"Gimmick"

Review

Thomas Hirschhorn: Superficial Engagement
Barbara Gladstone Gallery
thru 2/11/06

Jean-Luc Blanc: Any Minute Now
Envoy Gallery
thru 2/25/06

• Before “statement” and “expression” there is “attention span”. To cheat this principle by somehow going outside the work itself to draw someone TO the work only emphasizes the question of why the work can’t do that for itself.
  
  Hirschhorn obviously wants to be written up for the “horrifying” and “shocking” show at the Gladstone Gallery because his “art” lacks the power to do so alone. Blanc obviously wants to be written up for the “creativity” and “humor” of the show at Envoy because his paintings certainly won’t be. If you disgust, you must captivate. If you use whimsy to pull me in, there better be something for me when I get there. Hopefully my review of the two shows here in a blog of a 3 reader circulation will have satisfied the goals of both these so-called “artists” and they can simply move on.(see full review)