Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Ernesto Neto’s multi-sensory environments create interactive spaces for the viewer through the use of sight, touch and scent. Neto describes his work as "as a place of sensations, a place of exchange and continuity between people."[1] I am not so much drawn to the interactive nature of Neto’s work, but his ability to use scent, and the oddly familiar to trigger emotions. Neto often engulfs the viewer in soft, stretchable fabric, which diffuses light and takes advantage of the inherent comfort of the womb. (Figure 1). CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 100

Figure 1:Celula Nave by Ernesto Neto

In Intimate Immensity, Cliff Lauson writes “Through the presentation of familiar objects and structures, the normative relationships between complete strangers in public spaces are paradoxically de-familiarized as an interaction becomes shared as a communal experience.” [2] As Neto does, I hope to trigger specific emotions in my viewer with my use of gesture and placement of my foms.

Ernesto Neto illustrates the complexities of human relationships and represents them through his use of space. Neto encourages communal comfort by transforming each space into a place where many people can experience his works, together.

Figure 2:Glip Family, Ernesto Neto

Though Neto concentrates on this communal experience, his work has consistently been about action and reaction. In ABA one of his very early works, Neto connects 2 sheets of iron with a nylon thread, presenting the anticipation of the threat of separation. In my work I hope to represent this same anticipated awareness of the dependency of collaborating entities. Description: aba.jpg

Figure 3: ABA by Ernesto Neto

In Genta Grassa (Figure 4) I used the same ideas of action and reaction. I presented a series of sugar-filled forms, some of which had toppled over under their own weight. I used both fallen and upright forms to provoke the viewer to create there own hypotheses as to what might have occurred with the failed forms and what the future of the still standing, overfilled forms might be.



[1]Rugoff, Ralph An Interview with Ernesto Neto (not sure how to cite)

[2] Lauson, Cliff, Intimate Immensity (Not sure how to cite yet)

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