New York 2010 - New Museum of Contemporary Art

The New Museum of Contemporary Art is a beautiful contemporary building that houses thought provoking exhibitions.
Currently on display is a multi floor exhibition by Urs Fischer entitled 'Marguerite de Ponty' which we were advised to view from the top downwards.

The fourth floor is taken over by five gigantic aluminium forms. These began life as small pieces of clay, squeezed and moulded by the artist and them cast at 50 times their original size. Each one is named after a pseudonym used by French poet Stephane Mallarme. Questioning reality, perception and time these pieces set the tone for the whole exhibition.

The third floor appears almost empty, at first it seems to only contain a lilac rendering of a collapsing Grand Piano and a suspended croissant with a butterfly on it.
On much closer inspection Fischers sense of humour is revealed. The ceiling is covered with a printed replica ceiling showing false beam, wiring and light fittings.
This theme continues around the walls where every fixture from light switches through vents and Exit signs has a printed replica displayed slightly offset from the original. Hence in the photograph the upper vent is real and the lower one a printed replica. The red 'smudge' on the wall below the Exit sign is an image of the sign viewed end-on.

The second floor houses an installation of fifty mirrored chrome steel boxes of varying sizes. Each has been screen printed with enlarged photographs of a single object from different views. Although laid out like city blocks the mirrored surfaces and distorted scales produce a disorienting effect that is compounded by the reflections of reflections.