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From: Eva Category: Art Date: 09 September 2008 Time: 08:36 AM Review: A lot of archival research has gone into this presentation, yet Pierce has been highly selective about what she’s brought from that research to the show. My initial response to the exhibition was negative due to a lack of engagement with the objects themselves (text in vitrines, discarded plinths, exhibition documentation and talks recordings), however on reading further information about the artist’s process and ideas I’ve warmed to it a bit. The objects on display operate as pieces in a puzzle that Pierce has set up, yet not yielding enough in and of themselves to warrant a huge time investment. Orange lighting adds a kind of ‘finish’ to the exhibition, filling up the space. Maybe the light could be interpreted as analogous to the ageing of paper or nicotine stains, not irrelevant associations, yet the inevitable reference to Olafur Eliasson’s Room for one colour (1998) did not help the installation – why? The light also made the written matter difficult to read. The loudspeaker was playing a recorded debate from last July on the future of art education, or some such - rather dry and not engaging for a gallery visitor. Credit to Pierce that she responded to the brief and attempted to put together a show reflecting on the history of the ICA. In summary, an interesting essay accompanying the exhibition, but the experience of the show itself was rather bland.