For research for my dissertation and to the works of some of my favourite sculptures I visited the Crucible 2 exhibition at Gloucester cathedral. The exhibition featured works by many great sculptures such as Moore, Gormley and Paolozzi.
Though the art works were fantastic, one of the most notable things, which made this exhibition particularly memorable to me, was the contrast of the sculptures with the intricate decorative interior of the cathedral. Coloured light cast upon them through the vast stained glass windows also transformed some of the sculptures. Seeing the sculptures in this setting allowed me, as the viewer, to experience the art work in a extremely powerful way by being able to see new dimensions and meanings to the sculptures than when presented in the conventional gallery setting. This was most notable when I went on a guided tour around the cathedrals crypt where most sculptures were installed.
This work by Jordi Raga was featured in the crypt. The sculpture is made of carved marble, which demonstrates Raga's immense skill as a sculpture to carve such perfect and soft shapes out of the marble. However what I particularly felt upon viewing this work was the sense of calm which it induced. Within the dark and cold setting of the crypt the shadows and light were able to interact with the sculpture.
Raga was inspired by the river Thames when making this piece which I also resonated with me for the influences of nature on the artist. Furthermore Raga quotes about this piece that 'the fascination relies on its capacity to remember a movement while giving an illusion of stillness.' (crucible 2 catalogue).
Helen Blumenfeld- Souls
Though I found the interior of the cathedral extremely stunning, I found myself drawn to the sculptures which were exhibited outside in the cathedral gardens more so. In particular, Helen Blumenfeld's souls grasped my attention.
Blumenfeld states that a walk in an ancient olive grove where the trees had become eroded and shaped by the wind inspired this series of SOULS sculptures. This the lead her to see the trees as if human souls had embedded themselves into them. Though this is a very lyrical and 'mythical' sentiment, I find it very interesting and feel it demonstrates the power of the relationship between human life and the natural world as a form of inspiration and a way of experiencing pure and organic experiences.
I found this piece interesting because at first I couldn't connect with it and found if crude, however as I spent more time walking around this sculpture and reading the details about this piece I warmed to it. The way in which it managed to use encapsulate light to create interesting shadows and patterns which further added to the soft form of the sculpture was particularly inspiring. Therefore I feel that had this piece been exhibited inside in a traditional gallery setting I would not have formed the same relationship with this piece.
William Tucker- Emperor
William Tucker's sculptures stood out to me for the admiration of the textural surfaces of his sculptures which appear to be very organic though they are cast in bronze. However I found the forms to be heavy and 'lumpy' but this however made them endearing in comparsion to the sharp geomertic metal sculpures such as Lynn Chadwick's.
Eduardo Paolozzi- Vulcan
Seeing Paolozzi's Vulcan in a religious and distinctly human setting was a powerful experience. The vulcan towers with distinct power and presence and is overwhelming to discover in a hidden corner of the cathedral grounds.
Overall, I found the crucilbe 2 exhibition extremely inspiring and unique to gallery exhibitions which I have visited in the past and allowed me to consider the sculptures from a new perspective, feel from the constraints of the gallery setting.