Enter the museum and the visitor is able to experience those firsthand. Part of “Cremaster 3,” the film from the series that was most recently filmed, takes place at the Guggenheim Museum. The museum serves not only as a gallery space but also as a film studio, and the visitor can experience the film set as she walks through the museum.

Every detail of the museum is transformed into the Cremaster universe. Bizarre yet gorgeous sculptures and imagery make up this universe that is surrealistically out of the ordinary. Even the frames of the photographs as well as the cases of the drawings are carefully crafted from similar materials that are used in the films and installations.

Like the last show that I saw at the Guggenheim, I was genuinely impressed by this exhibition. Most museums merely display artist’s work whereas the Guggenheim let Barney, as well as Paik, turn the space into work of art itself. Frank Lloyd Wright may not have imagined the building being used this way. But if he had, that’s genius on his part.

Matthew Barney “The Cremaster Cycle”
Date: February 21st – June 11th, 2003
Open: 11:00 – 18:00 (Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday)
Place: Guggenheim Museum
Address: 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Tel: +1 212 423 3500
http://www.guggenheim.org