MATTHEW BARNEY: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT

venue: MOCA GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY

Nearly 7 years in the making, Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT is Barney's largest filmic undertaking since his renowned five-part epic The CREMASTER Cycle (1994 to 2002). The film has been co-produced by Matthew Barney and the Laurenz Foundation. The eponymous exhibition brings together 14 large-scale sculptures weighing up to 25 tons, drawings, photographs, and vitrines that were inspired by or made in conjunction with the film. MOCA's presentation of the exhibition will include new works made since the film's premiere, which exemplify Barney's continued exploration of its themes. These works serve as physical manifestations and remnants of the ideas and performances throughout the titular symphonic film collaboration with composer Johnathan Bepler. Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT is largely inspired by Norman Mailer's epic novel Ancient Evenings from 1983, and draws its fantastical imagery from a wide range of sources including: Mailer's life and work, ancient Egyptian mythology, and the rise and fall of the American auto industry. Matthew Barney: RIVER OF FUNDAMENT is organized by the Haus der Kunst, Munich in collaboration with the Museum of New and Old Art (MONA) in Tasmania, Australia and curated by Okwui Enwezor. The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by Laurenz Foundation, Schaulager Basel and organized by MOCA Assistant Curator Lanka Tattersall. Additional support is provided by Mark Fletcher and Tobias Meyer.

*The Los Angeles premiere of Barney's RIVER OF FUNDAMENT will be screened in advance of the exhibition at Royce Hall presented by Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA on April 25, 2015.