Doug Aitken

Doug Aitken, prominent LA artist, spoke of creating non-linear narratives that discuss the relation of different images in space. The theme in all of his works seem to be “Let’s make it, break it, and make it new again”. Aitken was frusterated with the rigidity of film and wanted to work with different perceptions. With works such as Diamond Sea, set in the diamond mines of Africa, he claimed to first break the linearity of film. He creates a psychological landscape out of physical one by allowing images to expand and become, what he calls, “kaleidoscopic”. Other works, such as Eraser and Monsoon focus on negative space. Other works he discussed included Rise which showed a cityscape from a “God’s eye view”. Next he discussed Into the Sun, which he claimed “expanded the notion of filmmaking through its connection to mythology.” The photograph he showed of the exhibit in London had projections of film on 3 walls and red earth covering the floor. Aitken also talked about Restless Minds, a film showing the beat patterns and linguistics of auctioneers.
Aitken discussed many interesting things in him lecture, however I was most taken with his ideas on the closed door policy of museums. I loved how he projected his work on the outside walls of a museum, in order to escape the constraints of tickets, hours, etc., so that even a person walking by or traveling on a bus could experience his work. I am also intrigued by the dioramas that he creates. For example, Plateau 1 is a large model created almost entirely out of fed-ex boxes. The sheer intricacies and the 6 months that it took to makes is completely fascinating.
I enjoyed the discussion and the work presented was very interesting and stimulating, however Aitken seems to be a slightly pompous, stereotypical artist—mellow, but very full of himself.