Our story begins in Ancient Greece with Socrates announcing, "I know that I know nothing." Clearly, confusion has always been at the heart of wisdom.
Centuries later came a statement many have attributed to Charles Darwin: "A mathematician is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there." As a scientist committed to cataloguing, explaining, and drawing a clear picture of nature, Darwin mocked the mathematician's inability to describe the physical world in anything but abstract and speculative terms.
But artists also understand the world in speculative terms. With their help, we can learn to enjoy the experience of not-knowing, unlearning, and the playfulness of being in the dark.
This is for the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there.
Featuring: Anonymous, Dave Hullfish Bailey, Marcel Broodthaers, Sarah Crowner, Mariana Castillo Deball, Eric Duyckaerts, Ayşe Erkmen, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Peter Fischli & David Weiss, Rachel Harrison, Giorgio Morandi, Matt Mullican, Bruno Munari, Nashashibi/Skaer, Falke Pisano, Jimmy Raskin, Frances Stark, Rosemarie Trockel, Patrick van Caeckenbergh, and David William. The catalog is conceived by Will Holder, with a new text by the curator.
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there is organized by Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Chief Curator Anthony Huberman.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION TOUR
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there will travel to an additional American venue, and a slightly modified version of the exhibition will simultaneously travel to three European venues:
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: September 11, 2009 – January 3, 2010
ICA, London: December 3, 2009 – January 31, 2010
MOCAD, Detroit: February 5 – April 4, 2010
de Appel, Amsterdam: February – April 2010
Culturgest, Lisbon: May – August 2010
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there is generously supported by Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; The Flemish Ministry of Culture; Fundación/Colección Jumex; and Mondriaan Foundation, Amsterdam. Additional support is provided by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis; Glazer's Midwest; Wells Fargo Advisors; Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis; and The Cheshire Lodge and Fox & Hound's Tavern.
General support for the Contemporary's exhibitions program is generously provided by the Whitaker Foundation; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; William E. Weiss Foundation; and Nancy Reynolds and Dwyer Brown; Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; Regional Arts Commission; Arts and Education Council; and members of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
Centuries later came a statement many have attributed to Charles Darwin: "A mathematician is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there." As a scientist committed to cataloguing, explaining, and drawing a clear picture of nature, Darwin mocked the mathematician's inability to describe the physical world in anything but abstract and speculative terms.
But artists also understand the world in speculative terms. With their help, we can learn to enjoy the experience of not-knowing, unlearning, and the playfulness of being in the dark.
This is for the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there.
Featuring: Anonymous, Dave Hullfish Bailey, Marcel Broodthaers, Sarah Crowner, Mariana Castillo Deball, Eric Duyckaerts, Ayşe Erkmen, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Peter Fischli & David Weiss, Rachel Harrison, Giorgio Morandi, Matt Mullican, Bruno Munari, Nashashibi/Skaer, Falke Pisano, Jimmy Raskin, Frances Stark, Rosemarie Trockel, Patrick van Caeckenbergh, and David William. The catalog is conceived by Will Holder, with a new text by the curator.
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there is organized by Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Chief Curator Anthony Huberman.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION TOUR
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there will travel to an additional American venue, and a slightly modified version of the exhibition will simultaneously travel to three European venues:
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: September 11, 2009 – January 3, 2010
ICA, London: December 3, 2009 – January 31, 2010
MOCAD, Detroit: February 5 – April 4, 2010
de Appel, Amsterdam: February – April 2010
Culturgest, Lisbon: May – August 2010
For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there is generously supported by Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; The Flemish Ministry of Culture; Fundación/Colección Jumex; and Mondriaan Foundation, Amsterdam. Additional support is provided by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis; Glazer's Midwest; Wells Fargo Advisors; Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis; and The Cheshire Lodge and Fox & Hound's Tavern.
General support for the Contemporary's exhibitions program is generously provided by the Whitaker Foundation; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; William E. Weiss Foundation; and Nancy Reynolds and Dwyer Brown; Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; Regional Arts Commission; Arts and Education Council; and members of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.
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