Serra

Few sculptors overlap so obviously into the field of architecture with their work as does Richard Serra. I’ve had the good fortune of seeing dozens of his works in a variety of locales around the world, and despite the seemingly endless repetition of a variation of a singular idea (manipulated large scale sheet metal) I can’t say I ever tire of experiencing the installations, in particular the ones where an observer is required to walk right into the sculpture’s constructed spatial volumes.

The experience more often than not is sensory and visceral, and somewhat disorientating, but always conducive to exploration. It’s very easy to walk in and out under a minute, but I would encourage anyone to take their time and study the way the light plays off the surfaces, and appreciate how the form of the piece directly impacts one’s emotional presence as one explores the sinuous routes of many of his works.

I’m always curious about how such large installations are transported, given the obviously enormous weight of each piece – an opportunity to photograph the moment of arrival would be in itself a treat, no doubt.