Field Trip 4

Sculpture Center Reaction

            It is amazing how one can live somewhere their entire life and not necessarily know what their surrounding neighborhoods have to offer. Hence the case of the Sculpture Center, I had never even heard of the street name. The inside is definitely unique in terms of the layout. The first floor has a very high ceiling yet the lower level makes one feel like the walls and ceiling are closing in. In all honesty, I was even a bit spooked while downstairs, plus I was alone.

            Bill Bollinger’s exhibit took time to analyze, understand and appreciate. My mind kept sorting what it saw as good art versus bad art. However, as I learned more about the artist my appreciation grew. First of all location was a key element. The exhibit would not have had the same effect say at the MoMa in NYC. The Sculpture Center was the perfect place to showcase Bollinger’s work. The materials used by Bollinger were industrial and one might even think the materials had been lying around the establishment for Bollinger to simply pick up and utilize.

            The “Wire Piece” was quite impressive. The detail Bollinger created by curving the wire was unique. While he could have made the installation much higher due to the height of the ceiling, it then would have taken the viewers attention away from the detail. Bollinger made this work site-specific by placing the installation at eye level, in the middle of the room with enough room to walk on either side and still see the curve made in the wire.

            The “Rope Piece” placed strategically on the corner of the wall was perfect. While the materials included simple rope, clamps eyebolts and turnbuckle, the illusion of shadow created by Bollinger was what made it amazing. Again he had to take into consideration where light in his space came from. Next to this installation, Bollinger strategically placed the “Droplight” piece. The incandescent bulb pointing towards the “Rope Piece” added to the effect of shadow.

 Last, but not least the piece “Untitled” wheelbarrow from afar one didn’t know if they were part of the exhibit. Once again, filling the wheelbarrows to the top prevented them from moving. The rust made it appear as if they were empty. Two other things noticed were that the art drawings were purposely put on a separate wall to highlight them and at the same time not take away from the installations on the right. Also the exhibit on the main floor could not have been placed in the lower level. All installations would have looked wedged into a small space and taken away from Bollinger’s concept of mass.

Bill Bollinger

“Wire Piece”, 1970

Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein-Vaduz

Bill Bollinger

“Rope Piece” (VW), 1967 (2011)

Reconstruction

Bill Bollinger

“Droplight”, 1969

Kunstmuseum-St. Gallen

Bill Bollinger

“Untitled”, 1970 (2002)

Wheelbarrows, water

Kunstmuseum-St. Gallen

Reconstruction