Urs Fischer installation, "Hole" and "Dust Paintings"

The Peter M. Brant Foundation’s main building was built in 1902 and was used for apple storage at that time. Peter Brant bought it as a polo clubhouse. In the 1990s, the Brant Foundation was created and in 2009, the space was opened by the foundation. The current exhibition is a solo show of the Swiss artist Urs Fischer. The Foundation is about a 45 minute drive from Manhattan and the grounds and surroundings are beautiful. It is well worth a visit.

Urs Fischer boxes

In the first room are some examples of his chrome boxes with blown-up silkscreened images.

Urs Fischer "Hole"

Walking into a sun-filled naturally lit gallery, one comes upon the cast aluminum work, “Hole” which appears to be a mound of dirt created by digging a 10 foot deep hole. It is really an aluminum piece cast and installed in sections that extends down into the room below. In the same space on the walls hang three of Fischer’s dust paintings from 2007 in which he silkscreened photos of dust that are blown up and mounted on aluminum with hand applied drops of color.

Urs Fischer Peter

For this installation, Fischer took hi-resolution images of two rooms in Brant’s home and enlarged them making them into wallpaper. He created wax portraits of Brant, the only portrait he has ever let anyone create. One enters the space and feels a bit as if they have entered Alice’s Wonderland. As Fischer’s work is often concerned with making the viewer question scale and proportion, this show is no exception.

Urs Fischer "You", 2007

“You” was first created in 2007 at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise in Manhattan where Fischer dug up the floor of the gallery. Here, Fischer has done the same thing using pumps and systems to keep the water out. To me the work represents the insignificance of the human individual in relation to nature.

Visits are by appointment only. To visit the space contact thebrantfoundation@gmail.com