Gold, red, and black are the predominant colors inside Pirelli HangarBicocca, which, as of October 11, hosts the exhibition of James Lee Byars. An enigmatic and mystical artist, Byars has been – and still is today – one of the most important figures in the 20th-century art scene. The one at HangarBicocca is the first Italian retrospective dedicated to the American artist after his passing twenty-six years ago. The former industrial setting of Pirelli’s Nave stands out as an ideal place to accommodate Byars’ large-scale installations, which, in the open space, appear in perfect dialogue with each other. The result is a fluid journey that immerses visitors in Byars’ poetics, one artwork after another. An unceasing quest for perfection through an approach that combines mysticism with aesthetics, spirituality with corporeality.
The exhibition opens with a gigantic golden tower, 21 meters high, dedicated to humanity. The Golden Tower (1990) constitutes the emblem of James Lee Byars’ search and introduces the recurring theme throughout the exhibition: perfect forms and immutable materials. This work, as well as The Door of Innocence and The Figure of Question in the Room, best encapsulate Byars’ investigation of perfection. His quest translates into the use of precious and eternal materials, such as sandstone, marble, and glass, often entirely covered in gold leaf and accompanied by silk and crystals. It also appears in the choice of figures considered perfect, with the sphere being the most prominent, appearing in various sizes and materials throughout the exhibition, taking on different meanings. From the glass-encased eyeball to the “ball” composed of 3333 red roses, culminating in the last room housing the installation Red Angel of Marseille, composed of a thousand red glass spheres.
The influence of Japan can be traced in archetypal forms like obelisks and totems, as well as minimalist geometries such as spheres, prisms, and pillars, a influence that Byars embraced starting from his early travels to Japan. Contact with Shinto culture and religion led the artist to explore the ephemeral and subsequently develop a thought focused on the pursuit of perfection. In this sense, his philosophical and psychological studies prove to be crucial. For Byars, the question is more important than its answer, and doubt becomes the only approach to existence.
The exhibition is free and is open until 18 February 2024.
Courtesy Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milano
Ph Credits Agostino Osio
