{"id":2157,"date":"2025-09-18T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T19:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2157"},"modified":"2025-09-18T12:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T19:15:00","slug":"elmgreen-dragsets-uncanny-sculptures-make-reality-feel-like-alice-in-wonderland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2157","title":{"rendered":"Elmgreen & Dragset\u2019s Uncanny Sculptures Make Reality Feel Like \u2018Alice in Wonderland\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Elmgreen<\/p>\n

Dysmetropsia<\/a> is a neurological condition that distorts size and perception, often causing objects to appear smaller or larger than they really are. Also called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, the disorder is the basis of a disorienting exhibition by Berlin-based duo Elmgreen & Dragset<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Collaborating since 1995, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset\u00a0are behind a slew of iconic works, perhaps most famously the full-sized boutique in the middle of the Texan desert known as \u201cPrada Marfa.\u201d This destination installation is representative of the artist\u2019s enduring interest in recontextualizing seemingly common objects to explore how our interpretation and perception change.<\/p>\n

\"an
\u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For their exhibition at Pace Gallery in Los Angeles\u2014their first solo show in the city\u2014the duo continues this line of inquiry. The Alice in Wonderland Syndrome<\/em> opens with a silicone gallery attendant dozing on her desk, an undrunk cup of coffee and stack of books nearby. Like the adventurous tale it references, the large-scale show invites viewers to ask whether what unfolds is real or all a hallucinatory dream.<\/p>\n

Farther inside is a series of white marble figures recreated on two different scales. Wearing headphones and VR headsets, these nondescript characters appear perpetually distracted and immersed in their technologies of choice. On the gallery walls is a collection of circular works from the artist\u2019s Sky Target<\/em> series, which varies mirrors and cloudy expanses in stripes or concentric rings. These patterned pieces reflect the wide, open space and fragments of the sculptures, albeit through a distorted view.<\/p>\n

As we collectively grapple with the strange, often concerning effects of living in an increasingly digital world, Elmgreen & Dragset prompt us to consider how physical presence shapes our understanding and can lead to an uncanny experience all on its own.<\/p>\n

The Alice in Wonderland Syndrome<\/em> is on view through October 25. Explore more of the artists\u2019 work on the gallery\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n
\"an
Detail of \u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"an
Detail of \u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
Detail of \u201cClose\u201d (2025), marble, 71 1\/8 \u00d7 26 \u00d7 20 1\/4 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a<\/figure>\n
\"a<\/figure>\n
\"a
\u201cClose\u201d (2025), marble, 71 1\/8 \u00d7 26 \u00d7 20 1\/4 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member<\/a> today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Elmgreen & Dragset\u2019s Uncanny Sculptures Make Reality Feel Like \u2018Alice in Wonderland\u2019<\/a> appeared first on Colossal<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dysmetropsia is a neurological condition that distorts size and perception, often causing objects to appear smaller or larger than they really are. Also called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, the disorder…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2157\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}