Aki Sasamoto at Bortolami Gallery

Performance is key to New York artist Aki Sasamoto’s practice, but for her latest show at Bortolami Gallery, she outsources the action to her sculpture and to gallery visitors.  Titled ‘Sounding Lines,’ after the devices used to test water depth from a vessel, the show consists of handmade sculptures resembling giant fishing lures and lengths of long springs stretched across the gallery between them.  Occasionally, a motorized arm causes one of the springs to dance around and unaware visitors to react with surprise.  Delightful yet disconcerting, the installation foregrounds our own response to (literally) alluring art.  (On view in Tribeca through Oct 19th.)

Aki Sasamoto, ‘Sounding Line (black, red, yellow – whip whisk), wood (red cedar), whip whisk, acrylic paint, epoxy, Mylar, plexiglass, stainless steel wire and springs, bronze rod, fishhooks, stainless-steel hardware, steel, AC motor, speed controller, timer, 9 ¼ x 27 x 1 ½ inches, 2024.

Leave a Comment