John Bock “Stapelung” (Stack)
2007, P.S.1, New York
“Stapelung,” meaning ‘stack,’ is indeed a stack of videos, running on monitors sitting on shelving units. It shows 5 video films, each arranged as a loop of a different performance.
All the films combine performance footage that has been shot exclusively for the camera, and documentation footage of public performance and public sculpture. The piece, seen as film and as sculpture, takes performance as a starting point, as well as its backbone, and is loaded to the breaking point with cinematic elements.
The nature of John Bock’s performance originates in visual art, particularly in sculpture, and its dependence on the relation with the scale of the human body. The artist invents extensions for his physical limits, including the brain, both in logical and in associative thinking. All props are fabricated as sculptures, and after the performance and/or film has been shot, remain on display as sculpture within a visual-art context. In this aspect, the film becomes a documentation of kinetic art.
To review this John Bock piece in a descriptive manner is bound to fail due to the time limitation given to me as a visitor at an exhibition. In the content of the sculpture/performance/video, ‘stacking’ continues endlessly within each element. All visual elements appear colorful and compelling, as do the masses of associative chains in Bock’s monologues.
Bock’s characteristic use of an overwhelming mass of material comes combined with his gimmick of pseudo child-play elements within the performances. These seem to let him get away with ignorance of any of the individual topics that he uses in his writing. This is disturbing, especially when it comes to ignorance of racial politics. The same applies to the props’ visual solutions. However, Bock’s stylistic method of primary directness throws the viewer back to their own naivety—indeed, a good immunization against criticism.
Another good trick for ‘waterproofing’ art is coming to a full circle within an original associative chain. And for this one, I would like to give him full credit. “The world is the stage is the wood is the world.” (John Bock)
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1 comment:
I’m curious to know what you’re referring to when you talk about Bock’s writing. I saw the piece at P.S. 1 just recently and, while there is a general free for all of activity I saw nothing that was charged or alluded to racial politics (perhaps you’re referring to the individual audio elements – with 5 monitors and 5 head sets I have to admit that I didn’t listen to each loop individually.) My sense of those pieces was that they are a Dionysian revelry with do it yourself props, Carolee Schneeman’s ‘MeatJoy’ meets Fischeli and Weiss’s ‘The Way Things Go’.
I don’t know that I agree with you that he comes ‘full circle within an associative chain’ (by way of ‘waterproofing’ the pieces.) What are the associations that form and then close that circle – child like play? Do it yourself props?
I had gone to P.S. 1 anticipating a running installed Bock performance – it appears so regularly in the Performa Calendar – and was disappointed to find that it was a video installation. Might serve as a good warning to others to read the small print in the Performa Calendar, not everything in there is live art.
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