Vanessa Donoso López: (O-O-O) review - inscrutable cacophony of objects left to their own devices
The Temple Bar Gallery + Studios in Dublin is hosting a solo exhibition of work by Vanessa Donoso López, titled (O-O-O), which takes its name from Object-Oriented Ontology. This philosophical concept argues that objects have their own lives and relate to each other in ways that have no necessary reference to humans.
The exhibition is a cacophony of bits and pieces, with numerous small porcelain and clay objects laid out across interweaving benches and tables, interspersed with plants, coloured thread, bulbs, and more. The layout seems sporadically systematic, inviting the viewer to find order while also reminding them of its futility. Ceramics and kiln-fired objects are at the centre of everything, but they offer little enlightenment, becoming objects in their own right.
The title of the exhibition can also be understood as an abbreviation of “Out of Office”, and the show is really nothing other than the artist's complete studio transported to the gallery floor, a microcosm of Vanessa Donoso López's practice, just minus the artist herself. This is reminiscent of Bruce Nauman's video pieces, where infrared cameras capture the natural nocturnal occurrences within his workspace.