The UCLA Hammer Museum’s Vault Gallery has become home to
a new species of fungal growth. Scattered and bunched throughout
the floor space in white, iridescent poufs, Tara Donovan’s
exhibition, on display through Sept. 5, is the most natural looking
object in Los Angeles, and it’s made entirely out of fishing
line. Go figure.
Donovan’s work is famous for her manipulation of
artificial objects, but her pieces always aim to mimic nature. With
everyday materials, she constructs art in which the sum of its
parts is actually greater than the whole. In past projects, she has
worked with 17,000 pencils and millions of pieces of scotch
tape.
Upon further examinations, Donovan’s piece is not just
about amassing a collection of infinite tiny objects. In creating
her pieces, Donovan selects certain materials based on their
specific physical qualities. She then uses the unique qualities of
the items to create something entirely different from their
original purposes.
The combination of a fur-like texture and a bacterial
composition is Donovan’s most impressive achievement, as it
allows her to create something that mimics nature but could never
be found in it.
The short pieces of fishing line used in this piece capture
light in the soft pockets of their centers but sparkle in random
spots of reflections at their edges. The combination creates the
appearance of movement and makes the piece seem to grow and
multiply before your eyes.
Displayed on the floor of the Hammer’s one-room gallery,
the piece is scattered without boundaries throughout the space.
While expansive, the piece only reaches a few inches in height,
which is further emphasized by the room’s high, spacious
ceilings and flooding light. The hollow room also features
echo-friendly acoustics. These dynamics add an interesting element
of spatial planning to the artwork.
Besides being a stunning recreation of delicate life, the piece
should be appreciated simply for its meticulous construction.
-Alexis Matsui