Roni Horn aka Roni Horn at the ICA/Boston

Opening February 19, 2010, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston will show Roni Horn aka Roni Horn. The exhibition spans three decades and includes more than 50 examples of the American-born (New York -based) artist’s work in a wide range of media- including sculpture, photograph, and drawing.

As you enter the ICA, you will encounter Horn’s Pink Tons (2008) . The five-ton frosty pink-hued glass cube is a study in contradiction- seemingly solid but almost a liquid, reflecting and filtering the light. Upstairs, in the main exhibit space you will find that much of Horn’s work features pairings and series. In “This Is Me, This is You” (1998-2000) , two sets of  48 photographs depicting the artist’s  young niece are installed on opposite walls. One is struck first by the girl’s blue eyes , then by the fascinating  range of her  expressions. Your first thought is that each composite is identical, but look closely,  the  corresponding shot for each pair is slightly different. Can the camera capture the essence  of a single person over time?

In another room,  a series of aluminum rod sculptures with fragments of 19th- century American poet Emily Dickinson’s words lean against the wall. “Nature is so sudden she makes us antique” and “Always begins by degrees” encourages the viewer to read, to think, and imagine.

The ICA’s building and stunning location on Boston Harbor are well suited to Horn’s work.  In Still Water (The River Thames, for Example, 1999) 15 photographs are displayed with Boston Harbor practically as the backdrop. Horn has lots to say about water, as each photograph has dozens of thoughts written as footnotes that explore water’s nature- it’s fluidity and light.

One of Horn’s first works, Ant Farm (1974-5) is here too. And just like the classic ant farm toy, Horn’s giant (4 x 5 foot) ant habitat is home to a live colony of ants that builds its world sealed between panes of glass. The ant’s tunnels have a certain artistic beauty and the piece multiple metaphors.

Roni Horn aka Roni Horn, February 19-June 13, 2010 at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston ( 100  Northern Ave., Boston, 617-478-3100)(Map)

Image Credits: The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, used with permission and  courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth.