Jean-Michel Othoniel “Diary of Happiness” (detail) 2008 via Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin
Jean-Michel Othoniel’s solo exhibition opens tonight, March 8th at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Miami. The French artist has constructed a huge installation measuring 7 by 15 feet. The piece makes evident the passage of time and the collective contemporary experience within and without it.
Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin [Galerie Perrotin]
The installation, “Diary of Happiness,” closely resembles an abacus. The artist, known for his ornate glass bead and metal sculptures, takes a decidedly subtle approach with this piece. The frame work is painted black on one side and white on the opposing. A single Murano glass bead is situated on each dowel. For the duration of the installation, attendants are made to randomly move the glass beads from the black side to the white. “Diary of Happiness” forces one to consider time passing on a day to day basis, and the slightly changing aesthetic reinforces this time frame.
Jean-Michel Othoniel’s watercolor sketch of “Diary of Happiness” installation via Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin
Othoniel lives and works in Paris and has shown extensively in prestigous museums in the U.S. and abroad. Running concurrently with his show at Perrotin, Othoniel also has a solo exhibition at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. in New York.
“Diary of Happiness” will be on view through April 5th at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin located at 194 NW 30th Street, Miami, FL.
