PLACE

In this project, you will explore the symbiotic relationship between an artwork and the place that inspires it or in which it is seen.

DISCUSS:Think about a place that has influenced you in some way. It might be a place that is particularly memorable, or one where an important event occurred. This event may be positive or negative.

Describe how the place looks and smells, how it feels and what it sounds like.

Why is this place important, and what is it about this place you will carry forever.

As you look at the work of these five contemporary artists, carefully consider the influence of Place–as a physical; conceptual or psychological framework, which can communicate regional, national, or even transnational ideas.

Richard Serra, whose massive rolled-steel sculptures provoke private experiences in public spaces. Sally Mann, whose photographs document the historical scars and romanticism latent in the landscape of the South. Barry McGee and Margaret Kilgallen, two San Francisco-based artists whose works combine elements of social realism and folk traditions with graffiti. Pepón Osorio, whose 3-D assemblages and sculptural installations reflect intimate locations bringing to mind the survival of communities across borders.

Richard SerraBorn in San Francisco in 1939, Richard Serra worked in steel mills and shipyards to support himself through college. He earned a BA in English Literature from the University of California and a MFA from Yale. He then spent two years traveling in Europe before settling in New York City, where he continues to live and work.

What makes Serra’s work art?

How does the specific site where Serra’s work is installed affect what he creates?

How does what he creates affect the site where it is installed?

Sally MannBorn 1951 in Lexington Virginia. Lives works in her hometown.