1.
Dan Flavin
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Dan Flavin was an American minimalist artist famous for creating sculptural objects and installations from commercially available fluorescent light fixtures. Daniel Nicholas Flavin Jr. was born in New York of Irish Catholic descent and sent to Catholic schools, during military service in 1954–55, Flavin was trained as an air weather meteorological technician and studied art through the adult extension program of the University of Maryland in Korea. Upon his return to New York in 1956, Flavin briefly attended the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts and he later studied art history for a short time at the New School for Social Research, then moved on to Columbia University, where he studied painting and drawing. Two years later, he married his first wife Sonja Severdija, Flavins twin brother, David, died in 1962. Flavin married his wife, the artist Tracy Harris, in a ceremony at the Guggenheim Museum. Flavin died in Riverhead, New York of complications from diabetes, a memorial for him was held at the Dia Center for the Arts, on January 23,1997. Speakers included Brydon Smith, curator of 20th-century art at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Fariha Friedrich, a Dia trustee, and Michael Venezia, the artists estate is represented by David Zwirner, New York. Flavin’s first works were drawings and paintings that reflected the influence of Abstract Expressionism, in 1959, he began to make assemblages and mixed media collages that included found objects from the streets, especially crushed cans. In the summer of 1961, while working as a guard at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Flavin started to make sketches for sculptures that incorporated electric lights. The first works to incorporate electric light were his Icons series, eight colored shallow, boxlike square constructions made from materials such as wood, Formica. Constructed by the artist and his then-wife Sonja, the Icons had fluorescent tubes with incandescent and fluorescent bulbs attached to their sides, one of these icons was dedicated to Flavins twin brother David, who died of polio in 1962. A little later, The Nominal Three consists of six vertical fluorescent tubes on a wall, one to the left and he confined himself to a limited palette and form. In the decades that followed, he continued to use fluorescent structures to explore color, light and sculptural space and he started to reject studio production in favor of site-specific “situations” or “proposals”. These structures cast both light and an eerily colored shade, while taking a variety of forms, including pieces, barriers. Flavin realized his first full installation piece, greens crossing greens, for an exhibition at the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Flavins corridors, for example, control and impede the movement of the viewer through gallery space. They take various forms, some are bisected by two rows of abutted fixtures, a divider that may be approached from either side. The first such corridor, untitled, was constructed for a 1973 solo exhibition at the St. Louis Art Museum and it is green and yellow, a gap reveals the cast glow of the color from beyond the divide. In subsequent barred corridors, Flavin would introduce regular spacing between the individual fixtures, thereby increasing the visibility of the light and allowing the colors to mix, by 1968, Flavin had developed his sculptures into room-size environments of light
2.
Menil Collection
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Additionally the Menil receives public funds granted by the City of Houston, the State of Texas, and the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts. The museums holdings are diverse, including early to mid-twentieth century works of Yves Tanguy, René Magritte, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, among others. The museum also maintains a collection of pop art and contemporary art from Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Robert Rauschenberg, Vija Celmins and Cy Twombly. Also included in the permanent collection are Antiquities and works of Byzantine. The Renzo Piano-designed museum opened to the public in June 1987, initially, the Foundation also pursued land banking to stabilize the neighborhood surrounding the museum, and structured the administration and operations of the collection. Dominique Menil ran the museum until her death in December 1997, two other buildings founded by the de Menils, but now operating as independent foundations, complete the campus, The Byzantine Fresco Chapel and the Rothko Chapel. The Menil Foundation began buying bungalow style homes in the area in the 1960s, when the museum building was constructed, it was painted what has become known as Menil gray to coordinate with the bungalows. Though subtle, the result is a neighborhood that feels aesthetically unified, in 2013, the landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh was appointed to enhance and expand the Menil Collection’s 30-acre campus. The master site plan, by David Chipperfield Architects, calls for the creation of green space and walkways, a cafe. The Menil Collection is open to the public, and admission is free, the Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 11 am to 7 pm. It is located near the University of St. Thomas in the Neartown area of Houston, the Rothko Chapel, built in 1971, is an interfaith chapel commissioned by the de Menils. Each year, it more than 60,000 visitors from as many as 85 countries around the world. The entrance-way contains holy books from religious traditions that may be used in the chapel. The space is sky-lit, with kneeling mats, prayer benches, fourteen canvases by Russian-born American painter Mark Rothko hang in the interior. The Rothko Chapel is an independent, non-profit organization, in 2001 the Chapel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is also an entry in National Geographics book Sacred Places of a Lifetime,500 of the Worlds Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations. South of the entrance is a pool with the sculpture Broken Obelisk by Barnett Newman, installed in memory of Martin Luther King. After having been removed from a church in Lysi in Turkish-occupied North Cyprus by the art trade
3.
Sculpture
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Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. It is one of the plastic arts, a wide variety of materials may be worked by removal such as carving, assembled by welding or modelling, or molded, or cast. However, most ancient sculpture was painted, and this has been lost. Those cultures whose sculptures have survived in quantities include the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, India and China, the Western tradition of sculpture began in ancient Greece, and Greece is widely seen as producing great masterpieces in the classical period. During the Middle Ages, Gothic sculpture represented the agonies and passions of the Christian faith, the revival of classical models in the Renaissance produced famous sculptures such as Michelangelos David. Relief is often classified by the degree of projection from the wall into low or bas-relief, high relief, sunk-relief is a technique restricted to ancient Egypt. Relief sculpture may also decorate steles, upright slabs, usually of stone, techniques such as casting, stamping and moulding use an intermediate matrix containing the design to produce the work, many of these allow the production of several copies. The term sculpture is used mainly to describe large works. The very large or colossal statue has had an enduring appeal since antiquity, another grand form of portrait sculpture is the equestrian statue of a rider on horse, which has become rare in recent decades. The smallest forms of life-size portrait sculpture are the head, showing just that, or the bust, small forms of sculpture include the figurine, normally a statue that is no more than 18 inches tall, and for reliefs the plaquette, medal or coin. Sculpture is an important form of public art, a collection of sculpture in a garden setting can be called a sculpture garden. One of the most common purposes of sculpture is in form of association with religion. Cult images are common in cultures, though they are often not the colossal statues of deities which characterized ancient Greek art. The actual cult images in the innermost sanctuaries of Egyptian temples, of which none have survived, were rather small. The same is true in Hinduism, where the very simple. Some undoubtedly advanced cultures, such as the Indus Valley civilization, appear to have had no monumental sculpture at all, though producing very sophisticated figurines, the Mississippian culture seems to have been progressing towards its use, with small stone figures, when it collapsed. Other cultures, such as ancient Egypt and the Easter Island culture, from the 20th century the relatively restricted range of subjects found in large sculpture expanded greatly, with abstract subjects and the use or representation of any type of subject now common. Today much sculpture is made for intermittent display in galleries and museums, small sculpted fittings for furniture and other objects go well back into antiquity, as in the Nimrud ivories, Begram ivories and finds from the tomb of Tutankhamun
4.
Work of art
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A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an aesthetic physical item or artistic creation. The term objet dart is reserved to describe works of art that are not paintings, prints, drawings or large or medium-sized sculptures, the term oeuvre is used to describe the complete body of work completed by an artist throughout a career. A work of art in the arts is a physical two- or three- dimensional object that is professionally determined or otherwise considered to fulfill a primarily independent aesthetic function. A singular art object is seen in the context of a larger art movement or artistic era, such as. It can also be seen as an item within a body of work or oeuvre. The term is used by, museum and cultural heritage curators, the interested public, the art patron-private art collector community. Physical objects that document immaterial or conceptual art works, but do not conform to artistic conventions can be redefined and reclassified as art objects, some Dada and Neo-Dada conceptual and readymade works have received later inclusion. Also, some architectural renderings and models of projects, such as by Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vinci, Frank Lloyd Wright. Legal definitions of work of art are used in copyright law, Marcel Duchamp critiqued the idea that the work of art should be a unique product of an artists labour, representational of their technical skill or artistic caprice. Artist Michael Craig-Martin, creator of An Oak Tree, said of his work - Its not a symbol, I have changed the physical substance of the glass of water into that of an oak tree. The actual oak tree is present, but in the form of a glass of water. Some art theorists and writers have made a distinction between the physical qualities of an art object and its identity-status as an artwork. For example, a painting by Rembrandt has an existence as an oil painting on canvas that is separate from its identity as a masterpiece work of art or the artists magnum opus. Many works of art are initially denied museum quality or artistic merit, works by the Impressionists and non-representational abstract artists are examples. Some, such as the Readymades of Marcel Duchamp including his infamous urinal Fountain, are reproduced as museum quality replicas. Contemporary and archeological indigenous art, industrial design items in limited or mass production, the term has been consistently available for debate, reconsideration, and redefinition. The classic philosophical enquiry into what a work of art is
5.
Stencil graffiti
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Stencil graffiti is a form of graffiti that makes use of stencils made out of paper, cardboard, or other media to create an image or text that is easily reproducible. The desired design is cut out of the medium and then the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint or roll-on paint. The process of stenciling involves applying paint across a stencil to form an image on a surface below, sometimes multiple layers of stencils are used on the same image to add colours or create the illusion of depth. Those who make and apply stencils have many motivations, for some, it is an easy method to produce a political message. Many artists appreciate the publicity that their artwork can receive, and some just want their work to be seen. Stencil graffiti began in the 1960s, john Fekner was one of the first stencil artists to place his work outdoors, starting in 1968. Fekners stencil Wheels Over Indian Trails greeted motorists and international travelers arriving in New York City at the Pulaski Bridge Queens Midtown Tunnel from 1979-1990. The message remained untouched for 11 years, until Earth Day 1990 and he was influenced by the graffiti artists of New York City but wanted to create something of his own. Australian photographer Rennie Ellis documented some of the earliest examples of art to appear in Sydney. Unlike our subway-style graffiti, which is nothing more than a copy of a well-established New York tradition, over the years this form of graffiti has become a worldwide subculture. The members are linked through the Internet and the images spray-painted on the canvas they place throughout the world. Stencil graffiti is illegal in some jurisdictions, and many of the members of this subculture shroud their identities in aliases, above, Banksy, Blek le Rat, Vhils, and Shepard Fairey are some names that are synonymous with this subculture. Graffiti terminology List of stencil artists List of street artists Street art sculptures Street art Street installation Wheatpaste street art C215, ISBN 2-9525682-2-7 Louis Bou, Street Art. Instituto Monsa de ediciones, S. A.2005, ISBN 84-611-4752-9 Jinman, Richard, Street art moves to a posh new hang-out, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia, April 9,2007. Norman, James, Graffiti goes upmarket, The Age, Melbourne, Australia, reiss, Jon, May 3,2008 Bello, Manuel,14 Aug.2007. Bello, Manuel Rogers, Michelle, Jef Aerosol, Gadabout Paris, Paris, C215 Community Service, Criteres ed.2011 Smallman, Jake, Nyman, Carl, Stencil Graffiti Capital, Melbourne, West New York, NJ, Mark Batty Publisher, October 1,2005
6.
Rock balancing
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Rock balancing is an art, discipline, or hobby in which rocks are naturally balanced on top of one another in various positions. Adhesives, wires, supports, or rings are not permitted, Rock balancing can be a performance art, a spectacle, or a devotion, depending upon the interpretation by its audience. The rock balancer may work for free or for pay, as an individual or in a group, and their intents, andy Goldsworthy, an influential artist working in the field, for whom rock balancing is a minor subset of his Collaborations With Nature. Michael Grab, balance artist + photographer, born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and presently based in Boulder, Colorado, the Rock Stacking World Championship is an annual event held in Llano, Texas. However, Disturbing or collecting natural features is prohibited in U. S. national parks, as these acts may harm the flora. In some areas, cairns, which are stacked rocks, are used to mark trails, a large section of the Chilkoot Trail in Skagway, Alaska, uses these exclusively. Rock Balancing is both art and advocacy, stuart Finch – Rock Balancing Act. OK, really, how does he do it, man sets em up, physics does the rest. Partners Beach Works Strike a Balance Between Art, Nature, gilles Charrot – Lhomme qui murmure a loreille des pierres Martine Schnoering. Rock Balancing in worldwide images – photos of all styles and practitioners, Rock Balancing promotes environmentalism – videos. Links + google map to a community of rock balancers – Explore more rock balancers around the world. Llano Earth Art Fest – Rock balancing event
7.
Robert Irwin (artist)
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Robert Irwin is an American installation artist. He lives and works in San Diego, California, Robert Irwin was born in 1928 in Long Beach, California to Robert Irwin and Goldie Anderberg Irwin. He spent the two years living in Europe and North Africa. Between the years 1957-1958, he taught at the Chouinard Art Institute, how is it that a space could ever come to be considered empty when it is filled with real and tactile events. ”Robert Irwin’s notion of art derived from a series of experiential perceptions. As an abstract, open-minded thinker, he presented experience first as perception or sense and he concluded that a sense of knowing, or ability to identify, helped to clarify perception. For example, “We know the sky’s blueness even before we know it as “blue”, let alone as “sky. ”He explained later that the conception of an abstract thought occurs in the mind, following, the physical form is then recognized, communicating the form to the community. Then, the Objective compound occurs, delineating behavioral norms and artistic norms, then the boundaries and axioms introduce logic and reasoning and decisions can be made, either inductive or deductive. Formalism follows, proving and convincing a decision about the object being perceived, melinda Wyatt was opening a gallery in the building next door to his former work space and invited Irwin to create an installation. The room seemed to change its aspect with the day, people came and sat on the opposite curb, watching. The piece was up for two weeks in one of the more derelict beachfront neighborhoods of Los Angeles, no one so much as laid a hand on it. Because of the ephemeral or subtle nature of his work, this book not just an introduction but, for many artists and art students. He told Jori Finkel of the New York Times in 2007 that people come up to him at lectures for book autographs. ”Irwins early work began with painting. In 1959, he painted a series of objects and exhibited for the second time, as an individual exhibitor. The following year,1960, he was asked to exhibit there again as well as at the Pasadena Art Museum, by that time he began a continuous series of experiments. In 1962, he began teaching at the University of California, Los Angeles and that year, he began his line paintings. He exhibited at the Ferus Gallery in 1964 and presented a different study, between the years 1966-1967, he began painting aluminum discs. He was invited back as an exhibitor to The Pace Gallery in New York. In 1968, he began teaching at the University of California, for the next two years, he started his work with clear acrylic discs, white convex structures fixed to the wall and illuminated by lamps
8.
Patricia Johanson
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Patricia Johanson is an American artist. Patricia Johanson is known for her art projects that create aesthetic and practical habitats for humans. These project designs date from 1969, making her a pioneer in the field of ecological-art Johanson’s work has also classified as Land Art, Environmental Art, Site-specific Art. Her early paintings and sculptures are part of Minimalism, Johanson’s enthusiasm for nature and for art began in childhood. She grew up in New York City, where she spent countless hours in Frederick Law Olmsted parks and her mother, a former model, introduced her to the arts. As a high student, she excelled at music. Through her contacts at Bennington, Johanson became part of the 1960s New-York art-world and her Bennington instructor, Tony Smith, was a close friend and her art-history professor, Eugene Goossen, a mentor and later her husband. At this time she met fellow-artists Kenneth Noland, David Smith, Helen Frankenthaler, Franz Kline, Philip Guston and she also came to know art-critic Clement Greenberg and visionary architect Frederick John Kiesler. Johanson earned a Master’s in art history at Hunter College, New York in 1964, there she studied with Tony Smith, Eugene Goossen and Ad Reinhardt and met fellow art students Robert Morris, Carl Andre and Robert Barry. At this time, she worked as a researcher for New York publisher Benjamin Blom on a compendium of 18th and 19th century American artists, the project led to an opportunity to catalogue the work of Georgia OKeeffe, who became an important mentor. Her husband, art critic and historian Eugene Goossen, died in 1997 and her Minimalist paintings used simple lines to explore the optical effects of color. In 1968 she increased her scale to 1,600 feet with Stephen Long and this was followed by other large-scale Minimalist sculptures sited outdoors. Johanson’s Minimalst sculptures introduced the idea of artworks that cannot be experienced all at once, cyrus Field, while still a large Minimalist sculpture, marks a transition. Using marble, cement and redwood slabs in their state, she created a maze of lines that lead visitors through a forest to reveal the changing. With this piece she began thinking of line as a device to incorporate, rather than displace. She also invented a way to mediate between human scale and the vastness of nature, in 1969, House & Garden invited Johanson to design a garden. While this was never built, the commission prompted an outpouring of visionary ideas—150 small sketches—which she has continued to draw upon over the years. The drawings, accompanied by essays and explanatory notes, were a departure from traditional garden designs, instead of art-for-art’s sake, her garden designs embodied meaningfulness and functionality
Media related to Site-specific art at Wikimedia Commons
