Visitors wandering through the Cosima Von Bonin: Roger and Out exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles this past Friday morning took much interest in the unique and challenging display of art.

Cosima Von Bonin: Roger and Out, the first solo museum exhibition in the United States for German artist Cosima von Bonin, will be on view at MOCA Grand Avenue starting September 16 through January 7, 2008 and includes approximately 50 artworks from 1990 to the present.

With a distinctive approach and fantastic instillation of artistic creations Bonin’s exhibit goes beyond the limits of imagination and takes its viewers on a journey of thought and mystification.

“She displays a dazzling array of work from use of sculpture, textile to film and video. There is a precedence about her work?it stands out,” said Ann Goldstein, senior curator for MOCA.

“There’s a feeling of amazement. What makes her unique is her collaboration with other artist, it brings in a conscience of community within her work,” she said.

From wood, cotton and wool, to balloons and stuffed animals, Bonin uses everyday objects and materials to express innate human concepts of life. Her artwork goes deeply within individual imagination and takes you on a journey of deep perception and self-objectivism. At first glance much of her work comes off as silly, childlike and not easy to decipher.

In one of her displays entitled, ‘Clothesline Mountings From Powder,’ she uses stuffed animals such as dogs, rabbits, and bears of various shapes, color and sizes, and hangs them on a clothesline upside down.

Large quilted blankets displaying images through thin stitching on a combination of wool and cotton material covered many of the walls in her exhibit. She creates a celebration of everyday objects and depicts imaginative images. Her work is characterized by spontaneity accompanied by the highest level of concentration and precision.

Bonin uses a complex narrative through contrast in material, form and color.

“She makes a position with material to show symbolism, like for instance her use of quilting,” said Megan Grebing, writer for MOCA.

Other artworks entailed the use of theatrical performances accompanied by some of her art pieces, such as stuffed animals. Some of the actors in the piece wore dog mask to take away their humanistic qualities. While at the same time appearing to be human by walking on only two legs.

“She seems to do things on a large scale. Definitely different,” said one observer, Nelly Keller.

Bonin’s exhibit will certainly have viewers thinking outside the box. Her work is both challenging and surprising and evokes thought about culture, gender, identity and self-refection. Some may even find humor in her approach to express art.

Bonin certainty has a unique style and presence about her work. On exhibit through early January of next year, Bonin’s demonstration of art at MOCA is something worth taking the time to visit.

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