Saturday, November 7, 2009

Richard Serra at Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle WA

While attending the first annual Steampunk Convention (http://www.steam-con.com) in Seattle, WA I had the opportunity to see Richard Serra's 2004 work entitled Wake. The work consists of several two inch thick S-shaped steel plates placed together defining wide undulating passageways between them. It is the horizontal dimension of the plates that forms the S while the vertical dimension remains straight. The lack of vertical modulation lends this Serra work a much more static and less imposing feel than that of the torqued ellipses or large listing plates for which he is so well known (see Dia:Beacon). The thrill of a Serra, for me, has always been in its ability to totally engulf the viewer, to challenge and fight our natural uprightness by gradually encroaching on our horizons. My favorite way to amplify this experience is to run through or closely past the arrangements making it harder for your brain and balance to compensate for the disconcerting lean of the huge pieces of steel as they rush past. Viewing the sculptures from a recumbent position is also quite exhilarating. Wake never tempted me into either of these activities though it's location did not promote unorthodox viewing strategies. The work is placed in an oddly private public setting without the camouflage of a crowd or the freedom of solitude. In addition SAM, the Seattle Art Museum, placed Wake in a large excavated garden of sorts. Thus, the work is surrounded on all sides by concrete retaining walls (despite being on the waterfront) that actually towered above the height of the steel plates, reducing their perceived scale and sapping their power. Rather than defining the space Wake seemed to be defined (confined) by the space around it. The decision to place the work in a hole is odd given the sweeping views of the bay from other locations within the park. The work's wide spacing, nonconfrontational shape, and placement made Wake the least successful Serra I've seen, though making several 30 ton steel plates unintimidating is a feat in itself.

See the work at the Seattle Art Museum website here.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Roadside Oddities of the Pacific Coastline

It was a long an winding road, but well worth the spectacular sights...
Here are a few of the stranger places we wandered to during our journey.
I had my hopes set on finding this out of service gas station (a pun on the Harding "Teapot Dome Scandal"), located just outside Yakima in Zillah, WA, though we ran out of time and didn't make it! Nonetheless, a quirky roadside jewel to seek next time.
And now I'm also told of this one, also narrowly missed! Java Jive Dive lives on Highway 99 outside Tacoma. As far as I can tell, still in operation despite its state of mild disrepair.
The tiniest church I've ever seen. I think it was somewhere in the Olympic Peninsula? (Don't hold me on this one.)
The State of Washington seems to be enamored with monumental steel cattle constructions. This pair was just one of many roadside installations encountered, though the subject matter kind of sucks. (Bad pun, I know, but couldn't help myself...)

We ate breakfast in this town, and upon entering the diner the record scratched. The locals occupied surrounding tables and faced us, so that we were gazed upon while we consumed our meals. I'm just glad we didn't run into the "rowdy rebel," since my car still has Yankee plates.

Drive-by dinos on Highway 101, Oregon. Feel a little bit guilty for not stopping for a painfully cheesy tour, but I was broke and it was terribly chilly.

Chelsea returning to sea level, an alarming transformation.

Oh yeah, Granger, WA has dinosaurs too.

Somehow I didn't expect to see this as I entered a National Park. However, it was a pleasant surprise. The fifty foot statue is dwarfed by the Redwood trees.

To be continued...