event blog 1: Particulates by Rita McBride

    For this event blog, I attended Rita McBride’s Particulates on April 12, 2023. This was my first time at the Hammer Museum, and I was really excited to attend this exhibit after reading up on it online. According to the description, the installation is composed of the concurrence of water, dust, and lasers (Hammer Museum 2023). When I entered the installation room, it was incredibly dark; this darkness juxtaposed the intensity of the bright green lasers. Along with this, the room was very stuffy and moist as a result of the density of water in the air and on the ground. This actually made me laugh because it made my previously straightened hair curl up immediately.

    The installation is huge; the lasers dominate the room—converging to create a complex, braided assortment of light. The room is vast, and there are huge windows parallel to the installment. Compared to the concrete city outside, the exhibit poses a stark contrast. Though it exists within the room, the lasers invoke a sense of movement because of their fluidity. My first impression of the installation consisted of amazement and shock. 


Selfie with the Exhibit. 12 Apr. 2023.

Picture of the Exhibit Taken by Kylie. 12 Apr. 2023.

    After seeing the exhibit, I wanted to gather further insight regarding Rita McBride’s artistic process. In an interview, McBride underscores the importance of geometry in shaping the installation, stating that “[the hyperboloid] expands and contracts symmetrically to fit the particular dimensions of the moment… The exact name of this shape is the 'hyperboloid of revolution,' which implies a lot of rotating and twisting” (Bacon 2018). This was fascinating to learn. The use of geometry within the exhibit reminded me of what we learned regarding the imbrication of math and art. More specifically, it reminded me of vanishing points and their ability to create a sense of immersion through perspective (Frantz and Crannell 2011). Similarly, the lasers lended a sense of perspective and depth depending on where you were relative to the installation. Upon looking through the laser, it was captivating to see how the lasers guided one’s line of sight—shifting ever so slightly with the environment.


Panorama of the Exhibit Taken by Kylie. 12 Apr. 2023. Note: this was so hard to do because the exhibit is very big.



“Rita McBride: Particulates.” YouTube, YouTube, 19 Apr. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0mD0qqdvJM.


  This exhibition has inspired me to think more critically regarding how I want to create depth and perspective in the midterm project. Overall, I would recommend checking out the exhibit!



Works Cited 


Bacon, Alex. “Rita McBride Discusses Her Installation at Dia: Chelsea.” The Online Edition of Artforum International Magazine, 13 Feb. 2018, https://www.artforum.com/interviews/rita-mcbride-discusses-her-installation-at-dia-chelsea-74229.


Frantz, Marc, and Annalisa Crannell. 2011. “Vanishing Points and Viewpoints.” In Viewpoints, 29–. United States: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvcm4hhg.9.


“Rita McBride: Particulates.” Hammer Museum, https://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2023/rita-mcbride-particulates.



Media Citations 


Panorama of the Exhibit Taken by Kylie. 12 Apr. 2023. Note: this was so hard to do because the exhibit is very big.


Picture of the Exhibit Taken by Kylie. 12 Apr. 2023.


“Rita McBride: Particulates.” YouTube, YouTube, 19 Apr. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0mD0qqdvJM.


Selfie with the Exhibit. 12 Apr. 2023.



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