Haim Steinbach's 'Navy Legacy' Overflows at Galerie Laurent Godin

Haim Steinbach's exhibition 'Navy Legacy' at Galerie Laurent Godin in Paris (April 14 – May 26, 2012) marks a departure from his signature sparse, object-on-shelf installations. The show fills the gallery floor-to-ceiling with numerous works, creating a saturated effect. A large white partition blocks the entrance, paired with a sign reading 'No Elephants.' At the rear, a massive earth-and-grass ball evokes both Sisyphus's rock and the boulder from 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' Shelves and vitrines display pop-culture items: Hulk figurines, a Lego Batmobile. More cryptic elements include a faucet hidden behind drywall and the exhibition title itself, which opens fertile but opaque maritime imagery. Curator Paul Ardenne interprets the show as Steinbach releasing a creative overflow rather than dispersing his focus.