Sarah Sze. Photo: Deborah Feingold. Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

Written by Wenjie (Demi) Zhao

Photo Edited by Billy Chen

Copy Edited by Robyn Hager

In the tender grasp of time, a pendulum sways from ethereal heights within the Guggenheim Museum's rotunda. The plumb bob traces an arc, casting an ephemeral shimmer as it descends. Led by unseen forces, Sarah Sze weaves the threads of time, painting whispers and delicate caresses upon a series of site-specific installations. The pendulum's rhythmic ticking resonates with the rotunda, each circle a heartbeat echoing through the space. Sarah Sze's art sings an ode to the passage of moments as the cosmic pendulum unfurls, ever in motion, narrating stories of existence and the tender connection of hearts.

“Art is a timekeeper; it endows breath into materials. It is a traveling message between humans across centuries.” — Sarah Sze

Installation view, Sarah Sze: Timelapse, The Moon’s Gravity Causes the Ocean’s Tides, 2023. March 31—September 10, 2023, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

The latest exhibition, Sarah Sze: Timelapse, at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, embodies the artist's sentiment: “a contemplation on how we mark time and how time marks us.” Employing a multitude of mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, video, and sound installation, Sze crafts a cosmic realm revolving around the concept of time. Her intricate installations and large-scale sculptures transform the museum into a living laboratory, measuring time and capturing the public's shared experiences.

Installation view, Sarah Sze: Timelapse, Timekeeper, 2016. March 31—September 10, 2023, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

Each artwork in the exhibition engages the senses, immersing visitors in a multisensory experience. Fluid and ever-changing, the works evoke the fleeting essence of a stream flowing by, birds taking flight, the moon's gradual shift, and light sweeping across the landscape. Sze reconstructs space into an alternate reality, presenting quotidian scenes from her studio. The resulting bricolage, videos, and paint drips form a cascade that seamlessly flows from the artwork itself to the heart of the audience.

Sze's dynamic art transcends boundaries, encompassing multiple forms and mediums. Petit bonsai, torn paper, and bold bricolage assemble a vibrant realm that transports viewers to another world. The mundane objects in the artist's studio generate an intimate connection with the installations, making them relatable and accessible to the audience. Eyes, ears, mouths, and fingers participate in experiencing Sze's artworks, bridging physical and nonphysical realms. Sze challenges viewers to engage in minute observation while also igniting macroscopic perspectives on the infinite, delving into the exploration of the vital question: “What is a tool for seeing, what is a tool for building, what is a tool for making?”

Sze's works brims with poetic resonance and vibrating images, capturing visitors' attention as new surprises unfold with each passing moment. Each second offers a fresh experience, connecting vision with imagination, memory, and dreams.

Installation view, Sarah Sze: Timelapse, Things Caused to Happen (Oculus), 2023, March 31—September 10, 2023, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York

The series of site-specific works transform the iconic Guggenheim architecture into an instrument for timekeeping and a meditation on the myriad ways we mark and experience the passage of time. These works redefine our connection with the unending flow of objects, images, and information that pervade today’s digital and material landscape. Bound by the silken threads of gravity's embrace, Sze's creations dance in an eternal, poetic space. With each gentle sway, they speak to the soul, echoing the mysteries of life and unifying the universe.