Gutai @ Guggenheim "Splendid Playground"

The Guggenheim is one of NYC's iconic buildings that is famous for its design by Wright more than 50 years ago as well as for its ingenious use of the spatial layout to enhance the museum goer's experience.  The current exhibit, Gutai - Splendid Playground, refers to the avante-garde collective artist group of the Japanese post-war era:  1950-60's.  Splendid Playground is a fitting name for this exhibit I found  engaging, joyful and creative.  The rotunda features a "replication" of the magnficient outdoor installation by Sadamasa ('55) where tubings filled with vivid liquids were strung amongst the trees.  Sadamasa who passed away in '11, oversaw the planned recreation of his work for the Guggenheim. Plastic tubings with colorful fluids are stretched from the walls & ceilings to provide an exciting web structure that frames your vantage points in a kinetic progression.  In other words, this exhibit is filled with fun, with wonder & with splendor; "a vibrant spirit, and intense cry that accompanies the discovery of the new life of matter."  The Gutai movement was highly regarded for its innovativeness and exploration of new art forms that celebrated creative freedom.   I contrast this show to MoMA's "Tokyo 1955-70."  MoMA's exhibition was broader in scope and deeply ensconced with a macabre apocalyptic destruction.  The piece that stood out for me in MoMA's show was a fractured cocoon attached to monstrous pulsing cerebral mass.  The piece that arrested me @ the Guggen. was a beautiful painting by Chiya, "Love," which incorporated a mixture of paint, sand, wood & dust.  Notice the works by Shozo which incorporate scraps of paper glued together in lieu of scarce canvas.  I would encourage everyone, especially youngsters to experience Gutai @ the Guggenheim.