Putting a Statue Upside Down

[Merlion]

Is this a case of a sculptor doing something controversial to get publicity/attention?

Sculptor turns Victorian visionary on head

March 21, 2007

UNIVERSITIES should be places where ideas are turned on their heads - to get a fresh perspective, sculptor Charles Robb says.

Hence his upside-down statue of Charles La Trobe (1801-1875), Victoria's first lieutenant-governor, in the heart of the Bundoora campus at La Trobe University.

But not everyone is impressed.

"It's putting a great man upside down, where he doesn't belong," Pam La Trobe, a South Australian descendant, said. "It makes you kind of wonder why they have done it."



When Dianne Reilly, secretary of the La Trobe Society, first heard of her hero's inversion, she telephoned Robb in Brisbane to berate him as a disrespectful Queenslander.

"He explained that he was from Melbourne and that he believed it was a disgrace that such a visionary had never been honoured before - so that took the wind out of my sails," Dr Reilly said. ......

Robb, who inverted La Trobe at his own expense, donated Landmark to the university that bears his name. It was unveiled earlier this month.

"It's the one work on our campus that has generated debate," Vincent Alessi, curator at La Trobe, said.

"Most people ask why is it upside down. Is it disrespectful? Is it us taking the piss out of ourselves?"

[allenring]

Is that art or an intellectual statement?

[racine]

both i imagine. is one sensibly divizible from the other?

[Merlion]

With regard to the motivation of the sculptor Robb installing the statue inverted, it may be, as usual, both to make an artist statement and to attract publicity. And of course, no artist would ever admit to the latter.

[evaldart]

I once tried to install a 22 foot tall painting of the Empire State Building sideways (single stretched canvas) but the venue wouldn't have it. But its the only way it would have fit. So what if it means something different sideways or upside down or broken in half. Its nice to get a fresh look at things. Maybe the "upside down" will become the new "right side up". If I could swing a hammer with my leg I bet I could hit the steel alot harder.

[GlennT]

Confirmation # 125,639,588 about the type of age that we live in.

[Merlion]

Glenn, what did you say? Did you have too much drink?

[Merlion]

I searched further into this upside down statue of La Trobe by sculptor Charles Robb. I thought I've previously seen pictures of it like this, well before the above recent news story about its installation at the La Trope University.

Well, it is true, he had installed it last year at a public square in Melbourne. Now that the public exhibition is over, apparently he decided to pay to install it at the unversity, which would be a logical thing to do if he had not got a generous buyer, somebody like Charles Saatchi.

Landmark, 1 October 2005 - 1 July 2006

Landmark, by Melbourne artist Charles Robb, forms part of the permanent exhibition Making Melbourne. The sculpture depicts Charles Joseph La Trobe (1801-1875) as an inverted traditional nineteenth century bronze statue.....



Charles Robb, Landmark, 2004
Fibreglass, Polyester Resin, Steel, Polystyrene, Polyurethane, Sand, Automotive lacquer, Acrylic paint.

Contemporary artist Charles Robb’s tribute to Charles La Trobe is in part a sincere homage to this relatively under acknowledged figure of Melbourne colonial history, but also a critique of nineteenth century value systems....

[GlennT]

Originally Posted by Merlion

Glenn, what did you say? Did you have too much drink?

Since I don't drink those kind of drinks, I guess my sobriety was not clearly expressed.

I just was observing that this sculpture is another item in a series of, to my mind, crazy things that typifiy the kind of age ( call it the age of stupidity ) that we live in.

[evaldart]

I dare say that this age we all are occupying is the best age ever for art. All other ages pale in comparison; their rigidness only ignorantly allowing greatness to the few who were good enough to fool them. The arts are always in a continuous state of shedding the bindings of history as more avenues offer themselves up for exploration. My mind is swimming constantly with possibilities and I am always surprised and inspired by much of the new things I see. The bad stuff is always as present as it ever was, but not more so. And, more than once what I had considered "bad" turned out to be good. The only age I might prefer to be smack in the middle of is the one that will be happening in about 50 years.
Maybe this age of advancing technology will finally give us the time machine and the artists who prefer the other ages can go there and try to scrape together a living in between leech treatments and witch-hunts.

[GlennT]

As for me, I prefer to live in this age. There is a need for service to liberate minds from dwelling in the realms of stupidity wherein placing a figurative statue upside down is considered clever and inspired.

[Funes]

I don't see what the problem is - It's got people talking which is surely one of the points of public art, it's certainly original - in the sense that I haven't seen anyone do it before. I like it simply for putting a slightly surreal twist on a fairly ordinary statue. How long it will take for the novelty to wear off is another matter.

[BSafe]

I feel for you GlennT
It must be depressing living in a vacuum.
Somewhere along the line you must have stopped growing, or was there never a time when you were open to unfamiliar ideas or methods. Do you contemplate that which is beyond what you know?
Are you happy to repeat what has come before, or are you willing to take chances, to explore and (at least attempt to) discover new ground?
That! Is liberating, whether you are ultimately successful or not.
Such a conceited argument smacks of an artistic xenophobia.
If artists aren’t open to new ideas and to new ways of seeing the world then I yearn for the next age, where we can sensibly acknowledge the failures, yet celebrate the diversity of ideas and the endeavour.

[GlennT]

Originally Posted by BSafe

I feel for you GlennT

No you don't. You are being condescending.

It must be depressing living in a vacuum.

I would not know, in as much as I have never experienced that. I do know that I am a happy, good humored individual, even though it is a bit of a downer having to discourse with presumably intelligent people about why little Johnny upsetting the applecart and spilling the apples, or Charles Robb turning a statue upside down, are expressions of immaturity.

Somewhere along the line you must have stopped growing,

more condescending

or was there never a time when you were open to unfamiliar ideas or methods.

I have no idea where you get your notions. Almost everything that I have done in life has started out as unfamiliar. For example, the first time I tried sculpting was for a commission to create a life-size bronze statue of Justice, at age 29.Up to that point I had been doing architectural design. Not only were the methods and ideas involved unfamiliar, but the results needed to be good enough the first time to be seen in public. Later, I designed a garden wall with sculpture, and the owner talked me into building the wall as well, even though I had never done brickwork before. Last summer, I sculpted a 10mm stag directly in steel, even though I had never carved in steel before nor worked that small. If I make things look easy, it is because I have worked hard to learn how to do them and believed in myself enough to push myself beyond preconcieved limitations.

Do you contemplate that which is beyond what you know?

Yes. I contemplate the universe, and its creator. I get a lot more insight from that then I would from contemplating a juvenile expression of putting a statue upside-down.

Are you happy to repeat what has come before, or are you willing to take chances, to explore and (at least attempt to) discover new ground?

Show me one of my sculptures that is a repeat of what has come before. Whether or not it is informed by lessons from the past, it is a new expression, a new idea. Perhaps you mean that the human figure has been sculpted before, therefore I should abandon the human figure and break new ground by sculpting a walrus with machine parts?

That! Is liberating, whether you are ultimately successful or not.

Finding the Self is liberating. Finding new ground is...finding new ground.

Such a conceited argument smacks of an artistic xenophobia.

Guilty as charged, I suppose. I probably do have a fear of abandoning good artistic values in a narcisstic pursuit of trying to be different at all costs.

If artists aren’t open to new ideas and to new ways of seeing the world then I yearn for the next age, where we can sensibly acknowledge the failures, yet celebrate the diversity of ideas and the endeavour.

I celebrate the quality of good ideas, not the myriad diversity of poor ones.

GlennT

[evaldart]

Glenn, your expressed desire to "liberate minds from dwelling in the realm of stupidity" parallels the desire of the religious right-wing, so sure of their way, to change minds. The artists won't have it though. The perceived "stupidity" you wish to free us from is actually the future taunting you, pushing your buttons just because its so easy, while all along it is only giving precedence to unhindered expression. I don't think anyone here doubts your ability, you can obviously handle yourself with the clay - and that backs up whatever you say - but its possible that you will miss powerful creative opportunities by by such an unwavering attachment to tradition. Surprise yourself - eat a Wendy's triple for lunch and go into the studio without a clue. really, its fun - something good will happen.

[John Jerome]

Funes says, "I don't see what the problem is - It's got people talking which is surely one of the points of public art, it's certainly original - in the sense that I haven't seen anyone do it before. I like it simply for putting a slightly surreal twist on a fairly ordinary statue. How long it will take for the novelty to wear off is another matter."

I think Funes makes a point with the potential short shelf life of the sculptor's intent here. I'm more a fan of the "invite the viewer in politely, then clobber 'em over the head with the idea" approach. I think there's a great disservice done to society when presenting ideas that are too obvious or have bubblegum shock value. Sure, Warhol made his statement, but how much better are we as a result of it?

[GlennT]

Evaldart and Bsafe:

Not only do I express myself in clay, but also in oil paintings, murals, watercolor, pencil and charcoal drawing, pen and ink, marble, sandstone, wood, plaster, bronze, wax, steel, brick, concrete, glass, ceramics, and in music and writing. My website, http://www.glennterryart.com only shows a fraction of what I have done. The range of styles that I have worked in is broad, and I am not as pigeon-holed into a tradition as you may suspect. Looking at my 33 foot tall "Tower of Many Waters" ought to demonstrate some difference in approach to an open mind.

I don't just diddle in all these media, but I have been commissioned in every one of them. This means that I have achieved a level of competance in each whereby people have hired me to create work for them. In each case I started with unfamiliar ideas and methods, new approaches, etc., and learned how to work the media.

Because I prefer beauty and harmony to jangled emotions and discord, I seem to be locked into some kind of limitation in your minds. The only tradition that I believe myself locked into is an unwavering desire to achieve excellence in the work to which I apply my heart, head, hands, and spirit. If labels such as " religious right wing " help you to try and understand that, fine. Remain ignorant if that is your pleasure. To echo the words of Sting, " You still know nothin' 'bout me."

Entering the studio without a clue, giving vent to unhindered expression, everything and anything is art, explore, take a chance, open your mind, no limits, no boundries.... it's nice to know that all these things are working for you. I prefer some discipline and an idea about what I am doing. I actually have a goal in mind, and it is one not easily satisfied by redefining definitions to make things seem to be other than what they are. I have enough intelligence not to be fooled into thinking that everything and anything is art.

There is something very satisfying about creating a work of beauty, where you have pushed the limits of your talents to give it your all. It takes concentration, focus, will, patience, and perserverance. Whether it is figurative, abstract, or something in between, it is great to know that you gave it your best shot and left something that others are able to appreciate.
It is great when such a work rewards the viewer of repeated viewing with a message that speaks volumes instead of a clever, quick one-liner.

For the fun of unhindered expression of which you speak, I play coed soccer. But like art, there are rules in soccer as well. Playing within the rules is a lot of fun. Breaking the rules gives you the freedom to watch the game from the bench.

GlennT

[John Jerome]

Now you guys behave or you're gonna give a newbie like me a bad impression of artists. We're all just laborers honing our skills and fortunate enough to be able to channel some magic once in a while. What the hell we gotta complain about?

[Aaron Schroeder]

What If he had mounted the sculpture on a large mirror instead of the grass. Or......what if a number of lenses were install around the sculpture so that the viewer can have an inverted image of the sculpture to see. Or a bar held up by a post so that a viewer can hang upside down. Or some fresh brain washing so that one can love all things sculptural. What would you do to make an upside down sculpture look great or more meaningful ?

[Merlion]

Aaron, don't ask us 'what if'. Why not? Go ahead, do it, and show us.

[Aaron Schroeder]

Merlion...... I did it, eventually I'll show you.