Field Trip

Well today we went first to the Walker and then to the Bell Museum of natural history. The Walker was pretty interesting, usually abstract art is not really my thing but I was interested by one piece in particular. This was Robert Irwin's Untitled (see very rough sketch below) made out of synthetic fabric (translucent scrim), wood, florescent light, and floodlights. This sculpture piece fascinated me because it was more than a sculpture, it created an atmosphere. It literally seemed like a 3 dimensional space not an object in a 3 dimensional space.

Irwin created this piece in 1971, when it was shown in the Walker for the first time. It's simple design consists of translucent scrim, angled at about 45 degrees, that stretches from lengthwise wall to wall and goes about 3/4 of the way up the height of wall. Lights illuminate the space behind the screen which causes the screen to look like an illuminating object that casts light into the part of the room where the viewer sits. Because the screen does not extend all the way to the ceiling it looks like the screen opens up into a taller room.

These attributes cause the space to exude a serenity that is not characteristic of everyday life. Beyond the screen everything is lighter as well as more hazy. You cannot see the scuff marks on the floor beyond the screen. You just see an ethereal space of light. In a way it's a bit sad that this peace is not achievable more commonly and that I could not walk through the screen to be a part of it.

At the Bell museum we wandered and looked at the various taxidermy and eventually sat down for an hour to draw an animal. I had many issues starting because I was trying to draw this beautiful swan with open wings looking like it was trying to take off. I was just not capable of fitting the entire bird on the page with the massive wing span so after ten minutes of messing up epically I choose a more stationary bird.... not as expressive but it made it much easier to understand the contours.