On 9 February, Fondazione Prada opened the second phase of the exhibition ‘Infection’ by Pamela Rosencranz (curated by the Thought Council), Slight Agitation 2/4. The exhibition which follows on from exhibitions from Tobias Putrih and installations by Laura Lima and Gelitin.
Rozencranz has always explored the influence of physical and biological processes in her art. The space used by the artist is a tanker which were originally used for distillation of spirits. It is filled by a mountain of sand illuminated by a green light, which turns creates little games of light that are intensely intriguing in the darkness.
The title of the work, ‘Infection’ refers to the action of a parasite on the neurological system that affects roughly 30% of the world’s population. The sand used in the exhibit is soaked with a fragrance made from feline pheromones created in a lab which are intended to influence viewers on a subconscious level. The green light, other than playing some interesting visual games, evaporates the scent of the huge chemically stained sand.
Depending on the distance you view the work from, your perception of the tank itself is altered. There is a mysterious aura that emanates, and forces you to observe and analyze it, involving all your available senses.
After the previous installation of Tobias Putrih, which centered on gaming concepts and political emancipation, this chapter of Rosencranz’s work explores concepts of physical stress and mental engagement by creating sensory and spacial experiences and offering the public the chance to experience a new collective path.
The artist has a great ability to create a huge fascination for the viewer. Her ideas at first seem simple, but we discover elaborate processes, chemical and artistic below the surface.