Installation Art

Step 3:

Installation art is art that has been created in a place by an artist or as specified by the artist.  The work may be dependent on the site or not and does not necessarily have to be there permanently.  Sometimes, it is controversial in nature.

Almost any material can be used in installation art.  My specific piece was done in metals that I found in my dad's stash of random, unused car parts.  Many of the pieces in Griffis Sculpture park are done in steel, aluminum, and wood.

Artists create installation art for many reasons.  Perhaps one of the most important is to make a statement or a point about something - as I mentioned earlier, installation art can be controversial in nature.  It can also be used to evoke a specific feeling.

The installation art I found to be most interesting was Dan Flarvin's Untitled.  I really liked his use of blue and green florescent lights to light a hallway in an interesting way.  I like how he used already existent architecture as a basis for his installation art.  Furthermore, I was intrigued that he lit the hallway in a way that the two lights didn't really blend together. 

Step 4:

When reviewing all the pieces, I really liked Robert Filliou's 7 Childlike Uses of Warlike Material.  For some reason, this piece really resonated with me.  I felt as though he was making a mockery of something very serious.

For my installation, I want to explore the theme of self.  I think it is very difficult to portray certain feelings, emotions, or values that you have, and I think this piece might be somewhat "therapeutic" in a way.

I'm planning on using metals for my project - my dad taught me how to weld last year and I really haven't done anything with my newfound skill.  He has a bunch of spare metals in a big bin out in my garage, so I'm planning on rifling through it and seeing what I can find.

I'm not sure where I want to put my installation.  I think I'm going to do something to do with my music/band, so I'll either post it in our practice space (which is used by more than one band) or as a sort of "hood emblem" on our drummer's drum kit.  

Describe your installation:

Nick Sessanna

Broken Fingers

Various metals

3/4/11

This piece is a metal base with random car parts welded onto it.  The car parts form two hands with broken or missing fingers (to go along with the theme for our new album, tentatively titled "Broken Fingers").  In the center of the piece, the words "Brother Keep" are welded onto the base.

The main elements and principles used in this piece are emphasis, balance, and unity.  The piece uses emphasis because the fingers are mysteriously missing or broken.  The piece uses balance because there are hands on both sides.  The piece uses unity because the hands are made out of random car parts and they all come together to make one big work of art.

This was an interesting piece.  I had a hard time coming up with an idea of something to create, but once I did, I created a lasting piece that my band will be able to use for shows or as some sort of art related to our music.  I would be interested in doing installation art in the future in a more public place to make some sort of statement, as I think it would be a good life experience.