THE WHITE CUBE

stripped of it's context, works lose a part of themselves in this empty room. the western invention of the white cube gallery removes works from their utilitarian, historical, and cultural space. however, perhaps they gain something new. a new perspective. a new focus. a new audience. ponder this as you gaze. is it worth losing something if there is something to gain?

walk with me this way =>

Giuseppe Castiglione (Italian, 1688-1766)

Portrait of Emperor Qianlong in Court Clothes of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty

1736

silk

Penelope Umbrico (American, b. 1957)

541,795 Suns from Sunsets from Flickr (Partial) 1/23/06 (detail)

2006

2000 machine c-prints, each 4 x 6 in

© Penelope Umbrico

Kazimir Malevich (Russian/Soviet, 1879-1935)

Triumph of Heaven

tempera on board

Kazimir Malevich (Russian/Soviet, 1879-1935)

Black Circle

oil on canvas

Tony Smith (American, 1912-1980)

Die

1962

steel, oil finish

© Tony Smith

Robert Smithson (American, 1938-1973)

Map of Broken Glass (Atlantis)

1969

glass

© Holt/Smithson Foundation

Shirin Neshat (Iranian-American, b. 1957)

Rapture

1999

two screen video installation

© Shirin Neshat

Shirin Neshat (Iranian-American, b. 1957)

Turbulent

1998

two screen video installation

© Shirin Neshat