October, 2012 – Graham Miln

Dream House

I approach modern art with as simple a view as I can muster, how it makes me feel. Beyond that I find it all gets a little too self absorbed.

Dream House by La Monte & Marian Zazeela is exhibiting at MAC Lyon, Musée d’art contemporain de Lyon. The exhibit is set within a large carpeted room; visitors are requested to remove their shoes. Red and blue lights highlight a small number of three dimensional shapes near the walls. A large speaker plays an oscillating tone loud enough to reverberate around the room and through those within.

Neon sign with Dream House written on four dimensions
Neon sign with Dream House written on four dimensions

Extruded boxes bathed in red and blue lights.
Extruded boxes bathed in red and blue lights.

The two lights play with your eyes.
The two lights play with your eyes.

When we arrived people were lying down on the floor. Those not on the floor were taking photos of those lying around them.

Visitors lay on the floor surrounded by noise.

An odd experience certainly but it is difficult to recommend this exhibit. It feels too deliberate to be fun.