Daniel Arsham

Daniel Arsham

Title: Draped Figure 

Year: 2011

Dimensions: 8' x 8' x 48'' 

Arsham using fiberglass, paint, fabric, and shoes has created this unique installation. It gives the saying "the man in the wall" a whole new meaning. There literally is a man coming out of the wall. The beautiful sculpture that is seen in this piece is so beautiful. Arsham has created a way to make it so the wall looks like fabric rather than the hard surface they really are. He has made it so the walls look like they are a soft full of life object. He has used a white hue to blend in with the walls around it. The black legs that are underneath the wall/fabric creates a fascinating contrast that they add a thrill of adventure to the viewer. Arsham has created a way to make it so the walls really seem alive. This simple installation that is much taller than the average human has draped over him the white wall that outlines his arms being crossed over his chest. The eye can easily find the human form that is beneath the coverings. Arsham has allowed the natural light to fill in the shadows for him. I love how this figure blends in with the wall and I would love to see how he installed this piece. I have a personal feeling to go and take the rest of the white wall off of the figure and see what the person under it looks like. There are so many ways that this piece could be looked at. It could be a shadowed figure draped in innocence. Or it could also be looked at as that person who watches from the shadows. I personally want one of Arsham's pieces installed in my house.     

 

Michael Samuels

Michael Samuels 

Title: Postmortem  

Year: 2010                                                           

 

Michael Samuels is known for his unique style of taking modernist furniture and taking it apart. Later reassembling it and adding UV light in it creating a mixed media, installation, sculpture. That has a feel of rebellion against things that are typically seen everywhere in our society. The bondage that is used to hold together all of the wood pieces together, can be used to hold down heavy objects. The bright orange of the tie downs that are being used makes the piece seem to be even more about the tie downs than the piece. The bright primary orange color takes away the masterpiece that has been crated behind them. But the light that radiates from within it being a complimentary color to the orange, creates a  balance that removes the dresser and makes this piece all about the orange to blue contrast. 

I feel that  in this piece the dresser's restrains prevent a user from being able to open any of the drawers. The function of this dresser has been changed into a  something that is pondered about. The center drawer has been completely removed creating a negative space where air and light can fill the hole that has been provided. The middle of the dresser, instead of being even with the rest of it, has been cut out and angled perpendicularly with the rest of the the dresser. This creates the feeling of this dresser is alive and is trying to escape the bonds of modernism. 

    

Artist: Cal Lane
Title: Shovel
Year: 2012
Dimensions: 143.5 x 20.3 cm

 Lane takes an old metal shovel and cuts a lace-like pattern into it creating a beautiful femininity quality to this masculine object. The open spaces that are crated by the cutting gives the shovel an airy feeling. This shovels function has been changed by Lane. She has made it into more of a decorative piece, than a shovel that can be used outside to dig with.

 Lane created her own narrative for this old shovel and gave it a different meaning. To keep this shovel dark in hue gives it more of a darker meaning to me. More of a feeling of death. Roses, usually seen in movies as things that are usually presented at funerals, are really emphasized on this shovel as well. Shovels are used to create holes in the ground to place the dead in our area. So, to me the dark hue, shovel, and rose represents death. I feel that if this factory made shovel would have been any other color it would have changed the meaning to me. But if it would have been changed in color its meaning would clearly be lost as well. I love the amazing interlay that Lane did on these shovels. Making every cut count. As well as creating an image that is not only beautiful but haunting as well.  

Artest: Atelier Ted Noten 

Title: Seven Necessities- Glasses for a Woman on the Warpath

Year: 2012 

Dimensions: 17 x 15 x 6 cm 

Noten created a collection of 7 necessities for women. This piece referred to as Glasses for a Woman on the Warpath are made out of 14K gold. They are stylishly crafted into a beautiful pair of glasses. There is even a quirky perfectly arched eyebrow to fit the wearers unique personality. They have inside one of the arms is a compartment housing an crystal ice pick. There are several other unique features within these glasses. Noten wanted to try and show how strong women really are. He wanted to come up with a way to really shine a light on women being stronger than men. To me he seemed to make the glasses white to depict innocence. He then added the little dangerous compartments to include how on the inside women are actually more violent than they may seem. Noten, to me is saying in this piece, women may look simple and kind on the outside but look closer and you might get hurt! Adding the eyebrow is my favorite part. It is attached by a small strand of gold  that has they eyebrow raised in a seductive type way. There could also be a flip side to these glasses. Noten could be going with the thought that women are actually weak and need to be protected. Which could be why he added the ice pick. 

These sculptured glasses are very beautiful and pleasing to my eyes. These glasses are lens-less so whoever put them on could have their prescription placed inside of them. These glasses are an ingenious idea and should be marketed as a self-defense item.     

 Artist: Neil Dawson
 Title: Chalice
 Created in: 2001
 Dimensions: 18 meters high in a cone shape with the base at 2 meters and the top tapering out to 8.5 meters.

Chalice, is a free standing 3D steel sculpture that has been placed in the center of a public square. Welded inside of the hexagonal shapes that are seen as the skin of the structure, are leaves native to the area. The inside of the statue is hollowed out. On the inside of the cone shape is a flood light that turns on at night and fills the cone with light. At the base of the cone, the leaves are so dense that they overlap each other creating no gaps. Higher up the leaves become spaced out and the viewer is able to see through the structure. It can also be seen that at the top of the steel structure the leaves become more detailed and independent within their hexagonal boxes. The silver steel and simplicity of the shapes makes this piece pleasing to the eye. The leaves bring to this piece a feel of nature. The geometric figures and the leaves create harmony and an explainable beauty.
The way that the leaves are either flowing up or down looks like they are in a tornado. Typically, on TV you see tornados in a cone type shape. Which could be what Dawson is trying to do, combine different elements of nature to create an appreciation of different elements of nature. Wind, leaves, honey cone shape hexagonal boxes, with the sun within it. This piece could be influenced by the different season. The size of it creates a bigger than life feel. This is a huge sculpture that disappears into the sky. Where Dawson has the light within the steel structure vs. outside of it enhances the meaning of light within. Chalice is a chalice to nature. It is Dawson's offering to nature and to the place he grew up.       
       

 Artist: Marianne Vitale
 Piece: Outhouse
 Year: 2012
 Dimensions: 97 x 57 x 79 in
 Outhouse is made out of old pieces of lumber that Marianne found. She then nailed them together creating an old fashion one holler! From the title Outhouse, the viewer believes that this is the outside of an outhouse. An outhouse that has been left to the elements for several years. But this piece may not really be an outhouse at all. To make up an outhouse it has to have a place for a person to relieve themselves. Typically an outhouse has a hole cut into the floor that leads into a dirt pit that is easy to cover up when full. This outhouse is on cement and it would be very difficult to dig a hole into it. This outhouse is constructed out of old pieces of wood that a person would find around an old farm. The "Z" is a shape that is seen very often on farms because it is a good support system. This 3D wood structure does not let the viewer see into it. The door to the front is closed! So, this outhouse might not be an outhouse at all. The viewer just has to trust that the artist is telling them the truth! That this is in fact an outhouse.
Typically, an outhouse is seen outsize but for some reason Marianne has placed this outhouse inside. This changes its meaning for me. Now this outhouse once regarded as disgusting is now the center of attraction in this room! It is the sole object! The white walls that engulf this outhouse make the brown wood look that much more aged and darker in value. The outhouse is set in this room as if it is a piece of furniture that is meant to be admired.... This can also be thought of as a sculpture that is admired. This outhouse could then be thought in a crude way,as a place that sculptures are made! Vitale could be poking fun of something people do every day! Which is poop! This piece could possibly be about the special old fashion sculpture rooms that people used every day once!! POOP!