In my presentation I want to show you some unusual actions and projects that are placed in urban space or natural environment. Their breadth or/and originality make us stop, watch and not forget what we experienced.
In first part I want to enclosure artists who make the greatest project (in sense of size). They make very wide preparations and work with assent of authorities. The process of creation of such a piece of art is a show by itself.
The most known couple was Christo and his wife Jean-Claude (who died on 18 November this year, she was 74 years old). They caught the public eye wrapping landmark buildings and bridges in colourful fabric across whole world. The more they were famous the bigger were their creations. The artists managed to wrap, with the aid of specialized workers, the coast of Little Bay in Sydney and surround eleven islands in Miami with pink fabric (they used over 600 000m2 of it!). They also created the 40 kilometers long and over 5 meters high "Running Fence" made from steel and fabric (Texas). Most of their creations was funded by them own. They take profit from selling rights for documenting those actions.
Wrapped Reichstag (1995)
Wrapped coast in Australia (1969)
Surrounded islands in Miami (1980-83)
They even wanted to wrap Warsaw's PKiN years ago but they couldn't reach an agreement with our authorities. What a pity!
Their works aren't durable – they last much less time than it takes to prepare them. Maybe that's next factor that makes it so interesting – you want to see it before it will only remain on photos.
Even though their works are so impressive, people find them controversial. That's a result of very strong interference in natural environment in a huge scale.
But there is an American artist who has made it much stronger – Robert Smithson leased 10 acres of Great Salt Lake in Utah than used 6 000 tones of ground to make 500 meters long spiral dyke. Lease expired but spiral stayed .
This kind of art activities are called "Land Art".
Spiral Jetty (1970)
Let's move to space which is much closer for us – urban space. I have already mentioned Christo realisations that took place in cities but there happens much more!
Artists are very watchful people, they like to make use of things that are to be destroyed or are forgotten. Such situation was utilized by a British artist Rachel Whiteread in a work called "House". She made a concrete cast of the interior of the Victorian house that was destined to demolition. This process was pretty complicated because workers had to make a steel cage inside of it and fill it with very heavy concrete, after it has dried up they removed external layer unrevealing negative form of building which were empty spaces of rooms, stairway etc.
Of course this original sculpture was to exist only for short period but a lot of people made efforts to make it permanent. They failed. As always this kind of actions are very controversial – one likes it other not. Despite of this fact she has got very prestigious Turner prize for it.
House - East London (1993)
In Poland we have artistic group called "Twożywo" whose one of artworks you can admire on the building by Daszyński roundabout. They created (in cooperation with the Warsaw Rising Museum) the mural that makes us pay attention to the historical buildings that are to be destroyed.
Mural created by Twożywo (2008)
Maybe you experienced some interesting artistic project or heard about it? Please post it here!
The most known couple was Christo and his wife Jean-Claude (who died on 18 November this year, she was 74 years old). They caught the public eye wrapping landmark buildings and bridges in colourful fabric across whole world. The more they were famous the bigger were their creations. The artists managed to wrap, with the aid of specialized workers, the coast of Little Bay in Sydney and surround eleven islands in Miami with pink fabric (they used over 600 000m2 of it!). They also created the 40 kilometers long and over 5 meters high "Running Fence" made from steel and fabric (Texas). Most of their creations was funded by them own. They take profit from selling rights for documenting those actions.
Wrapped Reichstag (1995) 
Wrapped coast in Australia (1969) 
Surrounded islands in Miami (1980-83)They even wanted to wrap Warsaw's PKiN years ago but they couldn't reach an agreement with our authorities. What a pity!
Their works aren't durable – they last much less time than it takes to prepare them. Maybe that's next factor that makes it so interesting – you want to see it before it will only remain on photos.
Even though their works are so impressive, people find them controversial. That's a result of very strong interference in natural environment in a huge scale.
But there is an American artist who has made it much stronger – Robert Smithson leased 10 acres of Great Salt Lake in Utah than used 6 000 tones of ground to make 500 meters long spiral dyke. Lease expired but spiral stayed .
This kind of art activities are called "Land Art".
Spiral Jetty (1970)Let's move to space which is much closer for us – urban space. I have already mentioned Christo realisations that took place in cities but there happens much more!
Artists are very watchful people, they like to make use of things that are to be destroyed or are forgotten. Such situation was utilized by a British artist Rachel Whiteread in a work called "House". She made a concrete cast of the interior of the Victorian house that was destined to demolition. This process was pretty complicated because workers had to make a steel cage inside of it and fill it with very heavy concrete, after it has dried up they removed external layer unrevealing negative form of building which were empty spaces of rooms, stairway etc.
Of course this original sculpture was to exist only for short period but a lot of people made efforts to make it permanent. They failed. As always this kind of actions are very controversial – one likes it other not. Despite of this fact she has got very prestigious Turner prize for it.
House - East London (1993)In Poland we have artistic group called "Twożywo" whose one of artworks you can admire on the building by Daszyński roundabout. They created (in cooperation with the Warsaw Rising Museum) the mural that makes us pay attention to the historical buildings that are to be destroyed.
Mural created by Twożywo (2008)Maybe you experienced some interesting artistic project or heard about it? Please post it here!
Most of the depicted projects are famous because of their scale. I think it's a very interesting problem - how size increases artistic value of performance. This is the factor that really attracts people's attention and make things popular. Perhaps it's not even proportional to idea or message that are connected with particular artwork.
ReplyDeleteWell I personally don't like it or maby just don't "love" it. Artist like Tarasiewicz just simply piss me off and I'm all into classic art. Of course I'm familiar with the "twożywo" and the things they do are simply brilliant. Also I haven't noticed you mentioning, I think, one of the most famous street artist - Banksy. He's also great. But to honest with you I like his street art but when I saw his exhibition in a gallery. On photos of course. I didn't like it at all. Overall I'm just not into you know...eee...how's it in english...you know like this fancy Installation art.
ReplyDeleteI saw that mural art at Daszyński roundabout, but it is nothing special for me, when I saw it, it just brought my attention, but nothing more, it is just like all other urban arts like graffiti. Some of them are really pretty, but nothing more in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteActually Christo maintains that his works don't have any massage, they're created to admire them. That's why he is found as the greatest megalomaniac artist:)
ReplyDeleteI treat it as an intro to whole presentation and contrast to works of totally independent artists (as Banksy- there will be something about him). I mean that there is no need to base on things like scale and huge cost of creation to grab attention of wider publicity but sometimes there is a must – particularly when artists want to reach people who would never came into a gallery and force them to experience some aesthetic feelings. I'm glad that there are people that do it for their own cost:)
Actions of Twożywo are different whatsoever – in the midsts of great artworks they smuggle contents that make you wonder what is it created for...
I really like this kind of public art specially when it is not planned and advertised but it appears suddenly and unexpectedly in some well-known place. Did you see a mural which is probably in the Grzybowska street? It is very subtle and just delightful- red balloon on the white wall. Unfortunately I don't remember the slogan. I'd like to know who the autor was?
ReplyDeleteYes, I've seen it. Actually it's painted on the tenement house by Waliców street. It wasn't easy to find who created it but on http://independent.pl/w/30333 there is invitation for whole event. It says that autor of the artwork is Wiktor Malinowski but there were four other painters. Currently it is the biggest mural in Warsaw. I like it for its purity and similar idea to Twożywo's projects which I love:) Just look at the slogan written on Waliców than compare it to mural on Daszynski roudabout. Any analogies?:)
ReplyDeleteI think that in this type of work the size is of great importance. All we are used to huge concrete buildings. We live among the boxes in which we are like ants. If they will extract the size of the drawing makes it unbelievable feeling.
ReplyDeleteYes I love it too. I like mostly the painting on old, destroyed buildings which are even unnoticed during the day. Sometimes it looks as if the building wants to say something " come on look at me". I was surprised when I saw the mural on Daszynski roundabout. I like the slogans and the project- it's great. I also admire the blue one on Żelazna street. It is a building of Sanepid. Maybe you've seen it. Here is a link http://www.twozywo.art.pl/mural/index.php?set=1. The most important is the idea and message from author. I think that Twozywo group is specialized in this kind of projects. Look also at this one from Krakow http://www.twozywo.art.pl/mural/index.php?id=40&set=1&b=5
ReplyDeleteIts a bit like Asia said. Such projects definitely bring attention but how much of it is actuall content and how much is its scale?
ReplyDeleteI suppose scale itself is actually interesting and perhaps its enough, perhaps it can be called form of art but considering its complexity it rises some doubts. After all, it is just wrapping something in a piece of "paper" but on different scale.
If thats what it takes to really make people happy then I cant help to wonder what the real complicated art is for?
Also I was wondering, if we can really call people who made it artists, considering fact all the work was basicly done for them by the workers.
I realise the idea is theirs and perhaps its enough to label it as theirs but still, in my opinion piece of art should be created entirely by its creator. Else it stops being as personal as art should be. I know not everyone will agree with me but thats how I see it.
Regardless of those doubts I must admit, such things do grab attention and in certain ways are actually beneficial as well.
At least someone is getting money from it on the way.
I've seen Twożywo by myself - great artistic work. Every boring, grey wall should be painted (artistically painted, not some stupid stuff) with grafitti. I've never heard of Rachel Whiteread's work but I like the idea. Maybe similar constructions will stay as long as pyramids?:)
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such a project by my own eyes but I would like to. Those from your presentation look interesting and I am certain that if I was walking down the street and I would see something like that I would stop for a while.
ReplyDeleteThe scale of this projects draws attention to themselfs. It is an interesting form of art. It doesn't seem too hard to come up with such ideas but I'm sure it is not as easy as it may look like.