Art, the Gallery Space and Everything: The Viewer

Art, the Gallery Space, and Everything: The Viewer is both a judge and fellow audience member in the gallery. The 2-metre-tall cardboard figure is cloaked and geometrically abstract adding an air of mysticism. Controlled by the opening of the door, the oversized marionette puppet turns to watch viewers entering the gallery, making them hyper-conscious of their presence in the space. The cardboard construction places sloppy craft as an authority, disrupting the usual hierarchy of judgement in the gallery. This playful hypocrisy, and the heightened self-awareness in space, draws viewer attention to the ‘rules’ of the space. By flipping these materially and positioning the viewers as directly responsible for the movement of the figure, the audience are implicated and empowered as the agents of change in this system. As the title reinforces, the connection to the opening door, and the symbolism of such, extends this opportunity for change beyond the gallery space.