Non-Stop Pop Douglas Gordonís Work at Cutting Edge of Contemporary Art by Carolyn Chapman Douglas Gordon wants his art to inspire conversation and be an excuse for conversation. ìOne of the main vehicles he uses is pop culture, but it isnít a matter of simple appropriation. He is opening up conversations that we can participate in,î said Kerry Brougher, chief curator of the ìDouglas Gordonî exhibition now on display at the Hirshhorn Museum. Brougher added, ìPeople are often intimidated by talking about contemporary art, but not by talking about a movie.î And because movies are always good conversation starters, Gordon uses this medium often. In fact, the 37-year-old Scottish artist is best known for his unique take on classic Hollywood moviesósuch as ìPsycho,î ìThe Exorcistî and ìTaxi Driverîóin his video installations. ìI watch TV 24 hours a day,î Gordon said, ìwhich doesnít make for good relationships.î It does, however, make for good inspiration in Gordonís art, which is heavily influenced by pop culture and altering existing films to challenge viewersí perceptions. A motioning finger on a video screen beckons viewers to enter the first room of the Hirshhorn exhibition. The sh owís installation is a work of art in and of itself. ì[Gordon] works with the space to orient you and disorient you from your surroundings,î said Brougher. ìHe directly involves you in his work.î Brougher explained that the artist was also directly involved in the actual installment of his pieces. ìHe was always around plugging wires in or putting screws in the wall.î The exhibitionís layout draws heavily on the senses and, like Gordonís work, often focuses on the opposition between light and darkness. The lack of light for instance is cleverly used to highlight the nature of Gordonís art, which showcases opposites and double meanings. At one point, a side gallery with black walls and a light bulb that shuts off every few moments becomes so dark that itís actually necessary to feel your way around to get out of the gallery. Another room, surrounded by deep red walls, floor and ceiling, features seven photographs of a babyís foot and a mouth in various positions. The photographs are hung just a few inches above the ground, perhaps because babies are so low to the ground. There are red lights, bright lights, multiple television screens and a few mirrors thrown in to add an extra dimension to the many video images that abound in this exhibition. This is Gordonís first major show in North America, and the Hirshhorn is the exclusive East Coast venue for the display. The exhibition covers the past 10 years of Gordon's workóan important time in any young artistís career. But the Gordon exhibition is also important to the Hirshhorn, which strives to stay on the cutting edge of contemporary art. ìThe collaboration between a living artist and a living art museum is important for the Hirshhorn,î said museum Director Ned Rifkin. ìFor the Hirshhorn to really be on the cutting edge, we had to look at Douglas Gordon,î added Brougher. ìThis isnít just the typical exhibition when paintings are just hung on the walls. This is different because the artist has come to participate in the process.î Gordon is the recipient of some of the art worldís most prestigious awards. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art in London, and during the late 1980s and early 1990s he became one of the stars of the Glasgow art scene. Gordon, who is now based in New York, achieved international attention with his piece ì24 Hour Psycho,î which radically slows the original film ìPsycho,î transforming it from a 90-minute movie to one that lasts 24 hours, shown on a large, suspended screen. ì24 Hour Psychoî inspired the Hirshhorn to do something it has never done before. From 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 to 5:30 p.m. the next day, the museum held an event called ì24 Hour Access: 24 Hour Psychoî and stayed open for a 24-hour marathon viewing of ì24 Hour Psycho,î which could be seen in its entirety and featured a meet-the-artist discussion between Gordon and Brougher. ìYou will never watch ëPsychoí the same way again,î said Rifkin. ìWeíve never done anything like this before, and we believe that Washington needs a 24-hour anything.î In fact, this leap-year night celebration was probably the only chance to ever have a slumber party at a world famous art museum while experiencing art with the artist who created it. ìDouglas Gordonî runs through May 9 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue and 7th Street, SW. For more information, please call (202) 357-2700 or visit www.hirshhorn.si.edu. Carolyn Chapman is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.