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Matthew Barney
Week starting 24/05/2021
Matthew Barney ‘Debout’ at the Hayward Gallery Southbank Centre. I went to see the exhibition last Saturday at the Southbank Centre and I have to say, I found it thoroughly impressive. Matthew Barney is an artist, cultivator, and designer whose work has been influenced by ecological and sustainable development of the world. The exhibition that I went to see is called ‘Debout.’ It focuses on the global impact of deforestation. The work is expressed through sculptures cast from burnt trees and engravings onto electroplated copper. There was also a 2 hour (or so) feature film that was being played in the exhibition. The film was my favourite piece of art shown in the exhibition.
The film shows the mountains of Idaho completely covered in snow. A fairly complex film. Actors were impersonating wolfs, showing characteristics. The flexibility, the dance, and the rhythm of the actors, make the comparison between them and a wolf realistic. The film was my favourite part of the exhibition, the directing, shots, storyline and scenery created a beautiful cinematic piece. The film also helped explain the process of creating the electroplated copper plate designs which were being displayed in the gallery. Storytelling through different characters which meet for the first time at the end, a Quentin Tarantino special.
The name of the exhibition is ‘Redoubt’. ‘Redoubt’ is a type of defensive military fortification, which is commonly linked to the American survivalist movement. For me, the film showed two artists creating drawings from the wolfs in their natural habitat. It showed the development process of the copper plates, then it would cut to a cold snowy night with a burning fire, the wolves heating themselves up from the warmth. There is this amazing shot where the actors rig up a tree and pull up a ‘wolf’ out of her sleeping bag leaving he hanging upside-down. It’s so bazar, but wonderful. Another incredible scene is where the title photo for the exhibition is from. Simply it shows a women free climbing a tree. The shot is amazing with the snow covered mountains of central Idaho in the background.
A scene which I loved due to its slow pace and the wackiness was an indigenous women playing and dancing with hula hoops. Creating the most beautiful shapes by weaving herself in and out of 9-12 hoops – till her body was completely submerged in the dance and form. She reminded me of praying mantis elegantly moving around the room with her big old boots on. This is the only part of the film that is filmed inside, and not in the wilderness. It shows a deserted town and a empty hall/space. I later found out the dancer is Sandra Lamouche. It really was a beautiful and incredible scene.
The pieces in the exhibition are based around the idea of the ‘Rebout’ and The American West. From reading the exhibition leaflet I learnt that there has also been a ‘myth of the American West as a frontier origination with the migration of European settlers across the American continent in the 18th century. American landscape painting has typically depicted a wild and seemingly freely available landscape that could be tamed by the new settlers. Reflecting the interests of the colonisers, these paintings conveniently suppressed anu indication that these lands had been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years.’
The film was captured over a stretch of 6 days. Each day was separated by a black slide with ‘day 3’ or whatever, typed simply at the bottom. Due to time restraints, I couldn’t stay for the whole 2 hours 14 minutes. The piece showed the relationship between wolves, indigenous people and the natural elements. ‘Wolves have important cultural significance for many of the indigenous people of North America, are widely revered for spiritual reasons and respected as peak predators and pack animals.
I enjoy the piece so much, I felt relaxed, it was new to be in a dark theatre watching with a large busy crowd. I was disappointed that I only caught the last 40 minutes. At the end I went to the explanation description on the wall to see that people with a ticket can view the film online at home. This is how I will be spending my next few days.
Matthew Barney was born in 1967 in NYC. His work is widely known and acclaimed. His previous work focuses on the ideal of bodies though film and performance. He looks at the environment and the relationship between animals, people and their surroundings. In my opinion his work is daring, it speaks a thousand words. The size he works on, and the magnitude of the projects is what I truly love best.
In terms of the electroplated copper plates; they were great as induvial pieces or all together as a collection. The opaque colour reflecting light in different directions. The bumps and design being a lighter shade of copper compared to the background. On some of the pieces the copper appeared polished and shinned in different sections creating a mirror, the viewer can see their reflection, I wonder was this part of the art? The viewer being part of the artwork? I also really liked the electronic plates which had been shot with the firearm or that had decay being shown. It looked like purpose-built mould. A weird take on a petri dish.
Metallurgy is the overall name for a type of manipulation of copper or brass. These materials as well as alloy of copper and zinc were used in the electroplated engravings. From the film my take on the method is that the artist draws/ scrapes the metal plates with a sharp tool, which scratches the surface of the plate. When this plate is submerged into a copper sulphate and sulphic acid tank, a electronic current pulses through the drawing which has been scratch onto to the flat surface. This creates a chemical reaction which expands the design, making it bulge, distorting the smooth surface. I will make sure to attach images at the top of the page which show my favourite pieces.
I really loved the copper plates which were on hand made easels. They were also made from the same material being bent and manipulated to the hold the design. I thought the intricate design was beautiful. It was organic.
Overall, I went to the Hayward not having heard of Matthew Barney and not knowing what the exhibition would be about. I was delighted with what I found/learnt. If you are in London from now to 25th July go see ‘REDOUBT.’ You will not be disappointed.
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Thank you for reading my Artist of the Week on Matthew Barney.
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@gracecumminsart