Kate Clark: Perfect StrangersNov 20th, 2008 to Jan 3rd, 2009
Claire Oliver Gallery
513 West 26th Street, New York, NY
I went to this Kate Clark exhibit hoping I would like it in the flesh (pardon the pun) more than I did in the photos. I tend to like art that uses animal imagery and I’m oddly fascinated by the taxidermized specimens at the American Museum of Natural History. In the end, I found Clark’s sculptures to have the curious draw of a circus sideshow without rising to the level of art. Perhaps the anthropomorphism is too literal -- yes, we are all just animals. Certainly they are disarming for a moment but, surprisingly, the effect of a human face grafted onto the animal body does not seem to ennoble ether species. They are neither wild nor intelligent...mainly just a little sad.
Normally I don't bother posting about a show I don’t like. But I really wanted to get more out of these than I did. Maybe there’s someone out there that will respond better than I did....