“The memory of what is not may be better than the amnesia of what is.” -Robert Smithson
“I know the great classic romances, no kisses, nothing at all, pure. That is why they are great...feelings that are unspoken are unforgettable.” -Andrei to Angela, Nostalghia, Andrei Tarkovsky
In “Partially Buried Wood Shed,” Smithson intends to hide as much as reveal the components of the work: Tons of earth are dumped upon the shed, simultaneously corroding not only the visible definition of the object, but also its structural and material capacity. By doing this, Smithson speeds up the process of ruination upon an already abandoned building; however, at the same time, he is very particular about the way the earth is to be laid upon the building, therefore also imposing an intention upon the building’s decomposition and subsequent formal and material composition.
It is important to recognize that Smithson intended this project not just to be the creation of a static object or space but rather an operative sculpture whose composition is based as much on action as it is on visual aesthetic. Smithson makes notes on this “action-aesthetic” in his early sketches for the project: He labels the sketch “Arrested Cave-in,” perhaps as an early title, and specifies that the person executing the sculpture should “stop earth pile-up on roof when it begins to crack.” By stopping just short of total collapse, the artist creates a condition where the action of collapse, although unavoidable, is prolonged; it is as if its destruction is preserved for dexterity. In terms of the buildings material composition, the wooden structure facilitates the arrest of the impending structural collapse. Wood will bend and crack before it finally reaches its breaking point, unlike other materials, such as stone, that do not give much warning in their collapse. As a result of this the “action-aesthetic” of the structure is composed of a material that visibly resists the onslaught of the earth, bending and cracking before finally succumbing to the weight of the earth.
Spatially, Smithson also manipulates the continuity of the room: as earth is piled on, it pours through the doors and windows of the shed, obscuring the spatial definition of the building. This is a common theme in his work that is consistent with his want to obscure and subsequently imply space rather than expose it. Furthermore, the spatial deformation of the elements of the structure is an illustration of the stress being applied from above: In occupying the shed, it becomes obvious, even in a photograph, that the building is under duress. When this is combined with the earth pouring in and obscuring the ground of the space, it would seem apparent that the building is being attacked from all directions, in this case being buried alive in a mound of earth.
4 comments:
Approach and absence
“The memory of what is not may be better than the amnesia of what is.”
-Robert Smithson
“I know the great classic romances, no kisses, nothing at all, pure. That is why they are great...feelings that are unspoken are unforgettable.”
-Andrei to Angela, Nostalghia, Andrei Tarkovsky
In “Partially Buried Wood Shed,” Smithson intends to hide as much as reveal the components of the work: Tons of earth are dumped upon the shed, simultaneously corroding not only the visible definition of the object, but also its structural and material capacity. By doing this, Smithson speeds up the process of ruination upon an already abandoned building; however, at the same time, he is very particular about the way the earth is to be laid upon the building, therefore also imposing an intention upon the building’s decomposition and subsequent formal and material composition.
It is important to recognize that Smithson intended this project not just to be the creation of a static object or space but rather an operative sculpture whose composition is based as much on action as it is on visual aesthetic. Smithson makes notes on this “action-aesthetic” in his early sketches for the project: He labels the sketch “Arrested Cave-in,” perhaps as an early title, and specifies that the person executing the sculpture should “stop earth pile-up on roof when it begins to crack.” By stopping just short of total collapse, the artist creates a condition where the action of collapse, although unavoidable, is prolonged; it is as if its destruction is preserved for dexterity. In terms of the buildings material composition, the wooden structure facilitates the arrest of the impending structural collapse. Wood will bend and crack before it finally reaches its breaking point, unlike other materials, such as stone, that do not give much warning in their collapse. As a result of this the “action-aesthetic” of the structure is composed of a material that visibly resists the onslaught of the earth, bending and cracking before finally succumbing to the weight of the earth.
Spatially, Smithson also manipulates the continuity of the room: as earth is piled on, it pours through the doors and windows of the shed, obscuring the spatial definition of the building. This is a common theme in his work that is consistent with his want to obscure and subsequently imply space rather than expose it. Furthermore, the spatial deformation of the elements of the structure is an illustration of the stress being applied from above: In occupying the shed, it becomes obvious, even in a photograph, that the building is under duress. When this is combined with the earth pouring in and obscuring the ground of the space, it would seem apparent that the building is being attacked from all directions, in this case being buried alive in a mound of earth.
site? metaphor?
Thinking Architecture (Hardcover)
by Peter Zumthor (Author)
you still dont answer though...
thanks for keeping on top of this mike.
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