Apparently, Chamblerlain created this sculpture out of automotive parts and paint. In a way, the sculpture looks like it came from a Transformers movie... or maybe not.
Chamberlain's sculptures remind me of the expressionist movement in painting, like "Street, Berlin" by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The dented, sharp, and crushed lines of the metal and bright colors from "Debonaire Apache" resemble the geometric shapes and the uses of color in Kirchner's painting, only Chamberlain created a three-dimensional look.
Another similar artist that Chamberlain reminds me of is Marcel Duchamp and his "readymades." Duchamp took an object (example: urinal) and put it in a completely different environment and with an entirely different purpose/meaning. This is the same thing that Chamberlain does. He takes old car parts and assembles them to create a sculpture--placing the car parts in a new environment with a different purpose/meaning.
I think Chamberlain's Debonaire Apache is actually kinda cool. I haven't seen anything like it before, and it reminds me a little bit of what Pollock did. The work isn't exactly what most people would think of art, but it actually cool. Pollock's work looked like a 3 year old could do it,Chamberlain's looks like a pile of junk. It challenges the viewer to think about what their definition of art is.
ReplyDeleteI found your comparison to Kirchner VERY interesting. While it is something that I would never have come up with on my own, I can totally see the similarities. I found Chamberlain's use of the twisted metal to be VERY suggestive of the dangers of technology, much like you. It may look like junk, but deeper consideration presents with you things to think about. In fact, I wanted to know a bit more about the piece: the internet is notably lacking in information about this work. Thought you might be pleased to know that, when you punch "Debonaire Apache" in to Google, you're the second result. Great blog with some very cool observations, especially in the similar artists bit.
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to hear a person's honest appreciation for this piece. I personally struggle to find the value in it. I am not sure what to think of it, and that bothers me a lot. I liked that you discussed the angles and the overall construction of the piece, because it really helped me to respect it. Well, maybe not respect it, but think about it a little harder. The world of art is so huge that there is definitely something for everyone, and even though this is not my cup of tea, I am glad that it is yours!
ReplyDeleteChamberlain's piece of junk was very interesting. I interpreted it as it pertaining to today's movement of recycling. Although I know that is not what it was meant to be for, I think he did a good job of taking out junk that would just sit in a junkyard and make a masterpiece out of it. I also enjoyed your comparison of Chamberlain's "junk" to Transformers :)
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