The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, Los Angeles - Matthew Barney Exhibit
Installation view of Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT, September 13, 2015 - January 18, 2016 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Photo by SPARANO + MOONEY ARCHITECTURE
-
ARCHITECTURAL TEAM | John Sparano, Anne Mooney, Ludwing Juarez, Jorge Beltran
PHOTOGRAPHY | Sparano + Mooney Architecture
STRUCTURAL | NAST Enterprises Corp.
Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT marks the artist’s first major solo museum exhibition in Los Angeles. Completed in 2014, River of Fundament stands among Barney’s most ambitious and demanding works, and represents his most extensive film project since the acclaimed five-part CREMASTER film cycle (1994-2002). Written by Barney in collaboration with composer Jonathan Bepler, River of Fundament explores themes of regeneration and rebirth, drawing inspiration from Norman Mailer’s expansive and provocative 1983 novel Ancient Evenings, set in ancient Egypt.
MOCA’s presentation features the epic, operatic-length film alongside approximately 85 related works created in conjunction with the project. These include monumental sculptures – some weighing up to 25 tons – as well as drawings and storyboards. The exhibition also debuts Barney’s Water Castings, a new series of sculptures shown publicly for the first time. Collectively, the works weave together history and mythology while examining fundamental human impulses such as sex, violence and power that have continually shaped and driven civilizations.
Installation view of Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT, September 13, 2015 - January 18, 2016 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Photo by SPARANO + MOONEY ARCHITECTURE
Installation view of Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT, September 13, 2015 - January 18, 2016 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Courtesy of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Photo by SPARANO + MOONEY ARCHITECTURE
To support the exhibit, Sparano + Mooney Architecture conducted constructability and building code reviews to Barney’s design plans; provided design support and generated permitting drawings for tenant improvement renovations to accommodate Barney’s exhibits; generated documents to include appropriate dimensions, notes and layouts conforming with current Building Code requirements; obtained required field measurements of existing architectural conditions for use in preparing permit documents; coordinated with the structural engineer; attended design meetings with the museum and Barney’s studio representative; prepared a building permit application and submitted permitting documents to the Building Department and Fire Department for approval; and attended plan check review meetings to obtain the necessary building permit issuance.
