Brian Jungen is one heck of an artist! His ability to take common consumer goods such as white plastic patio chairs, leather sofas, and Air Jordan sneakers and transform them into something entirely different was just astonishing to say the least.
From a distance, the large scale skeletal construction of a whale or a dinosaur hanging from the ceiling was something to look at in awe, but upon closer inspection, they weren't bones at all, but a series of white patio chairs neatly cut up on small sections, replicating the skeletal sculpture of a whale, retained by numerous nuts and bolts. "Woah" I said, like Neo in The Matrix.
Moving on through the gallery was a collection of masks behind glass. These wild masks resemble the styles of the first nations people like the Haida Gwaii's, but these weren't carved out of wood, but rather, Air Jordan basketball shoes cut up and rearranged to shape like one. The eyes, ears, and nose/beak was distinct in it's conception, making great use of the round Air Jordan button for the eyes and so forth. I thought about how people with a sneaker fetish, those who collect vintage Nike's and Air Jordans, would react to Jungen's work. Would they scream in horror at the dissemination of a perfect work of art, or would they have an open mind and like this new art too? While I can't speak for them, I loved Jungen's creativity.
In another room with high ceilings, there was a large Indian tipi constructed out of deconstructed leather sofas. The wood used in the sofa was used as the frame of the tipi, and the leather was used as the wall around it, like a tent.
What is the meaning of this? What is Jungen trying to say or express? While the interpretations are best left to the individual, one thing is for sure: it promotes dialogue. Hate it or love it, it was awesome, both in scale and imagination.
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