David Smith: Cubes and Anarchy

David Smith: Cubes and Anarchy

David Smith (1906-1965) a great American sculptor who executed constructed sculptures using industrial materials. He is also presented as one of the Abstract Expressionist of the twenty century. Smith was influenced by Pablo Picasso and Cubism in the 1930s and used geometric forms in an effort to achieve pure objection.(Whitney Museum)

First of all, I am interested in the way he presents his art works. Michael Brensen, art critic and writer, comments that “Smith never explained his works which means that he ideologically committed to the freedom of interpretation of people in front of his works"(Whitney Museum). Therefore, we can use our imagination to see his works and enjoy them. My interpretation of Smith’s art work, “Untitle (Candida)(1965)”, is that each metal plate is connecting one to another and forming a circle, which reminds me of a tree that is growing in the forest.

Smith’s latest masterpiece, “Untitle (Candida) (1965)”, is the flattest sculpture he has ever created, with a depth of only three inches. However, it looks like a cube that has deep depth and the surface of the metal pops up because the surface of the metal has a special polish that make it look 3D. I really like the special effects and texture of the material that Smith created. Even though the sculpture is made of metal, it does not give me a cold metallic feeling. I feel the warmth of wood from it. 

In Conclusion, Smith persuade geometric form and nature in order to express his idea of aesthetics and emotion in constructing abstract sculpture. It is very powerful and impressive.

Works  Cited

“David Smith: Cubes And Anarchy Audio Guide Playlist”.Watch And Listen 2011. Whitney Museum of American Art. Web. 30 Nov. 2011.

Drawing from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Smith and Wesson. 38 Double-Action Revolve

Steel, partly nickel-plated; silver

Springfield, Mass, about 1883

 

I selected a beautiful Smith and Wesson firearm with a grip and mount designed and created by Tiffany and Company. Tiffany and Company is well-known for silver jewelry. However, during Civil War, Tiffany presented swords to heroes of the Union army and navy. In the 1880’s and 1890’s, famous American gun makers such as Winchester, Colt, and Smith and Wesson, used Tiffany’s elaborately decorative grips and mounts for firearms.

As for this firearm, the swirling lizard design is the Art Nouveau motif and the silver grip has a hammered surface that was popular in domestic silverware of the period. I think that it looks like jewelry, which attracts people.

 

Still Life “New York City”

Under drawing

Painting

My image of “New York City” is that there is nothing in the middle.

There are highs and lows, which means we can see people and things with two extreme. For example, there is a big gap between wealthy and poor people in New York City. It is like dead or alive, excellent or horrible, and smart or crazy that is very interesting to see. I think, therefore, New York City attracts people and arouses their curiosity. I expressed wealth as a bottle of wine and slices of bread and poverty as bones. They are on a yellow, black, and white colored plaid tablecloth, which represents that two extreme things are composed of mixed ethnic groups in New York City.

Three Eggs

An egg can transform from its original oval shape to a cooked shape, such as scrambled, over-easy, and sunny-side up. An egg can also be a jelly liquid form if it is raw without a shell. There are many possibilities to present three eggs. My first idea was to use a sunny-side up egg and two boiled eggs, but accidentally, one egg broke and the insides came out from the egg while I was boiling the two eggs. I changed my mind and took advantage of the accident. I prepared one boiled egg and one boiled broken egg and came up with another idea of using a glass with a raw egg. Things were setting on the table next to the window in my living room where the things could be flooded with sunlight. It was difficult to make a good balance for the composition. By the painting, I tried to express that people and their lives can change whatever they determine, but nobody knows whether it will turn out well or not.

“Making Infinity” at the Guggenheim Museum 9/24/2011

Dialogue (2009/11) by Lee Ufan (Korean, b.1936)

               Steel and Stones

               Courtesy Kukje Gallery, Seoul

The Dialogue, executed by Lee Ufan, is an art installation of a sculpture at the Guggenheim Museum. Two huge steel plates lean against each other and make a very sharp isosceles triangle standing between two big rocks. Lee Ufan expresses that “a stone is presented in its natural state and brought infinitely close to the human” and “a steel plate is presented in its artificial state and brought infinitely close to the nature.” Therefore, the rocks (nature) and the steel plates (artificial) are uniting, which creates the artist’s idea of infinity. The rocks and the steel plates interact with the opened space and its negative space creating an emptiness of non- existence in contrast to existence of things. In terms of the shapes, I like the pointy part of the stones angled toward the steel plates and the space between them, which is well placed and balanced.

The Color Wheel - color mixing

“September 11” at the MoMA PS1 9/19/2011

Meeting (1986)  by James Turrell (American, b. 1934)

            Interior fluorescent light and open sky

            Long-term installation, MoMA PS1, Long Island City, New York

The Meeting, executed by James Turrell,  is an art installation at the MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, New York. The installation is a white square room with four wooden reclined benches attached on each wall. The ceilling of the room has an open square space which exposes the interior to the exterior of the building creating harmony. You may see a vapour trail, flying birds, and the changing clouds in the sky while you are sitting on the wooden benches. It is like watching a picture of the sky in a frame that is unforeseen and changing. The sunlight comes into the room through the open square space and casts shadows on the walls. The room is a magical space where I could go into a dream world. People meet there, look up at the sky, and share an interesting experience.