If minimalist is the intent of Harold Mendez’s MCA 12×12 installation, then minimal should be your expectations. A piece about empty landscapes and desert sounds, the room’s abstract, gleaming gray walls of packing tape become solid grids at close range, creating a perceptual play between immense natural space and the feeling of a caged, urban backyard. This oscillation is nice, but it fails to reveal anything beyond itself without significant intellectual work by the viewer. Under many circumstances the duration of this work would recommend it, but here it yields little satisfaction. The accompanying sound piece “So Long as We Can Say This Is the Worst, This is Not the Worst” was recorded in the Great Basin Desert and though it has been manipulated to effectively capture the loud quiet of such terrain, once again it leaves the viewer wanting more. Mendez clearly edits himself well, but this empty room remains psychologically and symbolically barren. (Rachel Furnari)
Through November 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago.
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Hello Rachel. I would like to share a few thoughts regarding your review of my recent exhibition. In my opinion, a certain amount of intellectual work should be done to experience a work of art. I can respect that my work may not be of interest to you if that’s your position but maybe you didn’t want to work a little harder or experience the work after the club like opening atmosphere at the MCA to understand my project. During “First Friday’s” opening reception no one was able to listen to the recording including you as I recall. My email… Read more »
Harold, Thanks for the response. It was indeed difficult to experience your work fully on the night of the MCA opening. However, I think you’ve missed my point. I praise the individual aspects of the installation and the audio–both of which manifest a coherent, elegant intent. I would, under most circumstances (as stated in my review) fervently encourage hard work on the part of a viewer. My criticism was leveled at the piece in its entirety, which, in my opinion, did not stand up to the rigorous analysis you seem to require of your audience. For me, such reflection was… Read more »