Blue Oyster Show - Review

From the moment I walked into the Blue Oyster to see the Otago Polytechnic exhibition I felt assaulted. Upon entereing the dark empty alley, which serves as an entrace to the Blue Oyster, my ears were attacked with the sound of heavy artillery. I locked my bike and gingerly stepped through the open doorway into the display space. My immediate reaction was intense claustrophobia. The slopeing walls and ceiling of the first alcove confused my sense of space and made the exhibition cramped. The static piles of corrigated cardboard strewn over the floor again reminded me of a war zone. The television screens, hidden amongst these piels depicted scenes of burning wreckage, which added light and movement to the exhibits. The sound of guns and bombs was louder. The overall affect was alarming but slightly theatrical, like a 'happening' from the 1960's, were sculpture and theatre were combined.

On further investigation, my inital sensations of unease did not go away. The next exhibit, an extreame close-up of an apparently disturbed young woman on an enormouse projector screen, was equally surreal. By this point I was feeling very uncomfortable (I was the only person there) I spent a few more minutes examing the two exhibits before leaving.

What I find most perplexig about this exhibition was the use of space. Was it ment to have such a claustrophibic, disorientating layout? The day after my visit I was discussing the visit with a class mate and was ashamed to hear I had compleatly missed several exhibits! The first two were so powerful I lost my way a could not find any more!