Geometry Problem or Art?

I was so fascinated by LeWitt's concept of art that I actually stood there patiently for more than 5 minutes to copy his instructions for a piece of wall art. It'll be fascinating to see if all Maths students or teachers will be able to reproduce the same curvy line:

A not straight line is drawn from a point halfway between a point halfway between the centre of the wall and the mid-point of the right side and a point halfway between the mid-point of the right side and the lower right corner to a point halfway between a point halfway between the mid-point of the top side and the upper right corner and a point halfway between the midpoint of the right side and the upper right corner.

P.S. You should end up with a vertical curvy line somewhere at the right corner of the wall.

An Artist that Doesn't Draw

Is it really possible? An artist that doesn't execute his works?

Sol LeWitt (1928-2007) said that it's the idea that makes the art. By following a set of instructions and often, a diagram created by the artist, a team of trained draftsmen created the "wall drawings" on display at Dia:Beacon. Because the wall drawings are intended to be produced by experts as opposed to the artist himself, LeWitt's working style is likened to be an architect or a composer who conceives of an idea, but does not execute it. LeWitt started the "Conceptual Art" Movement which was popular in the 1960s and 70s.

The picture shows a 4 squares of different designs. His instructions come in the form of a diagram on how the 4 different designs are to be combined and laid out on a huge vertical wall. The end result is actually quite nice, if you can just imagine it a little. Just think of the mount of meticulous work done by the draftsmen., drawn line by line, to fill up the whole wall space.

Here's another one of his instructions: The first drafter draws a not straight vertical line as long as possible. The second drafter draws a line next to the first one, trying to copy it. The third drafter does the same, as do as many drafters as possible. Then the first drafter, followed by the others, copies the last line drawn until both ends of the wall are reached.

Another Blur Art Story

The line between what is art and what is not art continues to be a blur for me. At the Whitney, there is a row of plain copper plates placed neatly aligned on the floor just in front of the paintings hung on the wall. It's actually a piece of work by Carl Andre called Twenty-Ninth Copper Cardinals. The copper plates are placed such that you make your way along them or around them. In the context of the museum where visitors are not supposed to touch the art, the act of standing on a sculpture is both unexpected and transgressive.

Frankly I'm not convinced by this blur art story.

Blur Art

Digital animator Gabriel Orozo once said that he doesn't want to be too clear or specific about his art so that the audience is given space to think and to interpret. If the picture is too clear, then the audience is likely to just take a glimpse and then walk away. If the picture is blur, or not clear, then the audience will wait a while and think why.

So here's a picture I snapped at the national Gallery to get you to ask why.

Mad for Museums

Just a statistic from this morning's edition of USA Today: There are an estimated 17,500 museums in the USA, 36% are history museums, 24% art, 15% science and the others 23%. Science museums include zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens.

Art in a Manhole

I have since discovered that art can be anything - and everything. With more than 2 weeks of museum-hopping under my belt, it is thus not surprising that I was able to pick out that the manhole cover in front of the lobby of the Whitney Museum is an art installation. Don't ask why. Art is just there for you to enjoy.

Eagles' Nest At Whitney

I was on my way back from a visit to the Whitney Museum with a sense of disappointment, not with the works on display, but with the fact that 3 out of the 5 exhibition levels were closed for new installations. Only levels 2 and 5 were open, and these were just remnants from the Whitney Biennial, which was supposed to have closed some time back.

I crossed the road to try to capture a photo of the building. Like the Guggenheim, the Whitney is set apart by its unique architecture - a Marcel Breuer-designed grey granite cube. But look, there's a nest on top of the coverway!

I crossed back again to find out more. The Eagles' Nest is in fact part of a series of installations called Animal Estates. Conceived by architect and artist Fritz Haeg, the installations are done with the hope of luring New York's original animal inhabitants back through the building of homes for these wild animals. Art with a green purpose. Cool!