WANÃ…S 1996: Eight Americans
The artists of 1996 all lived in the US even if it was not their place of origin. The exhibtion might be seen as a paraphrase on the show “Four Americans” at Moderna Museet, Stockholm 1962. Then the popartists showed in Sweden at a time when they were not yet accepted in their own country. At WanÃ¥s a clear trend among a new generation of Amereican artist was made clear. In their art a biting critiscm of the society can be seen . It is often technically very advanced and ready- mades are many. It is international in the true sense of the word. No romanticism here, rather an evident relaxed attitude to differences.
Jason Rhoades elaborate indoor with outdoor element installation ” Frigidaire cold wind)” made of goods from IKEA with references to Swedish immigrant history, to WanÃ¥s and the world wide power of IKEA. The work was dominated by a scatter art attitude with life sized horses painted with grafitti, house hold goods, rugs and chairs mixed with heads of ducks and copies of the house where IKEA started. The companys original logo in black and yellow were spread out.
Matthew McCaslin’s installation “Food for thought ” was made of 15 video monitors on which grazing cows were seen. The monitors were placed like containers, sometimes upside down and the cows were solo stars. It was an installation that gave a chance to find our place through a moment in nature and a moment in time.
Thom Merrick’s “Bad mood lamps” was an installation full of ironic refererences to our cultures avid use of cars and the ugly sad lamps in cheap hotels.In the park stands “Whitney Outhouse of American Art” as a paraphrase on the Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC.Built in the beechwood it is a contrast to nature and not the least bit romantic. The criticisms of a young artist of art-institutions of today is apparant.
Rachel Khedoori produced the most original and different work at WanÃ¥s. Her 16 mm. film “untitled” showed a rough part of the park with smaller sized trees and a ground covered by copper colored beech leaves. The film was shot in the fog from fog machines which enhanced the mysterious and romantic feeling. The 7 min. long loop showed no people except for a second long glimpse of a man. The camera went extremely slowly over the area. The film hade connections to Nordic light even if the medium was far from late 1900 century painting.
Meanwhile Donald Baechler’s “Reclining Figure (floating)” made of steel and fiberglass was floating in the pond. Meter long it fit the scale of the place and the old fortress. The figure with his hands stretching lamely into the sky evoke feelings of pity and worry.
In a remote area of tha park Martin Puryear built “Meditation in a Beech Wood” of water reed, thatched over a timbered frame 500 cm high. The form is amorphous like a big body, a Buddha, which has landed in the woods. A sacred place is created in the woods. The installation is thatched like many roofs in the the South of Sweden. Here the artist Martin Puryear, with his deep knowledge of Sweden, from his education at the Royal Academy of Art (1966-68) made an installation with many references to Swedish materials and history. Over time “Mediatation in a Beech Wood” ages and the yellow thatch changes to brown.