Sunlight on the Horizon

This show helps if you listen to a song by The Shins which I’ve included in video form at the end.

The Gates, Christo and Jeanne Claude. Central Park, 1979

The Gates, in the words of the artists, were created in order to convey their, “aspiration to create a major public work of art for New York began when we emigrated from Europe in 1964. During the 1970s, while creating projects elsewhere but continuing to live and work in New York, [they]  remained committed to succeeding in completing a major outdoor work of art in the City. [Theire] attention turned toward the vast flow of people walking through the streets. The resulting proposal was The Gates, a project directly related to the human scale…”
This piece, like many which will be posted below is not a permanent exhibit piece, but rather a temporary amorphic piece meant to only be displayed for a short period of time. The golden cloth streams between the ‘gateways’ which can be walked under or around. This presents passerbyers the option of interacting with the piece or of avoiding it completely. In order to see it in it’s full glory, full sunlight floods the background setting off and illuminating the gold, creating a dualism between the sunlight itself and the brilliance of the gates that lead anywhere.

Andy Goldsworthy, Rowan Leaves with Hole

Andy Goldworthy’s works are likewise temporary but rather than impose a manmade structure upon a natural setting, he utilized what materials were available, such as turning leaves in fall which you can see in this image photograph. His works often utilize sticks, stones, ice, clay or leaves from the surrounding area. Rowen Leaves with Hole uses stereotypical fall colors to create a work that fades out with the most brilliant colors at it’s center emphasized by the circular hole in the center. His use of negative space clearly works in his favor to create a warmth of color.

Cindy Sherman’s portrature is an important part of this period. Her works explore self and beauty while trying to observe the aspects of our nature which are reflected in our humanity and capture what makes us human.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled 93. 1981

Untitled 93 is particularly notable for it’s emphasis on light. Not only does the woman portrayed face the light, but she herself is illuminated. Her skin shines and her paleness is drawn to attention by the contrasting darkness of her trappings. She is surrounded by darkness but is enraptured by the natural light of the scene. There is nothing else in the photograph to look at, no props, no distractions. Her expression is everything.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled. 1981

She is caught and yet holds no fear.

Likewise in another of her Untitled works. This piece is the cover of her 1981 compilation called “Centerfolds” in which all of her pieces are utitled. The book utilizes the idea of subjectivity and the ideology connected with the female image. Centerfolds are typically used in mens magazines to display scantily clad women meant to be admired by the readers. Sherman’s Centerfolds  however, are quite different.  A woman stands smoking, leaning against a brick wall with a pixie haircut and a knee length skirt. A woman is furiously cleaning and vacuuming with a scowl on her face and outstanding polka dots across a full length eighties style dress. Or in the case of this woman who is kneeling on the floor as thought she had just been struck down. Her face is slightly confused or shocked and yet her face is turned upwards, yet again illuminated by a light source. This time she is not looking at it though. She gazes towards the darkness while oblivious to the light. Her attention is distracted by someone or something else that the viewer would have to turn around  in order to see. The viewer will never know what she sees but will be forever rendered silent by the intensity of her gaze.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled 1531. 1981.

The final Sherman on presentation is Untitled 1531 in which a woman has been cast on the ground. The viewer cannot tell if she is alive or dead but her eyes are vacant, her expression serene as though her last sight was merely passing. Whatever she had been looking atis long gone. Her face and neck are dirty, as are her clothes which suggests that ill events took place but the ground beneath her is undisturbed. Once again the individual is illuminated but this time not by any warmth or redemption. She has been cast aside though she faces the light. By portraying this, presumably dead, woman, Sherman strikes on the dual nature of humanity. The image is not particularly about the woman. It is about the events which took place prior to the capturing of this image. She obviously was unable to stop the flow of events which lead her to such a state and thus Sherman suggests the propensity of human nature to take advantage of those recognized as weaker. This is such a trait as many a human might try to deny, however, it is also something that is encouraged in modern society. Gender roles, wealth, physical beauty, or charisma all lend different strengths which are valued. Those who do not fit into these valued categories end up feeling as though they must make up for it, often this leads to violence.

Robert Smithson, Chalk and Mirror Displacement. 1969.

And finally Robert Smithson’s piece Chalk and Mirror Displacement which portrays the ultimate harshness that light can produce. Still and cold the mirrors reflect an overhead light source and their surroundings. Stone and mirrors were used to create a harsh environment which are enhanced by the biting cold light which permeates the scene. There is little vegetative growth and there are no warm colors present. In this scene Goldsworthy focusses purely on the unforgivingness of nature which people are often prone to disregard. This can be more than dangerous as nature does not discriminate and approves only of the capable or the very lucky.

Having run into several bears this week as well as wandering fairly aimlessly through shoulder high raspberry bushes with only a shotgun and my voice to scare them away, I am well aware of the dangers which can be merely standing near by. They may have no immenent intent to cause harm but fear makes for an entirely different situation. Human nature is much the same. Under pressure or in fear we are creatures like any other and we have uncontrollable natures like any other. We conceal this behind the thin facade which suggests that we are civilized. And while many may be in control of our wayward darker half there are still many depths of the human psyche which have not yet been explored and potential runs both directions. Personally I do not believe we are half so clever as we think we are and yet we are too clever by far.

And here are The Shins: (the video is slightly disturbint…But the song is awesome: Turn On Me)

Sources:
Info:

http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/thegates/html/qanda.html

http://rickshawdiaries.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/rivers-tides/

http://www.morning-earth.org/ARTISTNATURALISTS/AN_Goldsworthy.html

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/sherman_cindy.html

http://michellebenea.blogspot.com/2009/03/andy-goldsworthy-artist.html

http://jorees.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/im-just-not-that-into-me-a-comment-on-self-portaiture/

http://www.robertsmithson.com/sculpture/10.htm

Images:

http://www.metropicturesgallery.com/index.php?mode=artists&object_id=4

http://www.robertsmithson.com/photoworks/chalk_mirror_nature_300.htm

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_G1LzgVgrWqk/R2XLonJ2ggI/AAAAAAAAA9k/WaaCecNmZ7c/s320/Andy_Goldsworthy1.jpg

http://www.cindysherman.com/images/photographs/Untitled93.jpg

http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/tg.shtml

Advertisement