Introduction
In this essay, special attention is paid to the chapter “Sculpture and the Everyday” from the book Sculpture Since 1945 by Andrew Causey. The chosen academic source contains much credible information about the sculpture of the post-war period and the years before the second millennium. The author provides the reader with a chance to learn better the peculiarities of modern sculpture and its growth throughout the years. This response is based on the facts from the chapter and a personal evaluation of the reading.
Summary
There are several main topics in this chapter. First, Causey discusses the distinct features of sculpture through the post-war frame, calling it “traditional… focused on the human figure… abstracted or distorted” (85). Then, the analysis of Nouveau Realism is developed, pointing to everyday life objects without glamour (Causey 89). Finally, Pop Art is introduced as an attempt to break rigid boundaries “and promote performance art and happening” (Causey 100). This reading contains several interesting details about each era and the growth of sculpture in different societies. French and American artists made their contributions to the chosen field of art. Causey does not try to criticize the actions of particular people but provides an objective description of the events so that the reader can develop personal opinion and attitude and easily learn new information.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The main strength of the reading is the representation of enough illustrative material so that the reader can get an idea of sculpture and the works of different artists. There are enough names of sculptures to memorize and use their projects in analyses. For example, Robert Rauschenberg Oracle is introduced as an attempt to “take performance… and preserve it beyond the time” (Causey 99). The chosen ambitious way was not for the massive audience. Still, certain connoisseurs of art can understand the role of this project. Though the author chooses French and American sculptures for discussion, neglecting the representatives of such countries as Spain, Italy, or Germany, it may be the only shortage of this reading. Interesting images, easy-to-read paragraphs, and not too complicated vocabulary make this chapter available to the reader with any background.
Personal Opinions
I found this chapter educative for students with different goals. Not all people can understand the role of sculpture in the everyday. The disappearance of the concept of man after the war, the promotion of installations as the “theater of the real and the theater of object”, and the recognition of common objects with no sculptural history are the strengths that attract my attention in this chapter (Causey 104). It is interesting and educative to read and remember some main terms and definitions. This book makes me feel closer to modern sculpture and understand better the way artists passed between the 1950s and the 1990s.
Conclusion
In general, Causey’s book about sculpture since 1945 is an interesting source of information about popular art and its progress in such a short period. The environment and the possibility to survive in the cruel world is a distinctive feature of many artists. French and American sculptors proved that it is possible not only to deal with problems and war outcomes but also to exalt the art and make it available to society in a variety of ways.
Work Cited
Causey, Andrew. Sculpture Since 1945. Oxford University Press, 1998.