The Big Picture

Art Lite

What if the Green and the Hood Museum were sold and made into a theme park? That was the premise of relax (yes, spelling is in lower case because they are artists), a group of Swiss artists who came to Hanover in October and hung colored spotlights all over the Green. Lest anyone think there is more to the exhibit, named for sale, than meets the eye—like why is Dartmouth Hall cast in a Yale blue rather than Dartmouth green (Is this a Yale theme park?)—relax, this is a case where less is more. Relax says it is not trying to send a message. (Now there is a refreshing idea.)

Relax says it is important to visualize what is already on the Green in a different way. The artists used colored lights around the Green to highlight buildings and objects that "embrace and define the space they are illuminating." Please don't ask how pink light embraces a trash can, we're clueless. But we can tell you that the colors were chosen at random by tossing dice. In other words, you can create art at home with a box of leftover holiday lights.

As expected, student reaction varied. "I hate it," said Noah Phillips '00. "I think the abundance of electrical cords hanging around the Green bear a strong resemblance to a very large back yard adorned with drooping clotheslines," said Katie Horner '00. "It's a throwback to the halcyon days of' Sesame Street' in all its primary-colored glory," reminisced Maura Hartmere '00.

For sale can be viewed in Hanover until Jan 3. You can also check the exhibit's website at www.hermes.dartmouth.edu/~forsale. One final note: The colored lights on the big evergreen in the middle of the Green are not a relax creation. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Relax's palette casts the Green in a new light.