Contemporary Art:This Deserves a Second Look

Contemporary art cannot be placed into neat compartments or a series of movements. The world of contemporary art is rich diverse, and UNPREDICTABLE. While painting, photography, drawing, and the crafts still attract a large group of artists, these familiar forms of art have evolved with time. Film, video, audio, installations, performance, and computers are common media today.

The following are just a couple examples of contemporary public art that I feel spark curiosity and deserve a second look.

Le Passe-Muraille (the Passer Through the Wall)

http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/le-passe-muraille.php

Zander Olsen-Tree Line

A perfect meld between man and nature.

Xian, China- Terracotta Warriors (funerary art)

I remember first learning about this in art history class, about 12 years ago. It remains one of my favorite sculpture(s).

Artist unknown.

A different view of life. 

Rain, rain, go away...

In The Rain sculpture for Scotch(R) Off The Roll Tape Sculpture Contest - 2012

An apple a day keeps the doctor away?

How far must we climb before we can see the light?

A Tower of Blinded Men Rising into the Sky by Korean sculptor Do Ho Suh at NOMA - New Orleans

Sculpture Garden

University of Maryland, sculpture located in the back of the Architecture building.

What a great mini-scultpure garden, but is this in the right location? In back of a building? Next to a parking lot?

Love the combination of small stones, boulders, perennials. You can not make out the free-flowing guara, but it is one of my favorite plants- it blooms throughout the season and is a great texture plant as it sways with the wind. 

Lumen 8: A sign of change?

June 22, 2013 was the kick-off festival for Lumen8Anacostia. Followed by six weeks of events ranging from music, food, film, fashion, workshops, and art, Lumen8 "aims at inspiring future economic development in Anacostia" (Jones, Washington City Paper). I must say it certainly seems as though it has captured an audience. But who is this audience?

Would a HandM, Forever 21, or Chipotle be a good fit in the neighborhood? 

#southeastlove....do you got it?

The Lumen8 Music Box was a great ending to the day's festivities...great ambiance, music, and set up.

 Entrance into the Music Box

Color, color, and more color!

Color is a powerful tool that can heighten the senses and evoke the emotions. The art of combining colors effectively is a skill I continue to grow upon. The following are great examples of how to use color, of course it's all in the eye of the beholder.

What talent- Lara Merrett

Metal Works

As my love for metal smithing has grown over the past decade so have the sizes of my metal creations. I started working with metal on a small scale, creating bold, funky pieces of jewelry. But as I learned new techniques I found my pieces getting bigger. As I begin to think about materials I will use for public art pieces, an exploration of how metal can be used to communicate messages will be a primary focus. The following are not my works, but I am intrigued by the different uses of metal to deliver a message. 

http://britishwomenartists.com/art-show.php?art=4416#sthash.isrlTjpw.dpbs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/4277465868/in/faves-hodgepodgephotography/

Artist unknown

http://www.tlclandscapes.com.au/www/content/default.aspx?cid=644

Art that Makes a Statement

One criteria that my public art pieces must fit is to make a statement. The following are examples of creative ways to express ideas/issues. 

Using existing elements to make a statment. This requires looking at objects, textures, shapes in a different light. Layering multiple meaning to a single thing.

http://www.streetartutopia.com/?p=11213

http://www.streetartutopia.com/?p=2014

http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/page/36/

http://www.youramazingplaces.com/creative-examples-of-street-art-that-will-blow-your-mind/

Texture

I know I have many 'favorite' plants, but this is definitely at the top of my list (plus the name is awesome).

Sea Holly Eryngium giganteum: Great for year round interest. 

Also check out, Echinops ritro

What a beautiful color palette: chartreuse, purple, and ivory. The selected plants add flowing movement to the garden as they sway in the wind. 

Color and Texture

University of Maryland Landscapes

I am loving the mass plantings. Great color combinations and contrasting textures. 

Engaging the Viewer

How can public art engage the audience?

'Secrets of Lightness' a memorial garden honoring one of Australia's leading

 landscape architect, Kevin Taylor. 

What if the viewer could write their own message on the glass?

Peek-a-boo art?

Welcome

Join me in my journey into the world of public art, landscape, and community. This blog is a record of the inspiration I gather on a day-to-day basis.