Jeppe Hein
dal 7/2/2007 al 28/4/2007
Segnalato da
7/2/2007
Jeppe Hein
Barbican Centre, London
And at The Curve
And at The Curve
Danish artist Jeppe Hein, known for his playful and interactive installations, is the latest contemporary artist to be commissioned to create a new work for The Curve. Responding to the distinctive architecture of the gallery, Distance is an 800-metre steel structure that loops, twists and turns through the 80-metre sweep of The Curve. On entering the space the viewer triggers a sensor, which launches a large ball on to the metal tracks. As more visitors arrive more balls are released bringing this mechanical structure to life. Opening in February 2007, this is Jeppe Hein’s first major exhibition in the UK.
During his career Hein has worked with a range of forms including cubes, mirrors and seesaws, sometimes playing with the natural elements such as fire, water and wind to create spectacular effects. This summer Hein’s water sculpture, Appearing Rooms, became a hugely popular landmark on London’s South Bank. Walls of water rose and fell randomly to make a series of constantly changing ‘rooms’. Caught unawares, people either chased the forming patterns or simply stood back observing the fun.
Often without prior warning or even awareness that the installation has been orchestrated, viewers of Hein’s work find themselves in a position where their presence or actions set something in motion. Did I Miss Something, consists of a park bench situated by a lake. As soon as someone sits down, an oversized fountain suddenly shoots up, to disappear again as soon as the bench is vacated. Whilst in Moving Bench #2 , the sitter is transported around a gallery. Other works have a more disturbing element. In 360° Presence (2002) a rough steel ball is activated and moves around randomly when a person enters the gallery. Bashing into walls and other visitors it is only when they leave that the ball ceases to move.
Jeppe Hein was born in Copenhagen in 1974. He lives and works in Berlin and Copenhagen. He has shown extensively in Europe and the USA. Recent solo projects include Reflections, Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen, 2006; X-Rummet, Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, 2006; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2005; PS1, MOMA, New York, 2004 and Fundación la Caixa, Barcelona, 2003. Recent group exhibitions include the Liverpool Biennale, Liverpool, 2006; Ecstasy, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2005–06; Moving Parts, Kunsthalle Graz, 2004 and the Venice Biennale, 2003.
…/…
CURVE ART
The Curve is the Barbican’s free exhibition space that wraps around the back of the Concert Hall. Launched in May 2006, Curve Art is a series of new commissions inviting contemporary artists to respond to the distinctive architecture of the space. These exhibitions enable artists to develop their work and realise projects on a scale that is seldom available. In the first commission, Argentinean artist Tomas Saraceno (11 May – 16 July 2006) created a dramatic video installation, filmed in Bolivia at the largest salt lake on earth, giving the viewer the impression of living in the clouds. A three-part installation by British artist Richard Wilson featuring a black cab bored with holes, a caravan spinning in the air and a hot dog stand, crushed to fit into the space was on show from 27 September 2006 – 14 January 2007.
Media View, 5 – 6.30pm, Thursday 8 February 2007
Barbican Centre
Silk Street - London
Opening times: Daily 11am – 8pm
Admission Free