Anish Kapoor - Flashback

When I am Pregnant, 1992, mirrored surface

Her Blood, 1998, mirrored surfaces

Turning the World Inside Out, 1995, mirrored glass

I recently visited Manchester Art Gallery and got the chance to see a selection of Anish Kapoor's work, something that I have wanted to do for a while.  I saw some of his pieces from Turning the World Inside Out in a book and was instantly attracted to the highly polished reflective surfaces.  I was even more amazed by his interactive sculptures when I was face to face with them.  His sculptures are characterised by his distinctive use of materials, sense of scale and an on going investigation into positive and negative space.

He uses mirrors as a tool to project the audiences image back on themselves, the highly polished surfaces become abstract forms that have optical effects and produce sensual and beguiling sculptures.  Looking into the surfaces the image projected back is distorted and changes its distortion as you move around the sculpture, forming more moments of optical confusion.  These sculptures hold a tight link to my work and the effect that they have on the audience.  I think it is the highly professional finish that each sculpture holds that sets them above the rest, Kapoor works very hard to eliminate any sign of the artists hand, making his work appear perfect and effortless. 

Her Blood, is a configuration of three large, separate concave mirrors.  Together in the room they form an interactive sculpture, all reflecting from one another and projecting noises around the room in distortion.  I enjoyed the connection you had to each mirror even if you were stood solely looking into just ones surface.  Your eyes find it hard to focus as multiple images form a single distorted frame.  Another, piece which plays with your vision is a piece where a ballbous shape protrudes from the wall in a fluent fashion.  It is only possibel to fully see the shape from the side as looking head on it blends into the background of the wall and distorts your vision.  I enjoy this interactive element which Kapoor brings into his sculptures.

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