When I walked out of the Norton Museum of Art’s new show “Altered States†last
week, I felt woozy and light-headed – a bit like I was under the influence of a mild narcotic. This feeling – rather than the feeling that the art I just saw was outstanding, which it was – is the best complement I can have given this show, a feast for the eyes curated by the Norton’s Cheryl Brutvan.
Inspired by Bruce Nauman’s famous quotation, “The true artist helps the world by revealing mystic truths,†Brutvan’s show features the work of four artists who attempt to do just that – somehow injecting their canvases with the same qualities the brain responds to in mind-altering drugs.
To immerse yourself in “Altered States†is to view the work of visionary madmen, seemingly creating masterpieces in opium dens of enlightenment. It’s all very Woodstock-ish; for a true multi-sensory experience, it lacks only the haze of pot and the sounds of Pink Floyd emanating from the walls.
The artists include Jose Alvarez, a Fort Lauderdale-based pseudo-shaman who creates epic, motley canvases that look like LSD fever dreams: Acylic, ink, vellum, and watercolor mediums combine with untraditional elements such as peacock feathers, porcupine quills and mineral crystals to form organic kaleidoscopes of color. For Fred Tomaselli, just about every piece is a visual illusion, playing expansive tricks on the mind, often with unusual materials. One piece, titled “13,000,†features nearly 50 columns high of stacked aspirin tablets arranged on a wood panel.
But the most astounding work in the exhibition is “Firmament II,†a site-specific installation by renowned computer artist Leo Villareal. You walk into a darkened room, recline on one of four lounges and stare at the ceiling, where an extraordinary light show pulls you in. Villareal’s show conjures many things: Three-dimensional rings burst toward you in concentric circles, twinkling stars dance in the infinite abyss, electrons bounce around a nucleus. It’s a one-of-a-kind museum experience, and it’s certainly a lot safer – and cheaper – than a drug hit.
“Altered States is at the Norton, 1451 S. Olive Ave., through July 17. Call 561/832-5196 or visit www.norton.org.
