{"id":146367,"date":"2025-09-19T00:15:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T00:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/146367\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T00:15:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T00:15:08","slug":"elmgreen-dragsets-uncanny-sculptures-make-reality-feel-like-alice-in-wonderland-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/146367\/","title":{"rendered":"Elmgreen &#038; Dragset\u2019s Uncanny Sculptures Make Reality Feel Like &#8216;Alice in Wonderland&#8217; \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alice_in_Wonderland_syndrome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Dysmetropsia<\/a> is a neurological condition that distorts size and perception, often causing objects to appear smaller or larger than they really are. Also called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, the disorder is the basis of a disorienting exhibition by Berlin-based duo <a href=\"http:\/\/www.elmgreen-dragset.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Elmgreen &amp; Dragset<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Collaborating since 1995, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset\u00a0are behind a slew of iconic works, perhaps most famously the full-sized boutique in the middle of the Texan desert known as \u201cPrada Marfa.\u201d This destination installation is representative of the artist\u2019s enduring interest in recontextualizing seemingly common objects to explore how our interpretation and perception change.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1385\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-1.jpg\" alt=\"an installation by Elmgreen and Dragset of a realistic looking blond woman slumped over at her desk with a bookcase behind her\" class=\"wp-image-462346\" style=\"width:630px;height:auto\"  \/>\u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/p>\n<p>For their exhibition at Pace Gallery in Los Angeles\u2014their first solo show in the city\u2014the duo continues this line of inquiry. The Alice in Wonderland Syndrome opens with a silicone gallery attendant dozing on her desk, an undrunk cup of coffee and stack of books nearby. Like the adventurous tale it references, the large-scale show invites viewers to ask whether what unfolds is real or all a hallucinatory dream.<\/p>\n<p>Farther inside is a series of white marble figures recreated on two different scales. Wearing headphones and VR headsets, these nondescript characters appear perpetually distracted and immersed in their technologies of choice. On the gallery walls is a collection of circular works from the artist\u2019s Sky Target series, which varies mirrors and cloudy expanses in stripes or concentric rings. These patterned pieces reflect the wide, open space and fragments of the sculptures, albeit through a distorted view.<\/p>\n<p>As we collectively grapple with the strange, often concerning effects of living in an increasingly digital world, Elmgreen &amp; Dragset prompt us to consider how physical presence shapes our understanding and can lead to an uncanny experience all on its own.<\/p>\n<p>The Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is on view through October 25. Explore more of the artists\u2019 work on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacegallery.com\/artists\/elmgreen-dragset\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">the gallery\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-10-960x644.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-462363\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-7.jpg\" alt=\"an installation by Elmgreen and Dragset of a realistic looking blond woman slumped over at her desk\" class=\"wp-image-462357\"  \/>Detail of \u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-8.jpg\" alt=\"an installation by Elmgreen and Dragset of a realistic looking blond woman slumped over at her desk\" class=\"wp-image-462358\"  \/>Detail of \u201cSeptember 2025\u201d (2025), silicone figure, clothing, chair, dimensions variable<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-6.jpg\" alt=\"a detail image of a sculpture by Elmgreen and Dragset of two figures embracing, one wears a VR headset\" class=\"wp-image-462356\"  \/>Detail of \u201cClose\u201d (2025), marble, 71 1\/8 \u00d7 26 \u00d7 20 1\/4 inches<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-9.jpg\" alt=\"a sculpture by Elmgreen and Dragset of two figures embracing with cloud-like wall works behind\" class=\"wp-image-462359\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-2.jpg\" alt=\"a sculpture by Elmgreen and Dragset of a white figure resting on the floor wearing headphones with a cloudy wall work behind\" class=\"wp-image-462347\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/elmgreen-3.jpg\" alt=\"a sculpture by Elmgreen and Dragset of two figures embracing\" class=\"wp-image-462349\"  \/>\u201cClose\u201d (2025), marble, 71 1\/8 \u00d7 26 \u00d7 20 1\/4 inches<\/p>\n<p>Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<p>Hide advertising<\/p>\n<p>Save your favorite articles<\/p>\n<p>Get 15% off in the <a href=\"https:\/\/colossal.shop\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Colossal Shop<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Receive members-only newsletter<\/p>\n<p>Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dysmetropsia is a neurological condition that distorts size and perception, often causing objects to appear smaller or larger&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":146368,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,67412,96,27081,67413,10552,86,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-146367","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-design","12":"tag-elmgreen-dragset","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-installation","15":"tag-marble","16":"tag-sculpture","17":"tag-technology","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom","20":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}