Gabriel Orozco's Proximity and Distance at Galerie Chantal Crousel

Gabriel Orozco's exhibition at Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris, running from September 15 to 20, 2007, presents three series of works exploring the dialectic of proximity and distance. The dominant new series, "Dépliages," features intimate paper works where the artist applies a drop of oil paint, then folds and presses the paper by hand, creating unpredictable compositions upon unfolding. These works emphasize the physical contiguity between paper and hand, underscoring an autobiographical dimension reminiscent of Rorschach tests and early Beuys. The sculptural piece "Torso," made from clay kneaded on the floor and weighing as much as Orozco himself, reflects a similar dynamic: it is both an index of the artist's torso and subject to material laws, evoking Robert Morris. The third series, "Samourai Tree," is a pictorial cycle based on six rules, leaning more toward distance and, according to the review, less engaging. The exhibition was reviewed by Erik Verhagen.