An ambitious project by the cerebral French artist Philippe Parreno has come to roost at the city’s swankiest uptown kunsthalle. After three years of planning, Parreno has mounted an awkwardly spelled opus “H {N)Y P N(Y} OSIS” (pronounced hypnosis) uniting sculpture, video, performance, sound and more in one cavernous space. The series of carefully calibrated and sequenced events takes place over a 4-to-5-hour duration, but viewers are encouraged to plan multiple visits.
The heart of the project consists of 27 marquee-like light sculptures hung in two rows. They seem to blink and pulsate in response to sounds emitted from rock concert-scaled speakers ranging from car horns honking to classical music performed by pianist Mikhail Rudy. Five films are screened, including a new production titled The Crowd. Tino Sehgal assisted Parreno with some of the performative elements. A group of young girls who take on the role of a Japanese manga character named Ann Lee are strangely riveting.
Pictured: Installation view of Philippe Parreno’s “H {N)Y P N(Y} OSIS”; at Park Avenue Armory. Photo Andrea Rossetti.