Gordon Matta-Clark: A Little Slice of Home

Confession: I don’t always understand fine art. The stereotypical image of the modern-minimalist “square on an empty canvas” concept is confusing; usually sending me into a monolog of annoyed thoughts where I swear to myself that I’d be a millionaire if I had only sold my childhood scribbles.

But then there’s the absolutely insane kind of art that people have always wanted to try, but don’t. Something people think of, but never attempt. Projects that are so mind-blowing and unbelievable that it sticks to your skin like goose bumps.

For me, this is the work of 1970′s “destructionist” artist, Gordon Matta-Clark.

During my visual communications program in college, I visited MOCA on a class field trip. Aimlessly wandering about with no expectations whatsoever, I came upon an enormous surprise: three sections of a home, lying right at my feet. A wall, completely cut into pieces, revealing both the aged shingles of its rust-colored exterior (below) and the peeling plaster walls of the interior. I must have sat there staring at it for minutes!


I should share that I have always had an immense fascination with old homes, especially those that have been abandoned. There’s something so amiss, immediately intriguing and sadly beautiful – to realize that it was built for a purpose and once filled with life; to all of the sudden no longer being needed and falling into the kind of disrepair that most never stick around to see.

Walking around the structure, you could see the zigzag outline of stairs, the top of a door frame, the remnants of window. Sitting in the middle of a museum, one might forget; this was, once, someone’s home. Stairs that used to carry hurried feet, a front door that welcomed visitors and a window that let in some sort of familiar view.

Turns out, the home was a condemned property in Niagra Falls, New York. After getting permission to cut out nine sections of the home, the rest of the building was demolished and the pieces were put on display. Want to be even more amazed? he did it in an hour.
Learn more about Gordon Matta-Clark and his work here.

PS – There will be some radio silence this week, so I apologize in advance. Why not mosey on over to some of my past posts and knock yourself out? ;) This break is much needed. Thanks for understanding, and Happy 4th!

Source / Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6