Title: ICA - Dispersion
Rating (out of 100): 40
Mood: odd, confused
Timeout / Culture Critic: http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/123880/dispersion.html / http://www.culturecritic.co.uk/exhibitions/dispersion/
As a new ICA member, but an enthusiast from a while ago, I made the journey to the Dispersion show (http://www.ica.org.uk/Dispersion+17449.twl) before catching a film. Frankly, my experience at the ICA galleries is not the best. Often they showcase the type of modern art that is so modern so uber modern that it ceases to be interesting to me. Forget aesthetics (how it looks), but even its meaning or whatever commentary it’s trying to make is just not that engaging for me. Unfortunately, that’s how I feel about half of the current Dispersion show.
Some of it I found interesting. Namely the Anne Collier work and the interesting exhibition by Henrik Olesen (focusing on the history of gays and lesbians in UK). But other, I just found plain not interesting despite its best attempts to be provocative (Maria Eichhorn). The other names (including the newly famous Mark Leckey), I’ve left out due to lack of interest in their work on show at the ICA. Sorry. It’s like a judge on Project Runway once said to one of the contestants after she presented a relatively plain black dress and spent a good 10 minutes explaining its significance and symbolism and what not. He said something along the lines of “you shouldn’t have to explain it so much. If it’s achieved its goal, it should speak for itself.” Well, I agree.
Overall, the show was unfortunately nothing to write home about. This is a pity, because ICA has had some excellent shows in the past which manage to be simultaneously provocative and engaging and showcase a certain aesthetic.
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