“Instant Gratification” Gagosian Gallery
Through Dec. 22
The difficulty of analyzing Pop Art lies in the nearly
impossible task of separating the ridiculous from the sublime.
Nowhere is this dilemma more perfectly illustrated than in the art
exhibition “Instant Gratification,” now on display at
the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills. “Instant
Gratification” represents the first show in Los Angeles by
the British Pop sensations Tim Noble and Sue Webster. For the show
the duo created three original sculptures that the artists claimed
were inspired by the glitz and glamour of Beverly Hills. However,
the argument could be made that the exhibition would be more at
home in the galleries of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas (with a
catalogue written by Robert Venturi) than at the Gagosian. The most
dominant work in the show, and unfortunately the weakest, is a
20-foot-long neon sign that spells out the word
“FOREVER” in giant flashing letters. The sign’s
flashing has a certain rhythmic circularity to it and the colors
are pretty, but whatever artistic power neon signs had was
exhausted by Webster and Noble’s earlier works in the same
medium. Their latest neon sculpture has all the artistic daring and
aesthetic impact of a Motel 6 sign. The namesake of the show
“Instant Gratification” is an interactive work that
consists of a seemingly formless pile of $1 bills encased in a box
composed of plexiglass, formica, electric fans and the mechanism
from a slot machine. A spotlight illuminates the pile, forming a
silhouette of Noble and Webster kissing on the opposite wall of the
gallery. If a viewer inserts a plastic token, the electric fans of
the sculpture are activated causing some of the dollar bills to
whirl around in the box, disrupting the silhouette. “Instant
Gratification” is similar to the couple’s earlier
sculpture “Dirty White Trash,” 1998. Like the
couple’s earlier work, “Instant Gratification”
makes an interesting use of light and form by creating order out of
disorder through the presence of an absence. “Instant
Gratification,” however, expands on the themes explored in
“Dirty White Trash” by adding elements of movement and
allusions to the cinema. The third work, “Pair of
Dollars,” is made up of two 6-foot-tall dollar signs with 204
unbearably hot sequentially flashing lights (word of caution to
those susceptible to heat stroke and epileptic seizures induced by
blinking lights ““ you should probably skip this one).
Although it’s easy to dismiss this work as leftover props
from P. Diddy’s latest rap video, out of the three pieces of
artwork “Pair of Dollars” most accurately reflects the
perceived culture and climate of Los Angeles. The lights of one of
the signs flashes in an a hectic “S”-like pattern
similar to a group of cars traveling down a section of the 405
freeway (albeit unrealistically fast). The sign’s other
lights flash on and off like a group of twinkling stars. The lights
of both sculptures generate a tremendous amount of heat and create
sunbeam/spotlight patterns on the walls, giving the work a
distinctive California feel. All the best Pop Artists are part
Picasso, part Puck and a little P.T. Barnum. Whether Tim Noble and
Sue Webster fit this definition is debatable. “Instant
Gratification” is the type of art exhibition that causes most
people to scratch their head and ask, “This is art?”
That being said, it’s definitely worth spending an hour or so
to go down to the Gagosian and find the answer.
Daniel Wong
“With Reference To Painting” Vincent Price
Gallery, East Los Angeles College Through Dec. 14
Three Southern California painters are featured in “With
Reference To Painting” at East Los Angeles College. While the
show has some fascinating pieces, there isn’t enough variety
within each artist’s work to justify the drive to Monterey
Park. Many of the 20 works by Bob Alerette feature people and farm
animals connected to mechanical objects, either through wires or
proximity. Named “Flatbed Rack No. 1″ through
“Flatbed Rack No. 4,” the largest pieces contain
multiple canvases connected by aluminum framing. The theme of these
pieces is the contrast between the natural and unnatural worlds.
While it’s an interesting topic, the “Flatbed
Racks” lack enough variety to maintain the viewer’s
interest. The same is true for many of the other works, all of
which are untitled. Although it isn’t always clear what the
viewer is looking at, it’s certain that it’s
essentially the same from one piece to another. The works of
Jonathan Davies are also themed. In his case, the presence of DNA
in all living things is the unifying factor. The most interesting
piece, both in Davies’ work and in the exhibit as a whole, is
“Nomad.” For one thing, the materials list includes
DNA. Walking down the 21-foot length of the painting, the viewer
sees contrasting images of sheep and worms. A plexiglass case on
the left side holds numbered, pastel colored eppendorph tubes,
presumably holding the DNA. Many of the other works depict surreal
scenes, like an open mouth with a bird sitting on a dentist’s
tool, and include a row of colored stripes that represent a DNA
scan. Like Alerette’s work, the subject range is limited to
this idea of DNA, but Davies’ pieces benefit from a greater
variety of imagery. Unusually shaped portraits constitute
Christopher Chinn’s work at the exhibit. Elliptical or narrow
canvases hold mostly paintings of people lying in fields. While
many are well-done, they don’t break any new ground. The
canvas shapes seem like a good idea, but the subject matter of the
paintings doesn’t justify or make use of it. Though each of
the three artists has good work, the exhibit as a whole lacks
impact.
Mary Williams