The Walker Art Center website had this information about Irwin and his piece. "Throughout his long career, Robert Irwin has pondered whether we ever have an absolutely pure or direct moment in front of a work of art. This installation, last on view 20 years ago, represents his effort to foster such an experience. Part of a series of powerful—and temporary—works the artist created using oblique planes of translucent scrim fabric, it was commissioned by the Walker in 1971 as part of Works for New Spaces, the inaugural exhibition of its Edward Larrabee Barnes-designed building. The untitled piece, which Irwin’s preparatory drawings and notes refer to as Slant/Light/Volume, was last on view 20 years ago; now, its installation in the Friedman Gallery provides an opportunity for a new generation to see this pivotal work. Irwin’s transformative pieces in the 60s and 70s helped to define the aesthetics and conceptual issues of the West Coast Light and Space movement. Along with fellow artist James Turrell, he explored how phenomena are perceived and altered by consciousness, in effect orchestrating the act of perception."
The room-spanning panel is made of scrim, a cloth used in theaters that looks opaque in regular light and entirely different when lit from behind and tilted at a 40-degree angle. The piece is part of the West Coast Light and Space movement which was a movement that investigates human perception and sensation. I really liked the piece even though it caused such a strong sensation in me when I saw it. When I walked into the room it was completely white from ceiling to floor, and I could see nothing but this scrim covering one wall and complete sensation of awe and overwhelming and I couldn't help but stop and take it in and realize how small it made me feel. The wall creates the illusion of expansive space and because it's white it almost feels like it could go on forever. The shock factor when I walked into the room was incredible, I felt drawn in and nervous at the same time like the room might crush me because it seemed so vast. I've never really seen a piece of artwork quite this large before and it was something I was really not expecting so I guess it might of had a greater impact on me then others. I think the piece grabs peoples sensations and turns them inside out. The piece is directed at the human sensation and no matter who you are it creates some type of sensation in you. It can be viewed by anyone in the world and cause them to get this feeling inside them, probably something like I felt and I guess that connects us to each other. I think that people really don't get this kind of perception and sensation that often so that's why I think when people experience it it demands our senses.
Sources:
www.calendar.walkerart.org/canopy.wac?id=4671
www.ocma.net/index.html?page=past&show=exhibit&e_id=401
I definitely agree! I felt the same nervousness when I walked into the room. I think you gave a very good description of the piece. I think that if someone were to read this, but had not seen the installation, they would understand what it was like to stand there.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had such a powerful response to the piece. I feel like you begin to touch on it here, but how do you interpret your response and what the piece wants to do for a viewer? Why is it a good thing to experience this kind of nervousness, awe, and smallness? (I agree that it is good... just wondering what you think...)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ashley. =]
ReplyDeleteI guess it would be a good thing to experience those things because isn't that what the whole light movement was trying to do was create strong emotions like that in people? I don't really know I guess. Maybe its because we don't experience those things very much anymore because we're such a dominate species, and I guess it makes us humble. Like I got kinda the same emotions when I went to see the Grand Canyon. It makes people question things and wonder more.
Good points - I feel like the idea of the awe and humility in front of the Grand Canyon is a good metaphor for the experience of the piece, and I think it gives insight into what might be the purpose of making people have that experience.
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