Getting it is not the point-Matthew Barney's "The Order"

After viewing Matthew Barney’s “The Order” from his  Cremaster series I was struck with the dilemma of not knowing what to write about it. To be honest my initial reaction was “what the f**k is this!? I don’t get it. I was going to write about how the whole thing was a sort of representation of a video game of sorts. Barney begins on the bottom floor and must make his way through the various “levels” of the Guggenheim. Perhaps the “cat woman” represented one of the bosses he must defeat and maybe the guy shoveling the Vaseline was supposed to symbolize the “timer” that is so prevalent in many video games. I could rack my brain all day long to try to figure out what the piece is about but is that really the point. Is “getting it” really the point?

            I can remember the first time I heard certain songs, viewed a piece of artwork, or saw a certain movie and didn’t “get it.” Take music for example. When the Beatles released “I am the Walrus” I’m sure many people didn’t “get it,” but the song became insanely popular and revered. Although many people have spent a great deal of time trying to figure it out, and that is half the fun, it wasn’t the only thing that made it good or stand out. Pop Music more often than not has certain elements that make it successful. There has to be progression, a chorus, harmony, rhythm etc. Likewise film also contains many elements that make it successful. One element is conflict. The main character in the Cremaster series has obstacles and enemies he must defeat, it may not be clear to the viewer what the point of the obstacles is but it is clear that they are obstacles. Another element in film is narrative structure; the viewer has to know the sequence of when things are things taking place. The Cremate flows sequentially; the plot unfolds as the main character experiences it. We may not know exactly what everything means but the plot is progressed in a certain order. Another element is suspense, although the threats in the order are not always clearly defined the viewer is made aware that they are indeed threats.

            I don’t think “getting” it is always the point. A piece of work will often resonate in the consciousness of a viewer without the viewer ever really “getting it.” In fact, the fact that the viewer doesn’t get it often makes a work of art more of a phenomenon and magnifies the impact. I certainly won’t be forgetting “The Order” any time soon. Food for thought…