History of Sculpture

            The Earthworks represent a crucially important development in sculpture that rivals the importance of both found object and performative sculpture. Each brings much to offer to the world of sculpture, but often the Earthworks are overshadowed by other sculptures that are easier to exhibit or record. The result is that such large scale works like those of Robert Smithson has been left out of the main focus of discussion around sculpture, largely because of the difficulty in experiencing such sites and constructs that defy the traditional museum space.             Earthworks challenge what sculpture can be both in sheer scale and basic form. By creating such large-scale works, the sculptors open a conversation about what it means to create sculpture and space. The experience of an Earthwork usually revolves not around looking at an object, but existing in or o...

               The Dia: Beacon trip was in many ways a pleasant surprise, as I had not been before and did not know what exactly to expect. The first thing that struck me was the spaciousness of the museum, of course specifically needed for such large-scale installations, but impressive in scale none the less. Since it was an old industrial building, there were many motifs of repeated, vast spaces that worked in many ways to influence the feelings of those inhabiting them. Rows of skylights and wide, column less spaces, coupled with overall high ceilings and flat concrete or brick walls seemed to extend the space into infinity. I was actually surprised at how sparse the sculptures were, anything but crowded and given plenty of room to be considered independently of surrounding work, an important aspect to any exhibition that is often curtailed to use space more efficiently. I suppose when dealing with such large ...

                The history of sculpture has been largely dominated by male artists largely because of the presumption that sculpture is messy and requires physical strength. This in a way is a leftover sentiment from when most sculpture was either carved stone or cast metal. Both processes, by nature of their perceived requirements of physical strength from the artists, were considered unladylike. This is of course not true, as women like Claudel clearly proved. Prejudiced views that women, due to lack of strength and resilience, could not work in such a demanding medium as sculpture lead to exclusion even after it has been made clear gender is irrelevant in such matters.             Another obstacle was the subject matter of sculpture, which has been focused on depiction of the figure for quite a long time. Such figures were largely female, idealized...