In 2007 when the Royal Ontario Museum opened it’s new building, giant monolithic glass cases were installed in their new Chinese Dynasty rooms with shelves of artifacts that were awe inspiring. Each item was numbered with a long list of descriptions available. Stepping back, one could feel as though they stepped into an ancient kitchen supply store. ‘Need a 3000 year old copper pot? We’ve got you covered! ‘

Lucy Sparrow in her hand made grocery store.

Artists have found fodder in contemporary consumer culture and the repeating things found in the isles of suburbia: Barbara Kruger, Andy Warhol, Douglas Copeland, Roy Lichtenstein, Ron English, Lucy Sparrow, Ben Frost, and Banksy have taken on the topic.

Looking at Gala Porras-Kim’s gorgeous and meticulously curated rows of artifacts, stripped from their identifying tags, one can’t help feel a kinship between her work and that of those taking on consumer culture. These are objects made by humans, lost through time and rediscovered, but by whom and for whom. What meaning or significance do they have, and what happens to those objects who cannot be identified? Are they destined to the dark shelves and drawers int he bowels of museums? Have the been found, then buried again? In her work, Porra-Kim is reuniting these objects with their lost identity and placing them back on the shelf for public consumption and consideration.

WORTH WATCHING: above is a lecture Gala Porras-Kim gave at Harvard in 2019.

Enjoy.

If you have something you think is worth watching about contemporary art, please leave it in the comments.