Recently, I got the chance to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver, Colorado. One of the most intriguing pieces in the current exhibition happened to be an installation executed by a local artist- Rebecca DiDomenico. Pellucid is the title of the cave that DiDomenico created to be exhibited specifically in the MCA.
Upon entering the exhibition space, the exterior of the cave appears to be composed from white, biomorphic rock. With a closer look the visitor sees a side entrance. The interior of the cave is transformed into a heavily saturated array of color and light, juxtaposing its bland exterior. Thousands of mica scales are arranged on the walls, containing the motif of inserted butterfly wings among other found objects. Amidst the colorful scales, DiDomenico inserts icicles composed from iridescent stone coming from the ten foot tall ceiling, mirroring the blue of the “water” on the sides of the floor. The viewer is led through the installation by the alternating the hues of the scales, which continue for about thirty feet. The artist creates a careful arrangement and adds intricate detail to the simplest shapes within the cave. DiDomenico transforms a white-walled display space into a blissful haven.
Yevgenia Tsveleva
Too bad this is an installation piece. I doubt it will travel out here, and I don't have any plans to go to Denver while this is showing.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound really stupid, but this reminds me of a child's imagination. When I was a kid I loved treasure chests, secret things, crystals and the like. I would make a fort and, while from the outside it would clearly be some sheets over a sofa and the dining room chairs, from the inside the colors of the blankets would be back lit into jewel tones making it much easier to imagine I was in a castle or fortress with stained glass windows.
That's perhaps what I like most about this. I love that the artist kept a simple white entrance that looks almost like the entrance to the old Matterhorn ride at Disneyland. From the pictures I've seen, the inside is so completely different. The inside looks like a cave lined with colorful fish scales. From your picture, it looks like the lights were dimmed enough so the color would really be enhanced in certain areas.
Here's an article I found on the piece: http://www.denverpost.com/art/ci_17019415
Thank you for posting this. It was very interesting.