Camille Henrot's 'Restless Earth' at the New Museum explores archives and chaos

Camille Henrot's exhibition 'Restless Earth' ran at the New Museum from May 7 to June 29, 2014, located at 235 Bowery in New York City. The show featured her video 'Grosse Fatigue' (2013), created during a 2013 Artist Research Fellowship at the Smithsonian, which blends origin myths and scientific imagery with a rap soundtrack. Sculptures inspired by literature, such as Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' (1851), incorporated Ikebana techniques with flowers, vegetables, USB cables, and Japanese newspapers. Another room displayed pages from a 1995 Christie's catalogue, 'Jewels from the Personal Collection of Princess Salimah Aga Khan', adorned with dried plants from Upper East Side residences. Earlier videos like 'Coupé/Décalé' (2011), 'Le Songe de Poliphile' (2011), and 'Million Dollars Point' (2011) examined cultural symbols and practices. Henrot's work challenges disciplinary boundaries, exploring how information is organized and the chaos it generates, with components labeled in detailed, scientific lists. The exhibition highlighted her interest in appropriation, biological materials, and the digital realm's archival nature.