Contemporary Sculptures and Social Commentary

Although contemporary art refers to art of both the late 20th and early 21st century, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. People who are new to the art world are often attracted to this form of sculpture because it tends to speak to their situations and lifestyles in a way that art doesn't always do. Many artists specializing in contemporary sculpture are making a state ament about the current state of our world, and present a commentary on our priorities of modern society. One style of contemporary art that may people are widely familiar with is "pop" art as exemplified by the work of Andy Warhol.

One such artist who utilizes art to provide social commentary is world-renowned sculptor Robin Antar. She creates works of art out of everyday items such as denim jeans as well as household and food products. By making these dispensable items essentially timeless by capturing them in a form that will last for a very long time, she is demonstrating the importance of the everyday.

This is the key difference with certain forms of contemporary sculpture that sets it apart from other forms of art. By creating a 3-dimensional object that simulates a common object that could be found in most households, many people are now finally able to relate to art in a way that may have seemed out of touch in the past.

Although each artist creates art for their own reasons, it could be argued that one of the reasons that some artists are attracted to the contemporary style is because they able to communicate to the art admirer on a very basic level. This is especially important because many people may find fine art to be intimidating or difficult to understand. In some situations, this may be because the piece of art is very personal to the artist and the artist may find it challenging to express themselves in a manner that is inclusive. In fact, many people feel that art is not meant to be completely understood, and can at the most only be appreciated from a distance.

However, when an artist decides that they will take a common object and represent it in different form than it is usually seen, they are making a point of building a relationship with the observer. Because the sculpting process allows the piece of art to last indefinitely, the disposable becomes for all intents and purposes, permanent. This fact combined with an ordinary, everyday object chosen as the model for the piece of contemporary sculpture ensure that this type of art can be appreciated by both the very sophisticated and the admirer who is new to the art world.

Not all forms of art necessarily seek to express social commentary, but in many cases, contemporary art does fill this void. In particular, contemporary sculpture can create an opportunity to see a common object in a very different manner that allows you to question your assumptions and possibly understand the art and the artist in a way that previously seemed impossible.

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The History of Bronze Statues

The great civilizations of the old world worked in bronze for art, from the time of the introduction of the alloy for edged weapons. The Greeks were the first to scale the figures up to life size. Few examples exist in good condition; one is the seawater-preserved bronze now called "The Victorious Athlete," which required painstaking efforts to bring it to its present state for museum display. Far more Roman bronze statues have survived. The ancient Chinese, from at least 1200BC, knew both lost-wax casting and section mold casting, and in the Shang dynasty created large ritual vessels covered with complex decoration which have survived in tombs. Over the long creative period of Egyptian dynastic art, small lost-wax bronze figurines were made in large numbers; several thousand of them have been conserved in museum collections. From these beginnings, bronze art has continued to flourish.

Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Their strength and ductility (lack of brittleness) is an advantage when figures in action are to be created, especially when compared to various ceramic or stone materials. These qualities allow the creation of extended figures, as in Jeté, or figures that have small cross sections in their support, such as the equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart. Modern statuary bronze is 90% copper and 10% tin; older bronze alloys varied only slightly from this composition.

But the value of the bronze for other uses is disadvantageous to the preservation of sculptures; few large ancient bronzes have survived, as many were melted down to make weapons in times of war or to create new sculptures commemorating the victors, while far more stone and ceramic works have come through the centuries, even if only in fragments.

Senegal's big bronze statue: Monument to liberty or authoritarian rule?

It’s been called Africa’s Statue of Liberty, but as the African Renaissance Monument was inaugurated in Senegal's capital, Dakar, on April 3, many were saying that it better represented many of Africa’s modern woes: megalomania and authoritarian rule.

President Abdoulaye Wade says the 170-foot-tall bronze statue of three figures is supposed to represent the fresh start African countries made when they declared independence 50 years ago. But the project has drawn criticism from nearly every sector of Senegalese society.

“It’s ugly and expensive,” said Ousmane Sow, Senegal’s most recognized sculptor. “It looks like one of those little plastic figures they used to give out in cereal boxes.”

It’s true that the design doesn’t exactly evoke traditional African themes. It looks more like the statue of Kim Il Sung in downtown Pyongyang. Indeed, it was built by a North Korean construction firm, which received the bulk of the $20 million earmarked for the project after President Wade personally intervened on their behalf.

Contracting the lucrative project out to foreigners caused outrage in Senegal, where unemployment sits at just under 50 percent. Many in the business community pointed out that a monument commemorating Africa’s emergence from centuries of intolerance and racism should at least be built by Africans themselves.

The entire process was plagued by what local transparency activist Jacques Habib Sy called “a confusion between the president’s personal interests and those of the nation.”

Mr. Wade drew the initial sketches for the statue with his own hand, and he’s now claiming 35 percent of its intellectual property rights. He will collect his share of tourist revenues and says the money will be put in a charitable fund.

“People feel it is a misplaced investment,” Mr. Sy said. “This statue has a sad reputation of being one man’s fallacy.”

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Quotes About Statues

Statues are such an influential part of history that notable people all around the world have recognized their beauty. Here are just a few:


"I have a bronze statue of myself. I have these really big curls and water comes out of every curl. It's hot."
~Macy Gray

"The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses." She's got a baseball bat and yelling, "You want a piece of me?"
~Robin Williams

"In every block of marble, I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to others eyes as mine see it."
~Michelangelo

"Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statues has never been erected in honor of a critic."
~Jean Sibelius

"The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as
are not needed--it is a process of elimination"
~Elbert Hubbard

"I have a wonderful make-up crew. They're the same people restoring the Statue of Liberty."
~Bob Hope

"The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal and hasten the resurrection of the dead."
~William Lloyd Garrison

"Only he who can view his own past as an abortion sprung from compulsion and need can use it to full advantage in the present. For what one has lived is at best comparable to a beautiful statue which has had its limbs knocked off in transit, and now yields nothing but the precious block out of which the image of one's future must be hewn."
~Walter Benjamin

"Bronze in the mirror of the form, wine of the mind. "
~Aeschylus

"The pigeon here is a beautiful bird, of a delicate bronze colour, tinged with pink about the neck, and the wings marked with green and purple."
~William John Wills

Why Get A Bronze Statue?

Now is the best time to design your personalized bronze statue from BIG STATUES. What better way to greet Summer by revealing a new, bronze statue for your home, company, or any other municipality.

Whenever bronze statues are seen, they implement a sense of grace and class for the location which it's being displayed. Bronze sculptures have a lot of sentimental value, and they can be passed down for generations after it is made and still retain the same beauty from when it was first made.

BIG STATUES specializes in life-size sculptures, statues of children, animal bronze statues and virtually anything else that you can possibly imagine. Allow us to make your dream come true; because if you can imagine it, we can design it, and you can treasure it.

How To Clean A Bronze Statue

1. Step 1
   
   Pour a small amount of coconut oil onto a soft clean cloth and wipe the entire bronze statue with it. This helps the statue return to or stay in its most natural state. Coconut oil will not discolor the statue.

2. Step 2

   Dip a clean soft cloth in a solution of 2 cups distilled water and one tablespoon of a mild dish soap to clean grime away from the surface.

3. Step 3

   Dust the statue regularly, at least once a week. Too much dust can damage the surface. Use a soft, clean, dry cloth and dust the statue thoroughly. For hard-to-reach areas, such as the gun on a military statue, use a soft bristle brush.

4. Step 4

   Mix a paste of 1 tbsp. salt, 1 tbsp. of flour and 1 tbsp. of vinegar until you have a thick paste. Apply the paste to the tarnished areas of the statue. Allow the paste to sit on the on the statue for five minutes and wipe it away with a clean damp cloth. Use a dry clean cloth to polish the statue.

5. Step 5

   Cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt. Rub the lemon over the statue to eliminate tarnish. Use a dry, clean cloth to buff the shine back onto the statue.

Pearland Texas Bronze Statue

Just last week we shipped our latest lifesize bronze statue of a Police officer and a child to Pearland, Texas.

This piece has a lot of significance because it demonstrates the genuine interest that our service members have for their community.

Hopefully in the future we'll be able to make even more statues that give gratitude to leaders: like an Obama or Zeus bronze statue.

Bronze Statues That Might Have You Calling The Cops.

t is a tough task to shock a New Yorker on the streets of Manhattan- we’ve seen it all (or at least believe we have). Out of all the things to test our boundaries, a public art installation of bronze sculptures in a park might seem odd. However, the acclaimed British artist Antony Gormley can boast this feat with his current project, “Event Horizon,” that had me joyfully caught off guard.

In his first public installation in New York, Antony has positioned male statues, which are the subjects of most his art, on building tops and sidewalks surrounding Madison Square Park and the Flatiron District. As of March 26, there are 31 nude statues, all weighing 1,433 pounds of iron and fiberglass, and modeled from Antony’s own 6’2 figure.

The sight alone is enough to shock, but what makes the project even more interesting is that it does not involve one commemorative plaque revealing the artistic intentions, or even the artist’s name. It is this ambiguity that I love the most, as it serves to remind those passing by that the real value lies in the personal experience of art -as a part of community of observers- and not necessarily the art itself. These figures might confuse or disturb you- or you might just walk right by them, unaware that they even exist. In a way it’s like many things you see in New York City, and that’s the beauty of it.

Lucky for us, we live in a digital time where no question goes unanswered. Puzzled observers can easily search for “people on rooftops madison square park?” from their smart phones to find an answer. When I entered this into Google, the first article that came up was one from the NYPD, informing the public: “Rooftop Figures Just Art, Not people in Distress.”

If one searches a bit further, they will find the Event Horizon official site, which includes tons of information as well as a blog, links to sponsor-related promotions, and an invitation to follow Madison Square Arts on Twitter (which heavily advocates Antony Gomley at the moment). Here, fans have an opportunity to become more involved with the installation, by entering their photos onto the Ace Hotel’s blog, where readers may vote on their favorite shots. The hotel is even offering a discounted “Gomely package,” which includes a disposable camera and free overnight-developing of guest’s photos.

This installation is just one of those things you must see for yourself, so get out there if you can before August 15th, the last day these iron men will guard over the area.

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Our Most Recent Bronze Creation

We most recently completed the beautiful bronze statue design of a cowboy riding a horse. We were all very excited with the completion of the project.

It’s great to know that bronze statue will be cherished for generations to come.

Senior Creates Sculpture To Aid Young Blind Students In Math

For many children who are visually impaired, learning multiplication tables and mathematical equations is simply not something they like to spend time doing. Math is hard for them. They would rather be playing games. Senior Sheila Schneider has developed something that she believes will bridge that gap.

Schneider, the first legally blind student to major in sculpture at the University, has created a series of sculptures she believes will be appealing to kids and help them learn math more effectively.

“The sculptures would create a gestural language for students,” Schneider said. “The project allowed me to still be a sculptor and create something to help someone else.”

The six sculptures are hand-held and feature mathematical equations on the surfaces.

Schneider said she put a lot of thought into the design of the product.

“I wanted them to be appealing to kids so I incorporated curved surfaces,” she said. “There are very few flat surfaces. I also put holes in them because after observing kids, I found that their little fingers always like to find holes.”

Schneider said one of the reasons she wanted the design to be so appealing is that she understands firsthand how hard it can be for visually impaired students to learn math.

“Math was very difficult for me in school,” Schneider said. “I was very artistically inclined, but math and science? I hated them!”

Deana McDonagh, an industrial design professor, thinks appeal is an important part of the success of the project.

“We just want them to be beautiful little sculptures that you’ll want to pick up,” she said. “Students will not only be feeling them but reading equations in a very non-threatening, non-competitive way.”

Schneider said being able to apply the Braille to curved surfaces was the most challenging part of the project because usually Braille is used on flat surfaces only.

Another challenge is that Schneider had no experience reading Braille until this project.

Schneider said she would like to have her foam prototypes converted into bronze sculptures by the summer.

Long-term goals include commercializing the product for school systems and home use and even using the idea to create interactive playground equipment.

“People don’t realize when they see a child what their potential could be,” Schneider said.

“So many people look at those who are blind in a specific way. Allowing them opportunities to be productive and independent is really important.”

McDonagh also stressed how important the project is even for those without visual impairment.

“We all experience some form of disability, especially with age,” she said. “This is a very exciting new way of approaching design.”

BIG STATUES Is Now On Facebook!

We have recently created a facebook page so that potential and current clients can view the completed and current bronze statues that we have created in the past and designs that are in progress. By becoming a fan you can view updates about our company and projects, receive discount offers, and learn about upcoming contests!

Become a fan today!