Jessica Stockholder Views - Essay Example

Jessica Stockholder In order to understand the concept of art it is reasonable to find out the background of the artist because only synthesizing information about his life and observing his works it is possible to grasp the meaning and the filling of art. Speaking about the personality of Jessica Stockholder I think it would be most reasonable to say that she is currently the head of the department of Visual Arts in the University of Chicago1. That instantly gives an understanding that the artist has come to that point of personal evolution when he is not only able to create something but also teach others how to do it, how to see art in non-artistic objects and environment. Needles to explain that Jessica Stockholder is first of all a sculpture and installation artist known all over the world for her works that challenge the perception of space and color.2 Jessica has proven herself as a bright author from a very young age when she decided to study in Yale University where she received her MFA. Her painting is space is provoking, ironical, urgent and sophisticated. She manages to combine purely utilitarian objects in chaotic order and challenge the very concept of the essence of things. The work I would like to analyze might seem too practical at first sight because it actually performs the role of children`s playground in one of the parks of New York and that is the thing that attracted my attention. When art become utilitarian thing it gains a completely new meaning and only few real artists are ready to consider their works from such unexpected and controversial perspective. The work of art that is situated in the Madison Square Park that means that it can be physically touched, deconstructed, moved, and even destroyed. For instance the installation had some blue mulch on it but it simply went down during the first days when visitors were allowed in. The piece is exceptionally bright and attractive and what is interesting is that draws attention of both children and adults (in different periods of the day). Regardless of its joyful look it has some serious title - “Flooded Chambers Maid” a wordplay that to some extent implies the concept of women`s housework and service in general. Jessica is never afraid to regard closely and ironically common social notions such as women`s rights for instance. However, here the message is even deeper- it concerns the work of art as a kind of service provided as well. The materials used in installation are typical for Mrs. Stockholder- unimaginable combination of some industrial products combined with ready-made pieces all in painted in vivid and bright colors.3 The work was created as most Stockholder`s pieces of art are created: first the author buys or finds everything that catches her eye (and the materials appear to be very different: “ bales of hay, fruit, toys, laundry baskets, curtains, heat lamps, fans, yarn, newspaper, bowling balls, automobiles, and construction materials: bricks, concrete, plywood, and sheetrock”4) and then in the process chaotic compilation creates her work. Jessica Stockholder is most known as the author that is capable of destroying the boundaries and “painting in space”: she breaks usual forms and combines unusual products to make something instantly appealing to the audience. But what makes Jessica absolutely prominent and extraordinary is playing with color, sensing color, and experimenting with color constantly in serious architectural pieces. “Flooded Chambers Maid” is one of such installations that absorbs all attention because of the emotional saturation expressed with the combination of colors. It looks like in this work Stockholder managed to let herself go in emotional aspect but kept everything under artistic control: probably that valuable ability of relaxing and remaining in awareness regarding reality is what makes Jessica Stockholder a prominent artist. The installation “Flooded Chambers Maid” does not disrupt the space of the park-it fits into it perfectly as if completing it. Stockholder marked that she did not want to make up something absolutely new she rather wanted to create that jigsaw that would fit into place changing the reality. For Jessica it is crucial to let the surface speak itself. According to the author everything has it incredible potential, walls, windows, floor, and locating the piece of work onto the surface is like placing the word into a verse- background starts serving as a context. The surface can tell the story about its mass, its volume its density.5 In this work the surface is unimaginable - it is a park, with trees that are growing every minute, grass that is changing colors and visitors that are coming and leaving the space. The surface is alive, it is the reality itself, and being able to incorporate a piece of art into reality without causing it harm on artistic level is like a producing a new organism because the work of art will challenge and change the reality as well as reality will try and use the work of art. This degree of freedom and emotion behind this work makes it pure and sensible, and I consider that in the XXI centuries these qualities are basic. Another work that I decided to analyze is hardly in the same vein with the previous work and that is exactly the reason why I stopped on it. It is called “Sex in the Office” and it was created in 2006. The work is included into the exposition in 1301 PE Gallery which is located in one of the most progressive cities in terms of art-Los Angeles.6 It is an installation of medium size constructed with the help of trivial utilitarian objects. In this work the following objects were used: plastic, hardware, acrylic and oil paint, oil and alcohol based primer, cloth. In the center of this piece of art there is a plastic rabbit reminding of symbolic depiction of a playboy bunny. However, this rabbit is created out of different mismatching pieces of office equipment: shelves, tables, chairs. The work could be completely devoid of warm and tactile pleasure if not one element- a piece of fur. It instantly adds some spicy flavor and taboo atmosphere to the work and explains how physical intimacy must feel in plastic world of offices. The colors used by Stockholder in this work are those that irritate and provoke viewers. The whole concept of “Sex in the Office” can be again built on the perception of the play by the author- as Stockholder managers to combine play and work she suggests that even intimacy can be inserted into lifeless office space. Stockholder emphasizes the ability of colors to cause powerful ad sometimes controversial emotions and he with these sensual objects and ultrasexy smooth plastic objects Stockholder enters the domain of the art without moral and ethical boundaries. Why isn`t it possible to show the phenomenon of sex in the office in artistic forms taking into account its popularity? It seems that the artist doesn’t look for inspiration she accepts the life as it is, in its artificial plastic manifestation.7 Thus Jessica Stockholder manages to combine very different direction in her art: utilitarian objects that easily fit into city spaces and become architecture and symbolic and provocative installations on acute social topics of sex. Jessica can preserve her general ability of letting go her emotions in her art (which is evident in color solutions) and controlling her artistic impulses ( which is obvious in her forms solution). She is one of those authors who are aware of the fact that disturbing t reality with something not important is sinful so Jessica takes what she sees around as the objects and transforms reality. Bibliography Brooks, A. (2013). “Must See. LA Weekly”. Retrieved from: http://www.laweekly.com/arts/must-see-art-2150558 “Jessica Stockholder”. Biography. http://www.art21.org/artists/jessica-stockholder?expand=1 Kino, J. “Go Ahead, Play With (and on) the Art”, The New York Times. Ottman, K. (2009). Jessica Stockholder", Journal of Contemporary Art “Sex in the Office”. 1301PE Gallery. Retrieved from: http://www.1301pe.com/default_main.asp Stockholder, J. Autobiography. My Work in January 2011. Retrieved from: http://jessicastockholder.info/about/ Read More