There is perhaps nothing that can make me jump out of my car, camera in hand, like a large scale art installation. I love intrigue and ingenuity that these pieces add to the landscape, as well as the unique photo opportunities that the sculptures present. But it is the accessibility, particularly to children, that makes this form of public art my favorite.
Monument au Fantome by Jean Dubuffet stands on the outskirts of Discovery Green in downtown Houston. The mammoth scale and whimsical shapes and colors beckon children like the pages of their favorite Dr. Seuss book. Kids (and adults) can climb under the legs of the sculpture and check out the changing shapes as they view the sculpture from every angle.
According to the artist, the seven distinct sculptures represent a hedge, a dog, a chimney, a phantom, a tree, a mast and a church. My kids had fun guessing which section was which, but they also had some of their own ideas about what they saw in the sculpture. It was like an artsy game of cloud watching that sparked conversations about what kinds of sculptures they would like to create. Not surprisingly, they had some BIG ideas. After all, if someone can erect a tangle of colors and shapes in the middle of a park, and then they can imagine something big too.
~Today I am linking up with Budget Travelers Sandbox, Delicious Baby and R We There Yet Mom?~
Nifty shots!
Thanks Dick! They were fun to take.
Wow I love these pics! I see why you would jump out of car with your camera!
Thank you Wendy!
I'm drawn like a magnet to public art, too. Just saw Jean Dubuffet's sculpture at Discovery Park a couple of months ago. I've also seen his work downtown Chicago. I can totally see why the kids would have so much fun with it.
I love large public art like these and would have totally stopped too. It does look very Seuss-like but also very patriotic. It's great how such abstract art can spark kids' imaginations.
I love cool art installations like that – they can be so much more fun for kids to explore than an indoor gallery! Love the last photo looking through the art with the park and buildings behind – nice shot!
I like your pics! Especially the ones with the houses in the background. So nice!
I love large, interactive public art, too. You would like Oslo Opera House, I think.
FUN! I just enjoyed some DuBuffet sculptures in Napa Valley and will be posting about it possibly later today. I agree, outdoor sculpture like this, especially so large, is wonderful for everyone and particularly kids.
I agree. And I especially like when these installations are bright and colourful like the ones you have shown here. I find it sad that many 'art works' in cities are often grey or bronze coloured. Colour just makes them so much more original and beautiful.