2D 3D

Laurel Gitlen gallery is set up so when you first enter, you are immediately faced with a wall, but to the left there is a opening that leads to the 'main' gallery. The main gallery is simply a large rectangular room with wall space on four sides for exhibits. But there is also an additional, nondescript doorway for the curious souls that leads into brick-walled corridor that leads to one more back gallery.

This setup makes the space itself fun - there is real sense of discovery that makes the space itself exciting. Which opens up multitudes of exciting possibilities of site-specific artworks or exhibitions. At the same time, an eccentric space such as this can be a double-edged sword. It's certainly possible that the space itself takes more attention than the works it's supposed to support. Possibilities can be limiting, and limitations can lead to new possibilities.

I am interested in the literalness of the wall - like, it's there, you can't walk through it. It's so literal that you can't even see through it (I'm sorry, I can't help myself. BTW, I got a good kick out of the fact Anissa Mack's PR says she is working against literalness of the language, while Zipora Fried's PR asserted she is working against language's ambiguous nature).

In all seriousness though,  It is quite interesting how the wall defines the space as it cuts up and divides the gallery. Artworks that defines and changes the meaning of the space it's places in - like Richard Serra's-, or artworks that changes itself with space it's created in - like Sol LeWitt's- will be particularly interesting in this space.

If it was up to me, I will have to curate or create body of works that fits specific to this space, or space that is similar to this, but versatile enough that it can work in a different set of walls (albeit possibly, probably less effectively). By playing on the initial divide, then the real sense of discovery that comes from finding semi-secret back gallery. Each of the three space will feature body of works that are distinctive, but share a element which will tie them together only upon after the fact the visitor have been exposed to all three bodies of works. It could be on the form of the works - paintings, sculptures, photos with different topics, or thematic - or a key word-, that are shared in three rooms each with different forms, or mediums if you prefer.

I could make this more fun, by hiding the theme, or key - in the semi-hidden back room, so ideally, I would be directing the movement and the experience of the visitor, so that the visitor may initially be confused, or simply unable to make the connection, between the works in first and second room, but if they manage to venture into the third room, they will be able to make the connection as they head back out into the first room.

So for example, uh, What makes sense only when the third element is introduced? I don't know - the first room will be photographs of various fishes, and the second room will feature large replica of baking equipments, and the third room will be paintings of Jesus? Um, give me some time, I'll think of something.

Tony lee