Photo: Brian Forrest for Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
It’s not unusual for visitors at an art museum to wonder what an artist was thinking in creating a particular work. But a new exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York — Eckhaus Latta: Possessed — doesn’t appear to leave much room for interpretation, as pieces used in its construction are available for purchase.
So, is the exhibit art or just a pop-up shop in another setting?
“It’s less of a critique of either retail or museums and more a cross-analysis: How the two are the same or how do they differ,” Zoe Latta, co-founder of Eckhaus Latta, told The Wall Street Journal. “What is the difference between you coming to the Whitney and trying on clothes and buying them, or seeing a Warhol exhibition?”
One difference, clearly, is that patrons do not have the option of buying a Warhol painting on exhibit when they visit the Whitney or other museums.
The genesis of the exhibit from Ms. Latta and Mike Eckhaus, who are billed by the Whitney as “operating at the intersection of fashion and contemporary art,” was another show from the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in 2016. There, the Journal reports, the two created a display that had a gift shop nearby that sold non-clothes items not included in the exhibit. In the end, the two decided a more direct connection between their fashion and commerce was needed.
The mashup of art and commerce is becoming something of a trend in retailing circles. So-called made-for-Instagram museums, or selfie factories, are temporary shows dedicated to a particular theme. In June, Target announced a collaboration with the Museum of Ice Cream on “Pint Shop,” a reimagining of the grocery store with exhibits, limited-edition ice cream flavors and tasting opportunities.