by marissa bea (pic by wolfgang volz of a jeanne-claude and christo installation)
Welcome to the 4th installment of More Art. This first themed post, based around the fact that we’re in NYC and everything around us seems so ominous, metallic, mechanical and just…big sometimes, here are a few artists who work in size Large. Some of them, Extra-Large.
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►Roxy Paine
Fluid, living and enormous, Roxy Paine creates these interweaving, beautifully polished sculptures of gleaming metal, called Dendroids. Until November 29th you can see one of these pieces atop the Metropolitan Museum, which covers the entire roof in a spectacular display of shiny branches. He didn’t always work in large scale however, but even his smaller works are similar, using flora for inspiration. Paine’s works can be seen all over the world, from Art Basel, to the middle of the countryside.
►Richard Serra
Known for the controversy surrounding his NYC installation, Tilted Arc, which created so much animosity, that the city removed it during the middle of the night, Serra never thinks small. His pieces cover large expanses of ground, leaving the viewer feeling like they are going to enter a never-ending labyrinth, or that they’ve reached the ends of the Earth. A minimalist in most respects, Serra takes the idea farther, maximizing the size of his works while keeping them simply sheet metal.
►David Smith
Mostly working in large scale steel, his works can be seen at the Metropolitan, the Guggenheim, and all over the world. Inspired by Cubism, he took to creating his pieces from metal, often leftover scrap. One of his last sculptures, Cubi XXVIII holds the record as being the most expensive piece of contemporary art ever sold, at some crazy $23+ million.
►Alexander Calder
Most famous for inventing the mobile, Calder works in many different mediums, but large-scale sculpture is definitely one of his most prominent. An active artist during the Surrealist era, his pieces reflect his love of movement and the circus, despite their stationary status. His pieces are easily recognizable, many of them red painted steel, evoking awkward spider or shrimp-like figures.
►Jeanne-Claude and Christo
These two literally alter entire landscapes by surrounding, or adding, or wrapping different pieces of it. They have surrounded islands with fabric, run a 1200 foot curtain through a valley, and many New Yorkers know them as the duo responsible for the Central Park Gates that appeared in flowy orange fabric several years ago. Their immense displays of beautiful artwork are mind blowing, often take years and years to complete, and are built for everyone to enjoy.
►Fernando Botero
Perhaps the most literal of the artists here in terms of the theme, Botero’s subjects are all large people. His obese characters, in both painting and sculpture, command strong attention, and often a few giggles too. If you have ever been to Columbus Circle, you’ll recognize those two large, naked sculptures in the front hall as being Botero creations.
