Formal Analysis of
Scenic
Tim Youtz
4/2/14
Scenic by Signe
Stuart is a piece that hangs in the central hallway of the Buxbaum center for
the arts. It hangs in a narrow hallway in a central location, forcing the
viewer to observe the piece from many angles as he or she walks by Looking at
it straight on at any distance is impossible. The reason for this choice is
apparent as the piece’s raised form creates different visual effects depending
on the angle from which it is viewed. The piece is composed of two major
sections – a blue and a green section – that are balanced by repeated patterns,
color intensity, texture, and height. The forest green section lays flat
against the wall, evoking firmness not found in the blue section. The left half
of the green portion is a bare steel framework, reinforcing themes of heavy,
solid material. The colors and textures chosen by the artists evoke a natural
or landscape palette – perhaps of earth and sky, or earth and water. The lower
green section is smooth and bright, evocative of healthy grass in the
springtime to this observer. The upper portion is a darker shade of forest
green incorporating a rough texture like bark. The blue portion has
significantly more motion than the green, but follows the same basic color patterns
and texture, which gives the piece a sense of wholeness & continuity.
Though both parts are mounted at an angle on the wall, the blue section appears
to raise itself off of the wall on the left side again supported by a bare
steel frame. This elevation creates a highly visible set of shadows so crisp
that they appear to interact with the piece. The lower portion is again a
smoother blue like calm water and the upper a deep, sky blue. The boundaries of
the pieces meet in a jagged clash conveying movement and energy. Overall the
piece evokes a nature scene through use of tones and textures commonly associated
with nature The most puzzling aspect of this piece is the central presence of
the metal frame of the piece which seems at odds with the tone of the rest of
the piece. Ultimately this piece is visually interesting, energetic, and just
enigmatic enough to capture the interest and imagination of the viewer.
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