Artist: Lynda Benglis
Artist rationale:
The curator and critic Richard Marshall has described Benglis’ intention with these works, saying:
The artist was fascinated with metals not only because of their permanence, but primarily because of their inherent attributes – energy, reflective surface, value as a natural resource, and capability of being returned to a liquid state. Quartered Meteor suggests a molten mass that has entered the earth’s atmosphere and slammed into a corner (Marshall, p.6).
Critic Tom Hess expands on the cast sculptures’ reference to natural processes:
Benglis’ concern with making soft things hard while preserving their insouciant memories of softness may or may not have something to do with feminism, phallicism, and other politico-sensualities. She is more concerned, I think, with the Romantic concept of the artist as a force of Nature. Nature can change states – freeze water, melt rocks; Benglis, too, can congeal or liquefy matter – and in the process make sculpture as calculated, precise, and refined as icicles
(quoted in press release for ‘Bettina Rheims/Lynda Benglis’, Cheim & Read, New York 2002, http://www.cheimread.com/exhibitions/2002_10_bettina-rheims--lynda-benglis/?view=pressrelease).
Materials made of: Lead and steel on steel base
Photo:
Themes of the piece:
“While many artists were interested in the literal properties of materials, Benglis wanted to suggest bodily and geological flows. Here the title also indicates a divided astral mass.”
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/benglis-quartered-meteor-t13353/text-display-caption
Why it inspires you:
It looks almost like lava flowing although it’s been halted in time and i likr that its like a force of nature that normally flows with an unstoppable force. I like how the different layers are piled up and overlapped, which to me gives the impression of dead bodies. It does however also give me the impression of The Blob (1958 film) which gives it a somewhat comical air. It also looks a little like tar so it could be used as inspiration for a piece against smoking.
Potential ideas for theatrical work:
From this I get the ideas of a physical theatre piece which uses fluid movement, maybe dark themes due to the piece’s dark colours. It also looks like the different parts overlap so you could use actors bodies to give this impression.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/benglis-quartered-meteor-t13353
Title of art piece: Shooting Picture (Tirage)
Artist: Niki de Saint Phalle
Artist rationale:
“I had the idea of putting some bottles of paint behind a plaster form, these would be fired on with a gun and the paint released; the idea of destruction being one of construction” (Niki de Saint Phalle, unpublished text 1987).
The moment of action and the ritual surrounding it were as important as the finished work. The artist later recalled that the experience was
“like war. A nice war. No one ever got hurt. But after a shoot-out we always felt emptied, exhausted, like after a bull-fight. There was the whole ceremony of the gun. The whiteness of the blank picture ... the smoke, the noise, and the colour” (ibid.).
Materials made of: Plaster, paint, string, polythene and wire on wood
Photo:
Themes of the piece: War, shooting, guns
Why it inspires you: It's such a simple idea and the contrast between the dark, grotesque ideas of shooting which the beauty of the array of colours it produced. I like how it symbolises how easy it is for people to find shooting thrilling without noticing the effects.
Potential ideas for theatrical work: You could do a piece based around shooting, guns, war maybe. It could be a simple play about it or you could achieve a piece of experimental work, either immersive or not, ehich could include the ideas and sounds that surround guns/shots.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/saint-phalle-shooting-picture-t03824
Title of art piece: Autumn (L'Automne)
Artist: Henri Laurens
Artist rationale:
'I aspire to a ripeness of form’ Laurens said. ‘I should like to succeed in making it so full, so juicy that nothing could be added.’ This monumental figure is a luxuriant embodiment of nature. It is one of a number of sculptures Laurens made in the 1940s relating to the traditional odalisque or exotic, reclining female nude.[display caption]
Materials made of: Bronze
Photo:
Themes of the piece: "The title 'Autumn' given to this one was probably suggested mainly by the ripe, luxuriant fullness of the forms, and by the impression that the figure is basking in the sun.
Although the title, Autumn, was only added after the work was completed, its bursting forms suggest the fruitfulness of the season." [display caption]
Why it inspires you: I enjoy that it's not a conventional woman's figure and with its twisted limbs it makes the piece somewhat comical. Being unnatural also means that it doesn't conform to stereotypical female model bodies. I also like how the face is covered with leaves, giving it it's link to autumn.
Potential ideas for theatrical work:You could do physical theatre work, using a tangle of limbs, or instead you could link the piece to nature, using a combination of organic movement and themes around the environment.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/laurens-autumn-t01111
Title of art piece: Incidents 023 (From Incidents)
Artist: Henry Wessel
Artist rationale: Part of Incidents 2012, a series of images selected from Wessel’s long career. As a group the images are intended to be seen in an order almost as if the spectator is going on a walk. The images are “captured from his car, on the street, or in other public places, these commonplace scenes with minimal interaction with the subject."[diplay caption]
Materials made of: Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper
Photo:
Themes of the piece: life, relationships, commonplace, shelter
Why it inspires you: I think that the picture is simple and not over complicated or staged. It simply shows what I see to be two men in an embrace and to me this is striking because I also get the impression it's set in the past, a time when gay rights were prosecuted.
Potential ideas for theatrical work: I feel as though you could create a piece based around gay rights or maybe a piece about human need for shelter.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/wessel-incidents-023-p80526
Title of art piece: Condensation Cube (Kondensationwürfel)
Artist: Hans Haacke
Artist rationale: "In the early 1960s Haacke produced works that explored the interactions of physical and biological systems and their natural processes... Condensation cube departs from the notion of static object animated only by the interaction of the viewer… Condensation begins to form and run down the sides of the box, changing according to the ambient light and temperature. The work’s appearance therefore depends on the environment at which it’s placed." [display caption]
Photo:
Themes of the piece: changes, transparency, environment, water
Why it inspires you: I like that the piece is simple but has a more in depth meaning. it intrigues me that the piece adapts to its environment meaning that other spectators may witness the piece looking different from my own.
Potential ideas for theatrical work: I think you could use the themes of the piece to create work, maybe showing some sort of evolution or use physical theatre in fluid motions to represent water water.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/haacke-condensation-cube-t13214
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