1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss the ideas behind 3 quite different works from countries outside New Zealand.
Cloud Gate is first public outdoor work installed in the United States. The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives. Kapoor's work is frequently simple, curved form, monochromatic and brightly colored. The intention is to engage the viewer, evoking mystery through the work is dark cavity, awe through its size and simple beauty.
Anish Kapoor has won a commission to design a 115m high public artwork at Olympic Park in London, to be built as part of London’s Olympic Games in 2012. The sculpture, called ArcelorMittal Orbit, has been designed in collaboration with structural engineer Cecil Balmond of Arup. The structure seems to be a mix of a roller coaster and the Eiffel Tower coming to life. The mind-blowing sculpture will stand 377 feet (115 meters) tall and will be made of a spiraling lattice of tubular steel. It will stand taller than the Statue of Liberty and slightly shorter than the Eiffel Tower.
Shooting into the Corner" consists of a cannon developed by Kapoor together with a team of engineers. A pneumatic compressor shoots 11-kilogram balls of wax into the corner across the room; all in all, 20 tons of wax will be "fired away" throughout the exhibition run. Loud aggression on the one hand and silent growth on the other give the piece tension, sensuality, and compelling power.
2.Discuss the large scale site specific work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.
The sculpture was fabricated in Ferrari 1302-S series PVC fabric in a deep red custom color. Two identical structural steel ellipses support the fabric span of 280′ with a self-weight of 16,000 pounds. The major axis of the ellipse is 80′ and minor axis 40′, with each ellipse weighing 95,000 pounds. The ellipses are orientated one horizontal and the other vertical. Thirty-two longitudinal mono filament cables provide displacement and deflection resistant to wind loads while assisting with the fabric transition—from horizontal ellipse, to a perfect circle at midspan, through to the vertical ellipse at the other end. The sculpture, which passes through a specifically cut hillside, provides a kaleidoscopic view of the beautiful Kaipara Harbor at the vertical ellipse and the hand contoured rolling valleys and hills from the horizontal ellipse.
The structural goal was to design an end-supported horizontal tension membrane structure capable of withstanding the high topographical terrain exposure coefficients integrated by wind from the Tasman Sea. A significant design consideration was to ensure stability of the fabric structure under all load conditions and material creep over time, to prevent fatigue failure of the fabric and cable connection to the ellipse and to the foundation.
(http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/kapoor/default.htm)
3. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?
Installed in New Zealand on the private art park known as "The Farm" and owned by New Zealand businessman and art patron Alan Gibbs.
4. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favorite, and why.
Anish Kapoor has received a commission to construct The ArcelorMittal Orbit in London’s Olympic Park, continuing his successes in London following a 2003 Unilever installation in the Tate Modern and a 2009 show at the Royal Academy.
The sculpture will be made of tubular steel and will be the tallest in the UK, rising to a height of 115 m- 22m taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty. There will be a special viewing platform near the top, allowing tourists to see spectacular views of all of London. It is already being considered the monument of the Games for the East End.
This is my favorite sculpture from Anish Kapoor may be because of her interesting shape. It looks like something unreal which came up from a dream.
after i finsihed to read your blog. i did have a look about you favourite work The ArcelorMittal Orbit in London’s Olympic Park. It looks like roller coaster stell. The structure has been both praised and criticised for its bold design, while it has also been criticised as a vanity project, of questionable lasting use or merit as a public art project.
ReplyDeleteThe work Farm is a beautiful piece of work, it's sleeping and breathing calmly. I like how kapoor plays with the pigment and structure to make them look like living creatures. That’s the most amazing part of this work. For the cloud gate, I like the reflection of the surrounding from season to season , day to night. With the stainless surface, the cloud gate almost vanishes into the sky. Also I like the way how people can physicaly interact with the object.
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