TRIAL BALLOONS

MUSEO DE ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, LEÓN, SPAIN

EXHIBITION

2006 As a marker of the first anniversary of the museum, an international interdisciplinary mega-exhibition with biennial-like aspirations (with suitably cosmopolitan curators Yuko Hasegawa, Octavio Zaya and MUSAC’s own Agustín Pérez Rubio) and an accompanying pop festival, ‘Trial Balloons’ was nothing if not ambitious. The balloons of the title suggested an institution in party mode: Lara Favaretto’s parade of papier mâché giants (Treat or Trick, 2002–6) or cross-dressing compère Topacio Fresh’s TV show (Fresh Balloons, 2006) – best described as a disorientation video – signalled that the show was intended to be a gregarious celebration. Yet ‘balloons’ in this context also implied probes sent up into the artistic atmosphere to gauge climatic–curatorial changes. And from a museum with brochure-friendly looks and highly caffeinated branding, ‘trial balloons’ is above all marketing-speak for a strategy wherein ideas for non-existent products are floated out to test press and market-place enthusiasm. ...

.... Many of MUSAC’s galleries felt like vast chill-out zones of a mega-club (with Trance music leaking throughout) or sophisticated ‘edutainment’ experiences. Truly to appreciate the abstract computer-generated videos by Katarina Löfström and Chris Rehberger, for example, seemed to require the zoned-out faculties of a chemical comedown. ...

Frieze Issue 102 October 2006

Click here to see more of our work on the Double Standards site 1 Music by Pansoul
2 Music by Pupilla, Loud And Clear Too DVD, 2005
3 Music by Pile, Perlon, Perlon Club video
4 Music by Darren, Based on parts of the installation Private Matters by Tobias Rehberger at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, London