Dennis Oppenheim Retrospective at Musée des Beaux-Arts, Arras
From September 29 to December 16, 2001, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Arras, France, showcased a retrospective of Dennis Oppenheim, an American artist born in 1938. Curated by Luc Brévard and Céline Lange, the exhibition spanned works created between 1967 and 2001, encompassing earth and body art. It utilized two rooms and the cloister of the former Saint-Vaast abbey. Early pieces featured installations and photographs, such as Reading Position for Second Degree Burn and Salt Flat. The 1969 installation Gallery Transplant critiqued the museum's function. Recent creations included white translucent resin sculptures like Gun with Hand, Man with Lightning Bolt, and Boat Faces (all 2001). In the cloister, Falling Angels (2001) addressed themes of violence and mortality. Carole Boulbès provided a review of the exhibition.
Key facts
- Dennis Oppenheim retrospective at Musée des Beaux-Arts, Arras, from September 29 to December 16, 2001.
- Curated by Luc Brévard and Céline Lange.
- Works from 1967 to 2001, including earth art and body art.
- Exhibition in two rooms and the cloister of the former Saint-Vaast abbey.
- Early works: Salt Flat, Directed Seeding, Reading Position for Second Degree Burn.
- Gallery Transplant (1969) transferred Stedelijk Museum room dimensions to a New Jersey gravel field.
- Theme for a Major Hit (1974) used a puppet as a replacement performer.
- Recent sculptures: Man with Lightning Bolt, Gun with Hand, Boat Faces (all 2001).
- Falling Angels (2001) placed resin angels with saws in the cloister.
- Above the Wall of Electrocution featured inflating animal masks.
Entities
Artists
- Dennis Oppenheim
- Carole Boulbès
Institutions
- Musée des Beaux-Arts, Arras
- Stedelijk Museum
Locations
- Arras
- France
- New Jersey
- Saudemont
Sources
- artpress —