SARAH SZE |  THE WAITING ROOM Peckham Rye Station

Located in the previously desolate waiting room of the Peckham Rye Station is a stunning installation by Sarah Sze. 

 

Upon entrance, you are met with a convex globe-like sculpture fashioned from various-sized torn pieces of paper held up by a gridlock of scaffolding to which short moving image clips are being projected onto. The alluring exhibition boasts a dystopian atmosphere fuelled by an entrapping sensation of ‘organised chaos'. The aged, decayed appearance of the room which has only just been reopened in 60 years, combined with the large technical sculpture in the middle makes you as a viewer feel as though you have entered a new realm through time travel. 

 

Sze has incorporated layered visual effects throughout the room and the addition of the background noises of a ticking clock, a heartbeat and the trains speeding by, further intensifies the experience; keeping the mind constantly engaged. She always prioritises a high level of engagement in her artwork and that is why her pieces are widely accepted by a vast audience. She successfully caters to multiple human senses and allows us to be submerged in a thrilling atmosphere while trying to understand it. 

 

There’s this sense of chaotic explosion frequently evident in Sarah Sze’s pieces; the scaffolding acting as an indicator of something unfinished and in its raw state. Movement is a big factor in the visual makeup of this exhibition which I feel contrasts brilliantly with the brutal stillness but fragility of the scaffolding. The videos being projected are very fluid and portray organic forms like fire, water, hand movements and abstract shapes which move around the round sculpture keeping your eyes alert. 

 

Behind this grand sculpture is an equally engaging continuation of the Sarah Sze experience. Multiple revolving projectors stacked on top of one another, showcase ‘dreamlike’ ‘fairytale-esque’ videos; their light being partially obscured by frail paper sculptures, resulting in silhouettes of plants and birds, encouraging thoughts about the outside world. The environment portrays a messy work table, donning empty plastic bottles, coffee cups, random stationery and stray papers and scraps. I feel the physicality of this “behind the scenes” demonstration ties to the concept of entering a new world and witnessing the scientific experiments and evidence left behind.

 

Sarah Sze is an American sculptor who constantly challenges the boundaries of the static nature of materials seeking to submerge her audiences in dyadic entertainingly complex environments.

 

Floppi Magazine recommends this exhibition as a must-view this summer for all who are in the London area!

 

Location 📍  Peckham Rye Station Waiting Room, SE15 4RX