Sculpture Center Reaction

Our latest class field trip was a visit to the Sculpture Center to view Bill Bollinger: The Retrospective. We had to keep in mind the terms and meanings of Installation and Site-specific when looking at the artwork. The term Installation refers to how a piece of artwork is presented in a space. Site-specific refers to artwork presented in a particular space. 

The first piece of artwork that grabbed my attention was The Cyclone Fence, made in 1968. The fence was interesting in the way in was presented in warehouse space. The space had enough room to show the fence twisted other than it lying flat on the ground. The cyclone artwork changed my perception of space by acknowledging that space is important for construction and security. I think the artwork would definitely have a different effect in another space, for example, let’s say water. Having the cyclone fence in the water would send a different message about what a fence is used for. Wire Fences aren’t commonly placed in water, so the artwork would have to be looked at and analyzed differently.

Next, I analyzed two Wheelbarrows with water. The wheelbarrows fit perfectly within the space among other constructed artwork material. My common knowledge is that Wheelbarrows are commonly used for construction, gardening, and /or carrying heaving material. Wheelbarrows are made of steel which are great for carrying metal, sheetrock, and other heavy-duty materials during construction. The wheelbarrows were presented like upright, filled with water, ready to be poured. 

The last piece of artwork that I thought was interesting was the Droplight. The droplight is an incandescent bulb with a rubber bulb holder and electric cable. The droplight can be useful anywhere light is need and that can be plugged in to a wall circuit. This tool is very important in construction, as workers need this light when working at night and to see parts of a space that are hard to get into with a human body alone. The droplight worked well with its surroundings and other artwork, as all art pieces related to construction. 

Bill Bollinger- Reconstruction
"Cyclone Fence"
1968 (2012)

Bill Bollinger -Kunstmuseum-St. Gallen Reconstruction
"Untitled" Wheelbarrows, water
1970 (2002)

Bill Bollinger -Kunstmuseum -St. Gallen Reconstruction
"Droplight"
1969