For those who plan to stop by Jordan Wolfson's debut exhibition at David Zwirner, brace yourselves for what is quite possibly the scariest thing you will ever find inside an art gallery. Though people may not have known the 33-year-old artist before, it's unlikely they'll forget Wolfson, who is eager to upset and haunt all who come in contact with his unsettling Raspberry Poser video.
A seemingly benign video at first, Raspberry Poser quickly turns into something grotesque as the cartoon boy who appears on screen pulls out a knife and proceeds to slit open his chest, spilling his blood and guts. Now Imagine Beyoncé's "Sweet Dreams" playing and then repeating in a distorted, slower tempo throughout Wolfson's production. No, there's nothing sweet about the vision before you. However, you could argue there's definitely something nightmarish and perhaps beautiful about this ominous video Wolfson has created in order to test our psychological limits. Raspberry Poser and the wall-mounted sculptures around it aren't the only things that will have you feeling uncomfortable, however.
The highlight of Wolfson's latest exhibition is a tattered animatronic dancer clad in a skimpy white outfit, arm-length gloves, and matching boots. The mechanical figure dances seductively, moving her lips to Lady Gaga, Robin Thicke, and other music artists. Though it sounds sexy, it's the exact opposite. A green, witch-like mask covers half her face, and there's something truly terrifying about a robot that dances as fluidly as a human. While she gyrates and flails her arms around, her eyes stay locked on your gaze, and she repeats the phrase "My mother is dead, my father is dead, I'm gay. I'd like to be a poet. This is my house."
Not convinced? See the exhibition for yourself before it closes April 19, or peep the video below.
[via GalleristNY]
