Matthew Barney, Sadie Coles

Matthew Barney does not “do” caffeine free, sugar free, low alcohol or Sunday paintings. When he makes art it is serious, heavy, long and difficult. Best known for a series of film that took 8 years to make, cost millions and lost over 7 hours, 'Cremaster Cycle', Matthew Barney is an artist fascinated by biology, mythology, industry and psychology – themes he revisits here at Sadie Coles’, Kingly Street address.
In 'Crown Zinc', sculptures are exhibited that derive from Matthew Barney’s ‘River of Fundament’, a multi-dimensional experience which premiered this summer. The video itself is based on a series of performances which are based on Norman Mailer’s ‘Ancient Evenings’ 1983 novel – complicated eh?
Any attempt to describe what these works are about would be pointless, let me just say that they are heavy, they are hard and they deal with death, the soul and biology. It is not a light comedy, but equally, it is not a show to be ignored. This is a rare chance to see one of the rarest talents of this generation.