BEAUTY in BREAKDOWN

This past year has been a difficult one for my university as its involvement in a debate on whether or not to close our art museum, the Rose, has been very controversial. Happily, Brandeis' Rose Art Museum has reopened its doors with an amazing new collection and I was fortunate enough to attend the opening and be a tour guide within a week of its opening. One of my favorite works is a mixed media sculpture displayed 5 minutes away from my dorm. The sculpture is a very abstract scene and when observed closely is quite disturbing. Body parts are sculpted to look like they are drowning in a pool and trash abounds. The beauty of the piece is that it will decompose over time and that the work is constantly changing in appearance.

The Aboutthing (in the air), 2009

Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch

On another note, here is one of my favorite pieces from a past Rose collection.

Matthew Barney, The Cremaster Suite, Ed. 10, 4 of 5, 1994-2002

More later!

Elizabeth

(Information from press release at: www.brandeis.edu)