The role of architecture in art gallery design has been a topic of debate since art entered the public realm from private collections. The rectangular ‘white box’ with controlled natural and artificial light, suspended in space and time for the undisturbed contemplation o f the art displayed, is the preferred ideal for a gallery with frequently changing exhibitions.

“WHERE WE BE?” exploits Hartell Gallery’s unique orientation and pivotal location within AAP, the Cornell campus and its broader context to propose an expanded awareness off the relationship between the architecture of the gallery, the things exhibited within it and the world outside.

The “exhibition” juxtaposes two recent projects by LUCITO (Andrew Lucia and Iroha Ito), and several projects exhibited over some 45 years in Hartell by Studio_Z (John Zissovici). It also gathers around the gallery’s pivoting wall a new collaborative ‘site specific’ construction that highlights the shared interests of the two practices. The pivoting wall, designated as a “temporary installation” designed and built by Zissovici and his team, was not included in the construction documents for Studio_Z ‘s 2000 renovation of Hartell Gallery. It has remained there for almost a quarter century as an integral part of the gallery providing flexibility and much needed additional surface for exhibitions. Yet it is always also still an INSTALLATION, an invisible super-object.

With this in mind, “WHERE WE BE?” is still the perpetual question.

WORKS IN EXHIBITION
0.)  Super Object, 2000, Zissovici.  Steel, plywood, sheetrock.

1.)  The View From Cornell, 2023, Zissovici & LUCITO.  Real-time digital video and algorithm, scrim, digital projection, plywood, black paint and mixed media.

2.)  The World Outside, 1990/2023, Zissovici & Hadighi.  Print media, digital print on acetate and plywood.

3.)  Some Fine Suits, 2023, Zissovici.  Fabric.

4.)  Talking Pictures, 2023, Zissovici.  Backlit digital print on transparency.

5.)  Hartell Gallery Moving Wall, 2000, Zissovici & Loukissas.  Digital Video.

6.)  For Bright Field Observation, 1996, Zissovici & Taft.  Infra-red digital print.

7.)  Model of Likeness of an Allegory, 2021, LUCITO.  3D print and black paint.

8.)  Study model of Likeness of an Allegory, 2020, LUCITO.  3D print and black paint.

9.)  A Rake’s Progress and the Monument Against Time, 2023, LUCITO.  Digital print on acrylic plate.

10.)  Likness of an Allegory, 2021, LUCITO.  Digital video.  

11.)  Hartell Gallery Renovation, 2000, Zissovici

Special Thanks to