The Renaissance Society presents a new video installation by Irish artist Gerard Byrne. On view January 09 – February 27, 2011.
The title, A thing is a hole in a thing it is not, refers to a quotation of minimalist artist Carl Andre. Byrne’s attention here will be on the historical reception of Minimalism as a movement, a history that is resonant within the context of The Society’s early engagement with that movement’s artists.
Gerard Byrne
Born in Dublin in 1969, Byrne is regarded as amongst the most critically important artists of his generation. His work frequently reconstructs historically charged conversations about the future originally published in popular magazines from the 1960s – 1980s in order to test their resonance in the present. He explores the historical locations of these moments and the spaces in which they are presented, blurring the lines between past and present, fiction and documentary. The artist lives and works in Dublin.
Image: Gerard Byrne Still from A thing is a hole in a thing it is not , 2010 film installation
The Renaissance Society
Founded in 1915, The Society’s mission is to encourage the growth and understanding of contemporary art through exhibitions, publications, and events. The Society presents art seldom seen in the midwest, giving the public opportunities to investigate the most recent developments in contemporary art. At the same time, the museum is equally committed to fostering the development of Chicago’s own rich artistic resources. The Renaissance Society also sponsors concerts, performances, film and video screenings, poetry and fiction readings, and lectures by noted contemporary artists, critics and scholars.
www.renaissancesociety.org