Oded Hirsch, spirit catcher
Friday, April 6, 2012 at 11:04AM Much has been written of artist Oded Hirsch's debut exhibition at Thierry-Goldberg gallery and with good reason. Hirsch grew up in Kibbutz Afikim, Israel. His work reminds me that geography is destiny, metaphysical and/or otherwise.
His videos and photographs are permeated with an air of solemnity, the value of communal labor and the import we commonly associate with ritual acts even when they're imaginary or beyond our personal frame of reference. It's quiet, pensive art requesting silent contemplation.
His masterwork, 50 Blue, was completed in 2009. Its back story is amazing (you can read about using the links below) but I didn't know it at the time of viewing. Often, the acid test for me on a video acquisition (I did acquire the work), is that it must speak to me in a multi-sensory way sans written explanation. Learning 50 Blue's background was a satisfying validation.
Oded Hirsch: 50 Blue, video still