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I jumped the first time I saw it. A boy, perfectly perched atop the Menil Collection, viewable from just beyond the main entrance. Given the height, he seemed quite comfortable, even allowing his legs to dangle below. Nestled near his stomach sat a small drum and he appeared as though he could begin playing at any moment, his arms upright and primed. On this first sighting, though, he did not produce a sound. Yet his sudden appearance and deceptive reality were striking. The boy is a part of the current exhibition designed by artist Maurizio Cattalan, which includes several works hidden in various parts of the museum, including a sprawling taxidermied horse, and a middle finger hanging from a piece of wire placed in the ceiling. Most people don’t see the impudent gesture, while everyone sees the horse, which nearly overtakes the room it’s situated in. Several paintings by Magritte share the room with the overturned horse, which has a piece of wood staked into it reading “INRI.” However, its hard to look at these paintings without having the sense that you’ve turned your back on a crime scene. People greet the boy in all different ways, from furious alarm to laughter and very occasionally, contempt. The second time I saw the boy I was prepared. This time I did not feel a sudden urge to alert any nearby fireman of the drastic situation. But I did notice that now, amidst a building storm, he was playing the drum, and surprisingly well. Both hands were moving forcefully, forming a rhythmic and driving beat. As the wind picked up, so did the drummer, the patter emanating back and forth from the boy’s left hand to his right. A crowd of people watched in wonder, some pointing, trying to figure out what was the trick here.
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