”AND THE MIND GREW FINGERS”, WORKS FROM 1967-1991 – DENNIS OPPENHEIM
PRESS RELEASE (in Finnish)
Pori Art Museum 24.1.-14.3.1993
Oulu Art Museum 22.1.- 14.3.1993
Dennis Oppenheim (b. 1938) is one of the most significant innovators of American contemporary art since the 1960s. A retrospective exhibition showcasing his diverse body of work is being presented in Finland in two parts. Both Pori and Oulu feature selections of Oppenheim’s earlier and more recent works.
Oppenheim, alongside Robert Smithson, Walter De Maria, and Michael Heizer, is among the pioneers of land art. Following minimalism, land art liberated the artwork from the role of a traditional exhibit object; it became known to audiences primarily through documentation.
Oppenheim’s transition from land art to body art was a natural progression. This shift was partly one of scale, moving from the macrocosm to the microcosm. It also stemmed from a new demand for the artist’s presence in the work, challenging the traditional notion of the artwork itself. This evolution led Oppenheim and many others to explore performance art.
In his later career, Oppenheim’s works evolved into complex constructions, paralleling the development seen in the works of Vito Acconci and Alice Aycock. These constructions resembled machines but served more as metaphors for thought. The influence of Marcel Duchamp on this machine aesthetic is evident. Oppenheim’s sculptures, installations, and public works are imbued with intellectual humor; through the use of animal figures and toys, one can find references to pop art and the concept of the “readymade.” Oppenheim has been described as a shaman who breaks down the boundaries between art and life, uniting and intertwining these two seemingly separate realities.
The exhibition has been organized by the Institute for Contemporary Art, P.S.1 Museum in New York. Alanna Heiss curated the exhibition and edited its accompanying publication. The exhibition has received support from The Booth Ferris Foundation and The National Endowment for the Arts in the United States, as well as the Finnish Ministry of Education and the America Center. After debuting in Finland, the exhibition will travel to Poland and France.
Translated with ChatGPT