AshTeh: Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture Anish Kapoor

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012

Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture

Anish Kapoor

Cloud Gate (2004), Millennium Park, Chicago

Celebrated for his gigantic, stainless steel Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Anish Kapoor is changing the cultural environment with his public works.

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss whether it is conceptual art or not. Explain your answer, using a definition of conceptual art.

conceptual art

Art that is intended to convey an idea or concept to the perceiver and need not involve the creation or appreciation of a traditional art object such as a painting or sculpture.

When asked in an interview with CNN what his work meant, and who it was meant for; Anish Kapoor replied by saying: "It's useless, it's for no one!". Kapoor's work has been described as "sterile" by art critic Jonathan Jones saying that "it leaves nothing for the imagination.... It's this absence of effort from the viewer, of doing any work, that makes looking at Kapoor so sterile."

In my opinion Kapoor's work is conceptual because it is what it is. Its mechanical with no evidence of process to show the making of the work. As viewers we don't have to 'think' and build up our own ideas as to what it means.

2. Research 3 quite different works by Kapoor from countries outside New Zealand to discuss the ideas behind the work. Include images of each work on your blog.

Leviathan' by anish kapoor grand palais, paris

A video of an interview with Kapoor about the Leviathan:

The 'Leviathan' is found in Paris in a grand cathedral it is this great red balloon like structure in which viewers enter into. Kapoor wanted to created the feeling of being swallowed by this large sea monster. On the outside viewer get to walk underneath the "labyrinth" to experience the space between the sculpture and the ground. He also deals with the idea of this monster that is massive and cannot control itself. Kapoors 'Leviathan' also touches on the state of mind that all humans have, the fragility and vulnerability of or thoughts.

Anish Kapoor- Sky Mirror

A video of the Sky Mirror in Rockefeller Center

2. Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror was exhibited in New York's Rockefeller center. Kapoor's sculptures are left to run wild in the viewer imagination, his sky mirror is large scale and makes the viewer feel as though they are in another realm, it makes you forget that you are in this big busy city. It engulfs you draws you in. It reminds me of the story of Snow White and her evil stepmother who like into the mirror and talked to it. Once again Kapoor plays with our psychological state.

Anish Kapoor's Recycled Steel Arcelor Mittal Orbit Tower Provides Views of London's Olympic Park

ArcelorMittal-Orbit-Anish-Kapoor-1-537x357

This tower was built as a observatory for the London Olympics stadium the magnificent structure is taller than the Eiffel tower.

Discuss the large scale 'site specific' work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

This particular work by Kapoor is called 'Dismemberment' and it can be found on the Gibbs Farm in Kaipara Bay. The Farm is owned by a wealthy entrepreneur he bought the farm, having in mind the potential of making a place for a sculpture collection. "The Farm" feature works by many famous sculpture artists.

4. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

Kapoor's work can be found in Kaipara Bay, north of Auckland, New Zealand. It is made from fabric and steel, Kapoor has used PVC coated polyester fabric manufactured by Ferarri. Both openings are made up of ellipses when horizontal and the other vertical. The vertical ellipse shows the view of the beautiful Kaipara Habour on the other side the horizontal ellipse feature the rolling hills.

This piece was inspired by the Greek myth about Marsyas who played the flute better than Apollo, this made Apollo very angry he flayed Marsyas. The red fabric used in Kapoor's "Disememberment" is like skin and symbolises Marsyas' skin.

5. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favourite, and explain why. Are you personally attracted more by the ideas or the aesthetics of the work?

Personally I was intrigued by the Leviathan the most. I'm just amazed by the whole structure and the experience that it gives you on the outside as well as on the inside. It would just be breathtaking to be there and actually being able to stand underneath the giant 'beast'. It also taps into the psychological aspect of the human mind, which I find fascinating.

http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0110_sk_sculpture.html

http://www.criticalmob.com/culture/more/anish_kapoor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Ni0c4D27Y

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-reviews/8506594/Anish-Kapoor-Leviathan-Monumenta-2011-Grand-PalaisParis-review.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/sep/14/anish-kapoor-art

Posted by

Jonathan Jones

Monday 14 September 2009 12.25 BSTguardian.co.uk

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-05-17/world/anish.kapoor.interview_1_cnn-sculpture-and-architecture-anish-kapoor?_s=PM:WORLD

www.royalacademy.org.uk ›

http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/thefarm.htm

http://www.billslater.com/cloudgate/