ICA/Boston World As a Stage Brochure
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Transcript of ICA/Boston World As a Stage Brochure
the
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AT THIS PERFORMANCE THE ROLE OF ACTIVE VISITOR WILL BE PLAYED BY YOU
AT THIS PERFORMANCE THE ROLE OF ACTIVE VISITOR WILL BE PLAYED BY YOU
Cover: Ulla von Brandenburg, Curtain (detail), 2007. Courtesy of the artist, Art:
Concept, Paris and Produzentengalerie, Hamburg. Photo: John Kennard.
the
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THE CASTPawel Althamer, Cezary Bodzianowski, Ulla von Brandenburg, Jeremy Deller, Trisha
Donnelly, Geoffrey Farmer, Andrea Fraser, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Jeppe Hein,
Renata Lucas, Rita McBride, Roman Ondák, Marcus Schinwald, Tino Sehgal, Catherine
Sullivan, Mario Ybarra Jr., and You.
Photo: John Kennard. Drawings © Paul Ryan
TP
THE SCENEThe World as a Stage assembles a
cast of works by 16 international
artists blurring the lines between
theater, performance, visual art,
and everyday life.
Organized by Tate Modern and
inspired by the rich theater history
of London, The World as a Stage
unfolds against the dramatic
backdrop of the ICA’s architecture,
itself a carefully considered chore-
ography of spectacular views and
dynamic space.
Photo: Peter Vanderwarker
THEPLAY
ACT 1AT THE ICA’S ADMISSIONS DESK, “THIS IS YOUR CUE.”
ViVVV sisiss ting aaa museum m exxexhibibb tionnn somo etimimimesess ff feeee lsll like taking
part in a scripted performrmance, where yoyy u, the visitor, are
coccc nfinfinfi neddd to a more traditionally passive role withhhh limited
acacacaca titittiiononons ss oroo lininnnnesesesese . BuBuBBut tt whwhhwhhatataata wwwououououuldldddd hhhapapappepepen nn ifififii youo were fofff rceddddd
to reinvent yourself as one of the leaading ccharacters of the
shs owooo ? WoWWW uld you be willing to play?
ATATATTT THE ICA’S AAAAADMISSSIS ONS DESK, “THIS IS YOUR CUCUUUC E..”
As yyyouo purchase your ticket at theee a aadmdmdmissiiionooo s desk, a aa
museum staff member announces: “Key Intelligence OOf-
fi cer Target of Lebanon Bomb” or “Crime on the T Hits a
10101000-year LoLLLL w…w ThThThT isii is NeNN w, TTino Sehghh al, 202 03.” Sehgal’s
artworks consist of no actual objects; they are ephemeral
actions which directly address the visitor and often requirerr
her to react. In This is New, ICA Staff pull the headline of ww
theie r choice from that day’s news. Relyingg on “interpretee ers”
to enact theses staged situations, Sehgal’s works blur the
distinctions betwew en artist, work, anddd viewer. This is your
cue that the performance has started.
[Exeunt]
In foreground: Renata Lucas, Falha, 2003.
Left: Jeppe Hein, Rotating Labyrinth, 2007.
Right: Rita McBride, Arena, 1997.
Photo: John Kennard.
ACT 2IN THE WEST GALLERY ON THE 4TH FLOOR, “NOW IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE.”
The muuuseeumuuu , like mmana y ototoo heheh r rr publllic spaces, has its own
social dynamics. There are unspoken rules for what tto do
or what not to do in the gallery. In traddditional muuuusesss um set-t
tiiingngngngngs,ssss tttthehehee wwwwworororrk kkk isisis p pp prerereresesesentntntttedededd tttto oo us, asa iiiif ffff on stattt ge, and dddd we
passively observe for a feew secoonds until moving on to the
next one.
In The World as a SStage, the artist is no longer at the
center—the audience becomes as essential to the work
as the person who createeed it. Each worrrk in the exhibition
acts as a catalyst, posing a queu stion, stating an nnn opinion, or
highlighhhting an everyday moment. YYou, the visitor, become
the missing piece. UUntil you reaeeee ctc , respond to, or relate to
it, the art sits quiettttlylylylyly, inactive, as iif waiting to say, “I’ve been
expecting you.”
Whili e movingggg arorooounununuu d thhhe gallereee y, youu suddenlnnn y fi fifind yourself
in the middle of a sstat ge area created by Rita McBride’s
AArena (1997). Face the audience; now is your time to
shs ine. You can also oo choose to sit down and play the role
IN THEEEEE WEST T GALLERY ON THE 4TH FLOORRR, “NNNOW IS YOUR TIME EEEE TO SHINE.”
of spectator. In RoR tatinggg L L Laba yry inthththth (2007), JJJepee pepep HHHein n
highlights the interplay between the work, itst viei wers, and
the space, emphasizing the interdependence of these
thhthhrer e elements. Constructed as a rotating mirrored theater
in the round, this piece literally shakes your perceptppp ion of
the gallery’s spatial conventions. With Séance ddde Shadow
II (bleu) (1998), Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster casts the
visitor as the main actor. By enttering the spaca e, you trigger
a cic nematic theater of light and shadows, and enact a real-
time pperformance.
[Exeunt]
Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster,
Séance de Shadow II (bleu),
1998. Courtesy Esther
Schipper, Berlin.
Left: Ulla von Brandenburg, Curtain, 2007.
Photo: John Kennard.
Right: Catherine Sullivan, The Chittendens:
The Resuscitation of Uplifting, 2005, video still.
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Catherine
Bastide, Brussels.
ACT 3STANDING BY ULLA VON BRANDENBURG’S CURTAIN, “EXPOSING THE FOURTH WALL.”
ThThThThThe ee thththt eaeaeatett r cuccc rtain can bebeee pperceeeeived as a aa phphhpphyssicalaa bound-
araaaa y between fi ction and reality,yyy perfooormererers anaa d specta-
tototorsrs. Whhhenee a curtain parts and the action begins, you can
eieeee ththththerere t ttttakakake thhhe stage or take it alllll in. WhWhicch side oof Ulla von
BrBrBrBB annandedd nbnnn urg’s Curtain do you imagine yoyy urself on? The
cuccc rtrr ain defi nes the space commonly knonn wn as the “fourth
wawawawaallll,”” tttthehehe imaginary, invisible wall at the front of the stageee in
a aaa prprprp osososceeeenium theater, through which thhhe audieneneence sees the
acccctitt on of the play. The fourth wall is one of the best estab-
lilililishshshshede cconnnveeeeentions of fi ction, allowing the audience to enjoy
ththththhe ee ee shshshhs owowooo as iffff they were eeeavesdropping on real events.
WhWhWWWhat are the consequences of expxpxpxpxposing gggg the fourth wall?
ToToToToToday’s world—with its reality TV-----sassss turatet d culturu e eeee and
pepepepp rvrvvrvvasaaa ivii e surveillance devices—is addiing complexity to the
rererererelalalaaatitititt ononoonshss ip betweenenn realityyyy andddd r epresesss ntatioon,nnnn leaving us
unununununclclcleaaar asaa to o where we standndnd. InInInInIn thih s bibibib g gg pepepepeerfrfrforo mance ththtthataaaa
isisisisis e e eevevevevv rydad y lill fe, today is just the latest episode of our own
rerererealalalalitti y shshss ow.
STSTSTSTTANAAA DING BY ULLA VON BRANDENBURG’S CURTAIN, “EEEEXPPPPOSING THE FOURRRRRTH WALL.”
More thaaan nn just a peek behind tthe scenees,s CaCC thhereee ine
Sullivan’s The Chittendens: The Resuscitation of Uplifting
(2005) unapologetically exposes the ‘acting’gg that is ppppres-
ent in every kind of performance. In her attempt to reveal
acting, she creates an accumulation of unrelated gestures,
bodily actions, and vocalizations; these isolated elements
make no sense without a coherent narrative. Pawel
Althamer’s Self-Portrait as a Businessman (20002-2004),
features a typy icala businessman’s suit, wallet and briefcasssse
leftttt on the fl ooooo r, as if their owner had just undressssed and
walked away. These familiar objects have become ttthe
costume and props of thehhhh ultimate performance: life. This
piece reminds us of William Shakespeare’s words: “All the
world’s a sttage; and all the men and women merely players;
they hhavve eeee their exits and their entrances; and one man in
his time playsyy many yyy parts.” ((As YYYou Likke e Itt(( , , AcAAAA t 2,22 S SSSScecene 77777))tttt
[Exeunt]
Mario Ybarra, Jr. Sweeney Tate, 2007.
“Chop Shop” Performance at Tate Modern.
Courtesy of the artist.
ACT 4AT A FIELD IN YORKSHIRE AND AN L.A. BARBERSHOP, “LIFE TAKES CENTER STAGE.”
ThThThT e ee WoWoWoWoWorld asaaa a Stagee spopotligggghts thttt e ee renenewewewed dd apappep al of the
nonnnn tion of ‘theater’ for many aartists working today. Invok-
innng gg ththththe laanguage of theater gives these artists a certrtr ain
pepepeppermrmmrmrmisisississionononn ttto oooo plplplplayayayayay, ofofofffefefeerirrringnggng ttttthehehehem m mm ththththe ee popopopoposssssssssibibibibibililililititity y ofofffof eeexppand-dddd
inii g their practice and crossing the bounndaries of traditional
ararara titttt sttsticcc dddisii ciplines. Theater becomes a lens through which
tototo ooobsbsb errrve our world. This is where life takes cccenter stage.
JeJeJJeJereereremymmm DDeller (artist, curator, producer, social oorganizer,
ananannndd d event creator) uses role-playing for his epic re-enann ct-
mememem ntn of The Battle of Orgreave (2001). Loooking back at
rererererecececececentntntt hhhisi tory—ttthe 19899 4 4 miners’ strike against ttthehh elimina-
tittit ononon ooof 2022 ,000 jobs at the Orgreavve cokikkkk ng pppplaant near Shef-
fi fi fififieleelee d,dd UK—Deller asked former mimmmm nennn rs and policccemen who
exexexe pepepepeperienced the event fi rst-hand to take part tt in its re-stag-
innnnng.g.g.g.g IIIIn nn some cases, their roles wewwww rererer revee eree sed, aaadddddd ing evennn
mommoom rerr eeeeemotional complexity y tototot tttttheheheh pieeecececec . FoFoFoFF r rr tht e majoririrrityyy of ff
papapapap rtrtrtr icicciccipipippantsss, thhhis was a chance to rrelive history, to confront
rerererealaaa itttty,y,y, aand to achihhhhievvve eee unuuu derstanding.
ATATATATAT AAAA FIELD IN YORKRRRR SHIRIRIRE E AND AN L.A. BARBERSHOPPP, “LIFII E TAKES CENTERRRRR STAGEEE.”
Mario YbYY arra, Jr. explores the places anaaa d dd sppaccceseee that reveeealaa
the e inner workings of human relationships and highlight thhe
theatricality of everyday life. Sweeney Tate (2007), a full-
scallllle reproddddductititititiono of ffff a fffoff rmer bbbbarbbebb rshhoh p inii LLLL A.AA.’’’s ChCCChini a-
town, suggests the cultural signifi cance of such a space to
its particular community, and the social dynamics created
by language, background, and economics. A barbershop is
a public stage for lively discussion or confi denntiality, politicccal
action or personal refl ection; it’s up to you.
[Exeunt]
Jeremy Deller, The Battle of
Orgreave, fi lm still, 2004. Film,
Commissioned and produced by
Artangel, Tate.
ACT 5BY THE FOUNDERS’ GALLERY ON THE NORTH SIDE, “THE SHOW MUST GO ON.”
SoSS memm onnne ono ce sssaiaiaid dddd ththhatttt “good arttt is not what it tt looks like,
but tt what it does to us.”
Beyoyyyy nd the exppppplorationo of ideaeaeas reelateteteted dd to ttheeheatataterereree a aaandndndndnd
performance, the artists ffeatured in The World as a Stage
remind us s that art operates within many areas of human
inquiry,y helping in the eternal search for an undersr tanding
of our place in the world.
BY TTHEHE FOUNDERS’ GALLERY ON THTHHT E NORTH SIDE, “THEEEEE SHOW MUST GO ON.”
In a somo etimesee incncncomprppp ehensible ee unnnivvverrrse aany approoacaa h hhh
is adequate, even the most irrational one. In Luna (2005),
Cezary BBBodzianowski appears riding the insidde of a rotating gg
drdddd um. WWeWWW arini g a pair of ff rollerblb addes—one on hih s foff ot, the
other on his hand—he awkwardly slides, falls, and tumbbles
while attempting to remain upright. BBBBodzianowski’s artistic
practice is strongly infl uenced by theh theater of the absurd,
where characters oftene appear caaaught in hopeless situa-
tions, forced to do repetitive or meaningless actions. Here,
the unstoppable ee rotatinggg force of the drumumum has no mercy,
and the artist can’t keep upuu ; he doesn’t give up though,
because the show must go on.
[Exeunt]
Cezary Bodzianowski, Luna, 2005, video still.
Foksal Gallery Foundation, Warsaw.
CREDITS
TALKS AND TOURS
ART MEETS PERFORMANCE
Thursday, January 31, 6:30 PM
Carole Anne Meehan, coordinating curator for The
World as a Stage discusses the show's ideas with ex-
hibiting artist Mario Ybarra, Jr. and Arthur Nauzyciel,
artistic director of the Centre Dramatique National,
Orléans, France, and director of the American Reper-
tory Theatre production of Julius Caesar.rr
Tickets: $5 general admission; free tickets for
members, students and seniors
WHAT NEW IS: DAVID ROCKWELL
AND CHEE PEARLMAN
Wednesday, March 26, 6:30 PM
Founder and CEO of Rockwell Group and co-author
of Spectacle (2006) with Bruce Mau, architect David
Rockwell talks with editor and curator Chee Pearl-
man about the phenomenon of public performance.
What role can performance have in the development
of cities and urban living today?
Tickets: $25 general admission; $20 members,
students and seniors.
REFLECTING SPECTACLE:
LIFE AND ART
Tuesday, March 4, 6:30 PM
Breaking down barriers between art and life was an
underlying motif throughout most of the 20th century,
and today, with reality TV and the internet, this edge
is more blurred than ever. As part of The World as a
Stage which focuses on the ‘theatricality of everyday
life’ and the ways in which live performance and instal-
lation draw the viewer into the equation, renowned
art historian RoseLee Goldberg, curator and director
of the recently launched PERFORMA, the visual art
performance biennial in New York City, will provide
context and background, and also a glimpse into
PERFORMA 07. Joining Goldberg are Mark Tribe, art-
ist and curator; Ann Carlson, choreographer, performer
and conceptual artist; and Tim Jackson, director of
Radical Jesters, a documentary about pranksters,
performers, and provocateurs. The panel will respond
to Goldberg's ideas and explore the themes that
motivate them to produce their own work.
Tickets: $12 general admission; $8 members,
students and seniors
Text adapted by
Emma Fernandez, ICA Education &
Interpretation Specialist
Design by
José Nieto, ICA Senior Designer
This gallery guide is made possible by signifi cant
support from the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family
Foundation. Additional support is provided by
the Nathaniel Saltonstall Arts Fund.
The World as a Stage has been organized by
Tate Modern’s Jessica Morgan, Curator of
Contemporary Art, and Catherine Wood, Curator
of Contemporary Art and Performance. ICA’s
Coordinating Curator is Carole Anne Meehan.
HOW MANY HAVE YOU SEEN?
FREE PUBLIC TOURS
The ICA offers public tours of The World as a Stage on
Target Free Thursday Nights at 6 pm and each Satur-
day and Sunday at 1 pm. Tours are free with museum
admission and leave from the lobby.
PUBLIC PERFORMANCESIN THE GALLERIES
"The Working is the Work" by The Institute for
Infi nitely Small Things
Thursday, Feb 28, 6:30–8:30 PM
Thursday, Mar 27, 6:30–8:30 PM
Thursday, Apr 24, 6:30–8:30 PM
For this performance, Institute members assume the
role of ICA laborers in various ways. Using perfor-
mance and conversation, the Institute conducts cre-
ative, participatory research that aims to temporarily
transform public spaces while investigating social
and political “tiny things.”
Free with museum admission.
“LIFE/THEATER PROJECT: ICA”
Sunday, March 16, 2 PM
Experiential artist Lee Walton orchestrates a series
of intimate “happenings” to take place in the muse-
um’s galleries and public spaces. Collaborating with
teens from the ICA Teen Arts Council, scripts are
poetically mapped on individual postcards with image
and text indicating the time, action and identity of
each performance.
Free with museum admission.
BLIND DATES
Site-specifi c performances that engage the dynamic
between spectator and spectacle within the context
of Rita McBride's Arena.
Free with museum admission.
“Minimally Tough” by Ellen Band
Sundays, March 2 and 9, 1 PM
Leather jackets purvey minimalist composition
throughout the museum. Keep your eyes peeled and
ears open!
“We All Need a Pygmalion” by Pablo Helguera
Saturday, March 22, 2 PM
A musical social etiquette lecture for the art world,
introducing The Pablo Helguera Manual of Contem-
porary Art Style.
Pablo Helguera is an artist who uses satire to
explore the complicated social structure of the con-
temporary art scene. His performance, “We All Need
a Pygmalion,” takes the form of a “self-improvement”
workshop with a musical component—Helguera
sings songs about the art world to melodies from “My
Fair Lady.” The performance is an introduction to his
book, The Pablo Helguera Manual of Contemporary
Art Style. Written in the style of an old-school eti-
quette handbook, Helguera’s wry advice is practical
for any artist. New York Magazine exclaims: "Finally,
Broadway meets Bourriaud!"
“Surrogate Performing” by Lewis Gesner
Sunday, March 30, 2 PM
In “Surrogate Performing,” Lewis Gesner performs as
another. This does not mean he merely acts, but that
he is as the other, becoming her or him. At the ICA,
Gesner performs as German artist Boris Nieslony,
founder of Black Market International, and Bulgarian
artist Vassya Vassileva.
FAMILIES
PLAY DATES
Join us on the last Saturday of every month, when
the ICA comes alive with activities especially for
families—fi lms, performances, art-making, gallery
tours, and more! All activities are designed for chil-
dren and adults to do together, and no prior registra-
tion is necessary. Due to space restrictions, tickets
may be required for selected events. Tickets will be
available fi rst-come, fi rst-served in the lobby on the
day of the event only. For more information, e-mail
[email protected] or call Kathleen Lomatoski at
617-478-3134.
THERE/NOT THERE
Saturday, February 23, 10 AM to 4 PM
Dance Performance by Boston Arts Academy
students at 12 and 1 PM
The exhibition The World as a Stage and the cho-
reography of Robert Battle set the stage for a day
exploring the boundaries between body and mind.
Families will learn more about the physical nature of
art through activities focused on gesture and move-
ment, presence and absence.
GOOD THEATER CHEAP
Saturday, April 26, 10 AM to 4 PM
Performance by Rough and Tumble
Theater at 12 PM
Guerrilla performances throughout the day.
Be the star and the audience! Make your own theater
props and join the Rough and Tumble theater group
on stage and throughout the building.
ICA Family Programs and Play Dates are made pos-
sible by support from the JPMorgan Chase Founda-
tion.
HOT TICKETS
In the ICA Store: The World as a Stage Catalogue
The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated
catalogue with essays from exhibition curators Jes-
sica Morgan and Catherine Wood.
MUSEUM, STORE & CAFE HOURS
Tuesday and Wednesday 10 AM – 5 PM
Thursday and Friday 10 AM – 9 PM
Saturday and Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM
Closed Monday, except on the following national
holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day,
Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.
ADMISSION
$12 general admission
$10 students and seniors
FREE members and children 17 and under
FREE after 5 pm on Target Free Thursday Nights
FREE families (up to 2 adults per family with a child
12 or under) on the last Saturday of each month
Target Free Thursday Nights are sponsored by
ACCESSIBILITY
The ICA is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Offi cial Hotel Sponsor Offi cial Media Sponsors
ICA INFORMATION
DIRECTIONS
The ICA is located at 100 Northern Avenue in
Boston. It is walking distance from downtown and
easily accessible by public transportation. There is af-
fordable parking in the area, but fewer spots may be
available in lots immediately adjacent to the ICA after
5 pm. There is some on-street parking.
Take the Red Line to South Station and transfer to
the Silver Line Waterfront. The ICA is short walk from
either Courthouse or World Trade Center station.
From Courthouse Station: Exit the station onto
Seaport Boulevard and follow it, walking away from
downtown. Just before the fi rst traffi c light, there will
be a pedestrian opening in the fence on your left-
walk through it to the walkway that runs alongside
the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Voyage. This will
lead you to Northern Avenue. The ICA is across the
street to the right at 100 Northern Avenue.
From World Trade Center Station: Exit left onto
Congress Street. Walk one block to the corner of B
Street and turn right, crossing Congress Street. Fol-
low B Street for one block. At the corner of B Street
and Seaport Boulevard cross the street and turn left.
At the next corner, turn right onto Northern Avenue.
The ICA is on the right. You will pass the entrance to
Anthony’s Pier 4 and two parking lots before coming
to the driveway leading to the ICA entrance.
By car: The ICA is easily accessible from both I-90
and I-93. Please visit www.icaboston.org for detailed
driving directions.
SUMMER STREET
CON
GRESS STREET
NORTHERN AVENUE
SEAPORT BOULEVARD
THE INSTITUTE OF
CONTEMPORARY ART/ BOSTON
100 Northern Avenue
Court House
World Trade Center
South Station
B St
reet
Anth
ony’s
Pie
r 4
CONTACT
General Information 617-478-3100
Membership 617-478-3102
Box Offi ce 617-478-3103
Web www.icaboston.org
E-mail [email protected]
THE INSTITUTE OF
CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
100 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
www.icaboston.org