Maybe I’m becoming a philistine in my old age, or just hanging around with too many birdwatchers instead of artists, but I’m not looking forward to The Gates. Actually, I always disliked Christo, but that was pretty much a requirement in art school. His early oil barrels, lame politics and all, are probably his best work; the wrapping business is a vaguely interesting idea, but mostly he strikes me as a lily-gilder and a publicity-hound.

Not quite as objectionable is the smaller-scale component of the Whitney Biennial now on view (or soon to come) in the Park, although I must say the David Altmejd werewolf heads are pretty bad: like an undergrad with a glue gun trying to join Smithson to Damien Hirst via costume jewelry. Try explaining that to the little old lady birdwatchers. The Kusama and Vivid Focus stuff sounds a little more promising, but I’m afraid I’ll probably be looking up into the trees instead, as the migration should be picking up by then…

- alex 4-13-2004 4:24 am





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