Walk the Line

If a tree falls down in a forest and nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? What about a man who paces around the perimeter of a square for 10 minutes, occasionally pausing to strike a contrapposto pose in a manner akin to Ancient Greek statues. Is the act still considered art? The answers to both of these questions lie, unequivocally, within the confines of human perception—an acuity that Bruce Nauman has managed to harness, and provoke, throughout his career. 

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This month, a major survey exhibition by the 82-year-old artist showcases pieces from all facets of Nauman’s life and artistic practice—which, as familiar viewers of his works will know, are one and the same. The self-titled exhibition at Hong Kong’s Tai Kwun gallery is the first of its kind to be presented in Asia and features some of the artist’s most crucial works from the 1960s to the present. 

Indiana-born, New Mexico-based Nauman has devoted the past six decades to portraying, examining, and challenging conventional thought and ethical dilemmas. From a mound of 17 taxidermy molds stacked on top of one another (Animal Pyramid, 1989) to a series of video tapes showcasing the increasingly erratic and disturbing behavior of circus clowns (Clown Torture, 1987), Nauman’s works span across many different mediums including sculpture, photography, film, and performance, among others. 

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At Tai Kwun, the survey chronicles the artist’s extensive career—from his hypnotic neon signs and sound installations to large-scale sculptures and recent performance art. Despite the multiple decades separating some of his works, universal notions of physicality, death, pleasure, and control stretch across every crevice of the pieces featured in the exhibition like rays of light. Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to get a glimpse into the mind of Nauman with a new Chinese and English language publication featuring exclusive interviews with the artist. Nauman’s latest survey does not only demonstrate what art is, but what it could be.

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“Bruce Nauman” is on view until August 18, 2024 at Tai Kwun Contemporary at 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong.