An overview of place as a theme of contemporary art

1. KVB127 Visual Art Open Studio 2
Week 7: Place

2. Robertson, J., & McDaniel, C. (2017). Themes of contemporary art:
Visual art after 1980 (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Place
Contemporary artists who make art that addresses the theme
of place can be:
• responding to specific scenes, environments and
ecosystems;
• trying to capture the appearance or feeling of places from
memory;
• inventing imaginary places;
• grappling with ideas of place in a conceptual way.

3. Mark DION and
the Chicago Urban Ecology Action Group
1992-3

4. Robert SMITHSON
(American 1938-1973)
Chalk Mirror Displacement, 1969
MICHAEL ASHER
(American b.1943)
Exhibition at Clare Copley Gallery, Los Angeles, 1974

5. Julie MEHRETU (Ethiopian-American b.1970)
Black City, 2007, Ink and acrylic on canvas

6. Emily Kame KNGWARREYE
(Anmatyerre 1910-1996)
Big Yam Dreaming, 1996
Acrylic on canvas

7. Leanne FAILLA (Australian b.)
Every Object in my House (in paper), 2017
c3 artspace, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne; paper

8. Louise PARAMOR
Show Court 3
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
(April 2007)

9. Andreas GURSKY
(German, b. 1955)
Shanghai, 2000
Chromogenic print on paper, 250 x 159.5cm

10. Klaus LITTMAN
For Forest - The Unending Attraction of Nature , 2019
Wörthersee Stadium, Klagenfurt, Austria

11. Polixeni PAPAPETROU (Australian 1960-2018)
Grasstree Man (Ghillies series), 2013
Pigment ink print 120 cm x 120 cm

12. Magdalena JETELOVA
Atlantic Wall series, 1995
recording of light installation, Jutland, Denmark ; photographic print on foil, light box
each 185 x 124 x 15cm

13. Adam CHODZKO
Better Scenery
1999

14. James CASEBERE (American b 1953)
Duchess County NY 2009

15. Michael LANDY
(British b.1963)
Semi-Detached, 2004
Tate Britain, London

16. Doris SALCEDO
(Columbian b.1958)
Shibboleth, 2007
Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London

17. Week 7 Reflection
In considering the various ways that place informs
an artist’s approaches, consider the following
questions:
•What differentiates a space from a place?
•How doe the site of production and the site of
presentation differ?
•Place implies a specific location – but our
relationship to places is often multilayered – how do
artworks reflect multiple places at once
•Does the artist explore real or imagined places?
•Can place ever be separated from the human
actions that occur there?
•Is there such a thing as a non-human place?
Make notes in your blog…. (another type of place)
James CASEBERE (American b 1953)
Duchess County NY 2009 (studio view)

18. 1.3 OBJECT (Week 7/8 Task)
Produce a 3D print of a digital composition
using the applications Metashape and
Blender.
Activity has 2 stages: scanning and modelling
This week:
Photogrammetry Session: body scanning
• Bring your smart phone
• Consider clothing, props, objects
• Avoid shiny materials (eg buckles, patent
leather)
• Avoid transparent materials
• Avoid black materials (corduroy or
textured blacks may be OK)
Next Week:
Blender: stay tuned for online intro; prepare
by downloading the application from
blender.org and familiarize yourself with the
sculpting tools.
Frank BENSON
American b.1976
Various 3D printed figures 2011-2018