Module 11 Gallery Visit

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:
1. What is the title of the exhibit?

Out of Sight! Art of the Senses

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

The theme of the exhibit was the fact that in our everyday lives all five of our senses come together at every instant. Even though we might not necessarily realize it. The art pieces in this exhibit each emphasized certain senses or multiple senses to show the viewer and help the viewer bring their senses together. This allows the viewer to make the unfamiliar, familiar.

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:1. What type of lighting is used?

The lightening used was interesting. I had never put together the fact that the lighting can change the mood of an exhibit. Pieces that were darker had darker more mood lighting. This added to their already eerie vibe and made the viewer feel the piece more in-depth. Pieces that were bright of reflect had brighter lighting. This allowed them to stand out and shine even more. This opened the viewer's eye to the feeling of happiness surrounding the piece. The lighting was also never pointed exactly at a piece. It instead was pointed to highlight certain aspects of pieces.
2. What colors are used on the walls?

In most of the exhibit the walls were neutral. This allowed the pieces within these walls to stand out. However, when a piece its self was more monotone in color the walls of the room were bright. For example, in one room the sense of taste was emphasized ad the color orange hung on the walls. This caused me, the viewer, to taste the boldness of the flavor. Another wall that was interesting was right outside of the drawings area. This wall looks from a far just like a gray wall. However, once looking closer one can see it is shaded by many scribbles. 

3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?

The materials used within the interior architecture were neutral just like majority of the walls. This simple layout allows the pieces to stand out more. However, once taking a closer look at the interior one can notice the simple details that are beautiful within themselves.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

When first entering the exhibition one comes to a beaded wall. This leads the viewer out to the side into another room. The viewer then moves through that room by following the various artworks. Once looking at the entire room the viewer is lead back into the main room by a second hall way also featuring art. Overall,  the movement within the exhibit is very smooth. It allows the viewer to see all parts of the exhibit without returning to a previously viewed piece.

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:1. How are the artworks organized?

The artworks are organized by what sense they use. They begin by using the most common sense used with art which is vision. They continue this trend until they add another sense. This pattern continues throughout the exhibit. Adding another sense each time.
2. How are the artrworks similar?

The artworks were similar in many ways. First they all engaged the viewer not just by how they looked. They also made the viewer feel. Whether it be feelings of happiness of a kind of emptiness. Either way the viewer was changed a bit after each piece. All of the artworks were also very abstract. They were not pieces that you could easily connect to everyday actions of things.

3. How are the artworks different?

One major difference between the pieces were the vibes they gave off. Many of the pieces brought light into the viewers feelings. They were fun, light , colorful pieces that made the viewer feel warm and happy on the inside. On the other hand, many of the pieces were also dark. They left the viewer feeling a sort of emptiness and sort of sad. Many of the pieces also made the viewer feel uncomfortable. They let a sort of uneasiness because one could not really tell what they were meant to mean.

4. How are the artworks framed?

Many of the artworks were not farmed in the traditional sense. Meaning, that instead of the traditional brown frame hanging around them they were instead allowed to sort of self frame. Their outline and essence gave them the feeling of a frame rather than a physical one.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

Each artwork was identified and given and explanation. They were given this by a piece of paper on the wall. The paper was paced at a short distance away from the piece, in order to not disrupt the viewers look upon the piece.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

In many cases the pieces were given a good five feet bubble around them before the introduction of the next piece. This allowed them to stand on their own, yet still be seen as on cohesive exhibit.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

Select three of the artworks from the show and use the Art Criticism worksheet to desribe, analyze, bracket and interpret the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described. (see the sheet in the module folder)

Artist: Oafur Eliasson

Title: Triple Ripple

Media: Glass, Mirror, electric motors, spotlight, tripod

Date: 2004

Size: Large Scale

Upon the first view the viewer sees  a circle moving around a room. This draws the viewer in closer to see what exactly is moving and why it is moving. The viewer then sees not an object itself moving, but instead its shadow moving around the room. The viewer sees three glass target like circles and a light causing their shadows to move around the room at a constant rate. A major principle used in the piece is movement. Movement is the very aspect that brings the viewer into the piece and is what keeps the viewer following the piece around the room. Another element is value. In the piece there are a large variety of shades and tones of black and white. These tones and shades are also constantly changing keeping the viewer interested. This piece very much reminds me of Sci Fi. IT has a futuristic feel, and by having the shadow travel around the room and on the viewer brings the viewer into the piece. It causes the viewer to feel as if they are in a future land. I believe this is what the artist was trying to make the viewer feel. He wanted the viewer to be brought back into their childhood where the future was this abstract idea of something new and hard to understand, yet beautiful and bright.

Artist: Wolfgang Laib

Title: Without Beginning and Without End

Media: Beeswax, wooden understructure

Date: 2005

Size: Large Scale

When walking into the room the first thing that the viewer recognizes is the smell. A strong smell of Spring. Flowers. And sunshine. Next the viewer sees this larger than life structure in front of them. All of these sensations together make the viewer feel a sort of hope and comfort. The structure is flat in the front and back. The sides resemble stairs, that could be leading up or down. One element used in this piece is space. The fact that the whole large room is only filled with this large structure forces the viewer to focus on it and its enormity. The layout of the structure creates harmony. both sides equal each other in every way. Giving the viewer a feeling or completeness. This structure resembles a pyramid from Ancient Egypt, or a stairway in the Heavens. I believe the artist was trying to make the reader feel at ease at first. When looking and smelling this piece there is an overwhelming feeling of comfort. A comfort that can easily turn uncomfortable. If one stands and looks at this piece for a while the smell begins to become sickly. The artist could be hinting at the bee problem we have. Currently all of the bees are dying, which will cause our world to began to die. However, we tend to ignore this problem and live comfortably without doing anything. However, if we continue to ignore this problem we will no longer be comfortable and it will be too late.

Artist: Robert Therrien

Title: No Title

Media: Paint, metal fabric

Date: 2006

Size: Large Scale.

This piece is composed of folding chairs and a table. The chair one would typically see at the table when guests are over and the extras are brought out. Or at a family barbecue, outside in the garage. However, these chairs are in no way normal. They are blown up the be larger than life, a sort of giant size. A major principle used is proportion. the fact that these do not match the typical size is what keeps viewers looking and interested in this piece. This piece resembles what one would see in stories such as Jack and the Beanstalk. I believe the artist was trying to bring the viewer back to thier childhood. When walks under the table they are brought back to when they were young and hide under the table in games such as hide and seek. When brought back to these feelings one can not help but smile and remember simpler times. 

4. Answer this question:What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

I personally really enjoyed visiting the Gallery with this mindset. It allowed me to realize that in my everyday aspects such as the walls and lighting get ignored. Even thought they seem like such small details they play a larger part in how and what is seen.