Artist Blog

Today I want to talk about three of the artists that Jeff suggested to me; Gordon Matta-Clark, Bruce Nauman, and Robert Smithson.

Gordon Matt-Clark:

Gordon Matta-Clark, photographic print, title, date, dimensions unknown

I enjoyed the encompassing effect of Matta-Clark's collage photographs. Though they are two-dimensional, they convey a sense of three-dimensions; even when displayed small, on a computer screen. I imagine large prints are even more exceptional. I watched some of his videos as well, but was not as impressed, I suppose I just didn't get it.

Gordon Matta-Clark, Conical Intersect (detail)
1975

When Jeff was explaining Matta-Clark to me, at first I thought he was talking about the guy who draws lines and shapes on interiors that, from a certain perspective, appear to be 3-d geometric shapes within the room. I can't remember his name, but I much prefer the way he deals with interiors rather than Matta-Clark's physically cutting away of sections.

Bruce Nauman:

Bruce Nauman
"One Hundred Live and Die"
1984
Neon tubing mounted on four metal monoliths, 118 x 132 1/4 x 21 inches

Though Nauman is apparently one of the most important living contemporary artists, I didn't really like much of his art. I did however enjoy some of his word art, such as the above piece, I feel like it kind of breaks down the duality of life and death. I like his approach to art-making as well. He says, “If I was an artist and I was in the studio, then whatever I was doing in the studio must be art. At this point art became more of an activity and less of a product.” This is important because I am now trying to move away from these images that I see as products, and more to the activity of the performances I have planned. He works in a variety of mediums including film, sculpture, installation, and performance, similarly to how I like to work.

Robert Smithson:

Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty, 1970

Robert Smithson, Yucatan Mirror Displacements (1–9), 1969 (detail). Nine chromogenic-development slides.

I've been interested in Smithson's work for a long time, but I've never seen is Mirror Displacement series until recently. I really enjoy how the mirrors redirect and project colors from the surrounding area, almost like magnified color samples. There is also his most famous piece, Spiral Jetty, which in being enormous and looking really cool, draws attention to the environment, nature, and natural processes. I think I want to use similar devices to also draw attention to the environment.