What to say about Mr. Barney? I seriously do not have enough space on this blog to write about him. From the first impression, he is a very muscular man with sharp eyebrows.
Not to judge him from the physical appearance of this intelligent, grand artist, but definitely his work makes him an intimidating presence.
He is most known for this LONG, EXTENDED work called "The Cremaster Cycle."
It is a film that took him a decade to complete. They are, what I believe to be, the most interesting intermingling and connection of characters, narratives, mythologies, symbols, semiotics, and visual imagery I have seen. In one scene, Barney is in what looks to be a combination between a sports uniform, traditional Scottish "highland" dress, with his mouth morphing into that of a carnivorous animal.
Recently, he has presented a new work of sculptures and drawings titled "DJED." It was on display at the Gladstone Gallery from September 17-October 22. For this work, Barney used
large quantities of metal and decomposed and morphed them into these particular sculpture mounts to appear as if they were "excavated" out of the earth. His concept is a bit complex to explain because there are so many parts to it (a performance of the pouring of iron into gigantic cast molds, sculptural works, drawings, and a still unfinished opera attached to it). However, he references Norman Mailer’s 1983 novel Ancient Evenings as his inspiration. Mailer’s novel follows one ancient Egyptian soul through death and rebirth in three successive incarnations; in Mr. Barney’s opera—which hovers over “DJED” like the ghost of Egyptian grandeur over the British Museum—the hero is incarnate as multiple cars: a 1967 Chrysler Crown Imperial, a ‘79 Trans Am, and a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria. Although the concept of this set of work is difficult to wholly comprehend, the works are intriguing and beautiful to observe.
large quantities of metal and decomposed and morphed them into these particular sculpture mounts to appear as if they were "excavated" out of the earth. His concept is a bit complex to explain because there are so many parts to it (a performance of the pouring of iron into gigantic cast molds, sculptural works, drawings, and a still unfinished opera attached to it). However, he references Norman Mailer’s 1983 novel Ancient Evenings as his inspiration. Mailer’s novel follows one ancient Egyptian soul through death and rebirth in three successive incarnations; in Mr. Barney’s opera—which hovers over “DJED” like the ghost of Egyptian grandeur over the British Museum—the hero is incarnate as multiple cars: a 1967 Chrysler Crown Imperial, a ‘79 Trans Am, and a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria. Although the concept of this set of work is difficult to wholly comprehend, the works are intriguing and beautiful to observe.
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