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.
Related Stories
Exhibiting a Lesser-Known Pioneer of Contemporary Photography: A Review of "Picture Fiction; Kenneth Josephson and Contemporary… A survey of the pioneering, Chicago-based experimental photographer includes his work alongside the work of his peers.
Art That Refuses to Be Walked All Over: A Review of Jessica Campbell at the Museum of Contemporary Art Campbell has a rare gift for revealing harsh truths with dark, funny, sumptuously textured pictures.
Epic Drawings Draw Attention to Contemporary Calamities: A Review of Rick Shaefer at the Haggerty Museum of Art Massive graphite triptychs illustrate the plight of refugees through a melange of art historical references.
When the Personal Is Political, and Vice Versa: A Review of “The Many Hats of Ralph Arnold: Art, Identity & Politics” at the Museum… A lesser-known flaneur of mass media (and a longtime Chicagoan) makes constructions that bring personal and cultural intersections into view.
Color-Coding Chicago's Racial Geographies: Amanda Williams at the Museum of Contemporary Art Showing her “Color(ed) Theory” project alongside new work.
Contending With The Internet As Medium And Infrastructure: A Review of “I Was Raised on the Internet” at the Museum of Contemporary Art "I Was Raised on the Internet" poses the question of the internet not just as a communication medium where social media, virtual identities and corporate control take hold, but as an infrastructure that constitutes a whole new reality.
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 »