New York Gitli 1986

Jimmie Durham’s ‘New York Gitli’ is made, from what I can see, with found objects and a playful sense of composition. The way the bright, bold letter “A” is used, it’s less about what it signifies and more about the potential of its form. There’s a fascinating tension between the rigidity of the red A-frame and the bizarre, almost comical animal skull perched atop it, bound with what looks like tassles of thread. The roughness gives the piece its punch. It's not trying to be seamless; instead, it's raw, exposing its construction. This reminds me of Kurt Schwitters, who pieced together fragments of daily life into collages, Durham seems to be doing something similar here but in three dimensions. Ultimately, ‘New York Gitli’ isn't about answers but about posing questions. It invites us to see the world through Durham's eyes, a world of endless possibilities and unexpected connections.