gabriel orozco: natural motion at the kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco: natural motion at the kunsthaus bregenz
gabriel orozco
la DS cornaline, 2013
489 x 122 x 147 cm
courtesy of the artist and marian goodman gallery, new york, paris
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
kunsthaus bregenz, austria
now through october 6, 2013

mexican contemporary artist gabriel orozco presents ‘natural motion’, a compilation of recent work with some of the most characteristic of his career, at the kunsthaus bregenz in austria. refusing to commit to a single medium, orozco travels freely through a spectrum of creative disciplines, seamlessly switching from sculpture and installation to photography and painting. his versatility leads him to a range of projects — some which incorporate a significant amount of craftsmanship and detail, and others alluding to contemporary readymades. his selection of motifs are manifold, rooted in latin-american cultural traditions, modernism, and conceptual art.

orozco’s past works exhibited embody the length and latitude of his career. ‘la DS cornaline’, driven by his fascination with speed and racing cars, is a citroen halved lengthwise, then reassembled leaving out the middle piece. the slinky red vehicle becomes an exaggeration of the original form and reveals the artist’s experimentation with objects as artistic mediums. also on display is ‘dark wave’, a nearly 15-meter long synthetic reconstruction of a whale skeleton, with a complex geometrical graphite pattern completely covering the surface of the mock mammal. the massive structure hovers above spectators, allowing them to view the intricacy of the markings.

gabriel orozco
la DS cornaline, 2013
489 x 122 x 147 cm
courtesy of the artist and marian goodman gallery, new york, paris
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

 
gabriel orozco
la DS cornaline, 2013
489 x 122 x 147 cm
courtesy of the artist and marian goodman gallery, new york, paris
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
dark wave, 2006
304 x 392 x 1375 cm
kunsthaus bregenz 2013, lender essl museum klosterneuburg/vienna
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
dark wave, 2006
304 x 392 x 1375 cm
kunsthaus bregenz 2013, lender essl museum klosterneuburg/vienna
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

orozco’s new work recalls the expert stonework of the masons, and captures another aspect of his artistic range. his stone sculptures have been influenced by traditional european sculpture, referencing the continuous, sensual forms of barbara hepworth and hans arp. carefully carved geometric grooves are etched into the surface of the rocks. their presentation alludes to the display of historical artifacts at anthropological museums, which characterizes orozco’s marriage of modernity and antiquity.

gabriel orozco
installation view 1st floor, kunsthaus bregenz
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
installation view 1st floor, kunsthaus bregenz
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
installation view 1st floor, kunsthaus bregenz
photo: markus tretter © gabriel orozco and kunsthaus bregenz

gabriel orozco
was born in jalapa, veracruz, mexico in 1962.
he studied at the escuela nacional de arte plasticas in mexico city, and at the circulo de bellas artes in madrid, spain.
orozco lives and works in new york, paris, and mexico city.

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