Light and Shadow: Installations by Christian Boltanski

Artist #1: Christian Boltanski

Suggested to me by my art history professor, Cory Peeke, I was very impressed by Christian Boltanski's installations. Starting with a generic Google Image search, my initial reactions reminded me of when I saw The Adventures of Prince Achmed, one of Lotte Reiniger's shadow puppet animation films (1926). However, there is a strong tension in Boltanski's shadow works that does not exist in Reiniger's fun and adventurous film.

Christian Boltanski. Installation. 1984.

In addition to installation art, Boltanski is also a painter, sculptor, filmmaker, and photographer clearly moved by death-inspired interest including the two World Wars.

Christian Boltanski. Monument Little Adessa (Relic). 1990.

This is certainly an artist that I am interested in learning more about. I'm intrigued by his use of light to evoke emotions and ideas. My artistic motivations are still shaping. However, I have really enjoyed works that utilize shadow, light, reflection, and so forth. In addition to Boltanski, I've enjoyed works by artist, and EOU professor, Doug Kaigler (see: Nightingale Gallery), especially Personal Navigational Device that I wrote of in a previous blog entry as well as EOU alumnus Auburn Isaak's Soundescape and her other works from her senior show.

Doug Kaigler. Personal Navigational Device.  Mixed Media. 2013.

Auburn Isaak. Soundescape (detail). Mixed media. 48" x 84" x 60".

Auburn Isaak. Crescendo. Mixed media. Variable Dimensions. 

Another similar artist I just found was Diet Wigman.

Diet Wigman. Shadow Sculpture.