Richard Serra
Richard Serra work has spanned fro the mid 1960’s to the present day. He work involves minimal list form of a very large scale, giant pieces of lead or steel some towering four or five stories high and multiple tons of weight, dwarfing the view but also interacting with viewer by not allowing them to see in over or around the work. He uses this idea of controlling the view to evoke a few different emotions, one of them being controlled or forced to interact with the work because there is no other way around it, the large plates create walls and impenetrable surface that go from being a sculpture to becoming a physical barrier intervening in to the viewers or interactions of physical movements. They also evoke a felling of tension some of Serras work are large pieces of multi-ton lead that are perched precariously on edge or balanced atop one another, creating a great tension and almost guttural fear of death. 
3 comments:
I think it is important to note Serra's process-based pieces. One pictured above, of Serra throwing lead where the wall meets the floor, by which he articulates the structure of the gallery. His Hand Catching Lead video documents the artist's attempting to catching falling pieces of lead, when one is caught it is dropped quickly in an effort to catch the next one falling. When Serra catches a lead piece his hand fundamentally changes the nature of that object.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2xUSaPHGw4
I think Serra's influence in the realm of public art is significant. The idea that the publics money is used to make art has often been a hot topic in America. Left for all to see is also a very brave thing. Also his ideas of site specific work are a tenet of public art. When NYC said they were going to remove Tilted Arc from the courtyard of Federal Square he said "You cannot build work in one context and indiscriminately place it in another" He vowed it would no longer be his work if moved to another space.
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