An art survival guide
- Safe
- An exhibition examining people's eternal desire for security.
- Running through January 2 at the MoMA, New York City.
My favorite story that arose during the hysteria just after 9/11 had to be the one about celebrities buying up gas masks, even though they were virtually useless, especially in the hands of someone like, say, Shannon Elizabeth. She might as well have taken advice from former Homeland Security head Tom Ridge and Duct Taped her windows.
Hysteria can often have these comical results (above), as well as depressing ones (presidential elections). But whatever the outcome, it’s always a fascinating study of human behavior, which is why I had to check out an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art called “Safe.” (Check out the online version of the exhibit here.)
“Safe,” which runs through January 2, isn’t all about misguided precautions. It examines the design of products and tools we create with the intention of keeping ourselves safe, from something as basic as the jacket on a cup of coffee from Starbucks, to something as uncovential as a tent that hangs from a tree.
The exhibit doesn’t simply inspire by the sheer designs of its objects because, unlike most art exhibits, this one is comprised of actual items intended to be used by officials, consumers, etc. The lengths to which people will go to protect themselves and the ingenuity it fosters are astonishing. One of the most dominant features in the exhibit is a shelter made fom wood and paper towel rolls — building materials that allow it to be put together for quick relief after disasters.
On the downside, the exhibit is a bit small — about a couple of rooms, 300 items — and somewhat of an opportunity wasted. Sure, some of “Safe” examines the societal thinking, be it necessity or paranoia, that goes into creating such devices or whatever, but a good portion of it is also spent on just design. I think the former is more interesting, so I could have done without tsunami warning signs, as timely as they might be. A defining characteristic of modern art is the process in which a piece is created, and how it overshadows just the piece itself.
That being said, the thing that stuck out for me the most for some reason was a laptop case disguised as a pizza box. Initial reactions I had about the pizza box:
• Wouldn’t your co-workers start to become suspicious after a while if you keep walking around with the thing day after day?
• And doesn’t exposing the secrets of the pizza box like this just wipe out what the manufacturer intended, as well as put people in danger of having a real pizza swiped?
FURTHER WATCHING: Check out the 1995 movie “Safe” by Todd Haynes, and not just because it has the same name. It’s a great flick about how an obsessive desire for security can take over your life.
December 5th, 2005 at 9:17 am
i usually fidn modern art to be bupkiss, but this sounds awesome, i want to see it…