hyundai commission 2015 · the first hyundai commission opened in october 2015 to the public in the...
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Hyundai�Commission�2015The�first�commission�with�Tate�Modern�and�
our�invite�through�the�third�‘Hyundai�Meets’�episode
The�first�Hyundai�Commission�opened�in�October�2015�to�the�public�in�the
Turbine�Hall,�the�heart�of�London's�Tate�Modern.�Abraham�Cruzvillegas�who
is�recognized�around�the�world�for�his�theory-driven�works�was�the�artist�for
the�Hyundai�Commission�2015.�As�the�first�of�a�new�series�of�site-specific
Abraham�Cruzvillegas�is�a�Mexican�artist�who�uses�found�objects�and
materials�to�create�conceptual�installation�art.�Based�on�'Autoconstrucción
(Self-construction)',�the�approach�that�he�has�been�taking,�he�created�the
<Empty�Lot>�that�embodies�ideas�of�the�unpredictable�future�and�hope.
The�inaugural�Hyundai�Commission
installations�in�the�Turbine�Hall,�he�presented�a�large�triangular�sculpture
using�soil�and�various�objects�collected�from�around�London.��
�
The�Turbine�Hall,�where�many�monumental�works�of�contemporary�art�have
been�seen�since�the�opening�of�Tate�Modern,�was�once�again�inviting�an
audience�of�millions.�Hyundai�Commission�2015,�presenting�the�<Empty�Lot>
by�Abraham�Cruzvillegas�explored�ideas�of�chance,�change�and�hope.�The
Hyundai�Commission�is�a�part�of�a�unique�long�term�partnership�between
Tate�and�Hyundai�Motor�which�provides�contemporary�artists,�the
opportunity�to�create�an�artwork�entirely�unique�at�one�of�the�world's�most
visited�art�galleries�-�Tate�Modern.
'Autoconstrucción�(Self-construction)'�is�a�term�used�to�account�for�the�way
Mexicans�of�his�parents'�generation�built�their�homes�when�they�arrived�in
the�capital�from�rural�areas,�using�whatever�was�found�or�what�was
affordable.�For�Cruzvillegas�this�term�has�been�used�to�describe�his�practice.
His�newest�work�for�the�Turbine�Hall�is�in�line�with�this�method�of�creation,
using�and�re-contextualizing�locally�found�objects.�His�philosophical�and
conceptual�title�for�the�work,�‘Empty�Lot’,�further�enriches�the�meaning�of�his
new�work.
<HYUNDAI�Meets�Hyundai�Commission�:�Abraham�Cruzvillegas>
By�establishing�a�new�dialogue,�<Empty�Lot>�tells�a�story�of�‘from�nothing�to
hope’.�Experience�the�very�first�Hyundai�Commission�through�this�episode�of
‘HYUNDAI�Meets’.
<HYUNDAI�Meets�Hyundai�Commission�:�Abraham�Cruzvillegas>�is�brought
to�you�as�part�of�the�‘HYUNDAI�Meets’�project,�which�started�with�a�film�on
the�Venice�Biennale�2015,�established�to�share�diverse�works�of�art,
exhibitions�and�insight�of�leading�figures�in�the�art�scene�with�the�audience
across�the�globe.
Consisting�of�two�triangular�platforms�with�geometric�grids�that�extend�and
expand�across�the�Turbine�Hall,�the�site-specific�installation�provoked
questions�about�the�city�and�nature�and�wider�ideas�of�chance,�change�and
hope.�Visitors�to�the�Hyundai�Commission�2015,�could�wander�through�the
under�scaffolding�supporting�the�platforms,�and�also�take�in�the�view�of�the
work�from�above�the�Turbine�Hall�bridge.�
�
Cruzvillegas'�work�was�largely�of�two�parts:�the�platforms�that�hold�a
geometric�grid�of�240�wooden�planters�and�the�soil�and�compost�that�fill
them.�Over�23�tons�of�soil�collected�from�public�spaces�around�London�from
Regent's�Park�to�various�schools,�parks�and�gardens,�filled�the�wooden
planters.
For�the�duration�of�this�commission,�the�planter-platforms�were�lit�by
lampposts�created�by�Cruzvillegas�from�materials�found�from�building�sites
around�Tate�and�the�soil�was�to�be�regularly�watered�to�provide�the�condition
for�growth�and�change.�
�
Nothing�had�been�planted�by�the�artist,�yet�small�flowers�and�greenery�grew
depending�on�what�was�already�in�the�soil�before�the�soil�made�the�journey�to
the�Turbine�Hall.�Cruzvillegas�explored�hope�and�unpredictability�as�the
seeds�and�bulbs�found�their�own�way�to�sprout�throughout�the�exhibition
period.
Hope�changes�everything
Visitors�were�able�to�witness�the�installation�gradually�changing�over�time.�In
the�middle�of�the�busy�metropolitan�city�of�London,�<Empty�Lot>�was�a�space
where�nothing�is�produced�while�also�being�a�place�where�change�might
happen.
Many�of�the�artist's�interests�are�embodied�in�this�project,�from�seed
bombing�and�guerrilla�gardening�to�ancient�'chinampas',�a�small�grid�of�earth
used�to�grow�corn,�peppers�and�tomatoes�in�the�area�that�later�became
Mexico�City.�The�triangular�shape�evokes�a�giant�compass,�pointing�east�and
west,�but�also�recalls�strong�diagonals�used�by�Russian�avant-garde�artists
such�as�El�Lissitsky�and�the�work�of�the�visionary�architect�Buckminster�Fuller
whose�geodesic�dome�designs�comprised�of�intersecting�triangular
elements.
The�Turbine�Hall�came�alive�with�plants�sprouting�every�day.�Cruzvillegas’
work�presented�the�resilience�of�life�which�sprouts�where�there�appears�to�be
nothing.�We�captured�the�tranforming�Hyundai�Commission�2015:�Abraham
Cruzvillegas:�Empty�Lot.�Spring�had�come�to�the�Turbine�Hall.
The�annual�Hyundai�Commission�presented�by�Tate�and�Hyundai�Motor�will
allow�global�artists�to�take�on�the�challenge�of�interpreting�the�unique
atmosphere�of�the�Turbine�hall�while�inviting�the�audience�to�witness�how�art
evolves�throughout�the�decade,�until�2025.
From�nothing,�to�hope
The�work�is�about�"waiting,�patience�and�hope"�because�these�are�the
best�words�to�address�the�situation�we�live�in�today.-�Chris�Dercon,�Director�of�Tate�Modern�-
<Hyundai�Commission�2015:�Abraham�Cruzvillegas�-�Empty�Lot>�was�curated
by�Mark�Godfrey,�Senior�Curator,�Tate�Modern,�with�Fiontán�Moran,�Assistant
Curator,�Tate�Modern�and�was�on�display�at�Tate�Modern's�Turbine�Hall�in
London,�from�13�October�2015�until�3�April�2016.
Abraham�Cruzvillegas�
Photo�credit:�Andrew�Dunkley�©TATE�2015
Hyundai�Commission�2015�Abraham�Cruzvillegas:�Empty�Lot�2015�ⓒ�Abraham�Cruzvillegas;�Photocredit:�Joe�Humphrys�ⓒ�TATE�2016