Watch installation of spring exhibit at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum invites residents to observe and engage with artists Ian McMahon and Jong Oh as they create their work in the “Sculpting with Air” exhibition galleries. The behind-the-scenes viewings are Wednesday–Sunday, April 4–8 and April 11–15 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

There will also be artist talks with McMahon on each of those days at 1 p.m. and with Oh and 2 p.m. The museum will be open for public viewing and artist talks while McMahon and Oh are working, and the completed works will be on view starting April 20. (Reminder: the museum and park are closed every Monday and Tuesday until Memorial Day.)

McMahon and Oh emphasize process in their work and often make their installations at specific locations rather than in their studios. At the deCordova, they will create original, temporary sculptures that respond to the museum’s unique gallery spaces. “Visitors will be able to have a front-row seat to the artists’ creative process and will even be able to chat with the artists about their work. Each day will be a unique chance to see the sculptures as they change and transform into completed works of art right in the galleries,” said Martina Tanga, deCordova’s Koch Curatorial Fellow and curator of Sculpting with Air.

Also opening at the deCordova on Wednesday, April 4 is “Lived Space: Humans and Architecture,” an exhibit of photographs, paintings, and drawings that explore our psychological and physical attachments to the spaces we build and inhabit. Some artworks show the human body merging with the built environment, while others present imaginary structures that exist solely in the artist’s mind. The exhibit runs through September 30.

The exhibition explores three main themes: figure and form, interior worlds, and architectural fantasies. The artists featured in Lived Space” examine the link between architectural elements and our inner world. In their work, interior rooms function as receptacles of memory, emotion, and identity. Some artworks show the human body merging with the built environment, while others present imaginary structures that exist solely in the artist’s mind. Drawn from deCordova’s permanent collection, the exhibition addresses our impulse to adapt and relate to our architectural surroundings, as well as the ways in which these spaces shape and inspire us. 

Shown in the Dewey Family Gallery, “Lived Space” also considers deCordova’s architectural history, which has undergone several transformations since its original construction. Inspired by their travels abroad, museum founders Julian and Lizzie de Cordova remodeled their summer home in 1910 to resemble a European castle. When the building became a contemporary art museum in 1950, the gallery transitioned from a private to public space. These architectural shifts, prompted by Julian and Lizzie’s personal history, dreams, and passions, suggest an intimate exchange between humans and their spaces that extends far beyond one of basic needs.