This book commemorates Anish Kapoor's "Marsyas" sculpture, exhibited in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall in 2002 and 2003. It was the third in the series of installations commissioned for the hall, and the first to fully utilize its vast interior space. The Turbine Hall, a former power station, is nearly 500 feet long and 100 feet high, with no obstructions other than a bridge and staircase across the center. "Marsyas" comprised two large vertical steel rings at the ends of the hall, with a hollow red membrane stretched between them. A third ring was attached to an opening in the membrane and suspended horizontally over the bridge; this ring's weight provided tension and gave the structure its shape. It may have been the largest fabric installation ever constructed. Due to its size, the entire sculpture could not be viewed in its entirety from a single vantage point. The photographs in the book, taken from various locations, give an overall feeling of the piece's appearance, especially one taken from above, from an area that must have been inaccessible to the public.
The book contains an essay on the sculpture's design and purpose by a Tate curator, and an interview with Kapoor where he discusses the creative process and the decisions which led to the final design. The project engineer also contributes his impressions. The book includes photographs of several of Kapoor's other works, although unfortunately none of "Cloud Gate" that was begun the following year. Another section shows photographs taken in the artist's studio of various studies and models created in the development of "Marsyas." We learn that one preliminary design involved a bean-like shape, mounted on the bridge, and cantilevered out over the hall's open spaces on either side. At the end are a few tantalizing photos of the work as it was being constructed. The text exemplifies that cerebral style of expression common to the highest levels of art criticism, that outsiders often find confusing and pretentious. Everything about the book screams "museum gift shop," from the stunning, glossy photographs to the hard-to-read, sans serif typeface, and the north-of-$50 cost for a new copy (I got mine used at a tenth of that price).
While this is all standard fare for books of this type, a few more additions would have been appreciated. With all the examples from Kapoor's studio showing the work's development, there is no blueprint or elevation view of the completed work, surprising as this is easily available online. Also, a section by the contractor, describing the construction process, discussing problems encountered and their solutions, would have been welcome for a work that was clearly dependent on a collaboration between art and engineering for its success. Also, a summary of the original Marsyas legend would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with it, since it is not a well-known story. Otherwise, the references to "flayed skin," the work's "physicality" and resemblance to a "body," and to Titian's "The Flaying of Marsyas" would be obscure. My own first exposure to the story was in the liner notes to Arvo Pärt's
Lamentate
, an orchestral suite inspired by his viewing of the exhibition.
Expecting the book to include a description of Pärt's reaction may be unfair, but it's not often that a composer of his stature writes a piece in response to a sculpture. Also, the premiere of "Lamentate" was held in the Turbine Hall while "Marsyas" was still on display. Pärt related that when he first encountered the sculpture, its vast scale shattered not only his conception of space, but of time as well. He described feeling as if he had died and was standing before his own dead body. This led to considerations of how he should best spend the years remaining to him, and the idea that our character is defined by our response to suffering. "Lamentate" was an expression of these concepts, and in my opinion, one of his finest works.
The "Marsyas" story concerns a satyr who had great skill in playing the flute, and depending on the version, either challenged, or was challenged by the god Apollo to a musical competition. The victor was to have permission to do anything he wished to the loser. Apollo played the lyre, which he had improved over Hermes' original four-string design by adding three additional strings, allowing a full musical scale to be played. In the first round of the contest, the result was indecisive. In the second, again depending on the version, Apollo won by playing his lyre upside-down, a feat impossible to duplicate with the flute. In the other version, Apollo sang along with his playing, and when Marsyas protested that this amounted to adding a second instrument, Apollo countered that he was merely using his breath, which was what Marsyas was doing in his playing as well. For his prize, Apollo chose to flay the skin from Marsyas' living body. Later, he felt so remorseful that he removed the three strings he had added to the lyre, returning it to the original four strings.
Despite these omissions, the book is an outstanding memento of the exhibit, especially for those like myself who were unable to see it in person. As "Marsyas" is no longer on display anywhere, this may be the only way most of us will ever be able to experience this monumental work.
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