Shahryar Nashat

Force Life

Feb 1–Mar 8, 2020

MoMA

Shahryar Nashat. Force Life. 2020. The Museum of Modern Art. © 2019 Shahryar Nashat, Photo: Will Davidson
  • MoMA, Floor 4, Studio The Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Studio

For the inaugural commissions in The Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Studio, artist Shahryar Nashat presents the installation Force Life.

Nashat’s Force Life consists of four works: a video titled Blood (what is authority); a horizontal sculpture titled Barre (are you nervous in this system); and two marble sculptures titled Brain (you no longer have to simulate) and Brain (do you feel nervous in this system). These works consider the ways in which art is experienced—how an artwork is seen by the eyes, felt through the body, and perceived by the mind. An immersive light installation, which changes throughout the day in relation to the natural shift in light outside, unites the disparate works on view into a multisensory environment that functions as a cohesive whole.

Nashat’s Force Life is on view daily, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 2:30–3:30 p.m., 4:30–5:30 p.m.; Fridays, 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m., 2:00–3:00 p.m., 4:00–5:00 p.m., 6:00–9:00 p.m.; and during First Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 2:30–3:30 p.m., 4:30–9:00 p.m.

The other commission is Shelf Life, by choreographer Adam Linder. The exhibitions alternate throughout the day, so that only one is on view at a given time. Shelf Life is on view daily, 1:30–2:30 p.m., 3:30–4:30 p.m.; Fridays, 1:00–2:00 p.m., 3:00–4:00 p.m., 5:00–6:00 p.m.; and during First Thursdays, 1:30–2:30 p.m. and 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Force Life is commissioned by The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Organized at MoMA by Stuart Comer, Chief Curator, and Ana Janevski, Curator, with Giampaolo Bianconi, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Media and Performance Art.

The exhibition is presented as part of The Hyundai Card Performance Series.

Generous support is provided by The Sarah Arison Fund for Performance.

Additional funding is provided by the Harkness Foundation for Dance.

Publication

  • Press release 2 pages

Artist

Installation images

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