Hirshhorn's Cinema Show

Thanks to my friend Natalia, I finally made it down to DC yesterday to check out the first part of The Cinema Effect at the Hirshhorn Museum. This first half of a two part show is called "Dreams" and focuses on artists that have used film or video to create illusory experiences.

Something I loved about the show was how dark they made the galleries. There was something so intimate and mysterious about walking through a dark public space. And there was a blue glow coming from under the walls in the corridors between installation spaces that seemed like mini James Turrell pieces.

But the best part of the whole experience was when I walked into the room which houses the Anthony McCall's You and I, Horizontal. I was standing outside of the borders of the intense light projection trying to make sense of the piece, when a friendly security guard approached me and grabbed my shoulders and positioned my body directly in the center of the projection. Suddenly, what had seemed a very bright light in the room turned into a tunnel of swirling smoke.

I think this exchange is a testament to the strength of the work. I am not sure if the security guard could tell that I wouldn't mind being grabbed around my shoulders by a stranger. In a dark room, no less. But I think what he must have known is that after seeing what he was trying to show me, even if I had minded the interruption of personal space, I would forgive him. I was grateful. And it felt nice, like a friend putting his arms around my shoulders. I love that experiencing a work of art can be an intimate experience for two strangers.

After seeing the show, Natalia and I ran into a friend of Natalia's from MICA who was at the Hirshhorn for an interview. She was applying for an internship which would involve her walking around the museum and talking to people about works of art. Not like a docent. She would just be standing in the gallery approaching people that are walking through and asking them to discuss how they felt about the pieces on exhibit. I think this is a beautiful idea. And I wonder if my friend the security guard had been encouraged in his behavior. It definitely made for an effective museum experience.

The show is only up for three more days, so if you want to catch it, you have to go now. Go. Now.