Material Galore
Exhibition Reviews - Week of 3.31.2025
Hi hi,
This week, we were able to visit a healthy number of exhibitions, both galleries and a museum. In my pursuit of art journalism, I was also able to take care of my health. I reached well over 10,000 steps each day I went out. Below are the shows that toned my calve muscles this week.
Gallery Openings
Museum Exhibitions
Brooklyn Museum
Vanessa German’s “GUMBALL —there is absolutely no space between body and soul” at Kasmin Gallery and “Solid Gold” at Brooklyn Museum caught my attention this week.
Brooklyn Museum’s “Solid Gold”
I’ve been wanting to see “Solid Gold” at Brooklyn Museum since it first opened and finally got the chance to see it this week. The exhibition featured a mix of art pieces and materials the commonality, of course, was gold. The pieces ranged from antiquity to contemporary, and featured gold in its financial, artistic, and religious usage. From adornment to enslavement, the exhibition showcased gold and all its effects on humanity and our reaction to the coveted material.
The exhibit didn’t quite cover the extensive history of the material, it felt more cursory in its overview of its impact on society. With a focus on golds usage in popular culture, the 1969 Cleopatra movie featuring Elizabeth Taylor playing in two separate locations in the space, images of Rihanna and Nelly, and archival fashion pieces were featured throughout.
I would’ve preferred a more in-depth discussion and overview of the material, as I have some background on the subject, I was hoping for it to be expanded on. There was a short film on loop, that spoke of the grasp gold has on the human spirit. The film showcased miners who were not slaves but men from all walks of life, yet in the gaping Earth and deplorably dangerous conditions, were all enslaved to the idea of wealth. Not many achieved it.
Though not discussed in the exhibition, I believe Pliny the Elder is a figure that should be brought into the dialog when discussing the history of materials. He held a critical opinion of gold and humanities tendency to abuse the Earth’s minerals.
“If only gold could be completely banished from life, reviled and abused as it is by all the worthiest people, a discovery whose only purpose was the destruction of human life! What a far happier age it was when goods were bartered…”
This quote is pulled from page 287 of Natural History. A Selection. Translated by John F. Healy. Penguin Books 1991. For reference Pliny the Elder, full name Gaius Plinius Secundus, was around from AD 23/24 to 79. He wrote the 37-volume encyclopedia, "Naturalis Historia" (Natural History), which covered topics in natural science and was a key source of information for centuries, particularly during the Middle Ages. His accumulation of knowledge is a pillar in the science and history of minerals. If any of my readers are interested in learning more about the history of materials, I recommend looking into Naturalis Historia.
Overall, I enjoyed some of the works, including an El Anatsui piece, which is pictured below. He’s a Ghanaian sculptor artist whose work I intentionally seek out. We’ll have to do an in-depth look into his work and practice soon! For now, think of this as a teaser. But, the show felt more like a showcasing of stardom and fashion than an in-depth overview of gold. I’d recommend it if you are interested in fashion.
This show will be on view from November 16, 2024 to July 6, 2025.
Vanessa German’s “GUMBALL —there is absolutely no space between body and soul” at Kasmin Gallery
Stumbling into the Kasmin receptions was an experience. The photos I captured and edited for your viewing pleasure do not properly capture the intricate use of material the artist, Vanessa German, displays. I do have a propensity towards artwork with religious themes, as you can tell by my selections, or artworks that stir something unknown in me that engages my curiosity. German’s work did both, and the gemstone material of the heads created a tactile experience that made me want to run my fingers across their surfaces so bad. But I relented the urge and just ate with my eyes. Luckily for me, there was plenty to enjoy.
The monumental heads were spread throughout the gallery, and though all were similarly constructed, each carried unique characteristics that pulled visitors to what they were most aesthetically, and perhaps energetically, aligned with. The ones I selected above were mine. Besides my superficial preference towards rose quartz and royal blue, I found the numerous astrological symbols that made exploring the work wholly enjoyable. German’s practice is deeply entrenched with religious themes and experiences; she cites her Angelica visitation as her inspiration for the show.
As pulled from German’s Instagram:
“I was visited by two separate angels in the fall of 2024; one said to me: Olmec. And the other said to continue to use my spirit as power. I received the spirit message several times in several spaces. Something about faith and knowing where and how to gaze at the precise edge of a thing as a knowing of creative power.”
I highly recommend going on German’s Instagram and reading some of her posts about this show. She details her practice and just how entangled it is with spirituality.
This show will be on view from April 3 – May 10, 2025
The themes for this week were unintentionally centered around materials and their effects on society. Whether that be spiritual, “GUMBALL —there is absolutely no space between body and soul,” or social, as with “Solid Gold.” Minerals have a hypnotic effect on the human consciousness and can drive us to cruelty, and exploitation, or inspiration, and enlightenment. Gold, quartz, diamonds, etc., are all indicative of class and individual alignment/interest. Shiny objects have always and will continue to enchant us. At the end of the day, we’re all just crows.
If you have any recommendations for a show, please let me know below!