Ellen Gallagher

Rating:
Summary: A funny thing happened...
Review: The first survey exhibition of artist Ellen Gallagher, titled "Watery Ecstatic", was presented at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. The catalog is published as a gorgeous hardcover art book edited by the exhibition's curator, Jessica Morgan. The catalog captures the scale and power of the paintings and drawings as they were presented at the ICA. More importantly, the book stands on it's own as a well rounded representation of the artist and a fine volume of reproductions.

The paintings are presented as full color plates. The paper stock and binding are of excellent quality. The selection of works on paper are reproduced on a heavy stock that is matte rather than glossy. It's a nice touch. An important strength of Ellen's work is her construction of a visual language and her consistent, although not repetitious use of this device. Morgan's interview with Ellen Gallagher is a fascinating exploration of the artist's language and conceptual ideas. The political and social relevance of the work are explored in two full length essays contributed by Greg Tate and Robert Storr.

I'll have to admit up front that I was biased against the exhibition before I walked in. I never imagined that I would purchase the book. As a classmate of Ellen's from the School of The Museum of Fine Arts, and someone who watched the phenomenon of her success unfold, I could never deny the strength and integrity of the work. I was skeptical though, that one young artist, early in her career could fill up the small museum effectively. I changed my mind on the first viewing. The range required for an exhibition of this scale was present and surpassed expectation. Ellen is certain to have a long and fruitful career as an artist. I believe that her work is important.

"Gallagher has demonstrated that you can hit an alarm bell gently and have it ring as long as one which has been hit violently, providing, of course, that the ambient noise does not drown out the more delicate sound." - Robert Storr