Machines and handicrafts in artistic form
CONTEMPORARY Swiss artist Marck, 57, known for his melding of sculpture and video installations, has kicked off his first solo exhibition in China — “Marck’s Rock Box” — at Bluerider ART Shanghai, a century-old historical building on the Bund.
His works are more than a simple combination of videos and sculptures. Instead, they are a logical consequence of his extensive examinations of performances, films and videos, multimedia-based projects, sculpture and kinetic objects.
Once a construction worker, autoworker and guitar player, Marck has been obsessed with machines and handicrafts for years, injecting a fusion of handmade rawness and mechanical precision into his artworks. Suffering from claustrophobia, he is extremely sensitive to all kinds of enclosed spaces, such as frames, boxes and crates.
Frames and female characters are two key elements in many of his works, a symbol for his observations of our society.
“My work has no message,” Marck said remotely at the opening ceremony. “It is open for any interpretation whatsoever.”
He does not mean to provide answers or targeted interpretations on certain topics, but raises questions and hopes to inspire viewers.
In the installation work “Transport Crates,” a woman appears to be locked in a confined crate, turning and rolling over. Her ambiguous naked image moving behind the fuzzy translucent glass provides a strong visual impact.
It might suggest a limited space of action provided by society in which women find themselves today, but is it the only interpretation? Visitors can climb inside the crate and feel the space in their own way. A constraint or a cozy shelter? You never know.
In the installation work “Gegenstrom,” a woman swims in a pool, and in slow motion her body expresses a strong desire to survive and look for a way out.
“Clockwork” combines video and power installations, triggering anxiety when a woman makes sudden movements to dodge a pendulum, while in “Sleepless,” the rhythmic percussion device and video performance highlight the tension of insomnia.
Dates: Through October 23 (closed on Mondays), 10am-7pm
Venue: Bluerider ART Shanghai Address: 133 Sichuan Road M.