Curiouser and Curiouser: Uri Aran at Gavin Brown's Enterprise

Is Uri Aran Marcel Duchamp 2.0? The mixed media installation artist (whose show by foot, by car, by bus is currently on display at Gavin Brown's Enterprise) is known for his chaotic tabletop still lives that involve ready-mades like sawdust, Swiss army knives, marbles, photographs, tennis balls, and cookies. That's right––what? But regardless of the exact meaning of his purposefully arranged clutter, Aran's work feels deeply personal, as if you've walked into the private studio of someone fascinated by objects.

In videos that have the look and feel of YouTube confessionals, Aran dips a tea bag into a mug of hot water, explains the difference between tennis balls and whiffle balls, and points out the dissimilarities in six store-bought, pre-packaged cookies (some have more chocolate chips than others). Not gonna lie, this last video managed to leave me miffed about the pack of Chips Ahoy I recently bought. But newfound Nabisco resentment aside, Aran's arrangements certainly recontextualize objects and highlight their weirdness in a puzzling way. Neatfreaks, however, be warned: this show may not be for you.

by foot, by car, by bus closes on February 25th, 2012.

GAVIN BROWN'S ENTERPRISE
620 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10014
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