The Viewing Project: the Pleasures of Uncertainty December 4, 2010

The Viewing Project is a three-year series of small-scale installations designed to offer visitors creative and enjoyable experiences with objects from the IMA's permanent collection. Although themes vary, the main goals of all Viewing Project installations remain constant: to encourage active looking, to support visitor creativity and engagement, and to present objects from the permanent collection in new ways. 'The Pleasures of Uncertainty' explores the deliberateness and the delights of ambiguity in art. Some works of art instantly throw the viewer into confusion. It may be difficult to tell what meanings are intended or even what material an object is made from. In such cases, it is perfectly logical to ask, "Is it art?" or even, "What is it?" This installation is titled 'The Pleasures of Uncertainty' in the hope that visitors will find enjoyment and make discoveries as they consider art objects which offer both uncertainty and pleasure. This is the fifth installation in The Viewing Project series.