“Always,” created by Clement Meadmore, is a sculpture located in front of the Carlson Center entrance at Johnson County Community College. This sculpture of approximately 20 feet is full round because it can be walked around on all sides. “Always” is composed of welded aluminum that is painted black and therefore, the method of execution used for this sculpture is addition.
Abstract geometric shapes are easily seen in “Always.” The subject of geometry is apparent from any angle. This sculpture has a unitary form of a long and large rectangular shape that bends several times in different directions and angles before springing into space. Mass controls the composition of this sculpture; it is a large sculpture with lots of volume. The mass creates a line of movement into space. There is a dynamic action of the geometric shapes extending into space. The sculpture appears unstable and off-balanced as if it is going to tip over.
Meadmore was born in 1929 and died in 2005. He was born in Melborne, Australia and became a citizen of the United States in 1976. He moved to New York upon arriving to the United States.
Meadmore’s background information related to his sculptures in many ways. According to a Meadmore website, minimalism became dominant throughout the 1960’s. Minimalism can be referred to as simplicity; it includes simple geometry with smooth surfaces. Although Meadmore created sculptures similar to this idea, he decided to go beyond minimalism. This was because he disliked the idea of minimalism remaining dominant and unwilling to change (meadmore.com). Happenstand.com states that “With their stark power and smooth, black-painted surfaces, Meadmore's sculptures combined Minimalism's devotion to pure geome...
... middle of paper ...
... shapes but could not understand the point it was trying to convey. Now that I have read and learned about Meadmore, I can distinguish the three goals that Meadmore intended for. I see the flexibility of simple geometry and how it can express dynamic movement through this sculpture. Overall, it is interesting how Meadmore’s life and ideas relate to his artistic design, “Always.”
Works Cited
“Biography.” Clement Meadmore. Unlimited Horizons, 2005. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. .
“Clement Meadmore.” Peter Rose Gallery. Ed. Taos Web Center. New York City Art Galleries. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. .
“Clement Meadmore, a Legacy.” Happenstand. Happenstand. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. .
Three dimensional art is defined as media which “occupies space, defined through the dimensions of height, width and depth” (SAYLOR). These art works can be geometric or organic in nature (NORTON). Three dimensional art forms include sculptures, crafts and architecture. Three dimensional art form is fascinating to me because of the amount of realism and beauty it embodies, as well as for its functional and aesthetic value. For this assignment, I chose two beautiful pieces that illustrated the characteristic of three dimensional art and the processes it took to produce them. The first art work I want to analyze is a sculpture done by an Iraqi artist from Kalhu (modern day Nimrud) entitled, “Assurnasirpal II Killing Lions” (Sayre, 420).
His last and final piece, which is very interesting, is called the "Stoneware Vase*" It has two curled spiral handles, suggestive of ancient or pre-historic civilizat...
These strands stand vertically and are parallel to each other referencing the DNA molecule of the double helix. When the curves of one spiraling strand are against another, going inwards and outwards, it leaves open gaps. This continues around the whole sculpture. Thus, the use of geometry on the sculpture’s visual form allows the artist to manipulate it to create a form of movement which impacts the abstractness of the artwork. The size of the sculpture is around fifteen feet tall. However, the spiraling strands when assembled together vertically makes the viewers look at the sculpture from top to bottom and around it. This creates an illusion that the structure is taller than it appears to be. Looking at how the sculpture is standing on its own, also makes us consider what techniques were used during the process of constructing it. One of the few techniques that the artist may have considered to construct the sculpture was armature and mesh. Pieces of metal and wood are used to create the armature as a standing frame for the model. This would better support the monumental structure rather than it falling
By the late 1950s, Voulkos had established an international reputation for his muscular fired-clay sculptures, which melded Zen attitudes toward chance with the emotional fervor of Abstract Expressionist painting. Some 20 works -- including five "Stacks" (4-foot-tall sculptures) as well as giant slashed-and-gouged plates and works on paper -- recently went on view at the Frank Lloyd Gallery. This non single show is his first at a Los Angeles gallery in 13 years, although a survey of his work was seen at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (presently carries a different...
In Stadia II, Julie Mehretu uses various principles of design. For instance, there is an essence of chaos when observing the work. This is present because, the way in which the geometric shapes are placed out, an atmosphere that portrays commotion is created. The artist creates variety through the various shapes and colors that are used. And although the work demonstrates chaos, there is also an essence of balance. There is a spiral going upward through the chaos which brings an emphasis on the center of the piece, drawing attention to a focal point or toward an underlying purpose. Furthermore, he geometric shapes are not organized through pattern because they are not arranged in repeating organized vertical spacing. On the contrary, there are no patterns, but still a sense of rhythm. Unity, or gestalt, is depicted through this geometric rhythm. These geometric shapes create an outline, also seen as blueprints, under all of the ecstatic
Frederick James Stanley Mead was born in Adelaide on the 30th of June 1890. He was the son of Elizabeth Maunder (Mead) and John Mead. He had one brother and three sisters. During his early years he attended Parkside Primary School. Once he had finished schooling, he decided to become a Wharf builder. When Australia announced it needed soldiers, Frederick was quick to join up. He enlisted on the 19th of August 1914 in Morphettville.
Artists are masters of manipulation. They create unimaginably realistic works of art by using tools, be it a paintbrush or a chisel as vehicles for their imagination to convey certain emotions or thoughts. Olympia, by Manet and Bierstadt’s Sierra Nevada Mountains both are mid nineteenth century paintings that provide the viewer with different levels of domain over the subject.
With works in every known medium, from every part of the world, throughout all points in history, exploring the vast collection of the Museum of Modern Art was an overwhelming experience. The objects in the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts are an important historical collection, reflecting the development of a number of art forms in Western Europe. The department's holdings covered sculpture in many sizes, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, jewelry, and tapestries. The gallery attracted my appreciation of the realistic qualities of the human body often portrayed in sculpture.
subject’s action. Many works of his time period were sculptures that were meant to be
Creating a sculpture can last a lifetime if made well like this George Washington Carver sculpture he designed. Artist Christian Petersen put in outstanding work to create a piece of work that not only he enjoys, but others can see and enjoy as well. Every piece of art has a story and that is overlooked most of the time. People seem to look at the art work and that’s just about it. When starting a book do you just look at the cover and not actually read the book? No, because then you are creating a false illusion. The George Washington Carver Sculpture is more than just a silhouette of himself, it emphasizes the vision for the future of agriculture and his passion for science, students and farmers Carver had. I recommend everyone to go check out the outstanding work Christian Petersen put into creating the George Washington Carver sculpture.
On first thought, mathematics and art seem to be totally opposite fields of study with absolutely no connections. However, after careful consideration, the great degree of relation between these two subjects is amazing. Mathematics is the central ingredient in many artworks. Through the exploration of many artists and their works, common mathematical themes can be discovered. For instance, the art of tessellations, or tilings, relies on geometry. M.C. Escher used his knowledge of geometry, and mathematics in general, to create his tessellations, some of his most well admired works.
On the other hand, his well-defined upper body with broad shoulders, muscular chest, and burly biceps are exemplified with smooth and elegant carved lines symbolizing his youthfulness. However, these smooth and elegant lines do not weaken at all his powerfulness which is best illustrated with his straight hanging down arms while his fists are wrapped around some kind of circular solid rod. The viewer captures his youthfulness but still gets the notion of his strength through the indicated tension in his smooth naturalistic carved muscles in his underarms. It is the contrast of these two different usages of lines that gives the sculpture the balance between the strength of confidence and relaxed peace.
Artist of the geometric time period created decative funerary art to be placed at the tombs of there dead. These pieces were made of ceramic and created in the form of geometric shapes, hence the time period. One such piece is a vase from the Dipylon Cemetery, (750 BCE) its over-all shape is like that of a hemisphere supported by a cylinder. We also notice that the vase is divided into registers and here the humans are depicted as part of a narrative. The body of the deceased is placed on its side and set on what would appear to be a pedestal in the center of the top register. The form used to represent the human figures are somewhat abstract.
The Art Bulletin, Vol. 57, No. 2 (Jun., 1975), pp. 176-185. (College Art Association), accessed November 17, 2010. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049368.
a shift can be seen from idealized and nearly perfect sculptures to sculptures that had a natural and real feel to them. These newer statues were sculpted with the notion of Realism weighing more than the concept of Idealism. The subjects’ body was not in a state of military attention, they were placed in a more natural, yet still graceful position. Realistic sculptures also did not embellish the muscular physique of the subject; the muscle definition was displayed more subtly and naturally. The weight of Realistic statues is not distributed in a balanced, geometric fashion like the Ideal statues. The Realistic statues balance their weight just as a real person would in motion which gives the sculpture a more graceful and natural