41. Venice Biennial 

June - September 1984 

 

Artwork plans and rights purchased by Count Panza di Biumo, now property of the Panza Foundation, Varese Italy 

 

30 ft x 30 ft Room with installation

dry walls, white paint, plastic, light 

 

The  Master of  High Drama was exhibited during the Venice Biennale in 1984. It was an architectural installation - visually simple and minimal in form, yet complicated in terms of construction.Basically it consisted of a red button deliberately placed in the middle of white wall located in a very large room. In order to shape the recipient's experience properly, Vogel had to remodel the space entirely, as originally it was not only of disastrous proportions but also very obscure.

 

Together with Jack Brogan they rearranged the space by using the drywalls and tarred over the sky lights, in order to create a controlled light environment.

Pretty modest on one hand, and very monumental on the other this work has been also deeply charged with anxiety… caused by the threat of nuclear attack at the time of the Cold War. 

​

Such a tiny and enthralling thing as a shiny, red button could cause great destruction. The red button accumulated the entire tension of that time. “This button was hot when you put your hand on it. Very hot. In the darkened space at the Biennale you could put your hand up to it, and the light would reflect on your hand- it would then reflect the shadow of your hand and your whole body. If you stood in front of it, it would reflect the shadow of the entire silhouette of your body back onto the plane behind it. The heat aspect was very powerful.” - says Vogel.

​

Later on the work has been recreated for the purposes of a show No Nuclear Bombs  presented for fotieth rememberance of Hiroshima at the Japanese-American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles.