Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Midweek: The Real Magdalena Abakanowicz


My attraction to Flock II has a long history.  Shortly after moving to Des Moines in 1977, I became fascinated with the idea of contemplation. As a mother of three there wasn't a lot of time to practice this big word but when I discovered The Des Moines Art Center, I knew I had found a place to practice.

 My first stab at contemplation was when I contemplated the headless statues. What on earth were they about? What was the artist trying to express? It was almost embarrassing to like them so much. The more time I spent with these guys, the more I noticed how different each one was.  

 When I became a docent in 2002 and was given the assignment to study a piece of art and make a presentation to the other docents, I headed straight to the headless wonders, trying not to knock into them, a definite docent no-no.

When researching this work, I learned that the artist, Magdalena Abakanowicz, was born on her family's estate in Poland. When she was nine, she watched the violent takeover of the family estate by German troops.  


 Exploring the mystery of Flock II with all of you in exploring the mystery has been satisfying to contemplate. I'm contemplating why these figures mean so much to me. 

 Is there a piece of art that you like but can't explain why? Do you spend time with art? Are you learning to tell the difference between Magdalena Abakanowicz and Marina Abramovic?

 Thanks again for responding to my emergency plea. I still haven't located the subscriber list but the service seems to be working nevertheless. 

 Thanks for exploring the mystery of art - Nicky Mendenhall
Magdalena Abakenowicz 
The Flock II
Burlap and resin; dimensions variable
Permission given by Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections: Purchased with funds from the Edmundson Art Foundation, Inc.m 1992.36
Photo Credit - Rich Sanders, Des Moines
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1 comment:

  1. ConnieNovember 19, 2014 at 12:24 PM

    Hi Nicky,

    I also am fascinated with that piece of artwork. I hope I understand what the artist is trying to say, but I also bring my own interpretation to it. And maybe the artist would hope that we would do that. As in, beauty (or interpretation or contemplation) is in the eye of the beholder.

    I am one of those contemplative people. In my book club I'm the one who wants to get inside the heads of the characters and figure out just what the author was trying to say through this piece of work. What did he/she want us to take away from our experience with the book (art, music, etc.) I also enjoy discussing these finding with others, as often times they give me a perspective that I'd not thought of before and can gain an even greater appreciation.

    Thanks for giving me something to contemplate today!

    ReplyDelete

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