Prema Murthy: Fuzzy Logic
PS1
Long Island City, NY
24 June - 30 Sept 2007

by Greggory Bradford

June to September 2007Unlike the Minimalists’ approach at understanding a spatial relationship between object and viewer, Murthy’s work seems like a hyper contextualization brought on by the ubiquitous nature of the Internet and the increased speed of correspondence/exchange allowed with such technologies. The work embodies a relationship not unlike that of determinist chaos, hinted at in an accompanying text by the artist for PS1, titled ‘Fuzzy Logic: A Sci-Fi Fable.’ The fable addresses the existing knots and the unexpected influence of one system on the other systems as, “...they have discovered that when one knot becomes loose another becomes tighter; when one is tied, another comes undone.” The fable is just the tip of the iceberg that exists, not unlike an internet browser, as a platform. “With references ranging the infinite space of undiscovered galaxies to the unplumbed depths of the psychic landscape, her installation probes some of the myriad possibilities presented by the merging of technology and tradition.”

The installation spans two rooms, the first with framed drawings scattered throughout at varying heights and sizes, and arranged in a way that act as portals that allow the viewer to peer into a situation of lines from a larger network. I stepped back from the small black piece with white architectonic line work to see that the framed pieces are like slides. Samples to be examined more closely, flattened in space. But others like the small one closest to me offer such depth that you can not tell if it is mapping a larger idea or a smaller inner-verse. It is a gem like this that is among the most successful in its transformation from 2D to Installation. From the wall opposite the largest collection of specimens, a single strand of tenuous black yarn interrupts to define the space like a Fred Sandback piece, breaking the barrier into this realm. Like a viewer’s participation, this string is from a larger tangent/ network of exchanges and energies. Along that same wall is the largest portal, literally. The doorway leading into the adjacent room reveals what might be mistaken for a web, with a juvenile knee jerk reaction, but as you look harder, the possibilities of thought patterns emerge, the random occurrences that introduced you to the right person at the right time. The ripples of the butterfly effect can be seen here among the suspended knots of tension and support.

http://premamurthy.net/

http://www.ps1.org/ps1_site/content/view/290/

Do you want to add your thoughts? Email us at percolatormag@gmail.com and we’ll put them below.