We spent our afternoon enveloped in art at the Halsey Institute.

The title of this exhibition is a play on the famous phrase “irrational exuberance” used by former Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan, in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute during the Dot-com bubble of the 1990s. The phrase was interpreted as a warning that the market might be somewhat overvalued. In this case the title is the program. It refers to the artist’s strict methodologies which employ binary logic as well as tropes of minimalism to exuberant extremes. As demonstrated in his light installations and most recent kinetic works, a very restrained vocabulary due to the scale, repetition, and variations leads to a sense of deep corporeality. The meaning oscillates between the purely abstract and profound sensuality.

We began our lesson with a presentation by the artist Erwin Redl who investigates the process of “reverse engineering” by (re-)translating the abstract aesthetic language of virtual reality and 3D computer modeling into architectural environments by means of large-scale light installations. Yes, I too was confused by the description but his talk made it understandable.

After a very thorough lecture on what and how, Mr. Redl walked us to the Gallery and discussed each piece in person. The photos just don't do the installation justice. The movement, which makes it mesmerizing, is missing.
He machined his pieces on a CNC router and when done, he realized the base table's design was an incredible 'woodblock' and made these prints on it. Very, very cool. 

Mr. Redl described his art as a "system". This probably was the most unique, and quite interesting exhibit we have attended. I felt it was extra special because the artist himself was there to share and explain. Learning how it was all accomplished was almost as amazing as the finished works.