I had a religious art experience this past Saturday night. I went to the Opening of Tara Donovan's show at the Institute of Contemporary Art, in Boston.
The Opening was fun. I've never been to an ICA Opening before, and I was happy to see a number of people I know there.
The religious part was how I felt and responded to Ms Donovan's art. For many people, if not most, visual art experiences involve just looking at a piece. The viewer can either relate to it, or not, and they may like it, or not.
For all of Tara Donovan's work at the ICA, you don't just look at the work. You feel it. This is the best of art experiences. Her work is installed in a number of rooms. Sometimes on the floor, sometimes on (or in) the wall, and sometimes hanging from the ceiling. As you enter each room, your senses go to work. The sound in the room may change, or the light, or your depth perception. It's wonderful.
And the most interesting part of it is the work is made of thousands of plastic cups, or straws, or buttons, or feet of tape, or mylar, or ....
There is a really good review of Tara Donovan's show by Sebastian Smee, the Boston Globe's wonderful new art critic: Delight in detail - Tara Donovan finds beauty in abundant things, by Sebastian Smee, October 10, 2008 on The Boston Globe.
I wrote about Ms Donovan's on September 24th, after I heard she won a MacArthur Genius Award. I know a friend of a friend who won a Genius Award in music, and he's incredible. It's obvious from this show that Tara Donovan is too.
Tara Donovan's show is at the Institute of Contemporary Art through January 4, 2009. Visit Boston, and go see this show!
