The most impressive works of art are the most simplistic. While visiting the Museum of Modern Art I came to the decision that the simpler the work the more of a mark they leave on you. There were many different works that embodied this idea, but the two works that exemplified it the best were the “Room for one colour “ by Olafur Eliasson and “Rancho” by Edward Ruscha.
The simplicity of the “Room for one colour” is the most astonishing part of the exhibit. The implementation as well as the result is nothing short of a stroke of inspiration. While it seems that the idea is so simple and something anyone can do the implementation is stunning. The basic idea behind “Room for one colour” is that there are a series of monochromatic bulbs. By having the same color bulbs in an inordinate amount of light fixtures Eliasson is able to create an astonishing illusion. The color that Eliasson chose is yellow, while this in itself isn’t impressive, anyone who has a digital camera, or a background in photo manipulation is familiar with sepia. What the exhibit does is thrust sepia on everything. While walking around the room and the hallways surrounding it everything you see appears to be soaked in a sepia filter. Every picture you take, even on the normal camera settings, will result in a sepia photograph. It is truly a surprising work of art. From seeing the yellow tint shining out of the hallway you become intrigued. After you enter the room you suddenly realize how simple and brilliant the work is.
“Rancho” by Edward Ruscha is a very simple idea that is executed very well. Ruscha choses a larger rectangle canvas to create “Rancho” however he only uses about one third of the canvas. On that third he simply writes the word Rancho. The reason however that the work is so impressive is because of the style that Ruscha choses to write the work Rancho in. Rancho is painted as if it were written with puddles of water that amorphously combine to shape the letters of the word Rancho. The work embodies the adage “anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Even though there is nothing complex about the painting, its beauty is in its simplicity and execution. Although I don’t know what the word Rancho means other than it being the spanish word for ranch it doesn’t take away from the painting. In fact I think that not knowing the meaning of the word makes the work more profound to me because the word takes second place to its presentation.
These two works champion the idea of simplicity over complex. Both works succeed in driving home the point that great works of art don’t need to be complex paintings or massive undertakings of different mediums. Great art is all about execution. The simple idea of mono-chromatic bulbs and the painting of a word formed by water droplets are profound enough to leave a lasting feeling on any passerby.