Front view of statue of human figure leaning forward with an animal figure (horse?) on the human's back by Mimmo Paladino at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Mimmo Paladino studied art in his hometown of Benevento, Italy, and has become an accomplished painter, printmaker, sculptor and draughtsman. He still resides in Benevento. His work focuses on stylized, abstracted images and narrative subjects. In Tana, the textures he uses enhance the dream-like nature of the piece. Tana also makes use of Paladino’s knowledge of geometry and physics in the balance of shapes and volumes. In this work, the face appears mask-like, with the eyes and mouth open"--Meijer Sculpture Gardens website.
Front view of statue of human figure leaning forward with an animal figure (horse?) on the human's back by Mimmo Paladino at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Mimmo Paladino studied art in his hometown of Benevento, Italy, and has become an accomplished painter, printmaker, sculptor and draughtsman. He still resides in Benevento. His work focuses on stylized, abstracted images and narrative subjects. In Tana, the textures he uses enhance the dream-like nature of the piece. Tana also makes use of Paladino’s knowledge of geometry and physics in the balance of shapes and volumes. In this work, the face appears mask-like, with the eyes and mouth open"--Meijer Sculpture Gardens website.
Side view of statue of human figure leaning forward with an animal figure (horse?) on the human's back by Mimmo Paladino at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Mimmo Paladino studied art in his hometown of Benevento, Italy, and has become an accomplished painter, printmaker, sculptor and draughtsman. He still resides in Benevento. His work focuses on stylized, abstracted images and narrative subjects. In Tana, the textures he uses enhance the dream-like nature of the piece. Tana also makes use of Paladino’s knowledge of geometry and physics in the balance of shapes and volumes. In this work, the face appears mask-like, with the eyes and mouth open"--Meijer Sculpture Gardens website.
Back view of sculpture of male figure balancing on a board over a barrel, with objects in each hand and a bottle balanced on his nose by Juan Muñoz at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "The 1990s were the decade in which Muñoz began to develop his own unique style, breaking the traditional rules of sculpture. Muñoz liked to create a narrative with his sculptures. This narrative manifested itself in the use of sculptures of humanesque figures and positioning them so that it appeared as though they were interacting with each other. By doing this, Muñoz is asking the spectator to relate to the figures, or even, to become part of the sculpture altogether. Muñoz often described himself as a 'story-teller' and he used his sculptures to create a story that involved the spectator as well. His figures also tend to be a grey or monochrome colour which means that the figures appear to lack any personality or character, which further invites the spectator to question themselves. Juan Muñoz's materials of choice for his sculptures tended to be paper maché, bronze and resin,"--Spanish Arts website.
Front view of sculpture of male figure balancing on a board over a barrel, with objects in each hand and a bottle balanced on his nose by Juan Muñoz at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "The 1990s were the decade in which Muñoz began to develop his own unique style, breaking the traditional rules of sculpture. Muñoz liked to create a narrative with his sculptures. This narrative manifested itself in the use of sculptures of humanesque figures and positioning them so that it appeared as though they were interacting with each other. By doing this, Muñoz is asking the spectator to relate to the figures, or even, to become part of the sculpture altogether. Muñoz often described himself as a 'story-teller' and he used his sculptures to create a story that involved the spectator as well. His figures also tend to be a grey or monochrome colour which means that the figures appear to lack any personality or character, which further invites the spectator to question themselves. Juan Muñoz's materials of choice for his sculptures tended to be paper maché, bronze and resin,"--Spanish Arts website.
Front view of sculpture of male figure balancing on a board over a barrel, with objects in each hand and a bottle balanced on his nose by Juan Muñoz at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "The 1990s were the decade in which Muñoz began to develop his own unique style, breaking the traditional rules of sculpture. Muñoz liked to create a narrative with his sculptures. This narrative manifested itself in the use of sculptures of humanesque figures and positioning them so that it appeared as though they were interacting with each other. By doing this, Muñoz is asking the spectator to relate to the figures, or even, to become part of the sculpture altogether. Muñoz often described himself as a 'story-teller' and he used his sculptures to create a story that involved the spectator as well. His figures also tend to be a grey or monochrome colour which means that the figures appear to lack any personality or character, which further invites the spectator to question themselves. Juan Muñoz's materials of choice for his sculptures tended to be paper maché, bronze and resin,"--Spanish Arts website.
View of sculpture of human head with book tied to the side of the head with a blind fold, by Bill Woodrow at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Listening to History, also featured the head and the book, bound together so that the rope also made a blindfold for the eyes of the head. Put that all together, and what does it mean? Well, to Woodrow himself, "I suppose very simplistically, that although all this knowledge exists, we still make mistakes. And we still seem to be governed by underlying principles of life, to do with power and the need to conquer things. What's called progress doesn't necessarily mean that to me. "But the imagery is open-ended. "There is no one set truth or meaning to the work. I know what I'm thinking about while I'm making it, and I am discovering new things all the time. That's why I'm making it, to discover what I'm thinking, in a sense. That's what other people will have to do when they look at it. They'll all approach it from different points of view, they won't all get the same story."--"A place among heroes" by Martin Gayford in the Telegraph website, 29 Feb 2000.
Back view of seated human figure bronze sculpture by Dietrich Klinge at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "...German artist Dietrich Klinge takes canvas wraps off of one of his bronze pieces after it was placed for an exhibition at the Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. human figures at rest or in limited motion. He uses a chain saw and other instruments to carve forms from blocks of wood, then uses molds to translate them into bronze sculptures that retain much of the wood's texture. In 2002, Meijer Gardens became the first American cultural institution to acquire a Klinge. The bronze sculpture "Grosser Trefree" the title is a combination of German and gibberish with the intended meaning of "grand tree spirit" depicts a serene yet imposing life-size sitting figure with arms resting atop his knees"--Herald and Review, Monday, June 13, 2005, page 13.
Side view of seated human figure bronze sculpture by Dietrich Klinge at the Meijer Sculpture Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "...German artist Dietrich Klinge takes canvas wraps off of one of his bronze pieces after it was placed for an exhibition at the Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. human figures at rest or in limited motion. He uses a chain saw and other instruments to carve forms from blocks of wood, then uses molds to translate them into bronze sculptures that retain much of the wood's texture. In 2002, Meijer Gardens became the first American cultural institution to acquire a Klinge. The bronze sculpture "Grosser Trefree" the title is a combination of German and gibberish with the intended meaning of "grand tree spirit" depicts a serene yet imposing life-size sitting figure with arms resting atop his knees"--Herald and Review, Monday, June 13, 2005, page 13.
View of three figures seated on boulders facing each other, created by Jaume Plensa of stainless steel. "This commission for Meijer Gardens includes a composition of three figures seated on boulders, whose shells are made of stainless steel letters. Faces are left unfinished to encourage the universality of the forms and visitors are encouraged to walk among the sculptures. The composition and setting were selected by the artist and he intendeds it to represents a kind of silent conversation. Although most well-known In the United States for his Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Plensa’s is one of the leading internationally sculptors working today"--Meijer Sculpture Gardens website.