The Anthropocene Reviewed
The Anthropocene Reviewed is a podcast hosted by author John Green that recently discussed the artworks of Agnes Martin’s series “With My Back to the World,” and Hiroyuki Doi’s “Untitled” ink drawing from 2003. In Martin’s series, Green explored the metaphors in art and how they work for or against the viewer. Martin’s work dissected various emotions and ideas down to their most abstract form. Green quotes Martin saying “From music, people accept pure emotion. But from art, they demand explanation.” I could be one of those viewers of art, needing to know '“why,” that could be due to my lack of being able to truly “see” the art. To observe it as medium in a final state, and then take time to explore each inch of the space it occupies, until I reach a conclusion.
Martin’s quote reminded me of the 2014 “James Turrell: A Retrospective” exhibit at LACMA. Before that moment I had not heard of Turrell, or the Light and Space movement he was a part of. It was Turrell’s immersive piece “Breathing Light,” 2013, that had the most profound effect on me. The installation bathed the viewer in an array of LED lights that would seamlessly change hues and intensity. At some point, most likely during the blue transition, I began to cry. It was so beautiful, engulfing, and raw that I couldn’t avoid my emotional reaction. Turrell’s installation brought forth a range of emotions in a very simple manner, although the scale was exaggerated. Like Martin, Turrell’s use of very simple or abstracted mediums induces the viewer’s emotions to become altered as the colors changes. There is no recognizable image or metaphor to ponder, only the silent and powerful exchange of hues.
Hiroyuki Doi’s work reminded me of Philip Glass’ score for the2002 film The Hours, particularly the track titled “The Poet Acts.” Doi’s implementation of circles, which vary in size and intensity, are similar to Glass’ string arrangement. The strings wax and wane, softly at times, only to gain momentum, growing louder and slightly dizzying. There is something familiar about the increase and decrease of the composition, and how it is similar to the circles in Doi’s work. Although the methods employed by each artist vary greatly, in the end, the works speak with the same beautiful sadness and brilliant arrangement.
