Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Weight and Measure Reading by Richard Serra
1) What were Richard Serra's goals for the installation?
He wanted his sculpture to be read and critiqued without the volume of the space around it to alter anyone views, thoughts, or opinions. He wanted people to view his work without any restrictions or distractions. He was especially careful in the way that nothing about the room would be object based or trigger any symbolic relationship.
2) Define the field Serra is referring to when he states that his sculptural elements need to create "enough tension within the field to hold the experience of presence in the place". How do you define "experience of presence"?
The field that Serra is referring to is the space around the sculpture and how the sculpture relates to this space. He does not want a vast amount of volume to dwarf his sculpture nor does he want an amount of space that will constrict it. He wants to create a tension that is right for the structure inside to room. The experience of presence is the experience a viewer would have in a certain situation dealing with the space and objects around he or she.
3) How do the columns, pedestal condition, octagonal space and vertical axis challenge Serra?
The columns challenged Serra because they were a form of repetition. Serra did not want to show any repetition in his sculpture which forced him to stick to the number of two objects. The octagonal space was another challenge for Serra because he did not want his sculpture to be a sculpture of the space condition that the octagonal volume formed. The vertical axis was just as strong as the horizontal axis in representing the space around the sculpture. This had to be dealt with in order to provide a pure space.
4) What is effective in terms of the shape, scale and number of the two square elements in the Duveen Galleries?
Serra did not want to amount to an external condition of space but rather produce a pure space. A curve or a circle would not accomplish this because it would produce a localized space condition and would become to referential. This would begin to become a hierarchy of space. The idea of a rectangle solved Serra’s problems for many reasons. Fist off it was natural that a rectangular room would be inside another rectangular room. The horizontal axis also cancelled out the vertical axis and gave a visitor a sense of direction. When playing with scale Serra did not want to trigger any symbolic relationships of the guests that were visiting. He wanted this to be a new and clean space from which to view the art. When dealing with the number two Serra viewed anything more to be a series of duplicated objects with repetition. This would make the idea more about the elements rather than the element being represented by space.
5) Describe the differences and similarities between Barnett Newman's and Richard Serra's work.
Serra’s work was very different than Newman’s in the way that Newman's was very object based. But Serra also wanted to accomplish what Newman accomplished in his paintings through his work with the Duveen Galleries. Serra wanted to show the relationship of change in time or place and location through body and space of the room. He accomplishes this as well as a bilateral relationship between horizontal and vertical planes.
He wanted his sculpture to be read and critiqued without the volume of the space around it to alter anyone views, thoughts, or opinions. He wanted people to view his work without any restrictions or distractions. He was especially careful in the way that nothing about the room would be object based or trigger any symbolic relationship.
2) Define the field Serra is referring to when he states that his sculptural elements need to create "enough tension within the field to hold the experience of presence in the place". How do you define "experience of presence"?
The field that Serra is referring to is the space around the sculpture and how the sculpture relates to this space. He does not want a vast amount of volume to dwarf his sculpture nor does he want an amount of space that will constrict it. He wants to create a tension that is right for the structure inside to room. The experience of presence is the experience a viewer would have in a certain situation dealing with the space and objects around he or she.
3) How do the columns, pedestal condition, octagonal space and vertical axis challenge Serra?
The columns challenged Serra because they were a form of repetition. Serra did not want to show any repetition in his sculpture which forced him to stick to the number of two objects. The octagonal space was another challenge for Serra because he did not want his sculpture to be a sculpture of the space condition that the octagonal volume formed. The vertical axis was just as strong as the horizontal axis in representing the space around the sculpture. This had to be dealt with in order to provide a pure space.
4) What is effective in terms of the shape, scale and number of the two square elements in the Duveen Galleries?
Serra did not want to amount to an external condition of space but rather produce a pure space. A curve or a circle would not accomplish this because it would produce a localized space condition and would become to referential. This would begin to become a hierarchy of space. The idea of a rectangle solved Serra’s problems for many reasons. Fist off it was natural that a rectangular room would be inside another rectangular room. The horizontal axis also cancelled out the vertical axis and gave a visitor a sense of direction. When playing with scale Serra did not want to trigger any symbolic relationships of the guests that were visiting. He wanted this to be a new and clean space from which to view the art. When dealing with the number two Serra viewed anything more to be a series of duplicated objects with repetition. This would make the idea more about the elements rather than the element being represented by space.
5) Describe the differences and similarities between Barnett Newman's and Richard Serra's work.
Serra’s work was very different than Newman’s in the way that Newman's was very object based. But Serra also wanted to accomplish what Newman accomplished in his paintings through his work with the Duveen Galleries. Serra wanted to show the relationship of change in time or place and location through body and space of the room. He accomplishes this as well as a bilateral relationship between horizontal and vertical planes.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Book Sections
Theme: Borders that Control/ Walls that Layer/ Pockets that Offer Choice and Change
Compositions: Rooms that Define/ Space that Leaks up into the Light
Compositions: Rooms that Define/ Space that Leaks up into the Light
Friday, October 1, 2010
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