Barbara Weil
Encyclopedia
Barbara Weil is an artist from the United States
. Her work shows relationships between painting
, sculpture
, contemporary architecture
and the human being
in unusual ways. In collaboration with Daniel Libeskind
she created the architecturally significant Studio Weil in Majorca. The building contains work and exhibition spaces of the artist.
and the Chicago Art Institute. While raising a family she also lived and worked in Southern California, later moving permanently to Majorca, Spain.
. Closer examination reveals further perspectives: references to other styles of art and to figurative art
, as well as references to classical art themes such as love and the female body. Her graphic œuvre includes self-portrait
s.
The artist uses both intuition and reason in her process of deconstruction
: taking categories of painting, sculpture and architecture, converting them into unexpected forms, mostly of abstract expressionism and even newer art styles. Consistently new interaction
s are created: painting with primary color
s becomes perspectivistic
spatial installation – one generation of sculptures reminds of two-dimension
al cutouts of paintings, others were developed from materials such as cardboard and paper, which represent two-dimensionality. Keeping ironic
distance from art styles, from traditional art production and from established interpretations of art, that what is usually considered separate is blended into an œuvre which sets everything in mental
, and sometimes even physical, motion.
]
A novel blend of art and architecture is constituted by three mobile sculptures, set into motion by the sea breeze that blows through an open gallery cut through the studio building.
sculptures in 1979.
In 1998, Weil was planning to build a studio when she met the architect Daniel Libeskind. The shared intuition
of the architect and the artist resulted in a unique studio space where Weil's art is the inspiration
for Libeskind's design. Jonathan Glancey
, a well-known architectural critic
, mentions Weil and Libeskind as "two artists who, unknowingly, had shared something like a common approach to visual form long before Libeskind became news."
Circles had been an important base of Weil's artistic gesture already in earlier works. Libeskinds involvement with the system of concentric circles, which the philosopher Ramon Llull
of Majorca had conceived as an explanation of the world, proved to be the ideal complement.
Giles Worsley
, in an article "Beauty without Tears", quoted Libeskind comparing his Studio Weil project with his large buildings: "It's a meditation on art. As opposed to composing a symphony, it's an unaccompanied cello sonata." The studio, with the size of a concentrated museum, permanently exhibits works of Barbara Weil.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Her work shows relationships between painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, contemporary architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
and the human being
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
in unusual ways. In collaboration with Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind, is an American architect, artist, and set designer of Polish-Jewish descent. Libeskind founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989 with his wife, Nina, and is its principal design architect...
she created the architecturally significant Studio Weil in Majorca. The building contains work and exhibition spaces of the artist.
Life
Barbara Weil was raised in Chicago. She attended Roosevelt UniversityRoosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
and the Chicago Art Institute. While raising a family she also lived and worked in Southern California, later moving permanently to Majorca, Spain.
Work
At first glance the paintings appear to be American abstract expressionismAbstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism was an American post–World War II art movement. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris...
. Closer examination reveals further perspectives: references to other styles of art and to figurative art
Figurative art
Figurative art, sometimes written as figurativism, describes artwork—particularly paintings and sculptures—which are clearly derived from real object sources, and are therefore by definition representational.-Definition:...
, as well as references to classical art themes such as love and the female body. Her graphic œuvre includes self-portrait
Self-portrait
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by the artist. Although self-portraits have been made by artists since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid 15th century that artists can be frequently identified depicting...
s.
The artist uses both intuition and reason in her process of deconstruction
Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
: taking categories of painting, sculpture and architecture, converting them into unexpected forms, mostly of abstract expressionism and even newer art styles. Consistently new interaction
Interaction
Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect...
s are created: painting with primary color
Primary color
Primary colors are sets of colors that can be combined to make a useful range of colors. For human applications, three primary colors are usually used, since human color vision is trichromatic....
s becomes perspectivistic
Perspective (visual)
Perspective, in context of vision and visual perception, is the way in which objects appear to the eye based on their spatial attributes; or their dimensions and the position of the eye relative to the objects...
spatial installation – one generation of sculptures reminds of two-dimension
Dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
al cutouts of paintings, others were developed from materials such as cardboard and paper, which represent two-dimensionality. Keeping ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
distance from art styles, from traditional art production and from established interpretations of art, that what is usually considered separate is blended into an œuvre which sets everything in mental
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
, and sometimes even physical, motion.
]
A novel blend of art and architecture is constituted by three mobile sculptures, set into motion by the sea breeze that blows through an open gallery cut through the studio building.
Studio Weil
Following the architectural forms found in her painting, Barbara Weil embarked on a series of fiberglassGlass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
sculptures in 1979.
In 1998, Weil was planning to build a studio when she met the architect Daniel Libeskind. The shared intuition
Intuition (knowledge)
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'." Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify...
of the architect and the artist resulted in a unique studio space where Weil's art is the inspiration
Artistic inspiration
Inspiration refers to an unconscious burst of creativity in a literary, musical, or other artistic endeavour. Literally, the word means "breathed upon," and it has its origins in both Hellenism and Hebraism. The Greeks believed that inspiration came from the muses, as well as the gods Apollo and...
for Libeskind's design. Jonathan Glancey
Jonathan Glancey
Jonathan Glancey is an architectural critic and writer who is the architecture and design editor at The Guardian, a position he has held since 1997. He previously held the same post at The Independent. He also has been involved with the architecture magazines Building Design, Architectural Review,...
, a well-known architectural critic
Architecture criticism
Architecture criticism is the act of writing or speaking about a building, usually of historical importance or novel design or built in a notable public space....
, mentions Weil and Libeskind as "two artists who, unknowingly, had shared something like a common approach to visual form long before Libeskind became news."
Circles had been an important base of Weil's artistic gesture already in earlier works. Libeskinds involvement with the system of concentric circles, which the philosopher Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull was a Majorcan writer and philosopher, logician and tertiary Franciscan. He wrote the first major work of Catalan literature. Recently-surfaced manuscripts show him to have anticipated by several centuries prominent work on elections theory...
of Majorca had conceived as an explanation of the world, proved to be the ideal complement.
Giles Worsley
Giles Worsley
Dr Giles Arthington Worsley MA, PhD, FSA was an English architectural historian, author, editor, journalist and critic, specialising in British country houses...
, in an article "Beauty without Tears", quoted Libeskind comparing his Studio Weil project with his large buildings: "It's a meditation on art. As opposed to composing a symphony, it's an unaccompanied cello sonata." The studio, with the size of a concentrated museum, permanently exhibits works of Barbara Weil.
Sculptures in Public and in Collections
- Under the Moon, 3m, painted iron sculpture. Part of the XIV Seville Expo '92Seville Expo '92The Universal Exposition of Seville took place from Monday, April 20 to Monday, October 12, 1992 on La Isla de La Cartuja , Seville, Spain. The theme for the Expo was "The Age of Discovery" and over 100 countries were represented...
. Since 2006 at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Andalusia in Monasterio de la CartujaLa CartujaIsla de la Cartuja is an island in the Guadalquivir River at Seville, Spain.The island's name derives from the cloistered monastery located on the site, the Monasterio de Santa María de las Cuevas...
. Seville, Spain - Allegro, 3.5m, marine plywood autolacquered. Originally installed at Verbier FestivalVerbier FestivalThe Verbier Festival is an international music festival that takes place annually for two weeks in late July and early August in the mountain resort of Verbier, Switzerland.Founded by Swedish expatriate Martin T...
2002. Verbier, Suisse - Siurell de Libertad, 3m, autolaquered fiberglass. Since 1998 at Conservatorio de Musica Andratx. AndratxAndratxAndratx is a municipality on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, along the Mediterranean east coast of Spain. It is located on the southwest tip of the island.-History:...
, Majorca, Spain - Over the Moon, 4m, autolaquered fiberglass. Since 1995 at Paseo Maritimo, Puerto de Andratx. Andratx, Majorca, Spain
- City of the Big Shoulders temporary installation of 11 polyurethane paint on fiberglass hanging sculptures and one polyurethane on fiberglass standing sculpture. 1993 at Three Illinois Center. Chicago, Illinois. See Catalogue. Works of the installation since 1993 at Archeworks Stanley TigermanStanley TigermanStanley Tigerman is an American architect, theorist and designer. He studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Chicago Institute of Design, and Yale University. After serving several years in the United States Navy, he assumed the role of draftsman and designer in a series of offices...
. Chicago, Illinois: - Female sculpture 3.50m, wall sculpture
- Male sculpture 2.40m, wall sculpture
- So Is She, 140 cm, standing sculpture
Literature
- Mnemonic cartwheels: Daniel Libeskind's Studio Weil and the work of Barbara Weil, exhibition catalog. Kristin Feireiss (Author), Kristin and Hans-Jürgen Feireiss Commerell (ed.). Berlin: Aedes West, 2000.