Marta Minujín’s ”Intensify Life” at Copenhagen Contemporary offers a comprehensive retrospective of the Argentinian artist’s prolific career, marking her first major European exhibition. Known for her boundary-pushing installations, happenings, and public interventions, Minujín’s work is characterized by a playful, yet confrontational approach that seeks to blur the lines between art and life. The exhibition centers around the reconstructed ”La Menesunda,” a labyrinthine installation originally created in 1965. This immersive work plunges viewers into a disorienting sequence of distorted environments, challenging conventional perceptions of space and scale. From a bedroom viewed from a child’s perspective to a beauty salon and a grotto, ”La Menesunda” presents a fragmented and surreal journey, reflecting the artist’s ongoing exploration of the human condition and the complexities of modern existence.
”La Menesunda” exemplifies Minujín’s radical approach to installation art, which emerged from a period of institutional critique aimed at transforming art into a total, immersive experience. While this approach may seem less revolutionary today, Minujín’s work retains a utopian energy, driven by an innovative desire to liberate art from its traditional confines. Her use of everyday materials, especially textiles like mattresses and patterned fabrics, further underscores this democratic impulse, grounding her often fantastical creations in the realm of the tangible and familiar. The exhibition also showcases a range of other works spanning Minujín’s long career, including documentation of her public performances and interventions, as well as sculptures and textile-based pieces.
Despite the inevitable constraints of presenting such dynamic work within a museum setting, the exhibition still manages to convey the electric energy that permeates Minujín’s oeuvre. While documentation of public performances can sometimes feel static and museum-like, and the tactile sculptures and fabric works risk becoming mere decorative elements, the sheer breadth and audacity of her projects resonate powerfully. Minujín’s seemingly limitless imagination and unwavering commitment to her artistic vision shine through, revealing an artist who consistently pushes boundaries and challenges expectations.
From a chaotic television performance featuring horses, chickens, and bodybuilders to a monumental obelisk constructed from bread and a shower of flower petals released over Buenos Aires from a helicopter, Minujín’s work is a testament to her boundless creativity and her belief in the transformative power of art. Her projects often involve the public sphere, transforming everyday spaces and experiences into artistic interventions. The sheer scale and ambition of her proposals, which include a Statue of Liberty made of hamburgers and a Big Ben transformed into a space rocket, underscore her playful yet potent critique of consumerism, politics, and societal norms.
Minujín’s artistic interventions often carry a political dimension, reflecting her experiences living under Argentina’s military dictatorship. Her iconic ”Parthenon of Books,” reconstructed for Documenta 14 in Kassel, stands as a powerful symbol of resistance against censorship. Built from books banned by the junta, the structure serves as a poignant reminder of the struggle for freedom of expression and the enduring power of art to challenge oppressive regimes. This work highlights the recurring theme of resilience and the subversive potential of art in Minujín’s oeuvre.
Through her diverse body of work, Marta Minujín invites viewers to question their perceptions of reality and engage with the world in new and unexpected ways. Her playful spirit, coupled with her unwavering commitment to social and political engagement, makes her a truly unique and influential figure in contemporary art. ”Intensify Life” offers a compelling overview of her extraordinary artistic journey, showcasing a vision that embraces both the whimsical and the profound, ultimately demonstrating the transformative power of art to shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. The exhibition serves as a celebration of Minujín’s enduring impact on the art world and her unwavering belief in the potential of art to ignite change and inspire dialogue.
