Marianne Vitale gives new meaning to life on the rails with her repurposed railway tracks as minimalist sculpture, steel junctions as totemic figures and now, a train engine housing resembling a gas-masked ghoul. Part of an exhibition that includes stacks of metal flangeway blocks that recall indecipherable letter shapes, Vitale’s art is anthropology – a search through remnants of a recently bygone era for clues to life in the not-so-distant past. (On view at Invisible Exports on the Lower East Side through June 24th).
Tag: engine
Noriyuki Haraguchi at Fergus McCaffrey Gallery
This gorgeous reflecting pool by Japanese artist Noriyuki Haraguchi – an update on his iconic versions from the 70s – is the picture of serenity in the pristine upstairs gallery of Chelsea’s Fergus McCaffrey Gallery. Contrary to appearances, though, the pool is full of spent machine oil, a symbol of our attraction to a natural resource with not-so-beautiful byproducts. (Through Feb 21st).
Noriyuki Haraguchi, Oil Pool, steel, spent motor oil, 24 x 12 feet.