Richard Serra, Pacific Judson Murphy, 1978, paintstick on Belgian linen, two parts: 285 x 442 cm and 285 x 272 cm, private collection. Photo: Rob McKeever. © the artist Although I do consider myself relatively well rounded when it comes to the art world, I don't believe that I have ever read an actual review of an exhibition before. Thanks Rubens, for expanding my mind, one assignment at a time!
The pictures in this article really struck a chord with me. It looked like something that an abstract would make (I was thinking Kazimir Malevich's "Black Square"). Serra's work looks as though it is just a piece of black canvas sitting in a room. Everybody is attracted to black; it is such a mysterious thing to encounter a strong, dark figure, no matter the circumstances. Black will always intrigue people (it worked for Caravaggio even some contemporaries who are, sadly, escaping my mind) and it always has. There is something about black the just makes people look at it. It could be the uncertainty of night, or just our natural instincts to know everything about our surroundings. Back to the paintings. It is interesting to think about these as "Drawings". The title of the actual exhibit is "Richard Serra Drawing: A Retrospective." For some reason, that really does not sit well with me. When I see the word "draw," I always assume that it will have pencil marks in it, or something that looks like a typical drawing; there is no drawing to be found in a completely black surface. This is a completely different kind of drawing. It is a paint stick drawing. That simple fact changes my entire perception of these works, and actually should change anybody's opinion while they may stumble across this in the Metropolitan Museum (less formally, the Met).
When I first looked, I just saw blackness. There was nothing besides a black surface. It looks cool, it leads somewhere that you might want to go, but are not sure if you want to go. Go, I promise (or at least think) that there will be a world of various marks, depths, textures and hues within that black plain, but only once you rub noses with it. Very similar in style to the work of Mark Rothko, to the unsuspecting viewer, it is just a few colors put in the middle of a canvas with absolutely no canvas showing. It seems boring, but when you look (Rothko recommended 18 inches from face to paint) a plethora of struggles, emotions, battles (both internal and external) are revealed in his brush strokes. Even though I have not scene any Rothko paintings, or any Serra drawings, I can only assume (hopefully not making an ass out of me) that they come to life when seen first hand. Serra seems to dig deep into the Mark Rothko's view of art: simple from a distance, yet multilayered upon further examination. Abstract expressionism (Rothko) and Minimalism (Serra) are fairly similar. An Abstract Expressionist's painting is done when the painting says it is, and a minimalist work is done when nothing in the environment is substantially changed. They both rely upon their surroundings very heavily.
It is interesting to know that he was curious at such a young age, like most people, but it is extremely interesting to know that he kept his passion for curiosity throughout his entire life. When Serra talks of his artistic inspiration of "never say never mind," it adds a little something extra to the work. The final result is kind of cute. The article starts out with a conversation that Serra and his mother had when he was a younger. Art is Serra’s need to find an answer to something that his authority figure would not, or could not answer for him. His impeccably clean presentation of the pieces adds to the intrigue of it all. When is something so rough, so dense contained in something so delicate and clean? Why are his sculptures so massive, but unobtrusive and seemingly frail?
Art shows humans what people are capable of; Serra pretty much does that. People can question, and people can create.
Apparently I'm a mother fucking monster, because that review above me is 666 words long.
http://vimeo.com/18551034 i don't know how to embed videos :(
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