Sunday, August 29, 2010

Temporary Exhibition / Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park: [Horizons: The Figurative World of Steinunn Thorarinsdottir]



Horizons [2007-08]..
By Steinunn Thorarinsdottir [Icelandic, b 1955]
[Pronounced: Stay-nun Thorens-daughter]
Cast-iron, glass
Loan courtesy of the artist.
Steinunn Thorarinsdottir lives and works in Reykjavik, Iceland..
Location: Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park..


Chicago South / NMSP / Paul (2006) - by Tony Tasset

Paul (2006) - by Tony Tasset

Can you spot me in the image?

 

 Paul - by Tony Tasset

Installed: 2006

Pained fiberglass over steel frame

Location: the NATE / Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park (NMSP)

at Governors State University (GSU)

Commission by Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program.


Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park [Sculptures by Neil Goodman]..



Installation of Neil Goodman in the Park..
Wind, Four Corners, Ray, Ballast, Alcance..
[forground to background, left to right..]




Neil Goodman in the Park..
Solo Exhibition by Neil Gooman in the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park..
with five installations by Neil Goodman..
Wind, Four Corners, Ray, Ballast, Alcance..



Ballast 2004..


Four Corners, 2004..


Alcance, 2004..


Ray, 2004.. [Ray in the foreground, in the background is Ballast and Alcance]


Wind, 2004..

An excerpt from the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park website..
Goodman’s work is often associated with the gritty industrial surroundings that he views on his daily trip to work—the iron and steel factories and refineries of northwest Indiana. It has been seen in galleries with strong architectural settings where its presence is signaled by a quiet assertiveness..

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Chicago South / NMSP / Sculpture Collection - I [North Trail]

The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park [NMSP] is spread over more than one hundred acres of prairie landscape on the Governors State University Campus. The collection was established in the late 1960s by Lewis Manilow, a developer who was committed to the economic, educational and cultural development of the south metropolitan region.

There are 26 large-scale sculptures on display. These are subdivided into North Trail and South Trail..I begin with the North trail..





Oscar's Inclination [2003]
Artist: Michael Dunbar (American, b. 1947)
Materials: welded and painted steel
Gift of Dr. Christopher Graf
The marker reads..
Dunbar's monumental sculptures’ titles are often tied to music from which he believes they receive their "... sense of implied animation." This work's title, Oscar's Inclination, reflects Dunbar's enthusiasm for jazz and particularly the music of the late, legendary, pianist Oscar Peterson...



Chicago South / NMSP / Frame (2005) - by Richard Rezac

Frame  (2005) - by Richard Rezac

 

Frame - by Richard Rezac

2005

Location: the NATE / Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park

at the Governors State University

Commission by Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program.


Chicago South / NMSP / Working on Failed Utopia (2005) - by Christine Tarkowski

 


Working on Failed Utopia (2005) - by Christine Tarkowski


Working on Failed Utopia  - by Christine Tarkowski

2005

Mixed Media

Location: theNATE / Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park (NMSP)

at the Governors State University (GSU)

Commission by Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program


Friday, August 27, 2010

Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - II [South Trail]

Continued from the above post on Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park..
There are 26 large-scale sculptures on display. These are subdivided into North Trail and South Trail..
The above post was on the sculptures in North tail..
This post ison sculptures in the South Trail..



Art Ark [1981, refabricated 2006]..
Artist: Terrence Karpowicz (American, b. 1948)
Materials: weathered wood, steel and brass fittings
Gift of Morris Lipschultz ..
The marker reads..
Art Ark evolved from two threads of interest: during a stay at the Ox-Bow artists’ colony in Saugatuck, Michigan, Karpowicz produced works he called “Vehicles for Transportation to the Afterlife.” Somewhat coincidentally, he visited Egypt shortly thereafter and became fascinated by the ancient Egyptian preparation of the dead. His interest in the interactive possibilities of sculpture came together with these experiences.
He thought, “How wonderful it might be to create an object which a person could enter and actually move.” Art Ark is designed so that a person might sit on the lowest bar of the lattice at the open end and gently rock the structure back and forth...





Throne (for Martin Luther King, Jr.) [1995]..
Artist: Ted Sitting Crow Garner (American, b. 1957)
Materials: wood, painted steel tubing
Loan courtesy of the artist..



Large Planar Hybrid [1973-74]..
Artist: Richard Hunt (American, b. 1935)
Materials: welded cor-ten steel
Purchased by the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, GSU Foundation Collection of the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park..



Working on the Failed Utopia [2005]
Artist: Christine Tarkowski (American, b. 1967)
Materials: screen print on rice paper and laminated fiberglass attached to steel geodesic dome ..
Commissioned by the Art in Architecture Program, State of Illinois Capital Development Board ..



Arc 3 [1983]..
Artist: Mike Baur (American, b. 1951)
Materials: limestone, concrete, steel
Long-term loan, courtesy of the artist..



Passage [1998]..
Artist: James Brenner (American, b. 1960)
Materials: welded mild steel..
Gift od Cozzi Metal and Iron..



Mock II, V-Form, 1976..
Artist: John Payne (American, 1929-2004)
Materials: painted steel
Loan courtesy of the artist..

There are 26 large-scale sculptures on display. These are subdivided into North Trail and South Trail..This post was of sculptures in the North Trail..
Check these out..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - North trail..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - South Trail..
# Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - My Facebook Album ..

Of the total 26 sculptures, I could see 23, I missed 3..
North Trail
[1] Clement Meadmore - It was removed for whatever purpose?
South Trail
[2] Mary Miss - Field Rotation
[3] Etienne Martin - Lanleff - Demeure No. 4

Monday, August 23, 2010

Lorado Taft [Various sculptures in Chicago]





Lorado Taft [center] self-portrait at the sculpture "Fountain of Time"..

Lorado Taft is my all-time favourite Chicago sculptor.  I love Taft's figure sculptures! These are more in the Beaux Arts tradition, amply found in Chicago. Taft's works were detailed. He gave shape to lofty ideas and championed symbolism. In fact,Taft never espoused modernism. Although a dominant and significant figure in Chicago's art history, his style has largely been rejected by younger generation [which is more in synch with international trends in sculptures towards minimalism and abstraction]..


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

AIC: Figural Sculptures













AIC Figural Sculptures ..
In paintings or sculptures, I prefer sculptures.
In geometric or figural, I prefer figural.
And in figural I love it all!!
From classical, neo-classical to modern and abstract.
From allegorical, mythological, historical to heroic, natural and even grotesque & absurd.
And the best place to enjoy it all is the Art Institute of Chicago [AIC]..

Here are some figural images from the Art Institute of Chicago [AIC]....

European Galleries:
Antonio Canova, Auguste Preault, Auguste Rodin, Charles Henry Joseph Cordier, Constantine Emile Meunier, Cristoforo Stati, Jean Antonio Hudon..

American Galleries:
Alexander Phiminster Proctor, Daniel Chester French, Frederic Remington, James Earle Fraser, Isamu Noguchi..
American Galleries - Sculpture Court:
Auguste Saint Gaudens, Arnold Ronnebeck, Chauncey Bradley Ives, Daniel Chester French, Francesco Mochi, Hermon Atkins MacNeil, James Earle Fraser, Joseph Mosier, Lorado Taft, Randolph Rogers, Richmond Berthe..

Modern Galleries:
Alberto Giacometti, Constantin Brancusii, Henry Moore, Henri Matisse, Jacques Lipchitz, Pablo Picasso..

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Monday, August 2, 2010

Native Americans representation [continued...]













Continuing with the ongoing series on Native Americans in the art scene of Chicago..

By the end of 19th century, many artists looked towards Native Americans for artistic inspirations and images of natives emerged in unusual places, like vases, pitchers and bowls. here are some examples, from before 1900..

Images 1 & 2: Pitcher [1890]- by Edward Kemeys
Image 3: Pueblo Bowl [1893] - by George Paulding Farnham
Image 4 & 5: Vase [1897] - by Artus van Briggle

Personal Comment..
When I write on the topic of "Native American representation in Art Scene", I often feel I'm trivializing a profoundly ugly chapter in the country's history. Natives got a very raw deal, being offered the choice between forced assimilation and acculturation or face annihilation or seclusion. The good thing is that, people have accepted the past and moved on. Rather than ignoring the history, it's better to come in terms with it..

What I find particularly interesting is that most pieces of Public Art which deals with Natives, have shown them in good light. Except for the relief sculpture "Defence" on Michigan Avenue bridge, where Natives have been shown to be very brutal, whichever other piece that I've seen, throw positive light on them. Seems to me, that the artists displayed empathy towards Natives earlier than the general public, and I believe they significantly contributed in positively shaping and swaying the public opinion, towards Natives...


For more on Native Americans in the context of the art scene of Chicago..
More of Edward Kemeys work..
# Edward Kemeys - The Lions..
# Edward Kemeys - calumets & panther heads [Marquette building doors]
# Edward Kemeys - Bronze heads [Marquette building lobby]

AIC: Sculpture Court [Pocahontas - by Joseph Mozier]







Pocahontas..
By Joseph Mozier ..
1868 / Marble..
The markers reads..
Between 1858 and 1870, Joseph Mosier cavers several versions of Pocahontas, a subject of great popularity in the 19th century America. Born around 1595, Pocahontas achieved legendary status for saving the life of Captain John Smith in 1608. Taken to the Jamestown settlement, she converted to Christianity and was baptized with the name Rebecca.



Mozier's sculpture depicts the moment of Pocahontas's spiritual conversion. For Mozier, Pocahontas's acceptance of Christian faith signaled the superiority of his civilization over her native lifestyle, an idea related to the 19th century desire to cast Pocahontas as a child of nature, whose Christianity unfolded in her indigenous setting rather than through European contact.



I'm sorry, but my introduction to Pocahontas was a song,
by Peggy Lee, "Fever"..
Captain Smith and Pocahontas had a very mad affair
When her Daddy tried to kill him, she said "Daddy-O don't you dare"
Give me fever - with his kisses, fever when he holds me tight
Fever - I'm his Missus, Oh daddy won't you treat him right..