The name of this internship, Zero Gravity, has always seemed clever and catchy to me. It relates to the theme of Life on Mars through the association of outer space. Furthermore, the physical state of zero gravity in which a person would feel weightless provides an interesting conceptual connection--through the notion of floating and flying--to our role as students and critics of this exhibition. We aren't weighed down by strict guidelines and formulas for understanding contemporary art. Rather, we use our imaginations to think about the works in Life on Mars in a thoughtful but freeform, creative way. 

On Thursday, July 24, the Zero Gravity interns enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the underlying ideas of and associations with their name. Lowry Burgess, a professor of art at Carnegie Mellon University and the first artist to have his work enter outer space, delivered an interactive lecture to the interns entitled, “Zero Gravity: Metaphysics and Contemporary Art Practice."

Leading a series of mental and physical exercises that encouraged us to think about our perceptions of gravity, of weight and weightlessness, Burgess opened up our imaginations and creativity in a way that I hadn’t experienced probably since I was a child. We all sat in a circle and were told to close our eyes, hold out our right hands, and imagine a sphere resting there. Given no further prompts or instructions, I began to imagine an oversized marble, about the size of a tennis ball, resting in the palm of my hand. It was a dark grayish blue with glossy streaks. It felt smooth and heavy, but not too heavy. After a few moments, my sphere morphed into a light, squishy, airy ball—one of those soft, pale pink ones you can push in but that immediately morph back into their original form. 

When the group opened their eyes, Burgess instructed us to describe what we had just experienced. I was surprised that I had imagined such a vivid, definite sphere without being directed to do so—and that the rest of the group had as well. Some people’s spheres were heavy, others light. One looked like a globe, another like a metal ball. The exercise was calming and fun.

The experience of working with Lowry Burgess also really encouraged me to think about the works of Life on Mars in a new, refreshing way. There are a number of pieces throughout the show that I have come to consider the “main attractions” of Life on Mars, the pieces that I would encourage any visitor to go see: Ranjani Shettar’s “Just a Bit More,” Thomas Hirschhorn’s “Cavemanman,” Barry McGee’s “Untitled,” Rivane Neuenschwander’s “I Wish Your Wish,” Richard Hughe’s “The Aura of a Savage Man,” the Mark Bradfords, and the Marisa Merz. Everyone has their own list of favorites and their list of pieces they always just kind of wander by quickly without pausing to observe and think.

Burgess suggested that we take another look at the exhibit, which the interns know very well by now, keeping in mind the feelings of weight and weightlessness. I was astonished to find that the pieces I haven’t spent much time trying to understand suddenly became visually and physically fascinating to me. By trying to determine which pieces made me feel heavy and which made me feel light, I felt like I rediscovered Life on Mars. 

The following are observations I jotted down about these pieces while keeping the notion of gravity in mind:

Bruce Conner -- Photogram series

Trapped

Elusive human figures, flat silhouettes

But hands pushing out as if escaping from darkness

Nuanced light forms, airy

Makes me feel light

Katja Strunz -- "Echo"

Well-balanced, even though clusters of boxes, loner on top

Floating away

Balanced because even number

Cluttered shadows

Want to climb into it and sit in the middle of the boxes

Makes me feel light

Katja Strunz -- "Black Angry Wall"

Progression, escalation

But feels static, stark black

Imposing, peers over the room

Tidy shadows

Want to climb and perch on the top

Makes me feel heavy

Matthew Monahan -- Foam figure sculptures

Heavy even though foam

Thickness

Trapped behind glass, tape

I feel how the figures feel: enclosed, cumbersome

Bodies carved into very defined parts, sections of mass

Makes me feel heavy

Posted by Margaret