Taryn Simon's 'Paperwork and the Will of Capital' Examines Political Semiotics Through Floral Arrangements at Gagosian

Taryn Simon's exhibition 'Paperwork and the Will of Capital' at Gagosian's 24th Street venue delves into the symbolism of authority in both political and business contracts, utilizing floral compositions. The show juxtaposes concise overviews of these agreements with still-life interpretations of the flowers featured at the press events where the deals were finalized. Accompanying these artworks are pressed plant specimens and their scientific names. One notable piece details the Agreement Establishing the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, signed on May 30, 2006, at Al-Bayan Palace in Kuwait City, incorporating roses from Ecuador, gerberas and hydrangeas from the Netherlands, and dendrobium orchids from Thailand. Running until March 26 at Gagosian's Chelsea site, the exhibition showcases mixed media works that reflect on how visual presentations shape public discourse and policy, often masking the real consequences of such agreements.