ART CITIES:Aspen-Cosima von Bonin
The foundations of Cosima von Bonin’s work lie in the performativity of things that have a transformative quality. Like George Brecht she understands art as a poetic act and a social activity. Cosima von Bonin stages her objects while holding back a lot of information about the meaning of things. Her intentions keep slipping away. But once you can let go the determination to clearly understand, and bend that urge into a more relaxed relationship with the work, you can become her companion on a journey by setting off without an ultimate destination.
By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Marianne Boesky Gallery Archive
A focused exhibition of eight works by Cosima von Bonin is on show at Marianne Boesky Gallery. Inspired by popular and vernacular culture, movies, fashion, and music, von Bonin examines cultural phenomena and the contradictions and relationships therein. Her multifaceted practice embraces sculpture, photography, textile paintings which she refers to as “Translation “rags”, installation, performance, film, video, and music. For exhibition, the Gallery are on presentation works from across a decade of von Bonin’s career, capturing the dynamic and open approach that has made von Bonin one of the most influential German artists of her generation. Von Bonin’s work touches upon ideas of identity and self-reflection with both absurdity and humor. This can be seen in her recent marine-themed installations, including “What If It Barks 3 (Black Ukulele Version with Ghost)” (2018), “What If It Barks 4 (Black Ukulele Version)” (2018), and “Au Pairs” (2018). Inspired in part by the absurdity of Decorator crabs, which will adorn themselves with any material in their environment as a disguise from predators, her sculptures in turn feature large-scale plastic fish accessorized with different objects such as fabric and ukuleles, and sewn, soft crab claws remixed with rockets and torpedoes. Animals also appeared in von Bonin’s earlier works including “Thrown Out of Drama School” (2008). Here, three stuffed animal figures produced in black tweed are suspended from a metal bar along with a loose arrangement of garments. The effect is reminiscent of a child’s mobile gone awry. The juxtaposition of joyful and dark undertones, of the familiar versus the obscure, is characteristic of von Bonin’s work throughout her career. The exhibition also includes several textile paintings, referred to as “Lappen: Hand von rechts” (2008), “36 Bubbles Loop #03” (2010), “36 Bubbles Loop #11” (2010), and “Nothing #11 (No Way Blasé)” (2010). In these works, von Bonin transforms the seemingly banal material of found fabric into opaque narratives, suggested through cartoon-like hands and obscure text.
Info: Marianne Boesky Gallery, 100 South Spring Street, Aspen, Duration: 20/12/19-2/2/20, Days & Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-17:00, www.marianneboeskygallery.com
