6/30/2023 0 Comments Bjork debut moma![]() This turns out to be The Triumphs of the Heart, a long-form poem by Icelandic writer Sjón, and it runs throughout this experience, layered over Björk’s music. A woman (actress Margret Vilhjalmsdottir) begins speaking rhapsodically, in verse, about girls and heartbeats. Next: it’s the Post era, announced by a page from an early journal of Björk’s containing outtake lyrics. (Tip: Your mileage will vary.) As you enter, Björk’s debut single, “ Venus As A Boy”, with its unmistakable Tabla rhythms, sweeps over your surround-sound earbuds. An opiate-laced male voice gently suggests you to take your time, about five minutes for each room – one for each of her eight albums. You’re eventually welcomed and given an iPhone and headphones with geolocation technology (courtesy of Volkswagen?) and pass through a curtain to a deeper within. You’ll wait (and wait) to enter “Songlines,” the most-talked about and time-ticketed component of the exhibition, and as you do, you’re surrounded by sheet music and video clips from Björk’s memorable live performances over the years. Then, you arrive at the divisive chapter. More promisingly, you can get up close with that album’s mutant instruments, including a gravity harp and a live Tesla Coil sprouting forks of lightning. ![]() Again, it should be there for the sake of being holistic, though you can also experience it anywhere. The museum is thrilled about their acquisition of the 2011 interactive Biophilia app (remember it?) – the first tech of its kind in their possession. ![]() Fortunately, MoMA had the good sense to dedicate more physical space to some of her most iconic videos in “Songlines”, the immersive, narrated part of the journey. The deeply psychological take on Goldilocks in “ Human Behavior” defined what “breakthrough” really meant for 90s music videos. Did you know the only music video Alexander McQueen ever directed was for Björk? It was for her lesser-known single, “ Alarm Call,” in 1999. After all, Björk’s impact on music video making alone is worth a full-time museum or dedicated cinema unto itself for the careers she’s helped launch and blossom. At the same time, the curators would be remiss not to include them. In a modest, hushed theater, you can watch her entire pioneering music video collection in chronological order, which I recommend to anyone – but it doesn’t have to be here, sitting stiffly on a bean bag among strangers. Organized by MoMA’s chief curator Klaus Biesenbach, Björk is split among several floors, though I would have just preferred one compact Björk floor, for a seamless navigation. Give yourself a few hours to get in sync with Björk’s internal world, as well as your own. Rush ahead, and you may not be able to hit rewind. So, slow it down and be mindful of the present, not trying to force this experience to be something it isn’t. ![]() ![]() It's introspective, not outwardly reflecting. Like her new album, Vulnicura, Björk is unique in its ability to play out like a living diary (and that's not a metaphor – journals are central to this exhibit). Instead, if Björk interests you even a little – and how could she not? – come to this experience with an open mind, neutral expectations, and be ready to meet and enjoy it on its own terms. That said, don’t expect this to be the musical equivalent to the epic Savage Beauty. Some have griped that the show favours spectacle over substance others sensationalised the relative smallness of the show. Unless sulky spoilers somehow enhance your entertainment choices, do yourself a favour and hold off on reading the early reviews of Björk’s mid-career “ retrospective” at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. ![]()
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