A Topography of Chance at fused space, San Francisco

The curator Jessica Silverman was inspired by Daniel Spoerri’s 1961 documentary novel/map An Anecdoted Topography of Chance, suggesting that “chance is not random, but shaped by ritual and repetition.” This group show, with Bruce Nauman, Brie Ruais, Rose Marcus, and Aaron Garber-Maikovska, while more “polished” than the cheerful chaos of Spoerri’s map (and subsequent works like Der Koffer), capture the spirit of playfulness and chance. Rose Marcus’ pair of inkjet prints — Arm/Folded (arms) — is so subtly composed that the chance topography of arms is almost missed. Bruce Nauman’s video, Setting a Good Corner, reminds us of the influence of Wittgenstein on his artistic process (how does one think about things?) and of Spoerri’s “archaeology” of things and the meaning embedded in the layering of things. Though Topography is subtle in its curatorial intent, Silverman succeeds in encouraging reflection and making meaningful connections between diverse artists and approaches to chance-making.

Bruce Nauman, Brie Ruais, Rose Marcus, and Aaron Garber-Maikovska, A Topography of Chance, fused space, San Francisco, CA, through 20 September 2014.