ceramic sculpture smashed at Royal Academy

[Pam Niskanen]

Anybody see this? An astounding story, and an incredibly good lesson for installers 'round the world. EVERY precaution must be taken that the artwork, and the viewer, will not be damaged by the experience.:eek:

http://www.ugallery.com/NewsArticleDetail.aspx?NewsArticleID=136&RC=1

[fritchie]

Sculpture like this always will be a risk, and unfortunately about all this article says about the event is that the RA was concerned at the start and took precautions it thought would be adequate.

The piece was 9 feet tall and got through at least some period before being smashed during a normally quiet afternoon. I'm sure it was exhibited at the artist's risk and/or under his/her insurance.

[Mr. Malloy]

All I can say is "steel is real, metal is the stuff to work in"

[marblecutter]

Ceramic sculptures smashed in Belgrade

[Imms]

Pam, I read the article and it all sounds rather shady. A quiet afternoon?
No one around?
This could be a clever but destructive way to gain LOADS of publicity all around the globe...I reckon she payed someone to do the "falling" through the barrier.

[Merlion]

Just look them, very tall on small bases. Just a small push would have them crashing down.

Tracey Emin show accidentally destroyed by visitor (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2470028/Tracey-Emin-show-accidentally-destroyed-by-visitor.html)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00783/tatiana-echeverri-p_783157c.jpg

[obseq]

Tracey Emin show accidentally destroyed by visitor



How terrible. Did someone make the bed?

:rolleyes::D

[grommet]

Yes, and now they must lie in it. But did you notice the artist isn't really getting top billing in this forseen disaster, the curator of the show gets more press. It's as if to say the artist was silly to think these totems are stable, but the real fool in the picture was the curator and her myriad questionable choices. So was that the plan?

[evaldart]

Tall fragile things with tiny bases/footprint...big damn surprise. If you're gonna make things like this you have to know its a matter of time. Even if they never see the light of day, theres a good chance you would have done it yourself eventually in your own studio.

When you're worried about your nine-footers chrushing YOU...you'll design them right.

[StevenW]

I think she did design them right. There's an archaeological romanticism about the work tied in with the spirit of death. Totems by-and-large were not designed for the living, rather as temporary devices to commemorate the dead. Once that commemoration had run it's course, ( A natural period of human greiving, year or two maybe) the totem was no longer meaningful and thus, not really designed to last too long..

I dig this lady's work and I don't think she is the least bit distraught over one of them falling over. She wanted it that way..

[fritchie]

If it was one of those poles in Merlion's post 6, I consider the piece pretty trivial and no great loss. I'm disagreeing with StevenW on the value of the work, but maybe she did expect this.

[Landseer]

£6,000 ????!!!! thats what? about $12,000 for ONE? geez!

Looks to me like an accident waiting to happen, nice way to get insurance payoff on something that may or may not have ever sold.

In 2006, a hefty 99lb (45kg) Qing dynasty vase at the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge was smashed when a man tripped over his shoelaces.

LOL can you picture that?

[Pam Niskanen]

Cynicism reigns. When I first saw this news item I was so amused, just by its OOPS! factor - I never considered that there might be an conspiracy behind it, either by artist or 'hapless' visitor. Do you all think that some of us might just be a little jealous of a woman who got her (questionably art) work into the Royal, and that we might need to step out of the egoist vortex of our studios once in a while and get some fresh air?

Lighten up, folks.

[evaldart]

Pam, it is easily (and frequently on this forum) arguable that the "egoist vortex" (I do like that term) is the only place that creative efforts should occur.

[artluvr]

it is one way to get publicity - but it may backfire. I remember a lot of publicity generated about a sculpture made out of meat - several years back. I remember the story but have no idea of the artist's name.

Did a good job. Didn't he or she? It's the work! Not the antics unless you're Dali but his work did have something to it.

[Imms]

we might need to step out of the egoist vortex of our studios once in a while and get some fresh air.

Lighten up, folks.

Fresh air? Lighten up? I´ve got LOTS of fresh air....I´m REALLY light already...I didn´t send anything to The Summer show.
I thought us cynics were being rather humorous...and cynical.

[grommet]

and humorous, and quizzical, and...
yeah, I don't think these ruminations were particularly dark or heavy.

[Pam Niskanen]

It's ok, ruminate away. That's what forums are 4.

Do the collective 'you' or should I say in Brooklynese "youse guys" think there should have been some sort of barriers? I went to a fantastic Modigliani show in Christchurch New Zealand once, and after all the US museums I've been to with the high security I was astonished to find myself walking among the Venetian Women - no cordons, no tape on the floor, no plexi vitrines, all just there, you could poke your nose right up to them.

I didn't touch, of course, the exhibit was well staffed and I don't think anyone would have messed with them. I was torn, though - absolutely thrilled as a viewer and as an artist to get to stand right up next to these women, but terrified that they were so exposed. They, like the ceramic pieces that started this thread, are very tall skinny tippy things on small bases.

I've been looking around my studio and thinking that any of my sculptures could really injure you if you accidentally fell over on them - they wouldn't break, probably, but the faller would. Ouch. Would I be liable? I don't want to have to start working in foam ... like pointy steel and wood too much.

[Imms]

Do the collective 'you' or should I say in Brooklynese "youse guys" think there should have been some sort of barriers

Pam, the article you linked to at the beginning of the thread said that there were barriers, and: "visitor fell into a cordoned-off area". All on a quiet afternoon with no one around. They didn´t have to get Columbo on the job.

Interesting about that Modigliani show...I´ve seen a cheap poster on a friends lounge wall, and just looking at THAT makes me sweat. You stood up at the canvasses!!
The Tate Modern has one of his gorgeous Brancusi inspired heads and I did gaze at it, very closely, without barriers for a very long time.