Sculpture Center Reaction

      Ever consider how an artwork effects the space it’s in. Or how the space itself can contribute to the artwork, well I haven’t until now. I recently visited the Sculpture Center to view “Bill Bollinger: The Retrospective”, looking at the physical space of the museum and how its way smaller compared to all of the previous museums I’ve visited; has made me come to the conclusion of installation and how it could either affect an artwork in a positive or negative form.
     One of the many artworks at the Bill Bollinger exhibit that caught my attention was the “Cyclone Fence,” the name says it all. Honestly, I think the artwork would catch any viewer’s attention because the artwork is almost in the center of the main floor exhibit. It’s a very interesting piece; the space and the architecture of the museum seem to work well with the artwork. If the same artwork were to be placed let’s say in the MoMa, it would not have the same “wow” factor as in the Sculpture Center. The plain white walls of the MoMa could not compare to the brick walls and warehouse design that makes the artist piece standout. 
     A second artwork that caught my eye was “Waterpipe,” I really enjoyed looking at this piece. The artwork was made out of plastic hoses and iron and placed into a tube. The artwork was installed with a white wall as its background. The installation of the artwork was thoughtfully placed; once again the artwork and the architecture complimented one another. I must say I was a bit deceived when I stepped inside the Sculpture Center, I honestly thought I was going to fine a room filled with plain white walls and the artworks and that’s it. I didn’t except to fine sculpture in the middle of the exhibit and thoughtfully placed artwork. 
     The third artwork that caught my attention is my favorite. This artwork is so simple, its two wheelbarrows filled with water. Although the artwork looked as if it belonged in a farm rather than a museum, I still loved the rawness of the work. If this artwork were to be placed in a different museum, it would still have the same affect that it has in the Sculpture Center. One of the many reasons that I favor this particular artwork so much is because it reminded me of when I was younger. I would travel to Dominican Republic for vacation and visit my uncles and help them with their farm. My job would always be to hold the wheelbarrow while my cousin threw dirt inside of it.
     Lastly, the space in which an artwork is placed in plays a great role on the artwork itself. I never actually took the time to appreciate installation and how it can affect an artwork. “Bill Bollinger: The Retrospective” exhibit at the Sculpture Center really changed the way I perceived art and the space it occupies. I now see how major installation is to an artwork, it could either affect an artwork in a positive way or if not carefully thought out in a negative way. Luckily for this exhibit it affected the artworks in a positive way. 

Bill Bollinger

"Cyclone Fence"

1968

Bill Bollinger

"Waterpipe"

1970

Bill Bollinger

"Untitled"

1970