Tiny Content is a refreshing group show now on view at Snowflake. Void of any claim to directly tackle grandiose themes, the works instead are boiled-down gestures that allow for earnest simplicity, with little room for flowery interpretation. With conservatively chosen and meticulously placed work, the space appears neutral, sparse and thoughtfully arranged by curator Bevin Early. Dedicated to all that is as curious as it is marginal and overlooked, the exhibition coheres because of what it lacks: content to analyze. The title is a quote from a Willem De Kooning interview (which also appeared in Susan Sontag’s essay, ”Against Interpretation”), in which he describes content as “a glimpse of something, an encounter like a flash. It’s very tiny – very tiny, content.”
In John Early’s Swivel Swing, the viewer is invited to draw a circle on the gallery wall, using a pencil from a nearby jar. A few feet away is his sculpture Threshold, comprised of two V-shaped wooden boards attached at the top by a string, marking the highest human jump recorded. The two pieces converse well — exploiting and accepting limitations within the ordinary and the superhuman. Nearly hidden in the corner of the gallery is Mike Schuh’s Placed; composed of floor tiles from his studio, now arranged on Snowflake’s floor, it illustrates the dual connotation of its name, as an object “placed” casually or with pain-staking precision. Peter Pranschke and Dan Solberg’s works are neat and concise with quiet depth, extending the tone of the exhibition. I would encourage all to experience this exceptionally beautiful, modestly provocative show before it close on December 5th.