Anish Kapoor

We all know the famous Cloud Gate (or "The Bean") that is just up the street. We have probably all seen thousands pictures that look exactly the same that shows the warped reflection of blue sky, the surrounding buildings and the group of tourists all standing around in amazement. Unfortunately, due to the extreme abundance of imagery, this sculpture has turned into nothing but white noise to most of us living in this city. Despite all of this, I am going to write about Anish Kapoor. Most of Kapoor's work is not outside in the public. Here are a few of his works that I was unaware of until now:

Svayambh, 2007. Wax

untitled, 2010. stainless steel and resin

Yellow, 1999. fiberglass and pigment

As if to Celebrate I Discovered a Mountain Blooming With Red Flowers, 1981. wood, cement, polystyrene, pigment

Although none of this really has much to do with the city in a direct way, he takes this way of working and brings it outside into the public space.

Sky Mirror, 2006. stainless steel

Cloud Gate, 2004. stainless steel

Tall Tree & The Eye, 2009. stainless steel over carbon

Kapoor's public works have a great deal of ambiguity to them while simultaneously consisting of primarily their surroundings. The public space directly affects the work. I am particularly interested in the back side of Sky Mirror. While the front is angled towards the sky and gives the viewer a disruption of the urban space and a intrusion of the sky, the back side is directed towards the viewer offering a view of the public space.

This idea of a commissioned art work designated for the public space is very intriguing. Kapoor's public works are much more pleasing and entertaining than his works that are not outside. The public works are more theatrical and are attractive to a very wide audience. The direct use of the mirror reflects the idea of the homogeneous public. What can be more homogeneous than a mirror? It shows what is already there in a matter-of-fact form. His public works would probably have a much more diverse response had he replaced Cloud Gate with Shooting Into the Corner or Hive.

Shooting Into The Corner, 2008-9. base frame, barrel, air receivers, compressor and air lines, projectiles