We won't be having specific tours of this, but I'm sure some people will
want to form impromptu groups--Information will be available at the
Hospitality Desk.
Ted
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Copyright New York Times
The Whitney Biennial Will Be Playing in the Park
By CAROL VOGEL
Published: January 29, 2004
When the 2004 Biennial opens this spring, the often controversial survey of
contemporary art will extend well beyond the walls of the Whitney Museum of
American Art. There will be art from one end of Central Park to the other,
including grotesque sculptures of werewolf heads, a ferocious life-size
tiger, a bronze bust of Michael Jackson and a 50-foot-tall inflatable pink
rubber ketchup bottle topped with a snowmanlike head.
In addition to these temporary exhibits, there will be performances and
artists' participatory projects. By the time the Biennial closes at the end
of May, the public will have had a chance to see nine installations by seven
artists, from 60th to 110th Street.
The notion of using Central Park as part of the Biennial first came up two
years ago when the Whitney asked the Public Art Fund, a nonprofit group that
presents art projects around the city, to commission works for the park.
Because putting art there has been frowned upon by those who believe Central
Park is a work of art in itself, the Public Art Fund asked five artists to
come up with works that would not offend but rather respect the landscape.
By far the most radical was a 50-foot stainless steel tree just east of the
Sheep Meadow. This year the tiptoeing is over.
"These works are very closely aligned to the kind of art you will see at the
Biennial itself," said Tom Eccles, director of the Public Art Fund, who has
collaborated with the three Whitney curators in charge of this year's
Biennial: Chrissie Iles, Shamim M. Momin and Debra Singer. "It gives us a
moment to try out new things and be a bit more experimental."
All the works were approved by the Parks and Recreation Department, the
Central Park Conservancy and the mayor's office. Bloomberg, the media
company of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, has sponsored the project.
"The 2002 Public Art Fund component of the Whitney Biennial was an amazing
success for New York City," said Patricia E. Harris, the deputy mayor for
administration. "This year's outdoor component is particularly exciting
because the works of art will stimulate the northern end of Central Park and
bring more visitors during a slower time of year."
Using art as an attraction to get people into the park during the bleak
winter months is important to the mayor's office, which has given its
blessing for the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude to festoon 23 miles of
the park's walkways with billowing saffron-colored fabric in February next
year.
Some of the works that are part of the Biennial have been specially
commissioned for their sites in the park, while others were conceived
independently. The projects will open in two phases. The first group,
opening March 10, includes sculptural works by emerging artists like Olav
Westphalen, Liz Craft and David Altmejd. There will also be monumental
sculptures by Paul McCarthy, one of today's more influential artists.
The second phase will begin on April 16 with "Three-Day Weekend," as David
Muller, an installation artist and painter from Los Angeles, calls his
roving group exhibition. For this one Mr. Muller has asked eight artists to
bring paintings and video installations, which will be on view at the
Arsenal Gallery for three days, from April 16 through April 18.
On April 17 the installation artist Eli Sudbrack, a k a Assume Vivid Astro
Focus, will create a 147-foot-long, psychedelic discolike printed vinyl
roller rink near the band shell at East 72nd Street. Other events that day
include an afternoon performance by the Los Angeles band Los Super
Elegantes.
Also on April 17 the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama will install hundreds of
mirrored balls in the Conservatory Waters just steps from the Alice in
Wonderland statue, where Ms. Kusama staged one of her 1960's body-art
happenings.
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