Image: Carsten Holler Half Mirror Room 2008-2015 and Snake 2014. Installation View Carsten Holler l Decision Hayward Gallery London 2015. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Linda Nylind.
Every artist is seriously curious. After all, you cannot produce something interesting unless you re highly interested in something. And in Carsten Höller’s case, it’s creating situations which question familiar forms of perception and allow the public to experiment and participate in his so-called “influential environments”. So lets get messy! Today we visit Carsten Höller: Decision is at the Hayward Gallery Southbank Centre.
Shakespear was an actor who became a playwriter, Leonardo DaVini promoted himself as an armaments designer, and Carsten Höller is an ex-scientist (it was only during his late 20s that he first began making art). So to the renown Belgian artist, museums and galleries are places of experimentation offering ‘a space and time where you can try things out that you can’t try otherwise’ as well as the opportunity for ‘large-scale experiments with people’.
Inside the Isomeric Slides, visitors can travel from Hayward Gallery’s iconic glass pyramid ceiling to the entrance level. Such a shame a rainy day spoiled this for us! Image: Carsten Holler Isomeric Slides during installation at Hayward Gallery. Photo: David Levene.
What would you say to booking a stay in these robotic beds that roam the gallery? The Two Roaming Beds (Grey) are actually available for an overnight stay. Image: Installation view The Two Roaming Beds (Grey) and Decision Corridors. Carsten Holler- Decision at Hayward Gallery. Photo: David Levene.
Flying Mushrooms (2015) is by far the best example of his idea of reflecting social spaces like amusement parks, with an unexpected twist to them. Alice in Wonderland all over again! Image: Carsten Holler Flying Mushrooms 2015 Carsten Holler. Installation View Carsten Holler l Decision Hayward Gallery London 2015. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Linda Nylind.
Our favourite experience is without a doubt The Pinocchio Effect (1994) and Upside Down Goggles, where our awareness of time and space went totally out of whack. Once in a while, everybody needs to disconnect…Image: Carsten Holler Upside-Down Goggles 2015. Installation View Carsten Holler l Decision Hayward Gallery London 2015. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Linda Nylind.
Image: Carsten Holler Dice 2014 and Reflections On Her Eyes Reflections On My Eyes. 1996 2015 Carsten Holler. Installation View Carsten Holler l Decision Hayward Gallery London 2015. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Linda Nylind.
Carsten Höller: Decision is at the Hayward Gallery Southbank Centre only until 6 September 2015, Don’t miss out!
