2008 Woodie Awards
Archipenko: Sculpture in the Museum
Megan Burbank
Issue date: 4/20/06 Section: Arts
Swamped with work the vast majority of the time, we Smithies often don't take advantage of our art museum unless we're knee-deep in studio art or art history classes. It's time for this pattern to change-the Alexander Archipenko exhibit is more than worth all of the five or 10 minutes it takes to get to the museum.
"Archipenko: Vision and Continuity" opened March 31 and will close July 30. It features the lifetime work of Alexander Archipenko, a Ukrainian sculptor who was born in 1887 and died in 1964. His pieces all play on the human form and display some level of abstraction. The exhibit encompasses the many stages of his work, from his earliest works to the less lauded - but just as interesting - later pieces. In addition to the works themselves, the exhibit includes photographs of Archipenko at work, as well as photographs and descriptions of his celebrated "Medrano I and II," one of which is lost, and the other too fragile to be safely moved. The exhibit also offers insight into Archipenko's artistic process and past exhibitions of his work.
The works themselves are extremely interesting-many play on Archipenko's fascination with movement and stasis. His pieces run the gamut from being literally movable - "Medrano I" was constructed to include a movable arm - and sculptures of human forms in repose - his "Torso in Space" is a wonderful example of this. The level of abstraction also runs the gamut within his works. Some are obviously sculptures of people; others are complex combinations of geometric forms. But even the most abstract exhibit a very human quality that seems to emerge from the composition of the pieces.
In addition to the abstract nature of many of his pieces, Archipenko used a variety of unexpected materials in creating them, including Plexiglas, Formica, bakelite and found objects. He also worked on incorporating color back into sculpture, which lends an eye-catching quality to all of his works. The themes of his sculptures include human emotions and religious themes.
The pieces are striking in their originality, and the exhibit offers a new idea of what sculpture can be and do. So take a little study break, don't forget your ID and make your way to the museum. It's free, and Archipenko's sculptures are waiting for you.
"Archipenko: Vision and Continuity" opened March 31 and will close July 30. It features the lifetime work of Alexander Archipenko, a Ukrainian sculptor who was born in 1887 and died in 1964. His pieces all play on the human form and display some level of abstraction. The exhibit encompasses the many stages of his work, from his earliest works to the less lauded - but just as interesting - later pieces. In addition to the works themselves, the exhibit includes photographs of Archipenko at work, as well as photographs and descriptions of his celebrated "Medrano I and II," one of which is lost, and the other too fragile to be safely moved. The exhibit also offers insight into Archipenko's artistic process and past exhibitions of his work.
The works themselves are extremely interesting-many play on Archipenko's fascination with movement and stasis. His pieces run the gamut from being literally movable - "Medrano I" was constructed to include a movable arm - and sculptures of human forms in repose - his "Torso in Space" is a wonderful example of this. The level of abstraction also runs the gamut within his works. Some are obviously sculptures of people; others are complex combinations of geometric forms. But even the most abstract exhibit a very human quality that seems to emerge from the composition of the pieces.
In addition to the abstract nature of many of his pieces, Archipenko used a variety of unexpected materials in creating them, including Plexiglas, Formica, bakelite and found objects. He also worked on incorporating color back into sculpture, which lends an eye-catching quality to all of his works. The themes of his sculptures include human emotions and religious themes.
The pieces are striking in their originality, and the exhibit offers a new idea of what sculpture can be and do. So take a little study break, don't forget your ID and make your way to the museum. It's free, and Archipenko's sculptures are waiting for you.
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