“Rear Window” online at White Cube
Through January 19, 2021
What the gallery says: “In the 1954 thriller, a photojournalist is confined to his New York apartment after breaking his leg and succumbs to an obsession with watching his neighbors. The audience is made complicit in his voyeurism as, unable to tear himself away from his window, he witnesses dramatic scenes unfold within his field of vision.
Featuring paintings and photographs by Ellen Altfest, Jeff Burton, Gillian Carnegie, Julie Curtiss, Judith Eisler, Celia Hempton, Danica Lundy, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Laurie Simmons, Jeff Wall, and Carrie Mae Weems, this exhibition invites us to consider how artists construct scenes and suggest narratives, whilst exploring the idea of ‘the gaze’ which Hitchcock’s film was instrumental in formulating.”
Why it’s worth a look: White Cube’s newly launched online viewing room kicks off with an homage to Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchhock curated by director Susanna Greeves. It feels right for this era of life under lockdown, as the pandemic resurges and cold weather creeps in. So many of us are now are limited to only looking these days, as the fear of spreading germs relegates us to a life mediated by screens.
The artists included in this show have focused on the idea of the gaze, exploiting and manipulating it—but also finding new and deeper meaning through looking slow, and long, and with interest. Artists Jeff Wall and Laurie Simmons both construct tableaux that are similar to film directors, while Jeff Burton’s photography is drawn directly from his experience working in the porn industry. A treat all around.
What it looks like:
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922370" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165a.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-F-2013-1024×818.jpg" alt="Jeff Wall,
Summer Afternoons (2013). © Jeff Wall. Courtesy White Cube.” width=”1024″ height=”818″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165a.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-F-2013-1024×818.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165a.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-F-2013-300×240.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165a.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-F-2013-50×40.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Jeff Wall, (2013). © Jeff Wall. Courtesy White Cube.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922371" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165b.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-M-2013-1024×881.jpg" alt="Jeff Wall,
Summer Afternoons (2013). © Jeff Wall. Courtesy White Cube.” width=”1024″ height=”881″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165b.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-M-2013-1024×881.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165b.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-M-2013-300×258.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/165b.-Jeff-Wall-Summer-Afternoons-M-2013-50×43.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Jeff Wall, (2013). © Jeff Wall. Courtesy White Cube.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922372" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Scenes-Takes-Vertigo-new-HR-1024×683.jpg" alt="Carrie Mae Weems,
Scenes & Takes (2016). © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.” width=”1024″ height=”683″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Scenes-Takes-Vertigo-new-HR-1024×683.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Scenes-Takes-Vertigo-new-HR-300×200.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Scenes-Takes-Vertigo-new-HR-50×33.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Carrie Mae Weems, (2016). © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
Paul Mpagi Sepuya, , (2017). © Paul Mpagi Sepuya. Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter, Los Angeles.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922374" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Celia-Hempton-Jay-Minnesota-United-States-31st-August-2017-2017-1024×768.jpg" alt="Celia Hempton,
Jay, Minnesota, United States, 31st August 2017 (2017). © Celia Hempton. Courtesy the artist and Southarn Reid. ” width=”1024″ height=”768″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Celia-Hempton-Jay-Minnesota-United-States-31st-August-2017-2017-1024×768.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Celia-Hempton-Jay-Minnesota-United-States-31st-August-2017-2017-300×225.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Celia-Hempton-Jay-Minnesota-United-States-31st-August-2017-2017-50×38.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Celia Hempton, (2017). © Celia Hempton. Courtesy the artist and Southarn Reid.
Laurie Simmons, , (2004). © Laurie Simmons. Image courtesy the artist and Salon 94, NY.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922376" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-1016×1024.jpg" alt="Julie Curtiss,
The whispers (2020). © the artist. Photo © Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd. Courtesy of White Cube. ” width=”1016″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-1016×1024.jpg 1016w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-150×150.jpg 150w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-298×300.jpg 298w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-32×32.jpg 32w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-50×50.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-64×64.jpg 64w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-96×96.jpg 96w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-The-whisperers-2020-high-res-128×128.jpg 128w” sizes=”(max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px”>
Julie Curtiss, (2020). © the artist. Photo © Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd. Courtesy of White Cube.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922377" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-Le-serpent-qui-danse-2020-high-res-865×1024.jpg" alt="Julie Curtiss,
Le serpent qui danse (2020). © the artist. Photo © Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd. Courtesy of White Cube. ” width=”865″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-Le-serpent-qui-danse-2020-high-res-865×1024.jpg 865w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-Le-serpent-qui-danse-2020-high-res-253×300.jpg 253w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Julie-Curtiss-Le-serpent-qui-danse-2020-high-res-42×50.jpg 42w” sizes=”(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px”>
Julie Curtiss, (2020). © the artist. Photo © Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd. Courtesy of White Cube.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922378" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Danica-Lundy-Captain-2020-768×1024.jpg" alt="Danica Lundy,
Captain (2020). © Danica Landy. Courtesy of the artist and Super Dakota, Brussels.” width=”768″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Danica-Lundy-Captain-2020-768×1024.jpg 768w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Danica-Lundy-Captain-2020-225×300.jpg 225w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Danica-Lundy-Captain-2020-37×50.jpg 37w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Danica-Lundy-Captain-2020-1440×1920.jpg 1440w” sizes=”(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px”>
Danica Lundy, (2020). © Danica Landy. Courtesy of the artist and Super Dakota, Brussels.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922379" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-1024×1001.jpg" alt="Carrie Mae Weems,
Untitled (Playing harmonica) (1990-99). © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.” width=”1024″ height=”1001″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-1024×1001.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-300×293.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-32×32.jpg 32w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-50×50.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Carrie-Mae-Weems-Untitled-Playing-harmonica-HHR-64×64.jpg 64w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Carrie Mae Weems, (1990-99). © Carrie Mae Weems. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
Laurie Simmons, , (2005). © Laurie Simmons. Image courtesy the artist and Salon 94, NY.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1922381" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Laurie-Simmons-Study-for-Long-House-Red-Shoes-2003-1024×693.jpg" alt="Laurie Simmons,
Study for Long House (Red Shoes), (2003). © Laurie Simmons. Image courtesy the artist and Salon 94, NY.” width=”1024″ height=”693″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Laurie-Simmons-Study-for-Long-House-Red-Shoes-2003-1024×693.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Laurie-Simmons-Study-for-Long-House-Red-Shoes-2003-300×203.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/Laurie-Simmons-Study-for-Long-House-Red-Shoes-2003-50×34.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Laurie Simmons, , (2003). © Laurie Simmons. Image courtesy the artist and Salon 94, NY.
Source: Exhibition - news.artnet.com
