What is Art?: The Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor in 2004-2006

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor in 2004-2006

Why should art remain hidden inside museums? Art should be seen by as many people as possible and inspire as many viewers as it can. Anish Kapoor believed that anything can be art and he portrayed his art through the public so his pieces can be seen by everyone. Public art is a way of inspiring the people of a society, by putting flamboyant art pieces in high populations like “The Cloud Gate.” Public art helps to beautify cities and please all those who travel through. Anish Kapoor wanted to create an art piece where the people are left in awe, and wonder what the piece is and where it came from. Through the shine and reflectivity of Anish’s work, his pieces have no fixed identity, but rather occupy an illusionary space that is consistent with eastern theologies shared by Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism, as well as Albert Einstein's views of a non-three-dimensional world. Kapoor explores the theme of deceptiveness with his works which makes the viewer wondering about the piece. Kapoor creates a conflict between internal and external, superficial and subterranean, and conscious and unconscious through “The Cloud Gate” while exploring a theme of ambiguity. Kapoor also creates a tension between masculine and feminine within his art by having concave points of focus that invite the entry of visitors and multiplies their images when they are positioned correctly.

The Cloud Gate was designed in 2004 by Anish Kapoor and it is in the center of the AT&T Plaza in Chicago. The Cloud Gate’s design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's seamless surface reflects and deforms the city's skyline but its elliptical shape would alter and twist the reflected image. The sculpture is available to the public so visitors are able to walk around and under the art piece. Anish believed that art may be anything and he tried to perfect “The Cloud Gate” and portray to the world that even though that he worked two years on a stainless steel 110 ton bean that there is a meaning behind the piece and it is an extravagant work of art.

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Introduction

What is Art? This topic was brought up in history class with Mr. Potash and I wanted to elaborate on this topic through my Art gallery.

In the pictures and videos above it displays how everyday items can be portrayed as art. These everyday art pieces impacted and changed the view of art across the world. These art pieces and video clips are very unique in their own way and the pieces all have a special meaning behind it. Art gives us a way to be creative and express ourselves. In our discussion my classmates argued that art has to be pleasing to the eye but I was not convinced with this argument. I believe that art can be portrayed almost through anything

Striving Toward Perfection by Angela Yang

In this blog “Striving towards Perfection” by Angela Yang, relates to my topic “What is Art” because the authors, Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, and Duchamp had one common goal to try to perfect their definition of art. In Angela’s blog, her main goal was to elaborate on “perfection” in her paintings. In the “The Parthenon of Classical Greece” she elaborates on the Parthenon as a “perfect” geometric masterpiece and the best representation of using a mathematical approach to achieve perfect symmetry by applying a certain ratio known as the Golden Section, Golden Ratio, Golden Mean, or Divine Proportions. In her piece “The Discus Thrower” she elaborates on the male form that is depicted as perfect because the sets of muscles work harmoniously together to create an athletic, but not over-developed body. In the painting “The Sistine Chapel” she elaborate on how if one has a deep understanding of God or religion then one is coming closer to achieve God’s perfection. These painting relate to my painting because in my painting The Cloud Gate, The Fountain, and Chicken Noodle Soup, the authors main goal was to “perfect” their theory of What is Art.

Human Emotion by Daniel Hernandez

I relate my blog to Daniel’s because he talks human emotion and senses and how people are able to perceive their surroundings that trigger our feelings or what we call today, emotions. I relate this to my blog because without human emotions Anish Kapoor, Andy Warhol, and Duchamp would not have portrayed their idea of “What is Art” and they would not have impacted the world of art like they did. In Daniels blog he represent all five of human senses through art, touch- Creation of Adam, sight- the Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, taste- the last supper, smell- stormtroops advancing under gas, and hear- the old guitarist. Without these senses humans would not be able portray their emotions like the painters in my blog portray idea of "What is Art"