Tony Oursler at Metro Pictures

I hadn't realized myself to be a Tony Oursler fan until I discovered that I've enjoyed works of his from the Milwaukee Art Museum and other museams. Metro Pictures hosted an ambitious exhibition of his recent work - massive 3D forms with complex projections.

The objects were intricately masked and secondary projectors threw background details on the environment. Each object held many eyes and mouths - watching, blinking, and speaking.



The video was altered and blended to feel something like clouds or mercury genetically melded with humans. You almost felt sorry for these amoeba-like creatures, frozen, still, and yet watching you and speaking pathetically as if a conversation might ensue.



To call myself a fan is too strong - rather I respect the work and was impressed and drawn in. It motivated my emotions and drew my empathy, but still the ugliness of it also repelled me.