Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Directions: Mel Chin
February 1, 1989 – April 23, 1989
A mixed-media installation and 3 recent sculptures by Mel Chin reflect the metaphysical concerns of this New York artist. His 20-foot-long installation represents the 9 planets in terms of classical and Chinese mythology, alchemy, and science.
His sculptures use the forms of oversize musical instruments to allude to current political and cultural confrontations. They are:
- The Opera of Silence—Tibet and China
- The Sign of the True Cross—Ethiopia
- Extraction of Plenty from What Remains: 1923—Central America.
