MoMA WALES A BOOK ABOUT DEATH [80]

Article, above, from the Cambrian News, Wales, UK. April, 2010.

The launch of A Book About Death at MoMA Wales is a continuing success.  Sonja Benskin Mesher's curatorial stunner, brought together nearly all aspects of previous exhibitions and added several chapters to the "book."

Among other aspects, Sonja installed her late husband's chair in the gallery space and opened the box of cards from the original exhibition at the Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery in a quiet, almost ceremonial fashion.  Then, each artist was listed in a "Book of the Living," which became part of the exhibition. Along with a full installation of the works from the New York exhibition, MoMA Wales included nearly all the posters from previous shows, and several hundred new works sent especially to the exhibition in Wales.  Films are planned, as are discussions through out the exhibition.

See 50-plus installation photos on the FaceBook Group page and Sonja's album here.

A view of the exhibition is also here.

Sonja recounts the opening of the works from New York and the installation of the pieces on one of her blogs: "After 6 months of work, and 5 months of having the box unopened in the house, on that empty chair, the time had come.

Some arrived early, before 10 am needing coffee, duly supplied by MOMA.

By 10 am a group gathered, quiet and waiting. Slowly without direction, friends started to hang the postcards from the new call for work. The staff at MOMA watched in respectful silence.

At about 10.20, I decided time it was to open the box, so I sent a whisper around the room.

Again a gathering, this time by the cabinet where the box had been waiting in the Gallery for two weeks.  After months in the house, the chair looking like an art installation, I had decided it was time for it to go into MOMA's keeping. They installed it on the landing, framed posters of the global exhibitions lining the stair way.

A brief introduction and I turned the key, and took out the parcel. Very emotional I was by then.

The silence was broken by Wilfred, my grandson asking ’What’s inside’ over and over. He and I carried it through into the Gallery space...."   Click here to read the full post.

The exhibition at MoMA Wales continues through 8 May 2010.  For more information on the show, please see: MoMA Wales.