyl tape to the floor in a geometric pattern that responds to the building's architecture. The floor is further enhanced by a group of sculptures-three new pieces made on site using existing elements and materials found in thrift stores, markets, and pawn shops throughout Washington. Lambie's interest in “making edges disappear” breaks down the divisions between sculpture and other media. As a musician and DJ, he often creates work explicitly related to music that strives to replicate the experience of being transported by a favorite song.
The most striking element is Zobop, the sharp, angular, pattern of fluorescent stripes created on the floor with tape. There's a fantastic program I picked up with color photos and an excellent essay by associate curator Anne Ellegood, but it doesn't appear to be online. Highly recommended if you're in town. Through October 2.
Pictured: Zobop staircase in the home of private collectors, Miami, FL.
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