Franz West - David Zwirner Gallery Exhibition

Franz West

David Zwirner Gallery Exhibition

Though I was familiar with Franz West's work before, I had not yet seen it in person. This exhibition was a fun and full of ideas. The Zwirner gallery space had an intimate feel. What I especially loved about this exhibition was getting to see some of West's drawings, collage and painting alongside his more sculptural works. There is an inherent humor to West's work which carries through all mediums. In his drawings West pictures figures in mysterious scenes which feel somewhat dreamlike, set against sometimes empty backgrounds or backgrounds that seems to be architectural. The figures are in simple forms, and come across playfully. There seems to be an underlying theme exploring the relationship between people, object, and their environments.

I like West's dynamic use of color. His painted works in papier-mache, or what he calls "Adaptives" are fascinating forms. Some of them are reminiscent of day to day objects, while others were more difficult to work out. I like the way some of them were displayed freestanding on the floor, so you could walk around it completely, taking it in as part of the space. 

I find the distribution of weight in this piece to be comical, and the form itself feels like it could take on lifelike qualities, it feels organic in nature, especially the way the paint has been strewn over the shape from above... almost like a bird rock.