Suprasensorial, Hirshhorn Museum, February 23–May 13, 2012

Organized by MOCA, LA, and curated by Alma Ruiz

Light shows attract art moths, and Suprasensorial: Experiments in Light, Color, and Space, the current show at the Hirshhorn Museum, has a terrific one you shouldn’t miss if you live in Washington or environs, or are visiting in the DC area.

Five Latin American artists are showcased: Lucio Fontana; Julio Le Parc; Carlos Cruz-Diez; Jesús Rafael Soto; Hélio Oiticica.

The entire show is a standout. Pictured above left, is Lucio Fontana’s neon swirl, Structure for the IX Trienniel of Milan, installed on the museum ceiling (gaze upward as you ascend to the 2nd floor on the escalator!). In the center photo, Chromosaturation, by Carlos Cruz-Diez, is comprised of three connecting rooms illuminated by blue, magenta, and green fluorescent lights.

On the lower level of the museum, prepare to be wowed by Magnetic Movie (right photo), an HD video projection created by Semiconductor. Imaginary animations filmed over a laboratory setting, the linear images relate amazingly to Fontana’s neon.

Also very much in keeping with Suprasensorial, although not an integral part of it, is a splendid fluorescent sculpture–a “barrier” by Dan Flavin, installed on the third floor.

Last, but far from least, is Doug Aitken’s enthralling nighttime video with music, SONG I, projected on the outside of the museum. As a friend remarked to me, the Hirshhorn’s squat cylinder has never looked so good! Nonetheless, it has already managed to offend a reader of the Washington Post, although I fail to see why. It lights up the city and cheers the soul, and Washington could use some of that! If Parisians and Berliners are unafraid to project light artworks onto their far more ancient structures, such as Chartres Cathedral, I don’t know why Americans need be so inhibited. SONG I isn’t spray paint, after all: just flip the switch at midnight and it disappears!

Spring forward to the Hirshhorn while there is still time to see this deLIGHTful show.