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Posts tagged ‘sculpture’

Jun 6

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Back from Turkey

Aphrodisias Agora theater frieze, Turkey, ancient Roman

Aphrodisias Agora theater frieze (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

I just returned from two incredible weeks in Turkey!  I’m still processing the experience and my impressions of the country.  But on a more practical matter, I’ve only just started looking at my 1300 photographs!

I’ll start with a detail from the Agora at Aphrodisias.  The ancient Roman market there was encircled with this Theater Frieze depicting known mythological characters and dramatic masks linked with a floral and fruit garland.  The blocks are stacked near the entrance to the site forming a wall of quirky and unique faces.  Aphrodisias itself was one of the most impressive archaeological sites I have ever seen and we had it almost completely to ourselves.

Apr 12

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The Life of a Sculpture: “The Sphere” in Lower Manhattan

The Sphere Battery park

I came across and interesting article this week.  “The Sphere”, a 25 foot tall bronze and steel sculpture by Fritz Koenig, was once part of the fountain in the plaza between the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.  The work was meant to symbolize the advancement of peace through international trade.  The sculpture miraculously survived the 9/11 attacks and was moved to Battery Park ten yeas ago as a memorial.  Due to some upcoming improvements to the park, “The Sphere” will be removed and it is unclear where and when it will ultimately be placed.

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Dec 9

Cognition as Sculpture: Jaume Plensa at MIT

Jaume Plensa’s “The Alchemist” at MIT (Photo: DaydreamTourist)

Many modern artists find themselves returning to familiar themes for continued exploration.  Catalan artist Jaume Plensa has created a catalog of large curved metal sculptures shaped into contemplative figures. I find something other-worldly about these figures, especially those made of letters, as if this were some futuristic totem waiting for us to decode them.

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Nov 18

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Outdoor Context: Six of the Same Pomodoro Sculpture

On the University of Chicago campus last month, I stumbled across Arnaldo Pomodoro’s Grande Disco.  It is a looming, industrial and futuristic disk that seems to be splitting open along several seams.  When examining the details up-close, you half expect the thing to open further and start talking.  (That’s how a science fiction movie involving modern outdoor art would begin.)

Grande Disco (1968) by Arnaldo Pomodoro, University of Chicago

I was drawn to the sculpture for its design but also because I recognized it.  I thought I saw this in Milan, what was it doing next to a Medical School building on the University of Chicago campus?  Turns out there are five other “Grande Discos” throughout the world each made within the same general time frame and varying slightly in design.  Located in urban, commercial and green spaces, the pieces are enhanced by the environments they have been placed into.  See what you think of these outdoor installations.  Personally, I think the Grande Disco does the best in the two extreme environments: the rolling green sculpture park and in the shadow of North Carolina skyscrapers.

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