Anish Kapoor

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss the ideas behind 3 quite different works from countries outside New Zealand.

‘Cloud Gate’ It is said to be one of the most unique and interesting sculptures in decades. The enormous cloud gate stands over Chicago’s millennium park. Kapoor has created a work of art that holds something to everyone (http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/636/Cloud-Gate.php). It stand tall reflecting the chicago skyline along with Chicago's buildings when looking at a certain angle whilst playing tricks with the sky and light. The cloud has a massive scale and weight gives it its importance, balances elegantly on its ends without having a color of its own and it is finally interactive as the viewer is allowed to interact with it as they are able to go up close and become part of the art, stand back and the simple act of movement changing the visual presence of the sculpture (http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/636/Cloud-Gate.php). It is loved by the public and seen as a symbol.

‘Temenos’ situated in the United kingdom is a huge web of steel wires slung between two giant hoops at 50 meters tall and 120 meters long. It is impressive in the way that the surface area hovers over the land floating above the ground. It is made out o stainless steel mesh and gives the impression of some sort of windsock. the project costed a whooping 2.7 million pounds. The subtle twists and arcs give it the sense of it moving when actually it is no (http://www.sceneadvisor.com/style/anish-kapoors-temenos-11348.html).

‘Sky Mirror’ Is another piece made out of stainless steel but is in the form of a dish. It uses the same idea and materials of using reflections and mirrors. It is of a breathtaking 35 foot diameter concave polished stainless steel. this optical object changes throughout the day and night and is an example of what Kapoor describes as a ‘non object’, a sculpture that suggests a window or void that seems to vanish into its surroundings(http://www.publicartfund.org/pafweb/projects/06/kapoor/kapoor-06.html).

2.Discuss the large scale site specific work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

‘The Farm’ whereby a wealthy man owns a private park outside of Auckland in the Kaipara Bay. The mans name is Allan Gibbs where he is an art collector. he commissioned Kapoor to design a quite amazing 84 meter long twisted red cone. it cuts through the hills ridge looking like an enormous megaphone. it is made out of fabricated wired and red cone which moves in the wind.

3. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

it is situated in the Kaipara Harbour where it is made out of the materials of wire and red fabric which is said to sway in the wind. It is a long 84 meter twisted red cone that is situated on a ridge of a hill where it almost looks like gigantic megaphone. The ideas behind the work are that exploring through space and time.

4. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favorite, and why.

My favorite work i would have to say is the first piece i had a look at which is the cloud gate. The reasons why i favor this certain piece is just the way it purely looks like something spacey that is out of this world. the fact that it is able to interact so well within in its environment gives it an almost human and futuristic personality to it which i think is extremely hard to create.