Serpentine Gallery - Gustav Metzger -"Decades 1959- 2009"

The first piece upon entering the exhibition is a collection of newspapers that the artist has obtained since 1995. It is an interactive installation where the viewer is encouraged to comment on the news within them. Titled "Eichmann and the Angel" the piece along with his other works explores political and environmental issues, he focuses on the destructive powers of the 20th Century society. The participative aspect and content of the work allow exploration and communication between the public and this is what makes the work so successful rather than the impact of the archive of newspapers in the space.

The section focusing on historical photographs was particularly effective. Metzger displays large prints of World War 2. He uses the viewer's sensitivity towards child suffering to create high impact works. The images alone would prompt a melancholic response but this is exaggerated by the techniques he has used to show them. Or rather hide them. One particular piece was set on the floor, it was covered by a green piece of fabric. The viewer was invited to lift the material and crawl underneath to view the image in a completely unusual way. I participated in this and felt an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, the fabric on top of me was heavier than I had expected and it took, what felt like, a long time for me to crawl from one end to the other. When the top of the image is reached a line of Jewish children is revealed. It is really quite powerful. Another woman took part in this act and as I watched her I felt that the work viewed with the involvement of the moving body, was just as, if not more significant to what is experienced when in it yourself.

I thought the variation of works in this exhibition made for a really interesting show. The artist's focus on the human experience is portrayed in a relevant, informative and active way, which in turn allows for major thought and questioning.