Anish Kapoor

Anish Kapoor Blog Post

Anish Kapoor was born in Mumbai, India. He moved to London to attend the Hornsey College of Art and the Chelsea School of Art and Design. When he went back to India he was inspired to make very interesting sculptures with the use of vast pigments and astonishing architectural forms. One of his inspirations and role models was an artist named Paul Neagu, who was a drawer, sculptor, and performance artist and worked with watercolor. He was part of the void movement. In the 1980’s he was acclaimed for making sculptures with the void style. "In the end, I’m talking about myself. And thinking about making nothing, which I see as a void. But then that’s something, even though it really is nothing." In 1987 he started experimenting with stone. He also had a love for using red wax in his pieces to symbolize blood, flesh. During this time, Ronald Reagan was elected president. John Lennon was shot and the Olympics in Moscow were boycotted.

Cloud Gate

He made this using stainless steel. He used this material so that it would distort images that were projected on it, which he wanted. He wanted it to resemble liquid mercury. It was all about making distortion. It was made by using 168 steel plates welded together but then polished heavily on the exterior so that there are no seams made it. He made a void in the underbelly of the design and designed in a way so that everything is distorted which works with his void style. I think it is all about looking at things in new perspective.

A Flower, A Drama, Like Death

This was made by using Polystyrene, plaster, cloth, gesso, and raw pigment. There was three parts of the sculpture. This was a signature piece because of the pigment he liked to use and his void style. I honestly have no idea what this work was about.

Sky Mirror

This was made using the same materials as cloud gate, except it was made as a polished slightly concave disc that would reflect the sky to show the ever-changing environment. Took 6 years from conception to unveiling. It cost 900,000 pounds. Put in the Kensington Gardens. Anish Kapoor said that it was the best place to put a sculpture. It was 6 meters wide and weighed roughly ten tons. I think this work was about showing the ever-changing environment.

Untitled

This was another pigment sculpture. It was made with his void style. He likes the positioning of sculptures in exhibits because it can make them look very different and can change perspective. I have no idea what this is about.

Turning the World Upside Down

This piece was made with stainless steel as well as is polished so that there are no seams. This piece is literally about turning the world upside down because of the way it reflects. This is another example of his void style and I think it means that we have to look at things with different perspectives.

Stonecarvings