Several years ago Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson installed a spectacular piece in the turbine hall of London’s Tate Modern called Weather. Somehow I did not stir myself to go see it, and I’ve regretted it ever since.
Eliasson has had an exhibition of his work here in Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art since December. It’s called Take Your Time. It ends this weekend. Although the Weather installation isn’t here, I was determined not to let this opportunity to see his work pass by. I managed to get there today.
It was good. Not awe-inspiring good, but pretty good. I like his pieces with mirrors and lights a lot. His photographs and wire-work and interactive Lego pieces I can do without. But the hall that’s mirrored only in one direction you pass through it, or the grotto of kaleidoscope crystalline formations, or the dark room with mist and spotlight, or the spotlights reflected twice in mirrors, were very cool. He uses simple shapes and colours, but when he gets it right it suggests whole worlds of complexity behind those shapes.
If you don’t see it tomorrow in Sydney, you’ve missed your chance. Sorry.
Olafur Eliasson's One-Way Tunnel. Image from Thomas Hawk via Creative Commons license
