1 Site Specific Art

2 Figure ROBERT SMITHSON, Spiral Jetty, Black rock, salt crystals, earth, red water (algae) at Great Salt Lake, Utah. 1,500’ x 15’ x 3 1/2’. Estate of Robert Smithson; courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York; collection of DIA Center for the Arts, New York. ROBERT SMITHSON, Spiral Jetty, 1970 Manipulated earth and rock w/ industrial equipment Enduring power of nature, man’s INability to conquer it No arrogance of art imposed onto a site with NO relationship – jetty grew from his 1 st impression of the site – “imesnse roundness”

3 Figure RICHARD SERRA, Tilted Arc, Cor-Ten steel, 12’ x 120’ x 2 1/2”. Installed Federal Plaza, New York City by the General Services Administration, Washington D.C. Removed by the U.S. Government RICHARD SERRA, Tilted Arc, 1981 Altering the character of existing public space – changed traffic flow across the square in Federal Plaza, NYC Major protest caused the government to remove the work

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6 Figure FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (exterior view from the northwest), New York, 1943–1959 (photo 1962). FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Reinforced concrete used the way an artist would use clay Snail shell design Organic architecture

7 Figure FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, Interior of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1943–1959. Interior ramp and skylight

8 Figure JOERN UTZON, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, 1959–1972. Reinforced concrete; height of highest shell, 200’. JOERN UTZON, Sydney Opera House – concrete shells suggest buoyancy of seabird wings, sails of ships (recalls what style of church?) Architectural metaphors fit w/ surrounding space City’s cultural center

9 Figure LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE and PHILIP JOHNSON, Seagram Building, New York, 1956–1958. VAN DER ROHE and PHILIP JOHNSON, Seagram Building, New York, 1956–1958. Concrete and steel frame (pioneered by Sullivan) HONEST Geometrically rigid Van der Rohe was a Bauhaus architect: “less is more” Designed as thin tower to leave pedestrian plaza open “glass skin”

10 Figure SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL, Sears Tower, Chicago, Sears Tower Corporate skyscraper that dominates the Chicago skyline World’s tallest building in 1974

11 Post-modernism 1980-present “Modernism” was reductive and exclusive, and less was not more, less was a bore. POST-Modernism is inclusive and eclectic Characteristics: Pluralism Ambiguity Welcomes the artistic past into the present Examines the role of tradition and context Parody Aware of public responsibilities in art Questions “high” vs. “low” art

12 Figure MICHAEL GRAVES, The Portland Building, Portland, Oregon, MICHAEL GRAVES, The Portland Building - (ornamentation that is so NOT modern), art deco influences in geometric designs

13 Figure RICHARD ROGERS and RENZO PIANO, Georges Pompidou National Center of Art and Culture (the “Beaubourg”), Paris, RICHARD ROGERS and RENZO PIANO Pompidou Center “The Beaubourg” Fully exposed anatomy Crystal Palace? Color coded internal parts (like in a factory) Criticized –for requiring excessive maintenance)

14 Figure FRANK GEHRY, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain, FRANK GEHRY, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain, 1997 Deconstructivism – apparent “disorder” Limestone and titanium (metal – what does it do with light?) Modernist : believed in purity and NON-decoration, but buildings need decoration to bring them down to human scale

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