When: closing January 5, 2020
I've been running around to shows recently, trying to make up for the many days these past few months that I went to none. I'm vowing to do better in 2020!
The Renwick has two exhibits now on their first floor that close very shortly; the Ginny Ruffner display of virtual reality sculptures is just off the entryway. Basically, these are glass sculptures of logs, some with glass fungi. When you look at specific spots on the logs with the provided iPads (or with an app on your own phone), animated plants emerge.
The idea is that this depicts a future world in which the nature we know has been destroyed, and this is a depiction of how it will re-emerge. There are also pictures of botanical objects on the walls - I'm assuming these are also imaginings of future flora, but I'm not sure.
The question I kept asking myself is, "Where does art leave off and stunt begin?" I realize I should have been contemplating the end of the natural world as I know it, and I do view that as a serious problem, but between the iPad not always working quite right, and dodging so many other people pointing at the same thing, I found it hard to keep my mind on the larger message.
Verdict: I appreciate the fact that this show uses new technology along with the traditional art of sculpture, but I'm not sure the execution always comes off.
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