I'm Mad about MAD

The Dead or Alive exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design proved to be worth seeing in the flesh, quite literally. New York Magazine ran a great spread on the show; however the tactile experience of bones, seeds, feathers, rat excrement, and cocoons is not properly conveyed through photographs alone. There was a surreal quality to the use of materials. The seed skulls of Helen Altman tacked like specimens on the wall, the Ango Design cocoons suspended overhead, a wall to wall room of black feathers -- the show mixes the scientific process of biology with the conceptual edge of modern art. It reminded me a great deal of Cloaca, the mechanical digestive system created by Dutch artist Wim Delvoye, so it was no surprise that many of the artists included were Dutch and that the show was partially funded by The Mondriaan Foundation in Amsterdam. The museum itself is a fab piece of modern architecture-- not to mention that it's easy to get to on Columbus Circle, a stone's throw from the park, and has a lovely restaurant on the top floor. You've got until October 24, 2010 to check it out.