My Time At The New Museum

Carsten Höller's goal is to inspire doubt and uncertainty in the people who experience his work. For me, he succeeded! But I still had a lot of fun along the way.


The carousel on the fourth floor left me wondering why we would ever find a carousel fun under any circumstances. Höller's ride stripped down the carousel to its most fundamental element-- circular motion. Without speed, and sound, and visual candy, the carousel seems useless and silly.

The slide had a similar effect. I keep thinking about Höller's quote in which he says going down a slide is like a barely controlled fall. I never quite felt that way until I went down Höller's slick, metallic slide. It's fast and you feel, at least toward the end, like you are losing control. The added effect of being seen through the tube as you go makes your mad descent a spectacle for others.

The upside down glasses were a perfect metaphor for Höller's entire exhibition. When you enter his world, your world is literally turned upside down. After falling down the slide, spinning on the carousel, this exercise was the thing that finally left me with a headache as I left the museum.

I've recommended it to all my friends.