Dia

I chose Bruce Nauman's Mapping the Studio because I liked the creepy feel to it. I enjoyed how it seemed spooky until you learn he made it from the nocturnal behavior of mice in his studio. Overall it was my favorite part of the Dia.

DIA Beacon

Throughout my experience at the DIA of Beacon I really enjoyed this piece the most. I felt this was very extraordinary, since I was not expecting anything like this to have been in the museum. This art is a different kind of work, leaving your imagination to a lot of the work on its own. Most would see these as being large gaping holes in the ground, when in reality these are actually very hard pieces to make. This type of art makes you question what the artist was thinking when he made this, how long it took and what was his outcome overall of the piece. This was different and I thought it was very interesting.

Dia Beacon Bruce Nauman

I chose Bruce Nauman Mapping the Studio from the Dia Beacon. This piece was made in 2001. I chose this piece because I loved that it was interactive. Each seat you sit in has a different projection and you can really get the feel of the work studio. It gives you a creepy aura due to the shadows and black and white. You also could see small movements in the background like a black cat moving in one of the projections.

DIA Beacon

I really enjoyed the DIA. At first, I thought it was kind of weird but after walking through the whole place, I really started to like it more and more. My favorite piece was North, East, South, West by Michael Heizer. From where we were standing on the side, we would have never known how deep they are. They are negative form pieces that Heizer did not even use tools to make. They looked like just holes in the ground but they it took a lot of thought to make.

Richard Serra

My favorite sculptures at Dia: Beacon was Richard Serra’s Torqued Ellipses.  The shape and size of them was interesting to look at from afar but the best part was the ability to walk inside them. While they all looked kind of similar from the outside, each one gave you a unique experience. The inside of them was almost like an optical illusion in how the walls curved, making you feel like you were leaning to one side as you walked and how the paths became narrow and then widened.

Dia Beacon

Dan Flavin

My favorite part of the trip was the Dan Flavin display. His work was most amusing to be because i enjoyed the arrangements of the neon lights. Lights are always pretty to look at and that why they are often used as decoration. The structures of some of his pieces were so simple yet so enticing. There was one that kind of looked like the empire state building. I took a photo of that, it was definitely my favorite. It reminded me of the city too because of the building shape and the bright lights. I would display that piece in my room. Most people would not think to use lights as an art project, i liked his uniqueness and the simplicity of it. Bright and alluring.

Map of Broken Glass

My favorite sculpture from the Dia Art Foundation was the Map of Broken Glass created by Robert Smithson. I chose this piece because it was the first sculpture that really caught my attention. I never thought that a pile of broken glass can be art, but after visiting the museum I have realized that anything can be art.  As the title implies, the sculpture is to be seen
not simply as a pile of sharp, transparent fragments but also as a map of a lost continent. 



Louise Bourgeois Dia Beacon Mueseum: Favorite scultpure

During our trip to the mueseum on saturday mourning I saw many scultpures I stuck out and were unique in their own way though I believe the most interesting coolest sculpture I saw was the spider by Louise Bourgeois. I found this the most interesting piece because I actually blogged about this exact piece of art when we were discussing her in class and to actually see it in person made it all the better. the way the lighting was set up made the spider look cool in it's stance.

Excursus: Homage to the Square3

One of my favorite pieces from the Dia: Beacon was this one by Robert Irwin. I like it because it is a work that is "site-conditioned", meaning it engages with the museum’s architectural and lighting specificities- it plays off the space it is contained in. I liked that, while walking through it, I almost expeceted  to see my reflection in the walls, but was thrown off by the fact that it was others walking through. 

John Chamberlain

This was one my favorite pieces from the Dia. This one in particular in Chamberlain's installation is what stood out to me out of all the one that were in the show room. The all white with a pop of color is why I love it so much. It has elegance with a nice surprise!

DIA BEACON MUSEUM

This was one my favorite displays at the Dia museum. What was interesting about this light display was that in person the circle lights were a white light, but when you took a picture of the display the lights were in color. This was very interesting because it was an illusion. My eyes were seeing one thing, but the picture was showing another. Even though this was a very simple minimal light display, it still caught my eye. I also like the use of the geometric shapes. It is a triangle that is made up of circles. 

Rodin

Street Art
 I like this because it reminds me of a quote I once read "He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee." - Nietzsche I feel that it is important for art not to only have one feeling to it, but be able to link a person to different memories and parts of themselves.

The thinker

The thinker is a wonderful masterpiece that can get greatly enjoyed for its simplicity but it's difficult meaning.  What is he thinking about? Is it war or anything else I can't say but it's a very interesting piece and I enjoy its detail

Age of Bronze

The Age of Bronze is a bronze sculpture made by Auguste Rodin in 1877. It is a life-size figure of a naked man, 72 inches in height. When it came out, he was accused of creating the statue from a living model. After he proved them wrong, the artwork became even more popular, because people were so eager to see the detailed piece for themselves.

The Hand of God

   This sculpture created from marble by Rodin is Gods right hand. The hand is holding a large piece of earth and from it creating Adam and Eve. This piece is really great because of how well it is portrayed and can clearly see that the hand is creating the figures that are struggling to get out. Its also a good use of the untouched marble as the earth he is creating them from.

I chose The Thinker by Rodin. I feel like the man is thinking more about something in a sad reflective way rather than an intellectual way. That being said, the title makes the viewers focus on his action rather than his emotions. Also, i love bronze sculptures and the way they take the light. His detail is amazing, especially in the ribs.

The Hand of God

I really liked this sculpture. I thought it was interesting how when looking at it from the front, you see a hand coming out of a rough piece of marble to see it holding another rough piece of marble but when looking at the palm of the hand the hand looks to be sculpting a small figure. At first I thought perhaps Rodin was trying to convey the process he goes through in creating a sculpture to the viewer. After doing more research, I found the name of the sculpture to be The Hand of God. It is believed that the sculpture was meant to symbolize God’s creation of the world and many believe that the figures the hand is molding are Adam and Eve.  

Rodin

I chose Rodin's "Danaid" because I loved the look of the body being part of rock. Before knowing the background behind it, I was interested in how detailed the woman's body is. All the detailed features like the hair, her ear, her spine and muscles is shown and looks as smooth as skin would be. The rock is rough and clearly resembles stone.

The Kiss

 

 

The Kiss is an 1889 marble sculpture by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. This sculpture was originally titled Francesca da Rimini, as it depicts the 13th century Italian noblewoman who falls in love with her husband Giovanni Malatesta's younger brother Paolo. The couple were discovered and killed by Francesca's husband. I really like the detail in this sculpture because it shows strong emotions. I also think it is funny that the piece is called The Kiss, but in the sculpture the lovers lips do not actually touch. 

The Gates of Hell - Rodin

Theresa Spath
I personally think The Gates of Hell is Rodin's best work. It captures his mind perfectly because he was rebellious against the times. He believed art should be realistic. The Gates of Hell is very symbolic of this freedom. It is also amazing that this took 37 years to make because it was altered so many times to become perfect. I would like to get to Philadelphia soon to see the bronze sculpture.

Through hell and back

The gates of HELL! I chose this piece because I think it is a magnificent sculpture by Rodin. My favorite part about this has to be the amount of detail put into the doors creation and even though he never finished I belive it is one of his greatest works ever

Auguste Rodin: The Hands of God

This sculpture called "The Hands of God" was created by Auguste Rodin. I really enjoy Auguste's work because behind each one is a colorful background; making the art even more admiring. These "Hands of God" has had wide appeal, with numerous different versions and locations of it around the world; varying in both marble and bronze. This marble piece was originated in 1906 from Rodin. Overall, I really enjoy this piece because Auguste made the hands to reflect off a gentle look, and hardly touching the other.

Gates of Hell

I chose Rodin's sculpture "Gates of Hell", because I love all of the detail that went into it, as well as the fact that there is a miniature "The Thinker" sculpture included in it's design. I also found it interesting that the piece was based on Dante's "Inferno", which is one of my favorite pieces of literature. Additionally, I found it funny that the piece was commissioned to be a "welcoming entrance" to a new museum (that was never built).

Young Mother in the Grotto

I chose the sculpture Young Mother in the Grotto by Auguste Rodin. This sculpture was made out of plaster in 1885 and stands just over 1 foot. I chose this piece because I enjoyed how the mother is looking at her child with so much love and almost in a protective way as they huddle for shelter in the grotto.

The Kiss

This marble sculpture is one of Rodin's famous sculpture. It's amazing how a piece of stone can convey so much passion. He did an incredible job showing what someone goes through kissing someone they're very much in love with,

The Thinker

I looked at a lot of the sculptures by Rodin but this was by far one of my favorites. The way that he was able to convey expression in the art work is amazing. The muscles and the body itself has such detail that it doesn't even look like it is made out of other materials. The posture and the stance of the sculpture really helps to convey the confusion and mystery that Rodin is trying to convey to the audience. This is by far my favorite piece of artwork that I have seen.

Auguste Rodin Two Hands

Two hands is modeled and cast at an unknown date. Rodin was fascinated with hands and the ability they have to express feelings. Rodin secretary said "There are among the works of Rodin's hands, single small hands, which without belonging to a body, are alive. Hands that rise, irritated and in wrath; hands whose five bristling fingers seem to bark like the five jaws of a dog of Hell.". I chose this piece because I loved how expressive they are and how you can feel the emotion and passion through such simple gestures.

Louise Bourgeouis - Maman 1999

Theresa Spath

I think Louise Bourgeouis is a very interesting sculptor. In this sculpture, she created a spider which she says is a symbol of her mother. It stands at over 30 feet tall in Ottowa and is one of the largest sculptures created in the world. Many of her sculptures have to do with influences of her upbringing, sometimes good but sometimes bad. I think it is amazing that she worked as a sculptor for so many years of her life and she has so much influence of sculptors still today.

Femme Maison by Louise Bourgeois

        Femme Maison grabbed out to me because of its unusual portrayal. This piece is made out of while marble and its shaped to look like a female body with a house for a head. This piece while being very pretty and well crafting also has a really interesting background. This piece is alluding to how women were identifying themselves as house wives and were objectifying themselves.

Give or Take

I liked this sculpture by Louise Bourgeois because I liked the way one arm extended into two different hands. I also like the positioning of the fingers, with one hand open and the other hand grasping.I had difficulty with finding more information on this particular sculpture but after doing more research on the piece I found the name was “Give or Take” which I found interesting as the open palm could be a representation of giving as and the partially closed hand could be the representation of taking. After doing more research on the sculpture, I found that many believe this sculpture represents the dilemma individuals face in their lives as they try to find an equilibrium of their actions of giving and taking.

Helping Hands: Louise Bourgeois

I really admire this sculpture made by Louise called The Helping Hand. They are a set of life size hands carved out of black granite columns, originated in 1989 in Chicago. This sculpture is dedicated to Jane Adam, the Noble Prize winning activist who promoted suffrage, social responsibility and public service. This sculpture is the only sculpture in the city commemorating a woman. I really like the background this piece shares, it is very meaningful and with that shows power to all people. It provides the importance to the public, letting all people know that to always be a helping hand for those who need you.

Maman Louise Bourgeois

This sculpture by Louise is pretty cool its made of bronze and is pretty big in real life. I t was created in 1999 by Louise I think the most notable feature of this sculpture is that the egg contains marble eggs Louise said that the spider was an ode to her mother whom she lost when she was 21, her best friend.

Spiral Woman

I chose the Spiral Woman by Louise Bourgeois. I was drawn to this sculpture because I was interested in why she gave arms and legs to a spiral. As I was reading more about this piece I learned her reasoning behind it. After Bourgeois’ mother had become very sick, her father starting having an affair. This sculpture is suppose to depict flesh-like rolls suffocating a dangling woman whose flexing leg muscles imply that she is still alive. I think this sculpture is very fascinating because even though it represents sexuality and torture it is still appealing to the eye and makes the observer question what is happening.

Katz Plaza Fountain and Eyeball Benches

 I chose to do Louise Bourgeois's Katz Plaza Fountain and Eyeball Benches. It is located at 639 Penn Ave (Penn Ave and 7th St) Downtown, Pittsburgh PA. It was installed from 1996-1999 and is made of bronze, fiber optic lighting and granite. It has a 25 foot high fountain that has heated water. Surrounding the fountain are three different pair of benches in the shape of huge eyes. I chose this piece because it is unique and inviting for people to come and see the art, and even sit on the art. I also enjoy that it is in a public place where people can just walk by and see it. 

Arch of Hysteria

Louise Bourgeois created the Arc of Hysteria in 1993; the sculpture is made of bronze with silver nitrate patina. This sculpture is suppose to represent the physical tension of the hysterical arch, which is an intense muscle contraction resulting in immobility and paralysis of the limbs; this is the performance that happens during hysteria. This attitude was typically associated with females, however, Bourgeois used a male figure and suspended him from the ceiling, putting him in an even more vulnerable position. I think Bourgeois was trying to rid the misconception that hysteria was a female ailment.  

Louise Bourgeois: Cinq, 2007

This is made out of fabric and stainless steel and is suspended from the ceiling. You can't see it on this picture, but there's actually 5 heads. It's an incredible piece. I feel that the artist is portraying deep and dark emotions through this. Louise is known for her autobiographical artwork, so this was a way for her to show the emotions she has been through as an artist. It's bold and brave.

Louise Bourgeois: A Web of Emotions

I chose this piece by Louise Bourgeois because it shows humility. From my point of view, the various individuals are taking refuge in each other. The wrapping around of each other's bodies gives a feeling that the people need comfort. It may even seem as if they are cold. I like this piece because it can tell a story, in which it is up to the viewer to figure out what is going on between the people. This piece may also show a sexual connection between the subjects in which they are sleeping together. It is up to the viewer to distinguish what exactly is being portrayed. 

Louise Bourgeois

I chose this piece because I thought it was interesting that Bourgeois used fabric, glass, and stainless steel to make this sculpture. "Couple" shows the different male and female forms that bend and fold like skin and body which is interesting to look at. I also liked it because she made it toward the end of her life yet it still shows such young and fresh ideas of life and love.

Louise Bourgeois Spider

This piece is amazing. The spider looks so life like that it is stunning and slightly terrifying at the same time. The spider looks as though it could come to life any minute and start attacking the city below it. I liked the piece because of the dimension and the detail that is seen in the piece itself. The sculpture is bronze and then plated with a silver nitrate. The pieces were all casted and then molded and then the beautiful spider creature was assembled. The spider resides in numerous locations which are temporary or permanent including Canada and New York City.

The Rape of Proserpina - Bernini

Theresa Spath

I found this sculpture by Bernini to be one of his greatest. He paid so much attention to detail and it is amazing that it is made from marble. It also fascinates me that he was only 23 years old when he created this. It was probably a very scandalous piece of work when it was made, which I think makes it even more brilliant.

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

I chose this sculpture by Bernini because it really captured all that he had learned in his life. To me not only is it a magnificent sculpture but it depicts the efforts of Bernini's entire life creating a culmination of all his work

Medusa by Bernini

     I chose Medusa by Bernini. I really like this piece because it truly captures the sadness that Medusa has due to the curse that was placed upon her. Besides the face being so life like the snakes that make up the hair are also really well done, each snake looks like it its doing something different which really adds to the element of life.

Bernini "Charity with Four Children

Above is the sculpture "Charity with Four Children," made by the Italian artist Bernini in 1628. The artwork remains in the Vatican Museums in Vatican city. It is a sculpture of a woman named Charity, who is breast feeding a child while three others are playing around. This piece is made of clay, before artists started using marble.

Apollo and Daphne

I chose Apollo and Daphne by Bernini because of the movement it shows. Also, because it shows a moment of change, it seems like you, as a specter, are watching it happen. Lastly, I love his choice of the moment Daphne changes into the tree. It gives the whole story in one by just showing the climax becoming the conclusion.