Impressions from Charles Matton’s “Enclosures” at AVA, London
by Suzanne on September 11th, 2011
The Untidy Woman’s Bedroom by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
After spending some time drooling over Edwardian and Victorian dollhouses at the VA Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green for the 4th time yesterday afternoon, I decided to go check out Charles Matton’s Enclosures miniature room installations and mirror mazes about which I reported earlier.
And what can I tell you, dear reader? Definitely the show of the year. If you’re in London between now and October 8, DO NOT miss it. All details here.
It was a bit of a challenge taking these pictures through glass covered in fingerprints so please understand that these works look way better in person. And to give you an idea of dimensions: None of these cases is larger than 1m³ and you can see a typical layout in the last picture.
Studio of a Classical Sculptor IV – Saskia Expecting Titus III by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
Studio of a Classical Sculptor II by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
Sigmund Freud’s Study by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
Mariefried’s Bathroom by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
Alberto Giacometti’s Studio by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
The New York Loft, 26th Street by Charles Matton, photo by Wurzeltod – click to enlarge
Charles Matton’s “Enclosures” in London & Do Ho Suh’s “Home Within Home” in New York
by Suzanne on September 4th, 2011
Studio of a Classical Sculptor IV – Saskia Expecting Titus III by Charles Matton – click to enlarge
Due to a beautiful curatorial coincidence, there are two miniature architecture exhibitions opening on the same day in the hearts of the Olde and New World – i.e. London and New York.
In London, the great Charles Matton will be remembered in a major posthumous retrospective featuring 38 newly discovered absolutely insanely detailed microcosmic interiors from his Enclosure series and in New York, Do Ho Suh will be showing his super fragile psychological dream houses in Home Within Home.
Studio of a Rhinoceros Sculptor by Charles Matton – click to enlarge
Charles Matton‘s intricate, meticulous and wildly poetic boîtes exist somewhere between Corinne May Botz‘s Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death and Lori Nix‘s derelict miniature households.
UPDATE SEP 11, 2011: Here are a few images of the Enclosures show taken from my Flickr:
Do Ho Suh‘s miniscule interiors, on the other hand, are much more traumatic and violent – or, when working in more translucent materials such as photo sensitive resin, emit a sterile sense of intense comatose horror vacui, very much like Chiharu Shiota‘s oeuvre.
Fallen Star 1/5 by Do Ho Suh, mixed media, 131 x 145 x 300 inches, 2008 – 2011 – click to enlarge
Both shows open this coming Thursday, September 8, 2011.
Charles Matton’s Enclosures is showing at All Visual Arts at 2 Omega Place, Kings Cross in London (map) until October 8.
Do Ho Suh’s Home Within Home will be on display at Lehmann Maupin, 540 West 26th Street in New York (map) until October 22.
Home Within Home – Prototype by Do Ho Suh, photo sensitive resin, 86 x 96 x 101 inches, 2009 – 2011