Which artwork or artist incites emotional turbulence in you?

[Maricel Evasco]

The one artwork that has stirred emotional turbulence in me is Rodin's piece: The Gates of Hell showcased at the door of the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia. I felt very disturbed just staring at the piece. The gates are exquisitely sculpted- imo beyond compare. The details are so fine and sharp, its almost as if you are looking at a collage of sculptures. I can feel the experience of 'hell' just standing next to it.

[ZenDog]

I'm afraid the pictures don't do it justice. I can't tell if the visage is some unearthly hell, or rather last nights orgy . . .

[Maricel Evasco]

You're right of course....you have to be there. I can't find more detailed shots.

[Robyn]

Wow. Reminds me a bit of Michelangelo's Last Judgment on the wall of the Sistine Chapel.

[Robyn]

http://www.stationmuseum.com/mel/chin.htm

This was a particularly poignant piece to me by Mel Chin. I wish I could remember exactly what he said about this mass grave with the people buried face up with their eyes open--which was an abomination to the local culture. Regardless of details, I still think the piece evokes considerable emotion. Like all art, it is meant to be viewed first hand.

Sorry, can't copy image, and the link takes you to a page of his works. The piece is called "Loom." It is the 6th from the bottom. Roll over image for details.

[Maricel Evasco]

Robyn, yes this showpiece is disturbing. I'd probably be thinking of it when I lay in bed at night.

[Dave]

Anything by Anselm Kiefer, but in particular, I have a printed book call "A Book by Anselm Kiefer". It's a picture book story of nordic and germanic myths.

[Maricel Evasco]

Yeah, his works are disturbing. I'm staring at the painting: Lot's Wife.

from--- http://community.livejournal.com/newtranschool/2216.html
title of piece: Lot’s wife
artist: Anselm Kiefer
medium: Painting, made with paint, pieces of straw, twigs and soil. It shows two railroad tracks, stretching into the distance – the horizon a bleak, white sky.

The painting takes its title from the Bible story of Lot’s wife, who was told not to turn back and look at the destruction of Sodom, but who did – and was turned to salt.

Kiefer’s art has a tendency to deal with history and memory, and specifically German history, and this is no exception. Just as Lot’s wife, Kiefer looks back, seeing what he has left behind.

What kind of Sodom has existed and been destroyed in his past, as well as what kind of Sodom he has escaped from. Keeping in mind that this picture deals with German history, the presence of the railroad track, makes me think of the railroad to Auschwitz.

But unlike Lot’s Wife neither Kiefer nor we, the viewers, are turned to salt – and the picture seems to say that sometimes we have to look back. Sometimes we have to view the evil we leave behind us.

The pieces of straw, twig and soil incorporate the very land itself into the picture and makes it tangible. The land becomes present in the painting in a way it would not have been had Kiefer used just paint. The result is a grounding of the picture. What Kiefer shows isn’t just a parable or a biblical reference, it is real as the twigs and soil is real.

In short this painting gives me chills.

[Dave]

Thank you for posting Lot's Wife! I remember seeing Anselm's work at the Art Institute of Chicago, back in the 80s. It inspired me to start painting after a long layoff. I still see such great emotion and expression in his work. I guess it could be described as disturbing, but only in the image of the ugly truth.

[Robyn]

Wonderful work--I was unfamiliar with Kiefer's work. I SO want to see it--to touch it--it looks wonderfully sculptural, and the white blast in the back ground looks like some icy specter over looking all. Thanks for sharing.

[Robyn]

Maricel--thank you for posting! How did you get the images? I was unable to c/p--is there some trick of the trade that you could share?

[Maricel Evasco]

heheheheh. I do it the net pirate way....I take screen shots--> paste into a photo editor -->crop--->save as a .jpg or .gif file. lol All computer keyboards have Prt Scr key for screen shots usually next to the F12 key or vicinity. That's my way of circumventing the restrictions......My students in the past have shown me a lot of neat tricks, some not so legal ones. lol


I hope this tip is useful, though it promotes piracy big time. LoL

Mari

[Walter Andujar]

I always thought that Gustave Couvert caused a lot of emotional turbulence, but after seeing Rodin's work I would have to change my mind.