'Unmonumental' by Laura Hoptman

‘Unmonumental’ by Laura Hoptman

In this article by Laura Hoptman, Hoptman focuses mainly on the differences of 20^th and 21^st century assemblage and the use of the quotidian object. The two main points of discussion are how assemblage was in the 20^th century and how it has changed and re-merged in the 21^st.

 In the past, (20^th century) assemblage sculptures were made up of objects that were of similar contexts and when placed amongst one another were viewed with emphasis on the individual quotidian object. The pieces within the exhibition were selected at random to give the audience the freedom to find what the meaning of the exhibition was. This was the intention of the artist through the choice of materials. Due to this, the exhibitions were often more removed from society and often had a narrative feel. Assemblage was officially established in William Seitz’s exhibition, 1961, titled ‘The Art of Assemblage’.

Assemblage in the 21^st century is more focused as the selection process of the individual objects, which has become part of the way that the artist directs the audiences’ interpretation of the piece. Hence, the meaning of the piece is more direct and has a stronger impact, through the selection process. The objects selected are often taken directly from our current society, absorbing the viewer further into the piece through a sense of familiarity. Hence, instead of being a narrative piece, assemblage pieces have become more of a fragment of our chaotic world where the audience can relate to and feel more involved.

The strategy of assemblage is essentially incredible as it is created from pieces that juxtapose one another and are completely random at a glance, yet they have become holistic in the final piece and presentation. It is also that the viewer is forced to view these ordinary objects once again, yet with fresh eyes, by seeing them in an entirely new context.

Summary of Interventions

Summary of Interventions

One of the main categories of Installation Art is ‘Site Specific Art’. Site Specific Art is significant as it involves the area in which the installation is presented, and or, created. It serves to investigate the physical, functional, intellectual, cultural and institutional character and often assesses the site where it is accessed. Installation art is removed from traditional art strategies and embraces the space or the ‘locale’. The examples used within this article, all use the space to enhance the meaning of the installation to the audience.

Installation art has not been overly welcomed as it has rejected traditional art making. The 1960’s artists were challenging the conventional strategies and presentations, an example would be; Frank Stella who painted onto the wall of a gallery. The rejection of conventional art making gradually progressed into minimalist, post minimalist, earth and conceptual art. This affected sculpture as the pieces began to spread out through the exhibition space, and was no longer confined to the accepted space.

From this progression, the pieces now engaged with the ‘real space’, or reality, and thus the viewer could connect with the art through the space in which it was presented.  An example of this is Carl Andre. Andre’s work extends lines on the floor of a gallery which invites the viewer to pass through, drawing they’re attention to the space rather then what the gallery holds. This reversed the traditional idea, as the space now framed the art. Some installations are aggressive toward the viewer making them feel uncomfortable, such as Serra’s ‘Delineator’ and Bruce Naumans ‘Double Steel’ by insisting on the viewers participation as well as the effect of the site, in which the art is installed.

In conclusion, it could be said that museums and traditional art galleries in essence remove art from the reality of everyday life and create a barrier between the viewer and the intention of the artist. Through the choice of site, installation art closes that gap and connects the viewer and the installation as one. 

Donald Judd

DONALD JUDD

Donald Judd. ‘Untitled’, 1968. Stainless steel and amber plexiglass. 6 boxes, each 34”x34”x34”, with 8” intervals.

·         Heartney, Eleanor. Art & Today. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 2008.

The third chapter in Eleanor Heartney’s Art and Today, ‘Art and Abstraction: Retreat from Purity’, provides a comprehensive overview of abstraction within art. This concept is traced from its post WWII origins as a movement away from utopian thinking, through formalism, abstract expressionism, minimalism, and pop art, to postmodernism, post minimalism and art as we know it today.  Given the broad informative nature of the book, individual artists are only mentioned briefly, so this chapter was not used particularly for investigating Donald Judd specifically. It was however very useful in contextualising his work, framing it with preceding movements to show influence, and following movements to show impact.

·         Batchelor, David. Movements in Modern Art: Minimalism. London: Tate Publishing, 1997

This book outlines the key concepts and practicing artists of the movement retrospectively termed as ‘minimalism’. It deals with in particular the work of people such as Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Frank Stella and Sol LeWitt. The book is carefully structured, providing information about each of the artists under the headings of ‘Introduction’, ‘Of Painting and Sculpture’, ‘Of Objects and Subjects’ and ‘Of Texts and Contexts’. This categorisation provides a frame of progression in which Judd’s work can be followed, alongside that of his peers.

·         Coplans, John. Don Judd: By John Coplans for the Pasadena Art Museum. Pasadena: The

Castle Press, 1971.

This book was written to accompany the 1971 exhibition of Judd’s sculptural and relief work at the Pasadena Art Museum. It is divided into three sections; an introductory essay, an interview between John Coplans and Donald Judd, and a pictorial inventory of the exhibition. The essay provides a wealth of information about the artist’s practice and work, as well as information specific to this exhibition, including its context and its inclusion of only Judd’s metal works. More important, however, is the interview, which through its nature succinctly provides signposted, specific responses from Judd that directly address his art making motives and intentions.

·         Warwick Thompson, Paul; Bloemink, Barbara; Cunningham, Joseph; Judd, Donald; Burton,

Scott; Tuttle, Richard. Design ≠ Art. Functional Objects From Donald Judd to Rachel Whiteread. London: Merrell Publishers Limited, 2004.

This book dissects the relationship between design and art through the inclusion of essays that support, contest and reconcile this relationship. After which, the artistic writings referenced in these essays are included, predominantly Judd’s 1993 essay, ‘It’s hard to find a good lamp’.  It is this essay that he states: ‘the art of a chair is not its resemblance to art, but is partly its reasonableness, usefulness, and scale as a chair…’ – ultimately differentiating between art and design and crucially articulating his idea that a thing or materials’ beauty essentially lies within it; a concept which defines his art making practice and greatly improved my understanding of it. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY

·         Batchelor, David. Movements in Modern Art: Minimalism. London: Tate Publishing, 1997

·         Coplans, John. Don Judd: By John Coplans for the Pasadena Art Museum. Pasadena: The 

Castle Press, 1971.

·         Heartney, Eleanor. Art & Today. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 2008.

·         Butler, Adam; Van Cleave, Claire; Stirling, Susan. The Art Book. London: Phaidon Press

Limited, 1994.

·         Warwick Thompson, Paul; Bloemink, Barbara; Cunningham, Joseph; Judd, Donald; Burton,

Scott; Tuttle, Richard. Design ≠ Art. Functional Objects From Donald Judd to Rachel Whiteread. London: Merrell Publishers Limited, 2004.

·         Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.

·         Donald Judd. Tate Modern. www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/judd/

(Accessed: 24/3/12)

·

Eva Hesse - Minimalism/Abstraction

Eva Hesse

Right After, 1969

fiberglass, wire, polyester resin

dimensions variable

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Heartly, Eleanor, “Minimalism/Abstraction”, in Art & Today, London; Phaidon Press Limited, 2008

Art & Today’s second chapter ‘Abstraction in Art,’ gives useful information on understanding abstraction and minimalism in art. The large coloured pictures that accompany the text further develops our understanding as we are shown fantastic examples of abstraction and minimalism in art. There was little said on Eva Hesse, however, this was a great starting point for my research as it helped me appreciate Eva Hesse’s artwork even further.

Sussman, Elisabeth and Fred Wasserman, Eva Hesse Sculpture, New York; Jewish Museum, New Have; Yale University Press, 2006.

Eva Hesse Sculpture is a book that was made to accompany The Jewish Museum exhibition of Hesse’s sculpture in New York. Eva Hesse Sculpture focuses on her large-scale sculptures in latex and fiberglass. Photographs of Hesse’s sculptures and essays gives insight of her highly influential, however, brief life.  We are also given historical context of her life through never-before-seen images of family diaries and photographs.  This book takes you on a ride through the progression of Hesse’s art practice and life and making this book an illustrated chronology of Eva Hesse’s life. 

Leader, Darian, “Minimalism With A Human Face,” Tate Magazine, Issue 2 (Nov/Dec 2002). Accessed 15 March, 2012. http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue2/hesse.htm.

Minimalism With A Human Face by Darian Leader is an article featured in the Tate Museum’s magazine ‘Tate Magazine’ in conjunction with an exhibition the museum was having of Eva Hesse. The article starts with a brief insight into Hesse’s tragic life which leads onto various descriptions of some of her most famous work including Hang Up (1968), Contingent (1968), Ringaround Arosie (1964) and many more important works.

Nemser, Cindy, “An Interview With Eva Hesse,” Artforum, May 1970. Accessed 18^th March, 2012. http://cloud.hauserwirth.com/documents/y1ctXlJCqjk1Q3aKF0qZ1436rapbm40Mj5l59e6Jv456vnXepI/artforum-may-1970-1fGl6I.pdf

An Interview With Eva Hesse is an interview that was in Artforum and, in fact, Eva Hesse’s last interview that she ever gave. In this interview they discuss her life, her work and her influences. In this interview, there is a large focus on her life and her feelings of constant fear and terror. She dwells extensively into the meanings of her artworks, what she was trying to portray, her disappointments and her successes. She talks broadly of her minimalist influences, (Duchamp and Andre in particular) and her obsession with the ‘absurd’. Overall a fantastic and valuable resource.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnes, Rachel, Martin Coomer, Carl Freedman, Tony Godfrey, Simon Grant, Melissa Larner, Simon Morley and Gilda Williams, The 20^th Century Art book, London; Phaidon Press Limited, 1996, 201.

Heartly, Eleanor, “Minimalism/Abstraction”, in Art & Today, London; Phaidon Press Limited, 2008.

Hodge, Nicola and Libby Anson, The A-Z of Art: the world’s greatest and most popular artists and their works, San Diego; Thunder Bay Press, 1996, 179.

Lippard, Lucy, Eva Hesse, New York; DeCapo Press, New York, 1976.

Sussman, Elisabeth and Fred Wasserman, Eva Hesse Sculpture, New York; Jewish Museum, New Have; Yale University Press, 2006.

Nemser, Cindy, “An Interview With Eva Hesse,” Artforum, May 1970. Accessed 18^th March, 2012. http://cloud.hauserwirth.com/documents/y1ctXlJCqjk1Q3aKF0qZ1436rapbm40Mj5l59e6Jv456vnXepI/artforum-may-1970-1fGl6I.pdf

Leader, Darian, “Minimalism With A Human Face,” Tate Magazine, Issue 2 (Nov/Dec 2002). Accessed 15 March, 2012. http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue2/hesse.htm.

Beardsell-Moore, Laura, “Eva Hesse.” Accessed 15 March, 2012. http://www.female-artists.net/eva-hesse.html.

UNMONUMENTAL SUMMARY

After a long period of hiatus which is about 40 years, the sculpture leads the contemporary art again. The sculpture can be presented by many ways such as carved, glued or sewn, a sculpture work also can be any size, any weight. It can be small as a teacup or huge like a small ship. It can be light as a piece of paper and also can heavy as a sack of concrete. It express that the sculpture work can be very free and conceptive.

Using found objects to make some sculpture work is also already started in european during the 20th century. The combination of all kinds of different objects that make the sculpture works more lively. For seitz, he use the already-made parts pieces or entire objects that retained theiridentities even they combine together as a single work. It might be called Juctanosition.  In recent years, the aesthetie is not dominated by free-form flotation but by strategies of swimming-to wit. Further more it also said that a sculpture can be really done as an art work or only contact with the moment. The personalized in sculptural reached a level unprecodented on the other hand most intentionally un-private. There is a lot of new sculptures use the piecemeal, jury-rigged or put-together state lens a distinct sense of contingenc. Such as Kristen Morgin's pulverized lion, Urs Fischer's melting female nude and Elliott Hundley's toppled column. All of these works make direct reference to destruction of the symbols of artistic permanence.

To sum up, the sculpture leads the contemporary art again. However, the recent sculpture art works have changed a lot with the old one. In unmonumentality, the sculpture lacks the timelessness, massiveness and public significance. It meant to describe a kind of sculpture that is not against these values.Sculpture arts becomes more free, no steadfast form. Moreover, it said that we should open the eye sight, have our individual opinions. The new arts are different form the post arts.

UNMONUMENTAL

UNMONUMENTAL
Going to pieces in the 21st Century
by Lisa Hoptman
Summary by Dione McCarthy
Sculpture, in itʼs new form, can be seen at the forefront of Contemporary Art.
Having broken free from the traditional framework of sculpture, it seems to have no
boundaries and at times is quite undefinable. Contemporary Art is about the now, the
present, combining objects natural and man-made, of all shapes, sizes and appearances in
a seemingly random mish mash of ʻassemblageʼ.

Lisa Hoptman sees ʻassemblageʼ as the strategy and the ʻunmonumentalʼ as the outcome,
the final sculpture. This ʻassemblageʼ comes from the excesses of todayʼs society and how
we deal with it. Contemporary sculptors, collect, filter, select and assemble this excess
almost randomly to create their artwork.

The use of found objects can be seen in European experiments as early as the beginning
of the 20th century. During the 1950ʼs, Jean Debuffet gave the combining of the objects in
an apparently random manner, the title ʻassemblageʼ. However, it was William Seitz who
put this forward as an artistic strategy in his exhibition ʻThe Art of Assemblageʼ in 1961.
Contemporary sculpture can also be seen as having links to the neo, neo avant garde.
Rather than a blending of materials, it is the juxtaposition of the forms that allow the
objects to be seen as both a single entity and as part of a whole. In the late 1950ʼs, early
60ʼs, Robert Rauschenberg, through his series, Combinesʼ, introduced new criteria to
Contemporary art. It became more about content rather than narrative. He believed that
his works were dependent as much on chance as on the precise placement of objects
allowing for an often uncertain outcome. Through the juxtaposition of objects he
transformed them from everyday to the mysterious forming the unimaginable.

Apart from today's technology, the difference between the 20th and 21st centuries is that of
how the artistʼs objects are organised. Although at times it seems that the objects are
assembled randomly, the artist has meaning behind each piece and how itʼs placed. Each
object is fused together to create a clear narrative. This ʻassemblageʼ, lacking many of the
traditional ruling styles of past sculpture, can be seen more as a result of the turmoil of todayʼs society rather than a reflection of it.

Annotated Bibliography of Carl Andre

144 Magnesium Square New York (1969)

Annotated Bibliography for Carl Andre:

Serota, Nicholas 1978, Carl Andre, Syon Print, England

              This book is a review of Andre's exhibition in the Whitchapel Art Gallery, London. Although this review was written con-currently with the exhibit, the authors insight into Andre's career and personal life is applicable. The review outlines the contexts, themes and inspirations for Andre's work and includes photographs of the exhibit, along side artist sketches. This book summarises Andre's career until the late 1970s.  

Colpitt, Frances 2002, Abstract Art in the late twentieth Century, University Press, Cambridge

              This collection of essays, is divided into three sections; Pre-Abstraction, Abstraction and Abstractive artists. These essays written by a selection of art critics outline the historical context of their preferred period. The last section on Abstract artists relates strongly to Andre as it explains the connection of abstraction to minimalism.

               

Page, Suzanne 1990, un choix d’art Minimal, Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France

             This extract from an art journal is translated from French into English. The extract begins with the interview of an art critic. Although this journal extract does not focus primarliy on Carl Andre it incorporates the leading minimal artists of the time including Andre. The brief interview outlines the definition of Minimal art and discusses Abstraction as a form of minimalism.

Moszynska, Anna 1990, Abstract Art, Thames and Hudson ltd, Singapore

             This Art history "novel" runs through important events in the development of abstract art. Andre features predominatly as a founder of the minimalist group, who gained their inspiration from the abstractive artists. Moszynska outlines Andre's career and his contributions to the minimal movement.

 

 

New Hoover Convertibles, Green, Blue, New Hoover Convertibles Green, Blue Doubledecker

Four Hoover Convertibles, Plexiglas, fluorescent lights
294.6 x 104.1 x 71.1 cm
1981-1987

Annotated Bibliography – Jeff Koons

Heartney, Eleanor. Art & Today. London: Phaidon, 2008.

          This chapter was useful in providing a background to the quotidian object and its place in the art world. Dates and names of artists were mentioned, along with a closer specific look at relevant artists and their works. Large coloured photographs of the mentioned artworks are used throughout the chapter. This source was helpful as a starting point for further research.

Koons, Jeff. The Jeff Koons handbook. London : Thames and Hudson : Anthony d'Offay Gallery, 1992.

          This source contained many quotes from the artists about both specific works and his general philosophies on art. It does also contain ‘Notes on Jeff Koons’ by Robert Rosenblum. These contain Rosenblum’s own opions and thoughts about Koons’ life and work, and not just straight out facts. A selection of the artist’s works is shown throughout this source. Primarily it was used to cross reference other sources.

Muthesuis, Angelika (ed.). Jeff Koons. Cologne : Benedikt Taschen, 1992.

            This source provides lots of coloured photographs, an interview with the artist, along with a simplified timeline and list of Koons’ works and exhibitions up till 1992. It provides all the text in English, German and French. Found it be a very useful source with a lot of information directly from the artist.

Weintraub, Linda, Arthur Danto, Thomas McEvilley. Art on the Edge and Over. Litchfield: Art Insights: 1996.

          Primarily explores the artist’s intertwined personal and professional lives. There is a lot of focus on Koons’ marriage and more controversial moments. This text provides relevant quotes from the artist with very good references to their origins. Not as straight-up fact-based as other sources. The writing seemed quite ‘flowery’ and emotive; however this chapter did provide different view-points that helped with a more complete understanding of the artist.

an unmonumental summary.

Sculpture can be considered to be the leaders of contemporary art. Products of the twenty-first century seemed to have two distinct ideas: assemblage and unmonumentality. Assemblage was seen to be a strategy to achieve unmonumentality in sculptural works. During the first two decades of the twentieth century the first experiments in using found objects in sculpture were explored in Europe. Contemporary sculptures have adopted a method of juxtaposition of forms, rather than compositionally blending them. Other criterion was introduced to the discourse of contemporary art when an ‘empathetic’ engagement was made with daily objects and life through sculpture. Some artists claimed that through juxtaposition they were able to turn familiar objects into mysterious ones. It has been suggested that distinctions between twentieth and twenty-first century assemblage comes down to the availability of information, especially through graphic interfaces. ‘Assemblage’ or ‘neo-dada’ never became a movement or period. Influential critics referred to the era as ‘neo-avant-garde’, as it showed a deep divide between pre-World War II and post-war art. ‘Physiognomic fallacy’ was a term used by E. H Gombrich, which explored the assumption that artistic forms are direct reflections of the nature of the society that produced it. Therefore assemblage could rather be the result of disorder within the world at the time, instead of a means to reflect it. Art historian Roger Shattuck referred to artist Robert Rauschenburg as a less gifted descendent of the dada originals. Rauschenburg countered such remakes by saying ‘the artist who has his foot in a history book and an eye on himself can move but not directly’. Such retorts showed Rauschenburg’s intent to utilise styles and techniques from past artists but still plan to create his own path of the style through his work. It can be seen that sculptors today don’t focus on ‘what art can be’, but rather how their works can engage in issues of contemporary life.  The term ‘unmonumental’ is meant to describe a type of sculpture that is not against ‘monumental’ values- massiveness, timelessness- but rather intentionally lacks them.

Annotated Bibliography

Claes Oldenburg

Free Stamp

Steel and aluminium; painted with polyurethane enamel
28 ft. 10 in. x 26 ft. x 49 ft. (8.8 x 7.9 x 14.9 m)
Willard Park, Cleveland, Ohio
Commissioned December 1982 by SOHIO (later BP America, Inc.)
Installed August – October 1991 http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/freestamp.htm

Annotated Bibliography

Heartley, Eleanor, “Art & the Quotidian Object”, in Art & Today (London: Phaidon, 2008)

In this chapter, Heartly introduces us to the influence of Duchamp’s ‘readymades’ on the art world and the concept of “anti-art” which I knew little about before reading this piece. She shows us the different interpretations the art world has made on Duchamp’s work and the consequences this has had on the art world in term of the everyday object as art. I found that the first half of the chapter was helpful in giving me a solid foundation on which to start my research. The second half of the chapter was less relevant as referred to specific artists and their practices; however I still found it useful as an overview of Duchamp’s influence.

Hayward Gallery, Claes Oldenburg: an Anthology, (New York: Abrams, 1995)

 A compilation of Oldenburg’s works, this book contains numerous essays about the different parts of Oldenburg’s life and art practice.  It provides a comprehensive biography on Oldenburg and has an overview and photographs of almost all the artworks he has created during his life. There are also excerpts from his diary and the detailed information, focusing especially the earlier years, was priceless for my understanding and research.  I found if anything, the amount of information was overwhelming and therefore it was hard to distinguish what information and excerpts were relevant to my research.  However, having this amount of information available to me was invaluable.

James, Jamie, POP ART, (London: Phaidon, 1996)

This book reviews the movement of Pop Art in Britain and the USA.  It is an introduction to the movement, explaining its history and prior movements, influential artists of the time and their relevant works. I found that it gave a great explanation of Pop Art.  The information was easy to understand and explained the movements before Pop Art and what influenced the artists practicing at the time. Unfortunately the two examples of Oldenburg’s work that were discussed weren’t ones that I had chosen to evaluate and therefore weren’t relevant to my presentation.  I only had a general understanding as to what Pop Art was about prior to reading this book and even though it is a very small portion of my presentation this book gave me the necessary background knowledge I needed to understand the movement.

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/index.htm [accessed March 13, 2012]

This is the official website of Oldenburg and van Bruggen’s collaborative work from 1977 until 2009. This website had individual biographies of both Oldenburg and van Bruggen. It listed all their collaborative works with measurements, dates, locations and a photograph. It also listed selected publications written both about and by Oldenburg and/or van Bruggen which was very useful. Occasionally there would be a brief explanation about the work but it would have been beneficial if there was a description from the artists about the insight into all their large-scale projects, rather than just a select few. Overall the website was minimal, but the information was concise and valuable to my research.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Heartley, Eleanor, “Art & the Quotidian Object”, in Art & Today (London: Phaidon, 2008)

Princeton University Art Museum, Pop Art: Contemporary Perspectives (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007)

James, Jamie, POP ART, (London: Phaidon Press Ltd, 1996)

Oldenburg, Claes. Photo Log, May1974-August 1976, (New York: edition hansjorg mayer, 1976)

Johnson, Ellen.H. Penguin New Art 4: Claes Oldenburg, (England: Penguin, 1971)

Oldenburg, Claes, The Multiples Store (Manchester: Cornerhouse, 1996)

Hayward Gallery, Claes Oldenburg: an Anthology, (New York: Abrams, 1995)

Celent, G, et al., Claes Oldenburg Coosje van Bruggen: Sculpture by the Way, (Milan: Skira, 2006)

Bonham-Carter, Charlotte and Hodge, David, The Contemporary Art Book, (London: Goodman, 2009)

Rose, Barbara and Museum of Modern Art, Claes Oldenburg (New York: Chanticleer Press, 1970)

Oldenburg, Claes and van Bruggen, Cooosje, Claes Oldenburg: Large-scale Projects, 1977-1980 (New York: Rizzoli, 1980)

Haskell, Barbara, Claes Oldenburg, (London: Oxford University Press, 2009), http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=4397  [accessed on March 13, 2012]

 Luthy, Michael, “The Consumer Article in the Art World: On the Para-Economy of American Pop Art”, in A Century of Art and Consumer Culture, ed Max Hollein and Christoph Grunenberg (Liverpool: Ostfildern-Ruit, 2002), http://www.michaelluethy.de/konsumgut-englisch.pdf [accessed March 17, 2012]

Steven Stern, “Taking Stock”, Fireze Magazine, Issue 76 June-Aug 2003, http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/taking_stock/ [accessed on March 17, 2012]

J.S. Marcus, “Supersizing It with Claes Oldenburg”, The Wall Street Journal, February 2, 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203646004577215551291098684.html?mod=WSJ_topics_obama, [accessed on March 8, 2012]

Carol Kino, “What Happened at Those Happenings?”, New York Times, February 2, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/arts/design/recalling-happenings-events-on-eve-of-pace-exhibition.html [accessed on March 13, 2012]

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/index.htm [accessed March 13, 2012]

Robert Ayers, “A Conversation with Claes Oldenburg”, September 21, 2010, http://www.askyfilledwithshootingstars.com/wordpress/?p=1371 [accessed March 17, 2012]

Unmonumental // Going to Pieces in the 21st Century

In the contemporary art world, sculpture has become one of the leading forms of conversation leaving behind the conventional methods of molding and carving, but rather a whole new way of piecing together a vast array of found objects, nature and figurative ideas into appropriated, objective forms. In this text, Laura Hoptman explains the development of assemblage from the 20^th century to this day.  The use of putting together found objects and the strategy of using these materials in juxtaposition with each other (without the intention that they are art materials) as a technique of sculpture-making was first given the name "assemblage" by artist William Seitz in an exhibition called "The Art of Assemblage". Its origins are believed to have begun with artworks assembled by Picasso and Duchamp, as well as through the Dada and Surrealist movements. Much of these influences occurred throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s, with the dispute that artists' were in a move of a neo-avant garde. A predominant artwork in relation to assemblage is Robert Rauschenberg's series of Combines, a mixture of paintings and sculptures created in the time-span of ten years. Rauschenberg explained that the connections between the elements in his work were completely by chance, with the familiarity of these objects, by contrast, displaying perplexing appearances. A point was made that assembled art was less a representation of the world rather than a part of it. Today, most things are easily accessible with the growth of new technologies, a shift in the way that we present and produce artworks through sources like the Internet and an effortless contact with the world. The development between the 20^th and the 21^st century is the organization and processes of different materials. A heavy influence of 1980s practice of appropriation is evident in today's neo-neo avant-garde, with sculptural elements being carefully picked as opposed to being aleatory. Sculptures today are represented with a different thought-process, having particular focus on content, but not by forgetting the fundamentals of modern sculpture; but rather, expressing ideas and messages through a contextual approach. This is the twenty-first century interpretation of assemblage, with each sculpture revealing a narrative of today's world.

Going to pieces in the 21st century. A SUMmary

In the opening paragraph of Laura Hoptman’s catalogue essay for Unmonumental, New Gallery 2007, titled ‘Going to pieces in the 21^st Century’ we are informed that sculpture has after a ‘hiatus’ found itself as the main voice of ‘contemporary art discourse’. Hoptman informs us that this new found status is not one that always necessarily shares a common ground in the made but is instead a combination, of made and made of.

Hoptman outlines for the reader what she believes to be the three essential points of artistic production leading through the periods and the relevant social paradigms associated as to establish an understanding of the past intentions of juxtaposition and fracture (20^th century) against those of a wikicentric culture (21^st century) that has shifted it’s focus and practice to that of cataloguing information and referencing materiality to form complete statements. These statements concern themselves not with the past notions of symbolism and instead are reflections of the spirit of our times. Hoptman relates the new form as to a customization ( via reference to the ability of style and ideologies to be ‘ubiquitous’) of aesthetics, ideologies, cultural, etc. already available to not only the singular but to the all. This point is drawn through reference as to how we as a society seek to understand this next step in information ascendance.

Her first step in this outline begins by first exploring the origination of the ‘assemblage’ via a discussion surrounding the seminal exhibition organized by William Seitz , The Art of Assemblage, Museum of Modern Art 1961 in which he referred to the ‘assemblage’ as a new call to arms of the Dadaist intentions of creating true anti-art. In which the juxtaposition of everyday objects placed together by ‘chance’ created works that were seen not only as the singular combined object but a ‘fracture’ of all the combined parts.

Robert Rauschenberg is now introduced at this stage along with his combines referred to as ‘hybrids of painting and sculpture’. Hoptman quotes from one of the ‘kings of culterberg’ Leo Stienberg as to combines similarity to assemblage in the case of the reading of the work (juxtaposition) being the relationship of the elements to each other and the piece as a whole. Such solidifying their place within an art history scenario as possibly another form of the Dadaists anti-art intentions (although one can read into Rauschenberg’s statements as a means of trying to break free of this association).

Hoptman closes the essay in referring us to a quote by Buckminster Fuller in which he stated that Henry ford was the greatest artist of the twentieth century as “the ford automobile transcended full market penetration to become the world symbol for a car”. A statement that can be seen in support of moving towards a closing that denotes that the new form of sculpture moves away from the moment but instead looks to transcend the artist and take on the zeitgeist intentions discussed earlier and further along into the creation of the make-your-own-teleology movement driven towards a new shift in sculpture and its use of an established aesthetic that Hoptman has termed as Unmonumnetal.