“Art might originate in personal experience yet also address universal artistic, political, and/or social ideas.” |
Art is often inspired by the personal experiences of the artist; however, their works also frequently address universal artistic, political or social concepts. Artists often find themselves immersed in the widespread beliefs of the time, their art often reflecting these accepted standards. Sculpture artists Sylvie Fleury and David Smith both incorporate personal interests such as fashion and nature in their sculptures, as well as collective artistic, political and social ideas. “Skin Crime 3” and “Ela 75k” by contemporary artist Fleury are both based on her individual feminine pleasures, thus providing commentary on the social beliefs towards women in a capitalist society and accepted artistic conventions. In the works of abstract expressionist David Smith, “Hudson River Landscape” and “Cubi VI”, his own experiences with the natural environment of America are developed alongside generally accepted artistic beliefs such as those belonging to Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. Each artist has their own unique approach to their sculptures, with a strong link between personal experience and universal ideas still present.
The personal experiences of Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury are the initial inspirations of her art, yet she also places importance on having global social and artistic concepts within her work. Fleury was born in 1961 and currently works in Geneva. She first attracted widespread attention in the early 90’s, during which she created artworks centred on fashion, consumerism and gender representation. In “Skin Crime 3”, created in 1997, Fleury’s fascination with cars is placed centre stage and is combined with clever commentary on gender hierarchies within society. Her sculpture series “Ela 75k” (2000), confirms her interest in shopping and luxury goods, while also commenting on the social values embedded in capitalist culture. The artmaking practice of Fleury plays a vital role in conveying her ideas to the audience through her sculptures, both personal and universal. “Skin Crime 3” features a glaringly pink Fiat convertible – an allusion to the artist’s enthusiasm for automobiles – in its crushed form. Fleury got her license early on and despite living in Switzerland, her first car was an American model: the 1968 Chevy Camaro. She later founded a Swiss motoring club for women by the name of ‘She-devils on wheels’. This background deeply influenced her choice of object for “Skin Crime 3”, as it is often seen as a masculine pursuit by society and is of personal import to the artist. The shiny coating on the exterior of the convertible is actually nail polish - its use conveying significant meaning on the changing roles of women in modern society to the audience. Fleury chose nail enamel over an industrial varnish to celebrate femineity through choice of colour and texture. The artist has admitted to her own obsession with female pleasures, and her personal celebration of her gender is clearly present in “Skin Crime 3”. When moving past the personal experiences embedded within “Skin Crime 3”, there emerges a direct connotation to the social and political ideals of Fleury’s contemporary society. The grand, otherworldly nature of the vehicle, partly due to its glamorous appearance, stands as evidence of the excess in capitalist society. Swiss artist Fleury was first exposed to the Western world in the early eighties, when her parents sent her to New York to be an au pair girl. Although she hated the profession, she was still able to grasp at the consumerist culture that was considered to be part of the ideal social model at the time. The crushed nature of the car is a potent reference to the lack of fulfilment one experiences when purchasing luxury items. In her own words: “[It’s] the paradox in the commodity factor… Even when you get it, you don’t get much.”(Gavin, n.d.) It’s this emptiness that Fleury waves in front of the audience in “Skin Crime 3”, as well as many of her other works. Another sculpture by Fleury, with the title of “Ela 75k”, originates from her personal interests yet also makes pertinent observations on the attitudes of consumers in modern society. The artwork features a notably empty golden shopping trolley placed upon a mirrored pedestal. Again, Fleury has acknowledged and supported the longing for these expensive items, not unlike “Skin Crime 3”. Her own interest in shopping has in turn influenced her to delve into the universal ideas surrounding the subject. Fleury’s decision to place altered ready-made objects in an artistic context explores the awakening of human desire at the sight or lack of purchasable goods. By placing the actual items on display, she is confirming the realism of the installation, therefore gaining a more compelling response from her audiences. Her use of ‘found’ or ‘bought’ objects also parallels that of Modern masters such as Marcel Duchamp. The personal preferences of the artist – especially her participation in consumer culture – essentially serve as the foundation of her artworks. She further explores these ideas on a universal scale, relating to viewers around the world. In “Ela 75k”, there are various signs and symbols employed by the artist to convey widespread social attitudes and ideas to the onlooker. Placed upon a spinning pedestal, the trolley’s 24 karat gold-plated exterior is hard to miss. Fleury’s choice of gold has significance in the eye of the beholder – not only has she sugar-coated the object, but she is commenting on the desire to buy luxurious goods in a consumer setting. The vacancy of the trolley tells another tale, portraying the dissatisfaction of buyers once disillusioned from the initial excitement. As Lucina Ward, Curator of the National Gallery of Australia, states, “She provides us with an object which hints at luxury and fulfilment but is, ultimately, empty.”(Ward, n.d.) In other words, while many people are attracted to the obsession of shopping, often they are left without any of these deluxe items, or having spent copious amounts of money on their desires. Fleury’s arrangement of the sculpture on a pedestal is associated with the Western culture’s beliefs on power and worship. On that extra level, the glorified trolley becomes an object for idolisation by the audience. Contemporary art critic Francesca Gavin confirms this in her assessment of the artist: “Sylvie Fleury’s work is a manifestation of the human need to worship”. (Gavin, n.d.) However, the mirror reflecting the sculpture above causes one to realise the superficiality of the scene. Despite Fleury’s initial inspiration from personal experiences, her artworks have thrived on her honest evaluation of universal social and political ideas. The sculptures of 20th Century artist David Smith are based upon his personal experiences, yet they also make reference to Modern artistic movements and the industrialised phase of the 1900s. Born in the United States of America during 1906, Smith was witness to the permanent influence of modern technology on his rural home town, Ohio. Smith addressed the widespread optimism towards machinery in his artworks, often describing the industrial age as a ‘double-edged sword’ and a threat to humanity. However, Smith seemed to later move away from his anti-capitalist themes during the post-war period. “Hudson River Landscape”, created by Smith in 1950, provides insight into his personal life as a welder in upstate New York, while also revealing unique facets of global artistic and political ideas. Part of his Cubis series, Smith’s “Cubi VI” (1963) incorporates aspects of his metal-working ability and his personal connection to nature. A number of universal artistic ideals are also recognised in his sculpture, with references to the cubist and abstract expressionist movement. David Smith’s ground-breaking sculpture, “Hudson River Landscape” depicts the surroundings of the artist’s home at Bolton Landing in a manner that accepts but also expands on the artistic and political conventions of the time. After moving from Brooklyn to upstate New York, Smith awakened an interest in nature and the environment. The artist undertook ten train rides between Albany and Poughkeepsie New York, with the Hudson River running along the side of the tracks for most of the trip; hence the basis for his sculpture. The rust-coloured contours of the work intertwine to convey various fragments of the river scenery. Although these fragments are very subjective, the impression of mountains, sky and train tracks are decipherable to the audience. Smith has welded steel in flowing and rugged forms to create strong patterns representative of his personal view of the landscape. There is a considerable amount of space between the thin steel lengths, creating a two-dimensional feel to the sculpture. The artist called his technique ‘drawing in space’ and his statement, “I do not recognise the limits where painting ends and sculpture begins” (David Smith: Hudson…, n.d.), is supported heavily by “Hudson River Landscape”. His mixture of 2-D and 3-D forms is clear evidence of his advancement from already established artistic standards. Allusions to generally recognised artistic movements such as Cubism and Abstract Expressionism are made in Smith’s “Hudson River Landscape”, despite being heavily influenced by personal experiences. In addition, his choice of media is reflective of the modernised industrial nature of the artist’s world. Smith was inspired by the artworks of cubist leaders such as Pablo Picasso, who used metal to form his sculptures. Smith himself had experience in manipulating this material, as he had worked as a welder and riveter as early as 1925. In “Hudson River Landscape”, the audience is confronted with conventions from the cubist manifesto: Smith had drawn a wide range of sketches in preparation for the sculpture, but he ultimately combined each perspective into the one artwork (a crucial idea within cubism). The sculptor was also renowned for his contribution to abstract expressionism, a movement that was active in America from the 1940s to the 1960s. In Smith’s sculpture, he has depicted the landscape through gestural, expressive forms, emphasising the artist’s individual freedom. Abstract expressionists were often influenced by the post-war mood of anxiety and trauma, but “Hudson River Landscape” appears to be a work of appreciation in praise of Smith’s natural surroundings. This communication of the artist’s inner emotions is what essentially drove the Abstract Expressionist movement, and confirms his addressal of universal artistic ideas. Another metallic sculpture by Smith, “Cubi VI”, reflects upon his admiration of nature but also explores widespread artistic ideas from the 20th Century, an example being Abstract Expressionism. Created after “Hudson River Landscape”, the work is similar in its reflection of universal artistic ideas despite its different appearance. Before his untimely death in 1965, Smith created a series of sculptures with the intention of making, in his own words, “a structure that can face the sun and hold its own against the blaze and the power.”(Blessing, n.d.) “Cubi VI” was one of these sculptures, its large stainless steel form reflecting the sunlight when placed outdoors. The audience often views Smith’s ‘Cubis’ in this manner to fully appreciate their echoes of nature, a concept which was inspired by Smith’s personal adoration of his natural surroundings at Bolton Landing. The sculpture is an asymmetrical arrangement of welded geometric shapes which balance upon one another in a gravity-defying way. This creates a sense of weightlessness, as well as contrasting the positive and negative spaces. Smith developed the arrangement beforehand by spray-painting cardboard models placed against paper, consequently leaving their silhouette on the page. The highly reflective exterior of “Cubi VI” was created using an electrically-powered polishing disk, the gestural markings left by the artist reminiscent of the strokes applied by many Abstract Expressionists in their paintings. This reference to the movement is proof of how artists can create artworks out of personal feelings, yet also address universal artistic ideas. However, the subtlety of the artist’s allusion to these ideas can vary between works, as shown by “Cubi VI” and the less understated “Hudson River Landscape”. Both artists Sylvie Fleury and David Smith use their personal experiences as the foundations for their artworks, while likewise addressing general artistic, social and political ideas. The work of Fleury is based upon her individual fascination with consumerist culture which also provides commentary on the role of women in contemporary society. Smith’s sculptures are an exploration of his connection to nature and his background in metalwork, but in doing so they are a reflection of global artistic movements comprising of Cubism and Abstract Expressionism as well as the industrialisation of 20th Century America. Therefore, these works stand as evidence of the link between personal experiences and universal ideas in art. Bibliography Anfam, D. (1990). Abstract expressionism (pp. 39-42, 71, 98-100, 159, 180-183). London u.a: Thames and Hudson. Arenas, T. (n.d.). Figurative Language. Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://www.bassmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Figurative-Language-Silvie-Fleury-4th-Grade-Literacy.pdf Art in New York … A Crushed Fiat Painted in Pink Nail Polish. (2014, May 26). Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://globalgraphica.com/2014/05/26/art-in-new-york-a-crushed-fiat-painted-in-pink-nail-polish/ Blessing, J. (n.d.). David Smith. Retrieved July 20, 2014, from http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artwork/3955 David Smith Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.theartstory.org/artist-smith-david.htm David Smith. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.english.imjnet.org.il/popup?c0=13288 David Smith: A Centennial. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/education/school-educator-programs/teacher-resources/arts-curriculum-online?view=item&catid=723&id=56&tmpl=component David Smith: American Abstract Sculptor. (n.d.). Retrieved 15, 2014, from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture/david-smith.htm David Smith: Hudson River Landscape. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://whitney.org/ForKids/Collection/DavidSmith/5414 David Smith: Liberating American sculpture. (2006, December 14). Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://www.aworldtowin.net/reviews/DavidSmith.html Gavin, F. (n.d.). Profile: all that glitters... Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.contemporary-magazines.com/profile63.htm Grosenick, U., & Becker, I. (2003). Women artists in the 20th and 21st century (pp. 56, 59). Köln: Taschen. Halley, P. (2002). Sylvie Fleury. Retrieved July 15, 2014, from http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/sylvie_fleury.shtml Hudson River Landscape. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2014, from http://www.artbeyondsight.org/amart/david-smith.shtml Kuni, V. (2001). Sylvie Fleury. Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://www.frieze.com/issue/review/sylvie_fleury/ Nature and Landscape. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2014, from http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/education/school-educator-programs/teacher-resources/arts-curriculum-online?view=item&catid=723&id=53 Sylvie Fleury at Almine Rech. (2010, June 23). Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/2010/06/sylvie-fleury-at-almine-rech/ Sylvie Fleury Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2014, from https://artsation.com/en/artists/sylvie-fleury Sylvie Fleury Brings Luxury and Glamour to the Contemporary Art Center of Málaga. (2011). Retrieved July 12, 2014, from http://artdaily.com/news/45844/Sylvie-Fleury-Brings-Luxury-and-Glamour-to-the-Contemporary-Art-Center-of-M-laga-%20-%20.U9MmZJMyaSo#.U93ZeJUU_IU Sylvie Fleury. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.alminerech.com/nl/past/23/81/Ela-75K-Plumpity-Plump Ward, L. (n.d.). Sylvie Fleury. Retrieved July 13, 2014, from http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/softsculpture/Default.cfm?IRN=3623&BioArtistIRN=24022&MnuID=3&GalID=2&ViewID=2 Wilkin, K. (2009). David Smith. Retrieved July 16, 2014, from http://www.moma.org/collection/artist.php?artist_id=5480 |