Simon Starling: Cuttings

by Daniel Kurjaković, Reid Shier, Simon Starling

Simon Starling is part of a young generation of conceptual artists whose work is more concerned with narrative than their predecessors' has been. Pieces like Inverted Retrograde Theme, USA (House for a Songbird), which shrinks scale models of modular concrete homes into birdhouses on slim wood supports, investigate modernistic design objects, materials and concepts that exemplify the prevailing ideologies and production factors of specific regions, cultures, and generations. By breaking down his source material and transforming it, Starling writes a new chapter in its history while raising questions about complex cultural and aesthetic phenomena of our time. Cuttings is an unprecedented overview of his work, and is literally cut away itself, with pages trimmed into different lengths in different sections to delineate coverage of 2005 projects, including those for a first survey exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Basel; previous works listed from A to Z; and several texts, including two essays and an interview.

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Daniel Kurjaković is an art critic, art historian, researcher and curator. Daniel is currently Curator of Programs at Kunstmuseum Basel. Previously he was Curator and Head of Programs at Burger Collection, Hong Kong, where he conceived the transcultural exhibition and research project, Quadrilogy. He also worked as Curator of Kunsthof Zurich, Zurich University of Arts where he was Co-Director of the Department of Visual Arts. Additionally, Daniel conceived the inter-institutional cooperation platform DeNeutralize and edited Torrent magazine.
Daniel’s curatorial projects focus primarily on sculpture, installation, sound and performance. They have included presentations by Louise Bourgeois, Florian Germann, Julian Opie, Lawrence Weiner, and Robert Wilson. His writing has been published in Art Asia Pacific, Flash Art International, Parkett Magazine, Journal of the Philosophy of Art, Les Cahiers du Musée National d’Art Moderne (CMNAM)/Centre Pompidou, Magazin 31 – Institut für Theorie der Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Yishu Magazine and Art:21

Reviews

[Lanny]

I have no idea if I'll be able to get this when it comes out, but what I've seen of Starling's work I've really found intriguing. This latest venture for Ontario's Power Plant Gallery is the creation, in part, of a piece of statuary
in the style of Henry more, a kind of faux hoplite made by ancient modernists which is to be sunk to become a home for
the intrusive eastern european zebra mussel that have invaded
the Great Northern Lakes.

If interested the Power plant has a few good images of the Musselled Moore statue after a bit of sitting in mussel territory.

http://www.thepowerplant.org/current....