Sculpture Review & Critique Task

Kate Martin

Sculptures

• Subodh Gupta ‘Line of Control’

• Yayoi Kusama ‘Flowers that Bloom at Midnight’

Subodh GuptaSubodh Gupta is known for his art-historical

legacies of metal casting, assemblage and the 3D principles of modern sculpture. Gupta’s materials are laden with cultural, social and political history; he uses many different medias for instance painting, video, performance and sculpture to portray his meaningful artworks of cultural and political issues. Most of Gupta’s art originates from local traditions and materials from his home state of Bihar in India, yet his subjective artworks have world recognition for their bold address to issues of global significance.

Line of ControlSubodh Gupta

Line of Control

The 2008 sculpture Line of Control by Subodh Gupta was created with a large collection of brass and copper utensils, stainless steel and everyday objects such as pots, pans, bicycles and other household items. These elements are supported by a large steel structure – overall standing 10 metres in height.

This giant free standing assemblage artwork combines products and materials of Indian village life (e.g. kitchen utensils, milk buckets and other functional items, also Gupta frequently uses parts of transportation devices such as motorbikes, taxis and bicycles).

The huge mushroom cloud is a representation of the contradictions in 21st century India, the tension between modern and traditional culture, urban and rural life, poverty and wealth. Through his controversial artwork Gupta changes the original image of damage, death and destruction into a reflection of explosive abundance.

ConstructionIn the process of creating this

magnificent sculpture Gupta made a series of steel pallets which sections of the overall sculpture were welded onto, these pallets were then lifted into place with cranes then welded together.

PerspectiveThe audience’s perspective of the prominent

mushroom cloud is overwhelming, when the public viewed the work they felt small and fearful – this was caused by the previous knowledge of explosive mushroom clouds and the destruction they cause – because the sculpture stands 10 metres high and spreads out over a 10 metre area above an average human’s head you feel insignificant and the idea that you, as a human being, are only a small part of society and today’s culture.

10 m

Yayoi KusamaKusama (born. Matsumoto, Japan in 1929), the

Polka Dot Princess has always had an obsession with flowers, even at a young age she was fascinated by their beauty and form but also how they contradict themselves. How they represent life and death, celebration and mourning, masculinity and femininity all at the same time and with their complex forms being organic, delicate and finding uniqueness through repetition. These forms intrigued her and have become one of her most used and renowned artistic symbols.

Similarities & DifferencesThese two sculptures have many similarities and differences,

from two very different artist’s imaginations they share similar views and portray important messages through their artworks.

The materials in the pieces are very different with Kusama’s works being created with smooth fibreglass, reinforced plastic and have been hand painted, while Gupta’s Line of Control is jagged, chunky with space between his household materials. Their style and colour palettes also separate the works remarkably, Flowers that Bloom at Midnight having fun, child-like, futuristic, cartoon influenced designs with loud, vibrant, block contrasting colours (Kusama likes to combine loud colours with basic shades and tints, most of her works are brightly coloured with black or white dots, 'polka dots are a way to infinity.' – Kusama). Gupta chose a bland, uniform bronze metallic look for his work sticking to the natural form and assemblage styled materials of his concept in Indian life.

Both artworks have representations of conflict, contrasting elements and idealistic contradictions. However, Kusama’s giant flowers symbolize happiness, joyous, and playful messages while Gupta’s idea of taking a negative symbol and doubling it with the idea of rebirth and happiness is still very unique to Kusama’s styles.

The viewer’s interaction with the two large sculptures is firstly overwhelming with confusing and deep meanings but after assessing the artworks Kusama’s sculpture is an inviting instillation, when all 11 flowers are placed in the same display it creates a sense of a large full garden, even when the flowers are spaced out on separate low plinths. Whereas Gupta’s work still has overwhelming, fearful, depressing yet intriguing factors to it, yet after careful surveillance the audience grows to like and understand the overall purpose of the sculpture.

Bibliography

• Line of Control• http://qagoma.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/apt/apt6/

virtual_tour/GoMA_level_1_Galleries_1.1_and_1.2• http://qagoma.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/apt/apt6/artists/

subodh_gupta• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subodh_Gupta• Flowers that Bloom at Midnight• http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/8381/

yayoi-kusama-i-want-to-live-forever.html• http://interactive.qag.qld.gov.au/looknowseeforever/works/

flowers/