Month: October 2013

Immediate Response
After finding the “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” I was struck by its unique form. The bright pink color drew me in, and I was struck by the reflective nature of the piece.

Objective Description
Jeff Koons, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” consists of high chromium stainless steel molded in the shape of a balloon animal. There is a transparent color coating on top. The structure has a reflective surface and acts as a mirror for those walking past. Unlike a regular mirror, it distorts reality by changing both the size and color of the image being presented. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is almost 12 feet tall.

Technical Decisions
Koons used chromium stainless steal, an uncommon material to recreate a well known material, balloons. The scale of “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” creates importance and gives the object power. Ordinarily one would not have the same experience with a real balloon animal, especially one that is pink. Koons also created the same swan in five unique versions. Each one is a different color such as blue, violet, yellow and red.

The Work in the World
As I mentioned above, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is a direct reminder of a balloon animal given to children at birthday parties and the circus. They symbolize youth, playfulness and inferiority. Such toys do not last long and are usually forgotten about after a few days. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” changes the definition balloon animals. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is a lasting sculpture which instills power, yet still manages to possess the child playfull nature.

The Story it Tells
Koons message behind “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is the celebration of childhood. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is in the shape of a balloon animal given to children; however, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” serves a completely different purpose and gives off a different effect. Because of its large size, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” seems powerful, and because of its stainless steal material, it seems sturdy.

Immediate Response

After scouring books for interesting and appealing contemporary sculptures, I came across this piece by Jean Shin, a female Korean artist who is known for making sculptures out of recycled materials.  What struck me at first was the size of the sculpture and the blackness of the piece.  At first, I didn’t even realize that it was made of old vinyl records, but once I did, the name “Sound Wave” made a lot more sense.  I love the use of recycled records, especially in an age where not many people listen to records anymore, with the inventions of the mp3 player and computer; etc…Shin’s use of the vinyl records is clever and thought provoking.

 

Objective Description

A pile of black, vinyl records lay neatly on the hardwood floor of The Museum of Art and Design’s exhibit of “Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary”.  The pile gets larger towards the back and some of the vinyl records have been melted to be able to curve upward in the shape of a ocean wave.  The wave is curving up high and over the pile on the ground and is about the crash. Although each record is dark black, there is a small section in the middle of each record that has a different color, ranging from green, to yellow, to white, to red, to blue.

 

Technical Decisions

Jean Shin used recycled and outdated vinyl records for this piece.  This technical decision is common throughout her works as she commonly resorts to using recycled materials.  In order to provide the distinct, watery shape to her wave of records, she melted most of them down and bent them to her satisfaction.  The structure is large, and is oriented on the hardwood floor, which gives the viewer the sense that the wave is emerging from the gallery floor.

 

The Work in the World

Sound Wave connects with almost everybody that listens to music.  Whether it is from the vinyl record generation, or the iPod generation, whether you listen to classical jazz or hardcore rap, everyone knows what it feels like when a great song blasts through your speakers or headphones and into your ears.  That’s what Shin is showing with the piece and she is able to connect to everyone who sees the piece of art.  At first glance, someone might attribute this piece to connect to the ocean or something about surfing, however it actually has nothing to do with that.  The wave serves as a metaphor, and once the vinyl records are observed, the connection with music is made.

The Story It Tells

Jean Shin was quoted saying how this sculpture connotes “the inevitable wave of technology that render each successive generation of recordable media obsolete”.  Her technical decisions also speak loudly to her message, since she melted down hundreds of vinyl records for the construction of this project.  Shin’s use of the records show just how obsolete vinyl records have become, when only 30-40 years ago they were the “in” media outlet for music.  The meaning of Sound Wave is to show how a major source of music can rise up high, and then crash down hard, just like a wave.

 

Immediate Response

After scouring books for interesting and appealing contemporary sculptures, I came across this piece by Jean Shin, a female Korean artist who is known for making sculptures out of recycled materials. What struck me at first was the size of the sculpture and the blackness of the piece. At first, I didn’t even realize that it was made of old vinyl records, but once I did, the name “Sound Wave” made a lot more sense. I love the use of recycled records, especially in an age where not many people listen to records anymore, with the inventions of the mp3 player and computer; etc…Shin’s use of the vinyl records is clever and thought provoking.

Objective Description

A pile of black, vinyl records lay neatly on the hardwood floor of The Museum of Art and Design’s exhibit of “Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary”. The pile gets larger towards the back and some of the vinyl records have been melted to be able to curve upward in the shape of a ocean wave. The wave is curving up high and over the pile on the ground and is about the crash. Although each record is dark black, there is a small section in the middle of each record that has a different color, ranging from green, to yellow, to white, to red, to blue.

Technical Decisions

Jean Shin used recycled and outdated vinyl records for this piece. This technical decision is common throughout her works as she commonly resorts to using recycled materials. In order to provide the distinct, watery shape to her wave of records, she melted most of them down and bent them to her satisfaction. The structure is large, and is oriented on the hardwood floor, which gives the viewer the sense that the wave is emerging from the gallery floor.

The Work in the World

Sound Wave connects with almost everybody that listens to music. Whether it is from the vinyl record generation, or the iPod generation, whether you listen to classical jazz or hardcore rap, everyone knows what it feels like when a great song blasts through your speakers or headphones and into your ears. That’s what Shin is showing with the piece and she is able to connect to everyone who sees the piece of art. At first glance, someone might attribute this piece to connect to the ocean or something about surfing, however it actually has nothing to do with that. The wave serves as a metaphor, and once the vinyl records are observed, the connection with music is made.
The Story It Tells

Jean Shin was quoted saying how this sculpture connotes “the inevitable wave of technology that render each successive generation of recordable media obsolete”. Her technical decisions also speak loudly to her message, since she melted down hundreds of vinyl records for the construction of this project. Shin’s use of the records show just how obsolete vinyl records have become, when only 30-40 years ago they were the “in” media outlet for music. The meaning of Sound Wave is to show how a major source of music can rise up high, and then crash down hard, just like a wave.

For my sculptor I chose Michelangelo, one of the most famous of all time. I selected Michelangelo because of his historical significance and the fact that he is one of the most recognizable names from the Renaissance period. I admire Michelangelo because he was the architect and sculptor for some of the most timeless and significant pieces of art of all time, such as St. Peter’s Basilica and The David. Another reason why Michelangelo is such an interesting person is because although the Catholic Church’s commissions made him rich, he lived like a poor person, dressing in rags and generally avoiding the lavish lifestyle. He was by nature a solitary person and even described as depressed person. I think his attitude is displayed in some of his works, and I believe his principle to avoid fame and riches contributed to his success as an artist. His most recognizable piece is The David, a biblical sculpture of the brief moments before David slayed Goliath with a rock. Other pieces that are famous by him are the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica. An interesting fact about Michelangelo is that he fell in love with a poet and a widow named Vittoria Colonna. He said before his death that his sole regret is life was that he “did not kiss the widow’s face in the same manner that he had her hand”. Michelangelo died at the age of 88, which was an incredibly old age during the 16th century. If I could imitate one aspect of Michelangelo’s sculpture, it would be to choose a popular figure from the bible, or history, and capture their facial expression before a major historical moment. One of the most amazing parts of The David is the expression on his face just seconds before he famously slays the Philistinian giant.