Interaction with works enthuse both artists and viewers

The surprising popularity of a recent unconventional, interactive exhibition goes to demonstrate a fast-rising interest in this particular genre of art, both on the part of the public and contemporary artists.

The New Museum’s Carsten Höller show included perception-bending works of art as a sensory deprivation tank plus a slow-motion carousel that consistently drew more number of visitors than any other event in the institution’s more than three decade long history.

A group of museum-goers as large as the total population of Myrtle Beach, S.C. – just over 30,000 – plummeted down the tubular slide (not less than two-story) after an almost-three-month successful run. Its excited officials estimated the total attendance to be close to 100,000. A spokesperson added: “A demographically and generationally diverse audience was quite keen to take part in these novel art experiences and embraced them all with an open mind.”

A couple of years ago, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s commission as part of the Unilever Series for the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern was made up of millions of tiny works - each apparently identical, but unique. Poured into the Turbine Hall’s vast industrial space, the 100 million seeds formed an infinite landscape. The gallery decided not to let enthusiastic members of public tread across it. Their interaction with the work was feared to cause dust, harmful to health because of repeated inhalation.

Here in India, noted British sculptor Marc Quinn is preparing to hold a public art project next year. While the outline of this ambitious project is yet to be finalized, the British Council India (head of arts), Adam Pushkin visualizes it as an ‘non-commercial display in a large public space.

Quinn observes that the changes in the domain of art over his 20-year career are invariably tied to how his audiences have changed. He can now easily communicate with a much wider viewer base. In fact, the definition of what an installation or a sculpture is has vastly changed, he points out.

Mumbai's iconic double-decker public transport bus was reborn with giant silver wings in Sudarshan Shetty's recent public art project, drawing a steady stream of curious visitors. The red buses to be phased out soon were elevated from their ‘antiquated fate’ by the artist giving one of them spectacular steel wings.