Sunday, April 13, 2008

Sunday Art Review: Statues of Society

For this week's installment of the Sunday Art Review I present Statues of Society, a study in various mediums to present humans in several forms. There are many interpretations of sculpture-it can be literal, or figurative. As always it is through the artist's eye. Artists present, preserve and portray the human form in different ways to represent society for future generations. Whether the artist uses bronze, polycarbonate, stone or poly-chrome, the observer has the opportunity to see the human form as part of society in some way. In this photo, I am sitting between a bronze sculpture of "The Couple", in Palm Springs. I like this sculpture because it seems so fluid and amazingly real.

above: "The Inception", a man and a woman in a dance pose.

above: "Man and Woman on a Bench", from the Palm Springs Art Museum. They look lifelike, don't they?


above: "Man with world at his feet" also from the Palm Springs Art Museum.

above: "Man in Garden", from a private estate in Palm Springs

above: "The Couple" in Palm Springs

above: "Japanese Woman", outside of Noboo in New York.

above: "Poseidon"
I hope you enjoyed this week's Sunday Art Review: Statues of Society. All comments are welcome-which are your favorites?
-Rick Rockhill

19 comments:

  1. Oh, wow, if I HAVE to choose--The Couple. Will fit perfectly on our balcony.

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  2. This is a toughie. At first I was going to say The Couple. Like you said, it's very fluid. And I like the fact that they kind of look like aliens. In the end, I think my vote goes to The Inception. It's just so joyful and joy is a good thing.

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  3. What a great art review! They remind me of the magnet people that Waconda road's friend creates. You'd get a kick out of them..the blendy peeps.

    Someday I will visit PSS, someday!

    Hope you're having some down time this weekend!
    Sincerely,
    Elizabeth
    Did you ever look into those half shell coconut candles? I just ordered some the other day..they smell delightful!

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  4. There's no way I could pick a favorite - I like them all. Inception is the one I like the best.

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  5. i'd have to say i like the couple for the fluidity as you mentioned. it creates a nice mood. and i am fond of poseidon because i've always been a fan of the greek style sculptures.

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  6. this is an exceptionally good Sundary Art Review this week Rick, nice job pulling these together. Lovely photo of you in that tux with "the couple". I think my favorite is Poseidon.

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  7. the man in garden is hot! nice one for sure!

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  8. I always look forward to your Art Reviews :)

    WOW! The "Man and Woman on a Bench" really does look lifelike!!! Amazing! What are those sculptures made of? I am intrigued.

    P.S. Lookin' good, Rick!

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  9. That Japanese woman is quite large, I wonder what the artist was thinking with that one.

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  10. "Man and Woman on a Bench" is simply amazing!

    I like "The Couple" the best though. The lines and flow it creates are exquisite.

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  11. That one couple looks like figuresw from anotherr planet---From outer space somewhere....
    These are very interesting Rick....!

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  12. Fantastic review. You have a wonderfully eclectic eye.

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  13. Therese- thank you very much, I truly appreciate that!

    C- the couple on the bench are made of a polycarbonate. That exhibit in the museum fools more people!

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  14. The Man and Woman on a bench...I thought you may have just thrown that in to fool us. ha..I thought they were a real couple who were just bored with the exhibit...crazy! Does it look that good close up? Amazing!
    I am completely in love with The Couple. I lov that one of the knees is bent and their hands are touching.
    Thanks for bringing things to us that we might never see.
    fabulous!

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  15. My fav "the couple". Great post!

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  16. Wow, The Couple look like most modern depictions of aliens - very ethereal beings with fine tendril limbs and narrow heads.

    I remember one study day in the Christies library I wasted hours poring over an exhibition volume about the artist who makes those lifelike figures.

    My favourite, though, is Poseidon Soter (saviour). It's a replica of a rare Greek bronze - the original was found in a shipwreck in the Aegean. That is how most Greek bronzes survived to the present day because those darn Romans melted whatever they could get their hands on to make weapons. Although we do have the Romans to thank for sculpting marble copies of the bronze originals, thereby saving many wonderful Greek treasures for our eyes. I like marble statues, but there is something so much more "terrible" and powerful about the bronze ones.

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  17. The Couple should never be used at an Anorexic Treatment Facility.

    Just sayin.

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  18. The couple is my favourite sculpture Rick. Nice lines and very fluid. Great post

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  19. I love the The Inception. Something about their own "fluidness" or is it "Fluidity?" The couple on a bench I first thought was just a photo you took of a couple who were attending the showing. :-)

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Thank you kindly.