Post by Grubb.
Why the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is located in North Adams, Massachusetts only Ella can tell you because, well, I was going to say I don’t have a clue, but I think abandoned factory space might be one of the reasons. The town is in the Berkshires and has a lot of large old brick buildings that, if they’re not vacant, are doing a good job disguising the fact. A hundred years ago you could tell your friends that you were going to spend your summer in the Berkshires…without adding that you would be working a hand press in an assembly line.
The first exhibit I perused was an installation by Joseph Grigley. Joseph is deaf and, judging from this piece, has some anger issues.
It reminded me of an opening at The Kitchen art space in Chelsea thirty some years ago. Attendees were dressed in formal wear waiting for Hilton Kramer, the critic for the New York Times, to show up. I had a play of mine (“The Winners of the White Atomic Sweepstakes”) opening at the same time in The Kitchen’s performance venue right behind the art gallery which is in the foyer. Earlier that evening one of the artists on exhibit had shown up and taken a sledge hammer to his work. Apparently this furious assault was part of his “active installation”. The art opening guests were still recovering from this high concept self-hate when Lee Cohen, acting the role of “Zonk” in my play, roared into the gallery on a motorcycle. It seemed that throttling through the foyer was the only way he could get the bike on stage to perform his part. “Out of my way,” he yelled, “I have to make an entrance!” Hilton Kramer was stepping out of his limousine; the panicked guests backed away so that Lee could roar past and not leave his fellow actors hanging.
I had my memory moment gazing at Grigley’s artsy tantrum, and then spent most of my time in the cavernous former factory buildings where Sol LeWitt had his enormous canvases spanning the brick walls.
Placing myself in front of Sol’s vibrantly contrasting colors almost made me lose my balance. His straight-lined optical illusions distort the space you stand in. Seeing his work is, literally, a moving experience; if you linger you feel you might lose your bearings.
