Nearly half the pieces in the show are text-based—perhaps a predilection of Gilkerson’s, who has used text in her own work. One of the most charming is James Johnson’s '14K Sentences on Conceptual Art.' The piece consists of conceptual artist Sol Lewitt’s famous 35 'Sentences on Conceptual Art' printed onto a slightly warped sheet of 14-karat gold. The viewer cannot read them without seeing his or her own distorted, funhouse-mirror reflection, which adds a level of humor and depth to the words. Number 20 particularly resonates—'Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions'—as does number 35: 'These sentences comment on art, but are not art.' In this context, of course, they have become art.
One Review a Month Reviews September Exhibitions at Vox
The only joy in the gallery came from viewing James Johnson’s tiny window cut into the gallery wall (“Town”) and pondering for a moment if the stack of bills displayed cut into the wall on the opposite side (“Old Money”) was real and if someone might try and steal it. (If this was a longer review I might wonder if he deserved to have it stolen for flaunting his grant/prize money.) Johnson’s display is well-done and effortless-looking.
Vox Populi Participates in No Soul for Sale at Tate Modern
To celebrate Tate Modern’s 10th anniversary, the gallery will host No Soul For Sale – A Festival of Independents. The festival will bring together over 70 of the world’s most exciting independent art spaces, non-profit organizations and artists’ collectives, from Shanghai to Rio de Janeiro, to take over the iconic Turbine Hall with an eclectic mix of cutting-edge arts events, performances, music and film on 14-16 May 2010.
Ranging from monumental structures to witty interventions, epic performances to interactive installations, participants will exhibit alongside each other without partitions or walls, creating a pop-up village of global art for visitors to explore. All participants will host a live event of their choice on the dedicated performance space on the Turbine Hall bridge, ranging from talks and screenings to performances.
May 14 – 16, 2010