~Sophia~ Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Reaching Free Spirit Dream to Fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena glaukopis Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) The contorted bodies remind me of this: Dante and Virgil in Hell -- Bouguereau [edited to identify the painting] Edited March 17, 2008 by athena glaukopis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) I am drawn to over-extended poses. I think the title Reaching is a perfect description. Reaching toward something or someone; reaching toward new heights. Edited March 17, 2008 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aesthete Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Wow, thanks Sophia! Those are beautiful! I see on his website that he is the brother of the sculptor EvAngelos Frudakis, who did "The Signer" in Philadelphia (one of my favorites): And EvAngelos' son, Anthony Frudakis, is also a figurative sculptor: What an amazing family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena glaukopis Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Ironically enough, I found Frudakis' "Freedom" a year or two ago and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I am drawn to over-extended poses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I am drawn to over-extended poses. I think the title Reaching is a perfect description. Reaching toward something or someone; reaching toward new heights. I'm curious about this statement. I have to admit, when I looked at the other two besides "Reaching" I didn't "get them". After having seen a lot of the "swirly, floaty" scultpure of those like Frudakis, Hart's National Catherdral, Nguyen's Repose, some of Ponder's work, etc. I'm unconvinced the overextension does anything. It strikes me as out of context, sort of the way that modern dance moves and poses are. Yes, they are interesting forms but what do they mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I'm curious about this statement. I have to admit, when I looked at the other two besides "Reaching" I didn't "get them". After having seen a lot of the "swirly, floaty" scultpure of those like Frudakis, Hart's National Catherdral, Nguyen's Repose, some of Ponder's work, etc. I'm unconvinced the overextension does anything. It strikes me as out of context, sort of the way that modern dance moves and poses are. Yes, they are interesting forms but what do they mean? I will write a response later today but I wanted to offer few more of such poses before I leave home. The Diver by Stephen H Smith Freedom Victor Issa Yes Danielle Anjou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Do all female nude sculptures need to be anorexic? I really like "Freedom" though. Edited March 17, 2008 by Zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Some of these I find perfectly understandable and some I find inexplicable. The athletic once such as The Diver, and many of Danielle Anjou's athlete works. For these the overextension is perfectly understandable and in context. The ones of individuals in poses that one could take for exaltation such as Yes, I can also see, although I think them a bit dull because they have no context (if you notice as well, I have not seen a work by Anjou that has men in this sort of pose, only women). I have seen many works of couples where the motion and extension are as in a dance or ballet and these too I can understand. But Freedom, Dream to Fly, and even Reaching baffle me. I find the rendering of the female form in both of those to border on grotesque. and in Reaching the fact that the figures are facing away from each other, makes their reach unintelligible. Are they being ripped from each other? What is the signficance of reaching? When you show figures floating this way, all sense of tension or pushing against something is lost, so the particular rendering of the figure must have a flow, since flowing is the only reference of motion in such a state. You lose a sense of gravity or tension. I find a distinct difference in my own emotional response to these as opposed to the much stronger response I get from works such as The Hammer Thrower, The Archer, and Alchemy because they are in a context of gravity, and tension, and purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I'm unconvinced the overextension does anything. It strikes me as out of context, sort of the way that modern dance moves and poses are. Yes, they are interesting forms but what do they mean? Depending on context it may mean slightly different things but I will throw a few possibilities: lack of restraint free-liver Nonconformist ascending/rising spirit lifting of burdens euphoric weightlessness mankind's ascension to life's purpose awareness of unlimited and unencumbered possibilites within man's reach reaching new heights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 and in Reaching the fact that the figures are facing away from each other, I don't think they are being ripped appart but rather they started separate and now reaching toward one another. They show longing - that is the tension. Overextension - willing to go to great lenghts. Romantic searching and reaching out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Reaching OK, I'll bite. Could you walk me through "reaching new heights" from lets say the man's rendering above? You mean reaching as in acheivement or attaining. This does not look like effort on the man's part. It looks to me like he is being torn away from her. I would far prefer such works as this or this to reflect a theme like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I don't think they are being ripped appart but rather they started separate and now reaching toward one another. They show longing - that is the tension. Overextension - willing to go to great lenghts. Romantic searching and reaching out... Look specifically at the rendering of the bodies from the waist down. The unusual arch int he man's back, the straight whipped-out extension of the leg, feet and toes. The same sort of details in the woman's relaxed, knee bent posture. I think it destroys whatever tension exists in the upper bodies by making the context unintelligible. There is some conflict there else they would be flying toward each other, but I'm clueless to understand what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) There is some conflict there else they would be flying toward each other You are right about the contrast between lower and upper body. There is tension/barriers. Think of it as: Reaching beyond obstacles. Reaching for something despite them. Life is rarely a smooth ride. This does not look like effort on the man's part. Over extension is not accidental. It takes effort. Edited March 17, 2008 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KendallJ Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) You are right. Think of it as: Reaching beyond obstacles. Life is rarely a smooth ride. I certainly can think of it that way. What in the sculpture indicates to me that I should, that there is an obstacle? What makes it an obstacle? What is the context? What do I relate it to? I'm not trying to be pedantic here. I don't automatically get the same emotional reaction you do, and I am trying to understand from the objective aspects of the piece itself, why I should see more than the sort of perplexing aspects I do. Edited March 17, 2008 by KendallJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Diver I think The Diver goes a step further. It is not only reaching for but a state of achievement (it is done) of new heights. He is holding a difficult position with balance, strength, and competence. He also had to believe in himself first to even attempt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) I certainly can think of it that way. What in the sculpture indicates to me that I should, that there is an obstacle? What makes it an obstacle? What is the context? What do I relate it to? The presence of separate starting point (maybe being on different paths) is indicated by the difference between their lower body position vs. where they want to go (toward one another). Obstacles are indicated by the resistance they still experience - it does not look like there is no resistance. They are not giving up eventhough it looks hard (it is an overextension). Edited March 17, 2008 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 if you notice as well, I have not seen a work by Anjou that has men in this sort of pose, only women Interesting. Why do you think that is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) I would far prefer such works as this or this to reflect a theme like that. I like these (and others you mentioned here) as well . Quent Cordair is awesome. (I try to post things which I think others may not be familar with; new contemporary artists; new takes) ------------ I have a very strong, positive emotional response to Freedom. It strickes me very deeply and strongly inside. I find this pose absolutely incredible. I experience optimism, elation, sense of well being, passion for perfection and undaunted perseverance. Most of all I sense the importance/value of freedom. It just does it for me. It is one of my very favorite. I also have strong reactions to The Archer (this time in terms of focus, skill, purpose, goal) and The Diver (achievement, I can do it). Edited March 17, 2008 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMERICONORMAN Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 The contorted bodies remind me of this: Dante and Virgil in Hell -- Bouguereau [edited to identify the painting] This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. If you brand some benevolence to it, give it the appropirate contextual story, then, just visually, it is tremendous for me ... and I now remember again why art is so important. Jose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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