Went to MoMa to see the Marlene Dumas exhibit, "Measuring Your Own Grave"
I had mixed feelings about it.
I absolutely
hate titles for art, unless the title is extremely meaningful or witty. I know this has nothing to do with the content of the work..but for me, I think about the art, the artist and the processes. Her titles were full of cliches and it was jsut painful for me to read about it.
I rented one of those telephones to learn about her work and what she was thinking when she did it and a lot of made sense..and a lot didn't. Maybe it was her South African accent that threw me off? I felt like she was saying 1 incomplete thing and then totally going into another.
Let me get to the work. The ink on paper drawings are ok.. she poured ink on paper and dripped it, tilted the paper and let the ink go into shapes ..basically, indirect art..and then outlined the shapes which miraculously turned into a alien or a man with a hard dick? She had a lot of provocative work (paintings of dicks, pussies, orgies), which I'm always interested in but I don't know why I was so turned off by her exhibit. Maybe it was that musty smell of the room? Maybe the smell was on purpose? Since the exhibit
is called "Measuring Your Own Grave."
As for the paintings on the 6th floor.. there were some that I liked. I guess painting is her stronger point. Strong, gutsy, large strokes..Vibrant colors (she has a good eye for color)..The large size of the paintings all had a presence.
Verdict? I wish the exhibit was smaller. Her collection of drawings and paintings didn't mesh and they didn't give first time viewers an idea of what her message is. BUT I ain't hatin'; I respect her and I respect all artists and what they contribute to the world.
