▽ ODED HIRSCH

In the middle of a central Liverpool shopping district, a rustic, industrial elevator has seemingly erupted from the ground.  In the initial days of its appearance all sorts of questions had arisen amongst the city’s people. They questioned where it had fallen from and how something as this could occur.  Many curiously gazed above the disaster site in an eager attempt to find its source but disconcertingly, they would discover no logical justification– just an empty, grey Liverpudlian sky. However, this was neither a disaster nor accident; it was in fact a mixed media installation by Israeli artist Oded Hirsch, as part of the Liverpool biennial. Made out of heavy, industrial materials such as black tin The Lift disturbs the seductive environment of Liverpool One retail district and thus conforms to the biennial’s primary exhibition The Unexpected Guest, as it appears an unwelcome scar on the attractive, flawless shopping area. Even though the piece has clearly been installed in a way, which makes it look inherently realistic, the piece is realistically illogical.  The concrete slabs of the pavement are authentically broken making the elevator appear as though it has erupted from an unknown subterranean space.  This superficial realism, however, does not prevent the viewer from realising its irrationality.  As it is placed in the main commercial area of the city it is not unusual for one to regard the piece as a criticism of consumerism.  I personally feel that the piece aims to disturb the uniformity and artificial perfectionism that consumerism inspires; it essentially aims to create chaos and disarray in a controlled, orderly consumerist space.

On another level, I feel that the piece’s purpose is to make people ask questions. Whilst shopping one does not usually think about important worldly issues, they simply harbour superficial thoughts on either what they are planning to buy or how much they are going to spend. The entrance to the artificial elevator is mirrored and this is possibly an attempt to incorporate the viewer into the piece. Perhaps Hirsch wanted viewers to reflect on themselves and their consumerist actions whilst they inhabit one of the most commercialised parts of the city.

What I appreciated most about the piece was the fact that, just like most of the biennial pieces it has come out of the gallery space and into the public realm. The advantage of this is that it promotes the accessibility of art. People who rarely get the chance to visit a gallery are given direct access to art. They can come into contact with it whilst going about their everyday lives and without having to pay any admissions.