Currently on exhibit at the Denver art museum is a show entitled, Retrospectacle. This exhibition is a large and vast assemblage of 20th century artists and art varying from minimalism, modernism, postmodernism, to contemporary pieces. This show was assembled not only to display the works which the museum owns, however, it also examines and represents certain genres and movements along all different types of media and palates of artistic expression throughout the history of 20th century art. Aside from some very minor technical pit-falls and some questionable out-of-the box exhibition design, the show was an amazing conglomeration of priceless and famous artists. This exhibition can be at best described as a jaw-dropping compilation of 20th century art.
The vast number of pieces and famous artists ranging from Matisse to Warhol to Serra to Erwin, displayed this museum's ambition at providing a crash course in modern art. Most impressive and unusual about the design of this greatest-hits of 20th century art was the curator's use of thematic and visceral separation rather than a chronological flow. This concept functioned to jumble and mix up art from all different time periods, genres, and media. Though at first this set up was a bit confusing and different, once familiarized with the flow and point of the design, I experienced how this use of space worked and flowed perfect for this exhibition.
The first piece which was included in Retrospectacle, however was not within the actual exhibition space (most likely due to its huge size), was Lucas Samara's Corridor #2 created in 1970. Although it was not completely evident that this was included in the exhibition at first, when I slipped on the doctor-like sterile booties over my shoes and entered this vast infinite space of mirrors, I at once knew that this exhibition would be like nothing I had ever experienced before.
