Gallery for New Media

This second exhibition in the Gallery for New Media centered on the recent acquisition of All or Nothing (alles oder nichts), 2010, an intimately scaled video sculpture by the Swiss-born artist Pipilotti Rist and the first work by the artist to be acquired by the Albright-Knox.

Rist creates video installations that push imagery to its extreme, and invite viewers into a dreamlike fantasy world of havoc, play, and rebellion. Enveloping aspects from many creative sources—including painting, poetry, and language, as well as music and dance—her practice is rooted in a staunch belief that artmaking should not be a passive endeavor. In her work, Rist blurs the boundaries between art and popular culture to "explore the unfamiliar in the everyday." Her lush and seductive imagery encompasses a honed visual iconography that bridges the sleekness of commercial advertising and the quirky narrative of a nonsensical pop music video. These elements are no doubt influenced by Rist's past experience as a set designer and a member of the Swiss band and performance group Les Reines Prochaines. 

In her work, Rist often uses a rich color palette, captivating imagery, and sound to give the viewer an immersive experience. This exhibition, however, brings together three works that are more intimate in scale and engage the viewer by offering a more meditative and tranquil atmosphere rooted in elements of domesticity. All or Nothing (alles oder nichts) is composed of a triptych of LCD screens mounted on the wall, containing imagery that straddles the line between what the artist refers to as the "corporal and the spiritual." Mesmerizing in its fluidity, this chimera of hands and gender-specific body parts morphs and changes in a cadenced motion amidst a psychedelic sea of lushly vivid color. Viewers are invited to pause at the modestly minimal altar-like component, where offerings such as fresh flowers and water encourage us to slow down and contemplate. Two other works, Enlight My Space [Erleuchte (und klaere) meinen Raum], 2008, and Lap Lamp, 2006, challenge us to consider the contrast between the organic, natural world and our role within it.

This exhibition was organized by Curator for the Collection Holly E. Hughes for the Gallery for New Media.

About the Gallery for New Media

The Gallery for New Media is a new exhibition space that features an ongoing series of solo and thematic exhibitions of artists working in film, video, and other forms of time-based media. Forthcoming exhibitions will be organized using works from the museum’s collection, as well as special projects, and will be featured as part of the museum’s ongoing programming.