This
exhibit will focus on the relationship between chance and artwork in the
twentieth century, especially as it applies to our perceptions of what art is
intended to represent. The exhibit will feature works by Cage, Calder,
Vasarely, Frankenthaler, and Rodchenko.
Played on a continuous loop will be
a recording of John Cage’s Atlas
Eclipticalis (1961). Cage composed this work by placing star charts from
astronomer Antonin Becvár’s
1950 star atlas Atlas Eclipticalis 1950.0
into the context of musical organization. The cosmic element of apparent
randomness that determines star sizes, brightnesses, and locations can manifest
itself in the music as pitch, volume, and even instrumentation.
At the center of the room will hang
Alexander Calder’s mobile Snow Flurry (1948).
Like Cage, Calder uses elements of randomness to depict an unpredictable event;
i.e. snowfall. Since so little of it stays still, the mobile form of sculpture
is inherently driven by chance, and it needs to be seen in person in its
kinetic environment to be fully experienced. Cage uses the natural randomness
of outer space to help create structure, whereas Calder creates a fairly rigid
(though still freely moveable) structure and allows the randomness of
environment to change how it is perceived.
On one wall will hang Victor
Vasarely’s optical art Zebras (1989).
Optical art plays with perspective, color, and the arrangement of negative
space to trick the eye into seeing lines, shapes, and even occasionally movement
that is not actually there. This work depicts two intertwined zebras using only
white lines on black background. Like Atlas
Eclipticalis, this work creates a representative structure (Atlas of the stars and Zebras of two zebras) without explicitly
demarcating any part of that structure.
On another wall will hang Helen
Frankenthaler’s oil painting Mountains
and Sea (1952). This is another example of the suggestion of a given
structure or concrete real-world item without the explicit depiction or demarcation
of that item. Where Vasarely uses optical illusion to convey that intention,
Frankenthaler uses color and shape – similar to Cage, who uses characteristic
aspects of the stars to help define the characteristic aspects of the music.
Finally, on
a third wall will hang Alexander Rodchenko’s Dance, An Objectless Composition (1915). Rodchenko creates the
atmosphere of chaotic motion with color, shape, and the interactivity of lines,
similar to Frankenthaler, though with a bit more defined structure. This work
serves as another example of a specific idea conveyed with nonspecific
information, the same way that Cage conveys the idea of space and awareness of
space by calling attention to silence as punctuated by sound.
Sam, I thought your choice of Snow Flurry by Calder, was perfect because it is constantly moving, and never looks quite the same. Similarly, Cage's Atlas never sounds quite the same, because of the way he notated it, in regards to time and to pitches. I was slightly unsure of your point about Frankenthaler's Mountains and Sea. You said the 'Frankenthaler uses color and shape - similar to Cage, who uses characteristic aspects of the stars to help define the characteristic aspects of the music." I thought that was a little bit of a stretch. He traces the star chart, but he's not really using color or trying to get a color in Atlas, as far as my understanding goes. However, I think I could see you point if you meant: Cage uses the shape and sizes of the stars on the star chart to determine pitches and length , similarly to how Frankenthaler uses color and shape. Maybe that's what you meant, in which case, I take back my objection!
ReplyDeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your inclusion of Snow Flurry by Calder. As Sophia pointed out, it speaks to a constantly changing artistry, similarly to Cage's work. The great variety allowed in instrumentation, tempo, entrance times, dynamics, and other aspects make Cage's work an every changing work of art as well (although I suppose one could argue that any piece of music could have that kind of variety!). I also enjoyed your point on the Rodchenko, how Cage's absence of sound makes the silence a sound unto itself, something that artists use to their advantage.
Sam, I also notice your theme of motion through both time and space, as Brad and Sophia have pointed out. It speaks very well especially in your use of the Calder and Frankenthaler. The Vasarely is a work of art that takes an idea and keeps it within a frame of an outline and the borders of the zebras are minimal, which complements Cage's work with the absence of measures or vertical alignment.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice of works, Sam. As others have pointed out, the Calder is an inspired choice. Both Feldman and Cage talked about their work using terms like mobility, stasis, orbit, etc. I think the very idea of a mobile is a great visual analog to the kind of static yet dynamic surface of Cage's work.
ReplyDelete