Towards the diagnostic gaze

William Forsythe
1949, New York, NY (US) – Frankfurt am Main (DE)

Readymade feather duster, engraved stone shelf from stone locally sourced for exhibition
5 x 80 x 45 cm

Courtesy of the artist
In the collection of MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt

Producer: Julian Gabriel Richter
in cooperation with Dresden State Art Collection

May 08., 2013, Albertinum, Dresden

Exhibited:
Dresden, Albertinum, 2013
Weimar, Neues Museum, 2013
Frankfurt, MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, 2015 - 2017
Copenhagen, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, 2015
Sydney, Art Biennale, 2016
Tartu, Art Museum, 2017
Paris, Gagosian Gallery - Le Bourget, 2017
Antwerp, Middelheim Museum, 2018
Boston, ICA, 2018
Marseille, MUCEM, 2019
Houston, MFAH, 2019
Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon, 2023

This unremarkable object holds a subtle physical experience in store for the viewer. It consists of a feather duster lying on a stones lab with the deceptively simple instruction “Hold the object absolutely still”. Engagement with the object enables the visitor to experience what their bodies are ultimately able and not able to do and finally, to consider why.The work was originally shown in 2013 at the Dresden Albertinum in the context of a work series by Luc Tuymans titled The Diagnostic View. The exhibition was called A Shock to the Senses.