Rita McBride.Public Tender
19.05.2012 - 24.09.2012
MACBA, Placa dels Angels 1, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
A car made from rattan, a marble tube, plant leaves made from Murano glass... We recognise everyday objects in Rita McBride's sculptures and installations: machines, furniture, piping, etc. Elements that transport us to a standardised world in which repetition establishes a code that is, apparently, easy to understand. Design reflects the artist's exploration of the nature of the object in sculptural production after the eighties and breaks with minimalist codes.
The themes that McBride explores include the standardisation caused by mass production, the value of space and the meaning of materials. The artist?s analysis of space and the "why" of things cannot be understood without allusion to modern architecture, industrial design and minimalist sculpture. McBride uses part of Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye (an icon of architectural modernism) as a template, traversing the museum's rooms, interrupting and incorporating existing architecture whilst creating a new physical exhibition context.
The relation between sculpture and architecture is a key consideration in deciphering the true scope of McBride?s work. The borders between the two become hazy, whilst the interventions that the American artist has made in the public space constitute some of the most important works of recent times. Particularly outstanding is Mae West (Munich, 2010-2011), which is spectacularly integrated into the public space, creating forms that redefine space and establish new meanings. |
May 2012
