SERRA’S URBAN JUNGLE
Serra's final masterpiece invites meditation through a mesmerizing landscape that redefines the boundaries between art and architecture.
Step into a labyrinth of steel and space at David Zwirner's 537 West 20th Street gallery, where Richard Serra's monumental "Every Which Way" awaits to challenge your perception. This mind-bending installation, featuring 16 towering steel panels, transforms the gallery into an urban jungle of metal and void. Prepare to lose yourself in a dance of angles and shadows, as Serra's final masterpiece invites you to explore, twist, and turn through a mesmerizing landscape that defies expectations and redefines the boundaries between art and architecture. Don't just see it – experience it!
Serra's final masterpiece invites exploration through a mesmerizing landscape that defies expectations and redefines the boundaries between art and architecture. As Serra himself stated, "How you perceive depends on how you walk; if you change direction, your perception changes. If you have to make a choice about direction, it becomes a thought".
Unlike Serra's prior pieces with predetermined paths, "Every Which Way" offers no clear entrance or exit. Instead, it presents a series of decisions, mirroring the complexity of urban navigation. The installation forces visitors to make choices, twist, and turn continuously, much like navigating a city's architecture.
Richard Serra, Leo Castelli Gallery 1987. Getty images
On a broader level, this installation prompts us to reflect on it as a metaphor for the various paths we take in life. It emphasizes how small decisions can significantly alter our course, challenging the notion of predetermined destiny. As we move through the space, our perception constantly shifts. The steel structures, typically associated with rigidity, paradoxically become symbols of empowerment and liberation.
This dynamic interaction between viewer and artwork creates a unique experience that goes beyond mere observation. It's an invitation to engage physically and mentally with the space, making "Every Which Way" not just a visual spectacle, but a profound exploration of spatial awareness and decision-making.
