Mark Dion at Whitechapel Gallery

Theatre of the Natural World 14 Feb - 13 May 2018

"The Library for the Birds of London" 2018
Mark Dion

On entering Mark Dion's exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery, London, I was instantly impressed by the scale and space of the first room. The large monolithic aviary before me was of instant interest and how this installation was surrounded by layered narratives including hides, lookouts and display banners. The spectator is hooked in from the start and is encouraged to participate in the dialogue Dion presents. The 22 sociable zebra finches, temporarily homed within the aviary, were unconcerned with their human visitors invading their space. Amicably, they flitted between the 'tree of life' branches, books and hanging objects whilst onlookers gazed on. The array of literature, photographs and artefacts created a didactic tableaux.  

A video link on the Whitechapel gallery's website provides a useful introduction to Dion's thematic enquiry. Dion states he wants viewers to "take time with individual works, to experience works well, to be careful viewers, because (he) makes work to reward the careful viewer".  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=HveutthJ5uY

The artist's approach becomes very apparent in the second room; the viewer enters a scholar's study in which there are intricate drawings and models to look over. The illustrative wallpaper creates a homely aesthetic and a comfortable couch implores the viewer to sit down and take time to read the tomes laid out on the coffee table. 

Tate Thames Dig - Locker 2000
Mark Dion

This immersive approach is also continued throughout the exhibition. The huge cabinet drawers and cupboards housed a multitude of relics found at the two Tate Thames Dig sites, Bankside and Millbank. The archive's categorisation was non-hierarchical as a plastic toy had the same value as a clay pipe or oyster shells discarded from centenaries of human activity on the riverbanks. These "fragments of individual and ephemeral histories" reward the careful viewer taking time to examine the contents of the cabinet's drawers on both sides. This treasure trove revealed an appealing archeological excavation; simply, an unlocked diary in objects.  http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/dion-tate-thames-dig-t07669

'The Wonder Workshop', 2015
Mark Dion

The final room was a dark theatre of luminous displays. Extinct animals an obsolescent instruments glowed eerily in the darkness. These ghosts communicated a taxonomic playfulness which is curated imaginatively. This playful but also scholarly approach is a direction I would like to employ in my forthcoming London exhibitions.  

http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/mark-dion/