If you're a fan of Doug Aitken's work, you need to check out Synthetic on now through 04.19.09 at the Whitney.

I have to admit, I'm not sure the Doug Aitken piece -- electric city -- is part of the Synthetic exhibit, but it's on the same floor and I don't see it listed anywhere else on the Whitney's site. Either way, if you go to the Whitney before 04.19.09, you'll get to see it.

The video installation spans three rooms with multiple large screens on all walls. This is one of the best pieces I've seen from Aitkens, which makes sense that it was awarded the International Prize at the Venice Biennale in 1999. I've only seen 2-3 other works by the artist in person: the last was MIGRATION at the opening of 303 Gallery last spring. The imagery was good and the installation looked pretty cool, but for Aitken, it was flat and boring. Once you see electric earth, you'll understand why this guy is so famous. It's amazing.

Other works that are part of the Synthetic exhibit you should check out: Peter Halley's The Acid Test, Kenny Scharf's When Worlds Collide, a piece by Cory Archangel (which I have to admit seems a little dull and amateur compared to Jenny Holzer's use of LED and Aitkens pulsing video installation), a work by Warhol and some really cool latex wall thing by someone who's name I forget. It sucks how the Whitney doesn't list all of the pieces in the respective shows. They should really redo their site.

Sunday, I went to see PROTECT PROECT by Jenny Holzer and all I can say is WOWZA!

Her use of LED light panels is the most modern thing I've seen done in art in a long time. Modern because it perfectly hits the pulse of today with media, information, and the presentation of it all without being too much. Some use of computers, video, etc is great, but not very relevant to the mass public and mass media. It's too edgy or too niche.

This show is perfect in all respects. All I could think was this is like being in Times Square, watching the ticker at the bottom of CNBC or the Dow, and having information speed by me on the internet all at the same time, all while being taken by the beauty of the presentation that transcends the medium and the message. It's incredible.

Go see these now! You can thank me later.