ICHWAN NOOR | THE BEETLE SPHERE

The Beetle Sphere: 

An Actual 1953 VW Beetle Formed into a Perfect Sphere by Ichwan Noor

See-ming Lee

This month marked a significant milestone for one of the world’s most famed art fairs as China hosted Art Basel Hong Kong for the first time. With over half of the galleries exhibiting at the fair originating from Asia and Asia-Pacific, Art Basel shined a bright international light on hundreds of artists who were relatively unknown outside of their respective regions.

One such artist was Jakatara-based sculptor Ichwan Noor with Mondecor Jakarta who arrived with this giant sculpture of a 1953 Volkswagen Beetle that, combined with polyester and aluminum, has been morphed into a perfect sphere. Apparently this is one in a series of spherical (and cubical!) vehicles by the artist, but he also works in a variety of other subjects including anatomical forms. To see more coverage of Art Basel Hong Kong, head over to Juxtapoz that has two galleries of photos, Part 1 and Part 2. (via Japan Times, See-ming Lee)

By Christopher on May 29, 2013 • cars   sculpture   spheres

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/

RON MUECK | FONDATION CARTIER

New Hyperrealistic Sculptures by Ron Mueck

Ron Mueck’s Studio, January 2013. Photo by Gautier Deblonde.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Hyperrealist sculptor Ron Mueck works in the realm of the ultra-real where he spends hundreds of hours perfecting the shape of the human form, the appropriate color of skin, and the most realistic hair texture. All of his efforts culminate in incredibly lifelike figurative sculptures with one small (or large) exception: the artworks are often gigantic or miniaturized, resulting in an uncomfortable “does not compute” moment when trying to comprehend exactly what you’re looking at. Each sculpted person is as bizarre as it is amazing, in part because of the raw intimacy portrayed in their faces, as if we are somehow witnessing the documentation of a private moment.

Ron Mueck’s Studio, January 2013. Photo by Gautier Deblonde.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Photo by Thomas Salva courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain.

Like several other hyperrealist sculptors Mueck began his sculpting career in entertainment where he started work as a puppeteer, creating models and puppets for children’s movies and TV shows. Most notably he worked on Jim Henson’s film Labyrinth and even provided the voice for the character Ludo. In 1996 he made the switch to fine art and quickly rose to prominence with exhibitions at the Royal Academy and the National Gallery in London.

Last month Mueck unveiled three new works at the Fondation Cartier in Paris as part of an exhibition that runs through September 29th, including the extraordinary Couple Under an Umbrella shown above. You can watch the video to get a little more perspective on just how large this artwork really is. All images above courtesy Fondation Cartier. (via my amp goes to 11)

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/

HUANG YONG PING | SNAKE SKELETON

A Giant Aluminum Snake Skeleton Rises from a Pool of Water at the Queensland Art Gallery

Currently on view at the Queensland Art Gallery is Ressort, a 174-foot (53 meter) aluminum and stainless steel snake skeleton by French/Chinese contemporary artist Huang Yong Ping. The twisting metal sculpture was commissioned for the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at QAGOMA which is the only major exhibition that focuses exclusively on contemporary art from Asia, the Pacific and Australia. The snake plays a prominent role in much of Ping’s artwork, as the symbol of the serpent is generally considered a good omen in Chinese culture. You can see much more of the artist’s work over at Kamel Mennour gallery. (via my modern met)

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/

SUBODH GUPTA | HAUSER & WIRTH LONDON

Subodh Gupta What does the vessel contain, that the river does not

Savile Row18 May – 27 July 2013, Hauser & Wirth London

What does the vat contain that is not in the river?

What does the room encompass that is not in the city?
This world is the vat, and the heart the running stream,
this world the room, and the heart the city of wonders.

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī
Excerpt from ‘The Sufi Path of Love’

Following its critically-acclaimed presentation at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Subodh Gupta’s sculpture ‘What does the vessel contain, that the river does not’ will be on view for the first time outside India at Hauser & Wirth’s Savile Row gallery. Through his use of found, commonplace objects, the New Delhi-based artist explores cultural dislocation prevalent in an era of shifting powers, as well as personal histories. ‘What does the vessel contain, that the river does not’ evokes the conflicting feelings of belonging and displacement, movement and stability, and explores the liminal space between these states of being.

Inspired by the work of the 13th century Persian poet, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, ‘What does the vessel contain, that the river does not’ is a traditional fishing boat from Kerala, India that measures over 20 metres and straddles the entire stretch of the gallery. The boat is filled from bow to stern with chairs, beds, window frames, fishing nets, plastic jars, cans, an old radio, cooking pots and pans, suitcases and a bicycle.

The ancient Sufi philosophy embedded in Rūmī‘s poetry speaks eloquently about the idea of the microcosm – the containing of an entire universe within the human soul. With this large-scale work, Gupta too creates a microcosm containing one person’s entire existence, bundled together and crammed into a vessel which appears as if it is about to set sail. For the artist, this boat ceases to be just a simple mode of transportation, but has evolved into an extension of the greater paradigm of survival, sustenance and livelihood.

http://www.hauserwirth.com/

FRANCIS BACON | TATE BRITAIN

Francis Bacon, ‘Triptych-August 1972’ (1972) Oil on canvas, on display at the Tate Britain, © The Estate of Francis Bacon / DACS London 2013. All rights reserved.

Francis Bacon included in Tate Britain’s New Presentation of the ‘World’s Greatest Collection of British Art’

See more at: http://www.francisbacon.com/blog/category/current_exhibitions/#sthash.GAzPYACb.dpuf

Four Francis Bacon artworks are included in the Tate Britain’s ‘BP Walk through British Art’, the gallery’s new presentation of the “World’s Greatest Collection of British Art”, which opened to the public on May 14th.

This continuous chronological display of the national collection of British art is a walk through time from the 1500s to present day. 500 artworks are displayed over 20 galleries with no designated theme or movement. Some pieces often separated when hung by movement or genre now find themselves chronologically presented side-by-side. The aim of this is to achieve open conversation, giving audiences a more neutral view of the range of art from historical moments.

Francis Bacon is being displayed alongside such major artists as John Constable, William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, J.M.W. Turner, Gwen John, Stanley Spencer, L.S. Lowry, John Everett Millais, Bridget Riley, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, and Rachel Whiteread.

The four Francis Bacon artworks on display are ‘Painted Screen’ (c.1929), ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion’ (c.1944), ‘Study for a Portrait’ (1952), and the above ‘Triptych – August 1972’ (1972). Considered one in a series of Black Triptychs following the suicide of Bacon’s lover George Dyer, ‘Triptych – August 1972’ depicts Dyer in the left panel and Bacon himself in the right. The central panel was conceived from wrestlers photographed by Edward Muybridge, suggesting a sexual encounter, for some invoking a ‘life-and-death struggle’. More on this image can be found on the Tate website here.

‘BP Walk through British Art’ is part of BP Displays – Supported by BP. The display is on now, admission is free, view more information on the Tate Britain website.

BP Walk through British Art
Tate Britain
Millbank
London
SW1P 4RG
Email: visiting.britain@tate.org.uk
Call: +44 (0)20 7887 8888

Words reference: Tate Britain press release and website. Special thanks to Kate Moores.

Art_prospect