I do not
usually like contemporary art, as I typically appreciate art more if it has
more of a realistic aspect instead of an abstract one. However, visiting CAM Raleigh was still a very interesting experience, and I am glad that I had the
opportunity to go and learn from it. Here is a picture of the interior of the
museum:
The artists of the work I have chosen to analyze are
Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla. They have titled their piece Shape Shifter. It was done in 2013 with
used sandpaper on canvas mounted on aluminum and is 253 X 187.3 centimeters.
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The picture of Shape Shifter that I took at CAM Raleigh and my drawing of it
This work of art consists of 220 pieces of red sandpaper put
together in a way that is characteristic of an abstract piece of art. The
pieces of sandpaper are lined up in rows of 20 and columns of 11 so that it
forms a rectangle. The sandpaper also gives the work an interesting rough
texture which makes the art more stimulating to the viewer. The pieces of
sandpaper that were used were from various construction sites around the world.
They have all been used by different people on different structures. The pieces
are not labeled, making the viewer wonder from where the pieces originated and
who used them. Since the pieces of sandpaper are from various sites, they have
all been worn according to their unique uses, and some even have the color of
paint that was on the structure that was being sanded. The small pieces of
paint serve as a memory of its past. However, those memories, only a small part
of the larger picture, are easily forgotten and overlooked.
This piece of art represents absence because it is missing a
very important aspect of sandpaper: the workers who used
it and the labor required for the job. Each piece of sandpaper was used by a
person who is not named nor described in this work of art. The viewer is drawn
in and obligated to fill in backstory of each piece of sandpaper. This artwork
poses the question: Is the worker and the work he or she put into creating
something overlooked once the structure is completed? Does a society care more
about the end result than the effort that was put in to get there? Do we even
care more about this piece of art than we do about the artists that created it?
(I bet you can remember a lot about what I have said about this piece of art,
but can you tell me the names of the artists that made it?)
This piece of art reminds us that every object has a
backstory and people behind it. Remember to appreciate all aspects of
something, not just what the eye can see.
Check out some of the posts by your peers about the same piece- some of you share opinions; some of your opinions differ.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis! At the museum, I found this piece really interesting. Thinking about how it fits into the theme of limited visibility, I agree with a lot of what you said. Today, I feel like most people only care about the end result rather than the work behind it. For instance, most people love the technology of today, but don't know exactly how it works or who created it. That would require research, and now a days it's not worth the time if we can simply just enjoy the devices instead. It's the same with art. When going through art museums, most spend time viewing the beauty of the art pieces rather than finding out who created them. I think it's cool that you ended the analysis with the message of the piece - that it's important to appreciate the back stories and people behind everything.
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