Josh Kline: Forever 27 (detail), 2013, sculpture with video, Plexiglas, LED lights, MDF, plywood, HD television, media player, SD card, 16-minute HD video, 120 by 47 by 5 3/4 inches, unique.
The press release for Josh Kline’s third show at 47 Canal Gallery reads partly like a meditation on lost youth and partly like a cynical marketing strategy memo: “You’re either in the desirable demographic or you’re not.” The demographic in question is evoked in a multi-screen animated video in which the Forever 21 logo appears surrounded by confetti, balloons and pills. Here, reclaiming youth is not so much a romantic pursuit as it is a clinical procedure. Throughout the gallery hang intravenous bags labeled in the manner of vitamin water, listing supplements and their intended effects. The installation is lit like a spa, with softly radiant translucent panels supporting flat screen monitors that play hallucinatory reality show-style confessional monologues.