|
Interview with MMoCA Director Stephen Fleischman on Clayton Brother's 'Inside Out' Retrospective
Friday September 10, 2010 |
 We sat Stephen Fleischman , Director of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art , down for a talk about the decision and work behind the Clayton Brothers’ (Juxtapoz cover #103) first museum retrospective, Inside Out, which opens this weekend. The show is looking killer, but that should be the case when you essentially prepare for an exhibit like this your entire lifetime. Why did you decide to show the Clayton Brothers at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art?
In April 2006, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) opened its new building in downtown Madison. Tim House (In Green Pastures) had been gifted to MMoCA by Howard and Judith Tullman about a year earlier. This installation was prominently featured in MMoCA's highly visible State Street Gallery when the new building opened. With its intriguing structure, bold colors, whimsical drawings, haunting soundtrack, and layered meanings, the work fully engaged museum visitors.
Over time, it continued to resonate with me, and I began a dialogue with Rob and Christian about the possibility of an exhibition. After all, their work had not been the subject of a major museum survey, and offering this kind of well-deserved exposure is part of MMoCA's mission.
What appeals to you about the Brothers work?
Many things appeal to me about Rob and Christians work--its great use of color, its scale, and its ambition. But, what I appreciate most about Rob and Christian’s work is the complex, layered meanings that are embedded in it.
Working collaboratively, the brothers build on each other’s narratives. The result is very personal work that also strikes universal chords. The narratives are loosely woven, which allows viewers to bring their own stories and assumptions to the work. The open-ended qualities allow the work to grow with viewers over time.
What has it been like organizing this exhibit and planning the show with the artists?
Rob and Christian have been wonderful to work with. They have been involved in every aspect of the exhibition. They are talented, creative, and incredibly generous with their time.
Why did you choose to show the works you did?
Rob and Christian (to date) have created six major series together. Clayton Brothers: Inside Out traces them all, beginning with Green Pastures and ending with As Is and Jumbo Fruit. I thought it was important for this major survey to have strong examples from each of these series. I also wanted to show the three major installations--Tim House (In Green Pastures), I Come From Here, and Wishy Washy--surrounded by two-dimensional works from the same series.
Why are the Clayton Brothers important? What do you see as their legacy?
The Clayton Brothers are keen observers of the world around them. They have filtered their many interests--folk art, surf and skater culture, punk rock, street art, tattoo design, and myriad other influences--to create a unique visual vocabulary. Even with all these influences, the Claytons Brothers' work compels the viewer to investigate their own memories and stories--to pay attention to things they have forgotten.
I find it difficult if not impossible to predict legacies, but I have every confidence that Rob and Christian will continue to create important work that examines the human condition.
What are you hoping visitors of Inside Out to experience?
I anticipate that viewers will be fully engaged by the exhibition and that repeated visits will be rewarded, as visitors explore these deeply layered works.
Clayton Brothers: Inside Out September 12, 2010–January 2, 2011
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art 227 State Street Madison, WI 53703
|
