L’Opéra, 1994-98
A spectacular, spectacle of the spectacle that is opera. L’Opéra is a creation that enshrines this hyperbolic cultural phenomenon. Packed with intricate, genre-specific detail, hilarious vignettes, and multiple allusions to the operatic repertoire, the sculpture is not only an inspired tribute to the art of opera and its cultural heritage, but a complex, brilliantly crafted, and highly imaginative work. On stage we see the final moments of the second act of Verdi’s Aida, with its decor and cast evoking the grandeur of ancient Egypt. Surprisingly the cast of Pagliacci provides the orchestral support for the actors on stage. Even more surprisingly, the audience is largely comprised of cast members from The Ring, Mefistofele and Turandot, all in costume and appearing to be singing along. The regular audience members seem either sickly, with a greenish cast to their complexion, or nodding off, a corpse lies almost unnoticed beneath a staircase; Perhaps an allusion to the preponderance of death within the opera genre? While L’Opéra does not include sound, the magical resonance of this elaborate reliquary, despite this profound omission, is an imagined sound that permeates the overall experience, elevating through absence this signature art form embedded in our collective subconscious.
oil, gouache, lacquer, encaustic, enamel, various woods, gold leaf, eggshell, glass, copper, brass, mink, velvet, satin moiré, leather, light bulbs, electric motors and transformers
78" x 50" x 76 ½"