Cosmic Thing 2002
Earlier this week, I was priveledged to attend a preview of the lastest exhibit ‘Damian Ortega: Do It Yourself ‘ at the Insitute of Contemporary Art.
I have to say that there is something utterly fascinating about seeing a Volkswagon Beetle exploded in an all white space. It feels like something out of the Matrix. Ortega has a way of pulling apart everyday objects and putting them back together in an uncommon way that’s refreshing and bold.
Skin
His work is thought provoking and fun. An installation that I particularly enjoyed was Skin. With Skin, Ortega took three modernist buildings that serve as public housing and has cut out the floorplan of a single apartment unit in leather. The leather floorplan was then hung from a meat hook from the ceiling. It shows the contrast between architectural theory and the end result. Soft hanging scultpures that are based on architects’ attempts to solve the problem of overpopulated urban living. Skin as a border of the body and the wall as a border of a home. An image of the housing structure that the floorplan belongs to is cleverly tattooed on each piece. With Skin, Ortega provides further proof as to how an architect like Le Corbusier failed in his meglomaniacal attempt at public housing and how the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The exhibit opens today to the public and runs through January 18th.
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