Bruce Nauman "Counter Studies"

The collaboration between Bruce Nauman and curators Carlos Basualdo and Caroline Bourgeois was an absolute delight, resulting in an enchanting and otherworldly exhibition that transcends time. Though one could categorize it as a retrospective, encompassing Nauman's creations from 1968 to 2020, including specially commissioned pieces for the Punta della Dogana in Venice, the presentation is far from ordinary.

Nauman's eclectic artistic vision, which includes video, sound, space, installations, and 3D, called for a unique approach. The traditional display of hanging pictures on white walls would have fallen short. The curators acknowledged the three fundamental aspects that the artist worked with: the space of his workshop, his body, and his sound. Additionally, they incorporated the site's space itself into the exhibition's triangular structure, leading viewers on a journey through three floors that offer distinct experiences.

Each floor presents a distinctive ambience, with visitors starting from the broad ground level and moving upward and then back down again, encountering various scales of space on their way. The exhibition features nineteen halls, showcasing a range of videos that often depict Nauman's Contrapposto movements, where he walks in a straight line while mimicking the poses of classic sculptures. The blend of classicism and modern art is conveyed through various mediums, with archive videos presented on old TVs, followed by larger screens, and then miniature screens featuring repeated loops of the same footage.

The strategically placed sound rooms and quiet spaces with sound-absorbing elements offer visitors a rare moment of introspection, and the contrast with the bustling noise of Venice outside heightens the experience. The exhibition is a multisensory delight that defies description and must be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

In the end, writing about art is like dancing about architecture, and photographs can't do justice to the exhibition's essence. I thoroughly enjoyed spending around three hours there, revelling in the minimalist mastery of Bruce Nauman and the infectious joy of the collaboration between Nauman and the curators.