Bruce Munro is a modern British artist best known for his enormous three-dimensional light installations. The works of art created by Munro are heavily inspired by human experiences through the senses. For the past thirty years, Munro has been recording images and ideas that capture his reactions to stimuli such as music, literature, science, and nature. With the combination of vibrant imagination along with a knack at light construction, Munro has produced large beautiful fixtures of light that are both reminiscent of past experiences as well as intimate in surrounding. Munro arranges his work into three categories: installations, sculptures and commissions.
[Moon Harvest]
The Moon Harvest is an installation assembled by twenty cylindrical bales of hay placed all around Aviary Glade at Waddesdon Manor that serve as canvases for light. Munro set up fixed lights that illuminate the moon on the bales of hay. I personally love this installation because I have always been obsessed with the moon. I just think its one of the most beautiful things in the world. And it is amazing how Munro was able to make the moons look so realistic while creating a very soft romantic fairytale like mood.
[Restless Fakir]
Restless Fakir is a piece of work made with a timber board, halogen lights, and glass tubes. The sharp cone lights give off an intimidating appearance while the board of timber gives it an old look. I really like the contrast between the neatly arranged bright lights against the dull piece of wood. It seems as though it represents the disunity between the manmade artificial world and the natural world.
[Brass Monkeys]
Located at the Bath Royal United Hospital, Brass Monkeys is a large commission made by blown glass, stainless steal, and halide light source. The bubble like structures piled on top of one another is so unique and refreshing in style, especially because of the electric blue lights. According to psychologist, the color blue brings about feelings of calmness and serenity therefore, Brass Monkeys may also serve as a therapeutic tool.
[SOHO]
One of the greatest perks of living in the city of Manhattan is the availability of art all around the city. Graffiti, often regarded as vandalism by authority, is a style of art that significantly characterizes New York. I find that this particular form of art focuses on expression of rebellion, individuality, and having a voice. The culture of graffiti has been around since the 1970’s and grew due to competition amongst artists who aimed to spray their names citywide. Even though graffiti art is not as prevalent as it once was, you can still admire them all around the city almost as if you are walking around a gallery. I love how you can see the history and some sort of identity behind each spray: names of artists, group symbols, revolutionary statements and just cool splashes of color. The style and colors used in graffiti art are also elements that really capture me. It’s as if each word or picture is crying out for attention through neon paint, thick boarders and eccentric fonts. I had always thought that the style of graffiti was cool because unlike traditional art the places in which you find these works are not usually upscale galleries or museums. So I found it more relatable in a lot of ways. But because I had grown up in the suburbs, I was rarely exposed to the graffiti scene. Since moving out into the city, I have experienced so many beautiful works of graffiti art that looks so much cooler in person. I really like this one building that’s entirely covered in color by Williamsburg and this other graffiti board in St. Marks but my favorite piece of graffiti is at the top of a rooftop in Soho. You can over look the buildings and the combination of colors on the wall gives off a lively atmosphere. These little things about New York are what make this city so rich in culture.
[5 Pointz NYC]
Complexions Contemporary Ballet is the first performance I have ever seen at the Joyce Theatre and although it was smaller in size compared to the Lincoln Center the atmosphere of this particular theatre was extremely cozy and exciting. I think the closely-knit seating, dimmed lights, and soft background music had a lot to do with making the place seem so inviting. When the curtains first opened, I did not know what to expect or how to feel about this show despite the research we did for class because this style of art just seemed so strange and confusing. Unlike most shows that I have been where there was some type of story line that flowed throughout the performance, Complexions was arranged in fragments of choreographs that did not correspond with one another.
The first dance of the show had me feeling a bit uncomfortable and uncertain about the rest of the performance but it did make me realize the distinctiveness of contemporary dance as an art. This form of dance is expressed through movements borrowed from classical, modern, and jazz styles. Despite the movements it is comprised of, contemporary dance itself is completely different. The focus and also the most impressive component of the dance is the strength these performers possess. As the show went on, the performance progressively became more upbeat and exciting. It was amazing to see how much skill and strength these contemporary dancers have in controlling their muscle movements so precisely. The last dance of the show was absolutely exhilarating, a bang worth the build. And even though some of their body language along with their skin-tight attire did make me feel somewhat uncomfortable in the beginning, I let go my understanding of what should be into what it actually was; contemporary dance is an art the same way ballet or any other dance is an art. It embodies multiple styles in order to accentuate the strength of the human body and its essence.
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