Fulcrum -1987

Fulcrum is a 55 foot tall tower of steel built in England. The sculpture is made up of 5 steel plates that lean against each other and counter their weight. The sculpture was constructed in 1987 and was met with mixed reviews. Lots of people opposed it as it was built in a busy part of town and is very large.

Fulcrum creates the feel of a falling upwards through a tube of steel to the light at the top. As opposed to most of Serra's work, this sculpture is a vertical experience as opposed to horizontal. Fulcrum sends steel up in the air with a small footprint while pieces like 'Joe' have a large footprint by are not tall.

Fulcrum reminds me of a rock formation. This is because it is very jagged and ridged, as opposed to smooth and fluid. This is my favorite piece by Serra because there is an element of excitement, even danger, with the structure climbing 55 feet into the sky.

Sources:
http://www.demec.ufmg.br/port/d_online/diario/Ema101/AnalisePCriativo/SobreObraDe/RichardSerra/Fotos/Fulcrum.jpg

http://www.commentart.com/publicarts/Fulcrum

Joe -2000

In 2000 Richard Serra created the a metal sculpture named "Joe." Joe is in reference to Joseph Pulitzer Jr. Pulitzer was one of the earliest supporters of Serra. As a tribute to the late Pulitzer, Serra erected "Joe" at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.

Joe is a spiral of steel which creates an environment within itself. The contrast of the imposing walls and the open sky creates a mixture of emotions for the person experiencing the work. As opposed to his indoor installations, Joe sits outside and therefore is exposed to all types of weather. This creates change in the work day to day.

I think that outdoor, public pieces of art are ideal for society. It allows the art to be enjoyed by people that usually wouldn't enter the gallery.

Sources:
http://portrait.pulitzerarts.org/north-main-gallery/joplin/

http://nytimes.com/2006/09/17art/design/17blum.html

A Matter of Time -June 8, 2005

A Matter of Time, housed at the Guggenheim, is one of the largest installed works of art in the world. Measuring a massive 430 feet in length and weighing 1200 tons, this metal behemoth creates an environment entirely new to the gallery crowd.
The name "A Matter of Time" implies a couple of things. The first is that the steel structure itself is changing as it oxidizes. So what you see today will be different than what you will see in the future. It also implies that the visitors control the time that they spend within the work itself. In doing such, the visitors become a part of the work themselves. They control where the start, stop, how fast or slow they move, and how much time they commit to experiencing the work.
This work reminds me somewhat of the city streets. The pieces resemble alleyways in the way that the are claustrophobic and dark. Acoustically, the slated walls remind me of recording studios in the way that the sound waves bounce off of the surfaces and are directed to specific areas, creating or eliminating echo.

Sources:
http://mocoloco.com/art/archives/001166.php

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2005/jun/22/art