Sculptures Across Cultures

          The theme of my exhibit is sculpture across cultures. Humans create sculptures for many reasons, one being to immortalize an important figure. This is shown through many Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman sculptures. Not all Greek sculptures have survived, and many seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art are Roman reproductions. These sculptures were crafted from marble with the finest attention to detail. Sculptures of gods display perfect human form. African sculpture often depicts the opposite. Faces with exaggerated facial features dominate this genre. The materials used in the creation of these sculptures are more basic. For example, many African sculptures are made of wood. Mexican sculptures possess the quality of intricate carvings on the facial regions. The detail of these carvings make it seem as if the sculpture was not of a human face, but that of a mask. The medium used with many Mexican sculptures is limestone. Different regions produce different types of sculptures. Cultural ideas and beliefs are embedded within these sculptures. Many sculptures seen from Ancient Greek, Mexican, and African cultures depict deities. This leads us to conclude that these deities must have had an important part in everyday life, otherwise the sculptures would not have been created in the first place. Different regions also produce different materials for creating work. Greek and Roman sculptures are dominated by the materials of bronze and marble. African sculptures, on the other hand, make use of wood and ceramics. The difference between the sculptures does not relate to the advancement of each culture. Rather, these materials represent what was presently available at the time of creation. This exhibit takes you through three different cultures. Each culture has a different take when it comes to creating a sculpture. Look at these sculptures as a window into the past, and see how different times were back then in relation to today. 

 Polykleitos, "Marble statue of Hermes," 1st or 2nd Century, Greek/Roman

  

Restoration: Vincenzo Pacetti, "Hope Dinoysos,"  27 BC - 68 AD, Greek/Roman

Artist Uknown, "Marble statue of an old woman," AD 14-68, Greek/Roman

Artist Unknown, "Marble statue of Aphrodite," 1st or 2nd Century AD, Greek/Roman

Artist Unknown, "Power Figure," mid to late 19th century, African

Artist Unknown, "Reliquary: Standing Male Figure," 19th Century, African

 Artist Unknown, "Female Figure," 19th-20th Century, African

Artist Unknown, "Monumental Figure," 9th Century, Mexican

Artist Unknown, "Head of an old man," 16th Century, Mexican

Artist Uknown, "Female Figure," 12th-9th Century BC, Mexican

LES Galleries Reaction

The galleries of the Lower East Side were different—to say the least—from those in Chelsea. The Chelsea galleries seemed more official in standing. The artists featured there were more prominent than those on display at the galleries on the Lower East Side. Most of the galleries appeared to be foreclosed storefronts. The windows were plain and undecorated. Passing by casually, I could not distinguish the galleries from stores. Signs above the galleries were those from previous stores. The first gallery I visited was the Joe Sheftel Gallery. The images were by different artists and I felt them to be unrelated. The piece titled “Black Mirror” by artist Sherrie Levine grabbed my attention. The trick was the glass reflecting an image. Light was not able to bounce back off the black mirror as easily as a normal mirror. I almost “got lost” in gazing at the piece. The gallery Untitled featured many works that were without a titled. These pieces were distinct from normal modern pieces because they were made from shattered glass, metal, and wood. The pieces seemed to capture the moment when the three materials crashed into each other. The Stephan Stoyanov Gallery featured artist Greg Goldberg. These paintings were abstract in the fact that the only noticeable features were colors. The shapes these colors formed separated one painting from the other paintings in the room. A gallery manager said the paintings seem to change color with the seasons, since the colors reflect natural light so well. I took her word for it. Each gallery on the Lower East Side had at least one piece that appeared to go against the grain of classic art (such as sculpture and painting). The sculptures at Untitled were aesthetically unpleasing to the eye, yet intriguing enough to deserve a second look. The art presented in these galleries might not cater to the desires of those “shopping” in Chelsea. Many of those galleries were hosting prominent artists with expensive pieces. Perhaps if a piece was cheaper, to a Chelsea shopper, it would have less artistic value. The surrounding area might also not please those who favor Chelsea galleries. The strong smell of the subway combined with the smell of fish on the streets might be too much for those shoppers. I feel the art on the Lower East Side to be more down to earth and realistic because of the surrounding area. The artists did not go with some artistic norms and decided to create their own path.

Public Art Reaction

          The sculpture titled “Fiorello H. LaGuardia” is conveniently on display in the cafeteria of the E building at LaGuardia Community College. Neil Estern created this sculpture in the image of New York’s past mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia. Completed in 1994, the sculpture displays a cheerful, husky LaGuardia in mid-stroll. LaGuardia’s mouth is wide open to give the impression of speech or whistling. His hands are close together, almost as if he were about to clap. The impression of LaGuardia is that he was a happy, active man. The sculpture seems to fit perfectly in the atmosphere of the college. The dining hall is a place where people sit down to eat their food, but it is also a place of thoroughfare for students passing through. Just as the students walk to class, so does LaGuardia. Students, whether sitting down for lunch or just passing through, often talk with their friends and classmates or on a cellphone. LaGuardia’s mouth mimics speech and appears to be in place with its surroundings. Although there are many images of LaGuardia scattered throughout campus, this piece seems to be hidden. Placed in an indent at the far wall, the statue is almost unnoticeable to someone walking through. Lighting does not make the statue shine or stand out against the red paint. Passerby seem to be more concerned with finding a seat or getting to class than peering into the face of the sculpture. However hidden this may be, the sculpture embodies human movement and communication in a place where both are present virtually any time of day. This piece appears to be a small copy of the original, which was placed in LaGuardia Gardens in Greenwich. Perhaps if the sculpture was moved into the outdoor area of the E building it would be a better fit. I believe the surrounding area is a detriment to the sculpture. Students and teachers acknowledge LaGuardia’s name every time they enter the building. Seeing a sculpture of him is nothing out of the ordinary in a place named after the man himself. Therefore, the attention given to the sculpture is less than what is deserved. This piece deserves to be placed in a more friendly location, such as a public park.

Neil Estern

“Fiorello H. LaGuardia”

Bronze

1994