Bruce Nauman

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Poet Gwendolyn Brooks states, “Art Hurts. Art urges voyages - and it is easier to stay at home” which is true for many viewers when experiencing Bruce Nauman’s work. Nauman is classified as a contemporary American artist whose works also incorporate ideas of post-modernism and minimalism. He has been making art since the early 1960’s and has moved through many different mediums as his art progressed and his style changed. At first Nauman was a painter who soon ended that career and turned to sculpting, photography, film, and video. Bruce Nauman’s works of art have interested me and inspired my final assignment by his professional legacy, inspirations, and techniques.

Although Nauman is now one of the most talked about artists in today’s world, art was not always his main interest. As a child Nauman was shy and often alone, as a result he was very passionate about music. He studied piano, guitar, and upright bass and played in bands throughout high school and college. Having a childhood filled with music has influenced his works and contributes to the success of his use of sound and rhythm in his videos and installations. Nauman graduated from college into a career of painting but soon realized that he could not get the reactions from his viewers that he wanted through the medium of paint and began to explore sculpture. His sculptures are known for being non-functional and being made from “non-art” materials. Nauman then turns to incorporating video and sound into his sculptural installations, and then creating complete video works. In his later years he begins producing “sculptures” that are neon signs, often provocative and suggestive. Throughout Nauman’s life, he has continued to influence the art world through each of his ...

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