Installation art

Step 3: Reflect A. What is installation art? The term installation art began to be used in the 1970’s. The definition of installation art varies. The textbook states (p.49)”installation, in which a space is presented as a work of art that can be entered, explored, experienced, and reflected upon.” The video Installation Art describes installation art as “fashionable and controversial trend manipulates space and perception and forces the viewer to look at 3-dimensional spaces in new ways. It also states that it “is applied to a wide range of work from community art projects to world famous projects”. Judith Nesbitt, Head Curator, Whitechapel Gallery, states (installation) “art world takes over the space, it defines the space and how that achieved is entirely up to the individual artist”. She further states that as a curator she “let the artist go on with it and let them do what they need to do.” Art Critic, Matthew Collins, when asked responded, “some kind of sculpture in the round, an installation is generally something that is all around you. But there is another aspect to it apart from the physical definition and that’s a kind of attitude definition it’s now the most trendy thing to do it’s almost against the law not to do it.” To sum, installation art is a 3-dimentional art work that forces the viewer to interact with their environment. It can be created by an artist or even as a community project. Probably the most encompassing definition comes from Art Lex Art Dictionary and that is: “Installation or installation art-art that is or has been installed-arranged in a place-either by the artist or as specified by the artist. It might be either site specific or not and either indoors or out. The term became widely used in the 1970s and 1980s and continues to be employed by many people. Installation my be temporary or permanent, but most will be known posterity through documentation. As a consequence, one aspect of installations is often difficulty with which they can commodified.” B. What materials are used in installation art? In terms of materials from what I’ve read, watched and researched the sky is the limit. It can include the medias: architecture, sculpture, painting, video, music, performance, separated or in combinations. It can include ordinary objects or found objects-everything from a dead animal to a piece of macaroni. For environmental and site-specific installations the media used tends to lend itself to the location. Examples of this are Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty and Richard Wilson’s, She Came In Through the Bathroom Window. C. Why make installation art? Again to quote Art Critic, Matthew Collins, “it’s now the most trendy thing to do its almost against the law not to do it.” Beyond that installation art forces the viewer into a situation where an immediate response emerges. You can think about it but there is an initial response. With a painting or a sculpture something need to draw a viewers attention. Installation art is all about interaction and must be experimental. D. which artist/installation did I find most interesting? Overall the installations in the video were interesting each in their own way. Tracy Emin’s, My Bed, caught my interest because on some days my bedroom could look similar to her work. But beyond that her message, “she is as imperfect as the rest of the world” really hit home for me. The more I explore art the more I believe that the more you know about a piece or an artist the more interesting, understandable it becomes. The other artist that evoked my attention was Damien Hirst who strives to make “aspects of life and death visible. His work The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, is a shark in a vitrine filled with formaldehyde. Another work by Hirst in 1993, Mother and Child, Divided, consists of four separate rectangular blocks made of silicone and glass, filled with formaldehyde. A cow was cut in half, and put in two of them, a calf was cut in half and was put in the remaining tow containers. Hirst strives to be provocative and disturbing. For me he achieved his goal. The shark was commissioned to be caught and killed, I do not agree with this. I find his works disturbing, do they make me think? Absolutely, but not thoughts I want floating in my head. Step 4: Plan: A. I felt most connected with Tracy Emin’s My Bed. Despite the chaos and imperfection it reminds me of home. B. In my installation I will explore my home town. I chose to do because I will be graduating soon and will probably have to leave the area to get a job. C. I will use a variety of materials that I have the depict the things about Buffalo that mean the most to me. Some of the items will be enclosed in a glass block. Since my work will be site specific I will be able to takes this part with me where ever I go. The materials include: Glass Block: holding a hot dog (Ted’s) Picture of blue water tower (where I played baseball) Pillow foam snow Sabers emblem On top : a Bill Helmet Chicken wing Chicken wing basting brush Other materials: a bottle of chicken wing sauce, a T-Shirt, kit for beef on weck, can of snow, a buffalo pen and a variety of “signs.” D. The installation will be located in front of the fireplace in my family room at home. This is the place my family gather’s to be together and shares special times together. Description I see a room with lit fireplace. Surrounding the fireplace, in front of the closed doors, are various items that reflect Buffalo. These include things that make Buffalo famous nationally (snow, and chicken wings) and things that are special to me. Analysis Unity and harmony are demonstrated in that the composition is a reflection of one theme, my hometown Buffalo. Variety and also the local point is achieved with the lit fireplace. The fireplace also gives the piece of rhythm and movement. The colors and textures are varied, from hard to the foam mean to be soft snow.