The works of art in Out of Sight! Art of the Senses feature elements that invite us not only to look but also to listen, smell, touch, and even taste. Here on the blog, we’re taking a closer look at some of the more unusual sensory experiences you can expect in the exhibition.
Installation view of Wolfgang Laib’s Without Beginning and Without End, 2005. Beeswax and wooden understructure, 173 1/4 x 37 3/8 x 167 5/8 inches (440 x 95 x 436 cm). Courtesy the artist and Sperone Westwater, New York. © The artist, courtesy Sperone Westwater, New York.
Smell is one of the most evocative of our senses and can instantly bring to mind highly specific memories or powerful waves of nostalgia. The fragrant components of Pipilotti Rist’s alles oder nichts (All or Nothing) are different every time the work is installed; the artist left the choice up to the museum displaying the work. For Out of Sight! Art of the Senses, carnations and coffee beans were selected. Other objects elsewhere in the exhibition incorporate scent as well, including Wolfgang Laib’s Without Beginning and Without End, which gives off a delicate beeswax fragrance.
