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Overview
For our second online exhibition this summer, David Nolan Gallery is pleased to present The System of Objects, a selection of works that focuses on objects, their depiction, and their implicit meaning.
In Jean Baudrillard’s seminal The System of Objects (1968) the author classifies everyday objects as “functional, nonfunctional, and meta-functional.” Within those categories, Baudrillard explores the semiotics of materialism and critiques the commodification of everyday life. He positions that commodities are not merely characterized by their use-and-exchange-value (e.g. Marx), but also their “sign-value,” i.e. their style, prestige, power, etc. For Baudrillard, a society organized around consumption and the value expression of commodities will inevitably lead to a condition of “total alienation.”
The selection of works in this exhibition aims to blur the boundaries between objects and their (mis)use. What gives each work meaning is often borne out of the space between the object and its (mis)perceived function. From the modified utilitarian object (Artschwager’s Mirror; Kippenberger’s Schreber) to the inherently “useless” yet familiar forms (Gall; Kendrick; Le Va) to the once functional object rendered useless (Hatoum; Turk). They owe much to Duchamp’s assisted and rectified ready-mades, for their spirit of openness and communication, and for their disruption of the everyday banality of consumption.
Rather than focusing on objects for their mere formal or fetishistic qualities, the works gathered here reflect an open-ended approach to representation, i.e. object as presence, as facsimile; as stand-in, et al. While some objects retain their inherent qualities, others inevitably depend on outside stimuli for their meaning. And in turn the system of objects, with its signs and qualifiers, forms the meaning of everyday life.
This online exhibition features artworks by Richard Artschwager, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Neil Gall, Victoria Gitman, Mona Hatoum, Martin Kippenberger, Mel Kendrick, Barry Le Va, Adam McEwen, Jonathan Meese, Ciprian Mureșan, Al Taylor, Gavin Turk, and Jorinde Voigt.
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VICTORIA GITMAN
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Victoria GitmanOn Display, 2006graphite on mylar7 1/4 x 9 3/4 in (18.4 x 24.8 cm)
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Victoria GitmanOn Display, 2007graphite on mylar9 x 9 1/2 in (22.9 x 24.1 cm)
framed: 14 x 14 3/8 x 1 1/2 in (35.6 x 36.5 x 3.8 cm) -
Victoria GitmanUntitled, 2006oil on board4 3/8 x 6 in (11.1 x 15.2 cm)
10 x 11 1/2 x 1 3/4 in (25.4 x 29.2 x 4.45 cm)
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MEL KENDRICK
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Mel KendrickUntitled (Group of Five), 2002Japan color on poplareach: 4 3/4 x 2 x 2 in (12 x 5 x 5 cm)
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Mel KendrickRed Holes 3, 2015mahogany and Japan color20 3/4 x 24 x 5 in (52.7 x 61 x 12.7 cm)
base: 23 x 16 x 44 in (58.4 x 40.6 x 111.8 cm) -
Mel Kendrick6 Green Blocks, 2004walnut and Japan coloreach: 6 x 4 x 4 in (15.2 x 10.2 x 10.2 cm)
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Mel KendrickUntitled (Group of Four), 2002Japan color on oiled Padoukeach: 6 x 2 x 2 in (15 x 5 x 5 cm)
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CIPRIAN MUREŞAN
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Ciprian MureșanThe Wizard, 2011found vending machine and rubber balls66 x 28 x 28 in (167.6 x 71.1 x 71.1 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanDead Weight, 2013etchings, plywood, mahogany24 x 28 x 24 in (61 x 71.1 x 61 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanAll images from a December 2016 issue of Afterall magazine, 2017graphite on paper29 3/4 x 20 13/16 in (75.6 x 52.9 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanAll Images from a December 2016 issue of Art in America magazine, 2017graphite on paper28 3/4 x 20 1/8 in (73 x 51.1 cm)
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GAVIN TURK
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Gavin TurkConduit, 2013painted bronze10 1/4 x 70 x 11 13/16 in (26 x 178 x 30 cm)
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Gavin TurkPipe Dream, 2013blown glass on steel table5 1/8 x 74 13/16 x 15 3/4 in (13 x 190 x 40 cm)
table: 19 1/4 x 79 15/16 x 34 1/4 in (49 x 203 x 87 cm) -
Gavin TurkSpent Match, 2005painted bronze1/16 x 1/16 x 1 3/16 in (.2 x .2 x 3 cm)
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Gavin TurkTurkey Foil Box x 4, 2007silkscreen on plywood11 x 25 3/8 x 2 3/4 in (28 x 64.5 x 7 cm)
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Richard ArtschwagerUntitled (Six Objects), 1974ink on paper24 x 38 in (61 x 96.5 cm)
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Richard ArtschwagerBrush blp, 1988wood and bristles13 x 16 x 24 in (33 x 40.6 x 61 cm)
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Richard ArtschwagerLocations, 1969formica on wood and 5 blps : wood, glass, plexiglas, mirror and rubberized horsehair with formica, metal chain15 x 10 3/4 x 5 in (case)
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Richard ArtschwagerMirror, 1988formica and enamel on wood30 3/8 x 24 3/8 x 4 in (77.2 x 61.9 x 10.2 cm)Edition of 25 plus 3 artist's proofs
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Ian Hamilton FinlayUrn 1794, 1993stone, with Peter Coates17 3/4 x 10 5/8 x 10 5/8 in (45 x 27 x 27 cm)
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Ian Hamilton FinlayWatering Can (Shenstone), 1995bronze, with John Andrew15 3/4 x 23 1/2 x 11 3/4 in (40 x 60 x 30 cm)
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Neil GallFold-and-Cut, 2019acrylic on cast jesmonite; two partsoverall: 12 1/4 x 11 3/4 x 11 1/8 in (31 x 30 x 28 cm)
top: 6 1/4 x 5 7/8 x 5 1/2 in (16 x 15 x 14 cm)
bottom: 5 7/8 x 5 7/8 x 5 1/2 in (15 x 15 x 14 cm) -
Neil GallYo!, 2019acrylic on Jesmonite5 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 10 1/4 in (14 x 14 x 26 cm)
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Neil GallBlind Sculpture (Dinosaur Act), 2013acrylic on bronze5 7/8 x 4 3/4 x 6 3/8 in (15 x 12 x 16 cm)
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Neil GallOn the Beach, 2011oil on linen76 1/8 x 97 3/4 in (193.5 x 248 cm)
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Victoria GitmanUntitled, 2006oil on board4 3/8 x 6 in (11.1 x 15.2 cm)
10 x 11 1/2 x 1 3/4 in (25.4 x 29.2 x 4.45 cm) -
Victoria GitmanOn Display, 2006graphite on mylar7 1/4 x 9 3/4 in (18.4 x 24.8 cm)
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Victoria GitmanOn Display, 2007graphite on mylar9 x 9 1/2 in (22.9 x 24.1 cm)
framed: 14 x 14 3/8 x 1 1/2 in (35.6 x 36.5 x 3.8 cm) -
Mona HatoumYOU ARE STILL HERE, 2013sandblasted mirrored glass and metal fixtures15 x 11 1/2 in (38 x 29.2 cm)Edition of 15
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Mona HatoumNo Way II, 1996enamel and stainless steel10 3/4 x 8 3/4 x 5 in (27.3 x 22.2 x 12.7 cm)Edition 2 of 6, with 1 AP
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Mel KendrickRed Holes 3, 2015mahogany and Japan color20 3/4 x 24 x 5 in (52.7 x 61 x 12.7 cm)
base: 23 x 16 x 44 in (58.4 x 40.6 x 111.8 cm) -
Mel Kendrick6 Green Blocks, 2004walnut and Japan coloreach: 6 x 4 x 4 in (15.2 x 10.2 x 10.2 cm)
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Mel KendrickUntitled (Group of Five), 2002Japan color on poplareach: 4 3/4 x 2 x 2 in (12 x 5 x 5 cm)
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Mel KendrickUntitled (Group of Four), 2002Japan color on oiled Padoukeach: 6 x 2 x 2 in (15 x 5 x 5 cm)
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Martin KippenbergerSchreber, 1995cast resin19 x 18 x 11 in (48.3 x 45.7 x 27.9 cm)
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Barry Le VaSilent Diagrams - Reading #14, 2008concrete, resin and aluminumconcrete element: 18 x 28 x 22 in (45.72 x 71.12 x 55.88 cm)
large resin element: 26 x 22 1/2 x 17 in (66.04 x 57.15 x 43.18 cm)
each small resin element: 11 x 11 x 13 in (27.94 x 27.94 x 33.02 cm)
aluminum bars: from 3 x 2 x 2 in to 20 x 2 x 2 in (from 7.62 x 5.08 x 5.08 cm to 50.8 x 5.08 x 5.08 cm) -
Jonathan MeeseUntitled, 1993-1994mixed media20 7/8 x 19 3/4 x 12 in (53 x 50 x 30.5 cm)
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Jonathan MeeseUntitled (ISIS NAHRUNG ERDRUNE), 1999mixed media17 1/2 x 12 5/8 x 6 1/4 in (44.5 x 32 x 16 cm)
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Jonathan MeeseUntitled, 1994-1995mixed media6 x 15 3/4 x 7 in (15 x 40 x 18 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanDead Weight, 2013etchings, plywood, mahogany24 x 28 x 24 in (61 x 71.1 x 61 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanThe Wizard, 2011found vending machine and rubber balls66 x 28 x 28 in (167.6 x 71.1 x 71.1 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanAll images from a December 2016 issue of Afterall magazine, 2017graphite on paper29 3/4 x 20 13/16 in (75.6 x 52.9 cm)
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Ciprian MureșanAll Images from a December 2016 issue of Art in America magazine, 2017graphite on paper28 3/4 x 20 1/8 in (73 x 51.1 cm)
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Alexander RossUntitled, 2000oil on shaped canvas60 x 57 in (152.4 x 144.8 cm)
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Al TaylorBAR CODES, 1993ball point pen, ink and collage on paper8 1/4 x 11 in (21 x 27.9 cm)
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Gavin TurkConduit, 2013painted bronze10 1/4 x 70 x 11 13/16 in (26 x 178 x 30 cm)
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Gavin TurkPipe Dream, 2013blown glass on steel table5 1/8 x 74 13/16 x 15 3/4 in (13 x 190 x 40 cm)
table: 19 1/4 x 79 15/16 x 34 1/4 in (49 x 203 x 87 cm) -
Gavin TurkSpent Match, 2005painted bronze1/16 x 1/16 x 1 3/16 in (.2 x .2 x 3 cm)
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Gavin TurkTurkey Foil Box, 2007silkscreen ink on plywood2 3/4 x 25 5/8 x 2 3/4 in (7 x 65 x 7 cm)
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Gavin TurkTurkey Foil Box x 4, 2007silkscreen on plywood11 x 25 3/8 x 2 3/4 in (28 x 64.5 x 7 cm)
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Jorinde VoigtAbout Stability Scope Nr. 6 Variation II, 2019birch, whitewood, stain, and oil14 1/8 x 36 5/8 x 21 5/8 in (36 x 93 x 55 cm)
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Jorinde VoigtSequence of Solidification I / Solidification 1, 2014bronze, verdigris patina, wax, unique23 5/8 x 4 x 3 3/4 in (60 x 10 x 9.5 cm)
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Jorinde VoigtSequence of Solidification I / Solidification 12, 2014bronze, verdigris patina, wax, unique27 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 3 in (70 x 9 x 7.5 cm)
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Jorinde VoigtGrammatik VII, 20108 painted and lettered motorized propellersoverall dimensions variable
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