Exploring the Artistic World of Nairy Baghramian

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Met and Its Facade Commission
3. Nairy Baghramian: A Visionary Sculptor
4. Exploring the Back in Art
5. The Concept Behind the Facade Sculptures
6. Materials and Installation Process
7. The Function of the GRID
8. The Individual Titles of the Works
9. Language as a Material in Nairy's Art
10. Nautical and Aquatic Metaphors
11. The Facade as a Membrane
12. Understanding the Title "Scratching the Back"
13. Challenging Traditional Museum Practices
14. Nairy's Vision for Viewer Reception
15. Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome to a Journey into the world of contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the iconic facade has undergone a stunning transformation. In this article, we will explore the unveiling of this year's Facade Commission by Nairy Baghramian, a visionary sculptor who has created something truly extraordinary. We will Delve into the inspiration behind the sculptures, the materials used, and the installation process. Join us as we unravel the meanings and significance behind each artwork, and discover the intriguing concepts that lie beneath the surface. Get ready to scratch the back of contemporary art and immerse yourself in a world of color, Shape, and joy.

The Met and Its Facade Commission

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, known as The Met, is a prestigious institution with a rich history of showcasing groundbreaking art and transforming its spaces. With each passing era, the museum has reinvented itself, expanding its collections and reimagining its galleries. However, one thing that has remained constant is the facade of The Met. The facade serves as the institution's first impression for visitors and passersby, acting as a visual representation of the museum's identity and mission. It is a space that holds immense potential for expressing the essence of the museum and engaging with the public.

To fully harness the power of the facade, The Met introduced the Facade Commission, a series of installations that aim to transform and animate this iconic space. Now in its fourth iteration, the Facade Commission invites contemporary artists to Create site-specific works that challenge traditional notions of sculpture and push the boundaries of public display. This year, the museum has invited Nairy Baghramian to take on the commission and bring her unique vision to life.

Nairy Baghramian: A Visionary Sculptor

Nairy Baghramian is an artist renowned for her innovative and expansive approach to sculpture. Her work stretches across two decades and encompasses photography, drawing, and sculpture. Baghramian has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Nivola Award for Sculpture and the Aspen Art Museums Award for Art. Her practice explores the function and display of sculpture, delving into the physical and psychological interplay between the artwork and its environment.

Baghramian's sculptures often challenge traditional notions of form and materiality. They embody a new identity, simultaneously bold and playful, yet fragile in their propositions. Her works strive to break free from their designated spaces, seeking to push the boundaries of where they are placed. This Sense of displacement and the desire to transcend confinement is a recurring theme in Baghramian's art, allowing viewers to question established norms and engage with the artwork in unconventional ways.

Exploring the Back in Art

Throughout her career, Baghramian has been captivated by the concept of the back in art. The back represents the overlooked and often Hidden aspects of objects, offering a fresh perspective on their form and meaning. In her exploration of the back, Baghramian has been inspired by various sources, including the unconventional views of sculptures from behind and the hidden histories of architectural facades.

By examining the back of sculptures, Baghramian seeks to understand the relationship between the visible and the hidden, the front and the back. This fascination with the back extends to her understanding of the facade of The Met. She sees the facade as not just a flat surface but as a space that allows for the carving of individual histories and narratives. It is a place of uncertainty, where the boundaries between inside and outside, past and present, dissolve. Baghramian's sculptures for the facade commission aim to disrupt the established order, challenging viewers to look beyond the surface and uncover new perspectives.

The Concept Behind the Facade Sculptures

For the Facade Commission, Baghramian has created a series of sculptures that celebrate the power of color, shape, and movement. The sculptures are made entirely of cast and bent aluminum, utilizing grids to provide structure and support. Each sculpture has a unique title, such as "Scratching the Back Drift (Tortillon orange)" and "Scratching the Back (Tortillon rose)," which playfully Evoke the performative aspect of sculpture.

The placement of the sculptures within the niches of the facade is intentional, allowing them to Interact with the surrounding architecture and engage with the passersby. Some of the sculptures extend beyond the confines of the niches, taking up space and challenging the designated boundaries. This playful defiance reflects Baghramian's desire to create a dialogue between the sculptures and their environment.

In her choice of materials and forms, Baghramian embraces ambiguity and uncertainty. The sculptures oscillate between strength and fragility, permanence and impermanence. They invite viewers to question their own preconceptions and engage with the sculptures in a playful and exploratory manner. By scratching the back of contemporary art, Baghramian invites us to discover new meanings, find beauty in the unconventional, and embrace the joy of artistic expression.

Materials and Installation Process

The sculptures for the Facade Commission are made primarily from cast and bent aluminum. This material was chosen for its durability and malleability, allowing for intricate forms and shapes to be created. The grids that give structure to the sculptures are also made of aluminum, carefully treated and Shaped to support the various elements.

The installation process for the sculptures was a meticulous and precise endeavor. Each sculpture had to be carefully positioned within its designated niche, ensuring a secure fit while also allowing for a degree of movement. The installation team worked tirelessly to ensure that every Detail was perfect and that the sculptures seamlessly integrated with the facade.

The tight fit of some of the sculptures within the niches posed additional challenges during the installation. In one instance, there was less than an inch of clearance for a sculpture to be inserted into its niche. However, through careful planning and coordination, the team successfully overcame these obstacles and brought Baghramian's vision to life.

The Function of the Grid

The grid plays a crucial role in Baghramian's sculptures for the facade commission. It serves as a supporting structure, giving shape and form to the individual elements of each sculpture. The grid also acts as a visual guide, helping viewers navigate the intricate compositions and understand the relationships between the various components.

In addition to its structural function, the grid symbolizes the institutional framework within which the sculptures exist. It represents the rules and conventions that govern the art world and shape our understanding of contemporary art. Through the juxtaposition of the grid with the more organic forms of the sculptures, Baghramian challenges these established norms and invites viewers to question the boundaries of what is considered art.

The Individual Titles of the Works

Each sculpture created by Baghramian for the Facade Commission is given a unique title, adding an additional layer of meaning and interpretation to the artwork. The titles, such as "Scratching the Back Drift (Tortillon orange)" and "Scratching the Back (sans Tortillon)," draw on language as a material, mirroring Baghramian's use of various languages in her artistic practice.

The inclusion of different languages reflects Baghramian's own experience of not having a mother tongue, leading her to explore the ways in which language can be fragmented and reconfigured. The titles become poetic phrases that evoke movement, playfulness, and a sense of hidden narratives. They encourage viewers to engage with the sculptures through language, inviting them to bring their own interpretations and associations to the artwork.

Language as a Material in Nairy's Art

Language is a fundamental component of Baghramian's artistic practice. She views it as a material with which she sculpts her ideas and shapes her concepts. As a multilingual artist, Baghramian draws from various languages to create her unique pieces. The use of language is not limited to titles; it permeates her entire artistic process.

Language allows Baghramian to express the nuances and complexities of her work. It enables her to communicate her ideas to viewers and engage them in a dialogue. By using language as a material, Baghramian pushes the boundaries of traditional sculpture and invites us to explore the relationship between art and language.

Nautical and Aquatic Metaphors

In Baghramian's artwork, nautical and aquatic metaphors abound. She draws inspiration from the ocean, the sea, and the concept of drift. The ocean represents the unknown, the uncharted territories of creativity and imagination. It symbolizes the desire to explore and the constant movement and change that characterize the artistic process.

The sculptures created for the Facade Commission embody the spirit of drift and migration. They are like fragments of objects adrift in the vast sea of contemporary art, constantly evolving and reshaping themselves. The sculptures embrace ambiguity and invite viewers to immerse themselves in the ebb and flow of their forms.

The Facade as a Membrane

Baghramian sees the facade of The Met as a membrane, a delicate boundary between the institution and the outside world. The facade acts as a filter, allowing glimpses of the art within while also reflecting the surrounding environment. It is a threshold that invites viewers to step into the world of art or simply appreciate it from afar.

The sculptures created by Baghramian for the facade commission engage with this concept of the facade as a membrane. They challenge the boundaries between inside and outside, confronting viewers with the question of what lies behind the surface. By scratching the back of the facade, Baghramian reveals the hidden stories and histories that exist within the museum.

Challenging Traditional Museum Practices

Baghramian's sculptures for the facade commission represent a departure from traditional museum practices. They defy expectations and challenge established norms of display and conservation. The sculptures purposefully extend beyond the confines of the niches, asserting their presence in the public space and blurring the boundaries between art and architecture.

By shaking up conventional notions of sculpture and presentation, Baghramian encourages viewers to question the way we perceive and interact with art. She challenges the museum's role as a collector and arbiter of art history, opening up new possibilities for interpretation and engagement.

Nairy's Vision for Viewer Reception

Ultimately, Baghramian hopes that her sculptures for the facade commission will be received with joy and Curiosity by the people of New York. She invites viewers to approach the artwork with an open mind and a sense of playfulness. Through her sculptures, Baghramian aims to create a moment of connection and dialogue between the artwork and the viewer.

She encourages viewers to look beyond the surface and engage with the sculptural forms in their own unique way. The sculptures are designed to be vibrant, inviting, and thought-provoking, sparking conversations and fostering a sense of wonder. Baghramian's vision is for the artwork to serve as a bridge between the museum and the public, inviting people to scratch the back of contemporary art and immerse themselves in its boundless possibilities.

Conclusion

The unveiling of Nairy Baghramian's sculptures for the Facade Commission at The Met marks a significant moment in contemporary art. Through her innovative use of materials, playful exploration of form, and challenging of traditional norms, Baghramian invites viewers to scratch the surface of art and delve into its hidden depths. The sculptures bring color, movement, and joy to the facade, transforming it into a dynamic and engaging space.

As viewers, We Are encouraged to question our preconceptions and engage with the artworks in a personal and interactive manner. Baghramian's sculptures challenge us to look beyond the surface and explore the back, the hidden stories, and the untold narratives that exist within art. By scratching the back of contemporary art, we embark on a journey of discovery, imagination, and wonder.