Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all

I am collecting some material or references of aviation related art, but not the usual aviation painting of airplanes and so on. I know there is a wonderful thread in a forum somewhere (not Wix) but I lost the reference and... well, any help appreciated.

Anyhow, to push my point and because I am interested not only on new references but also impressions that these works arouse, here some references to the kind of stuff I am researching to illustrate the point:

The famous Fionna Banner Harrier and Jaguar installation @ the Tate, in London, in 2010:

(source: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/jun/29/how-did-tate-hang-harrier) and https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2010/jun/28/fiona-banner-tate-britain)

Which ended as casted lingots as a statement from the artist

from a Times interview https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fiona-banner-she-put-a-plane-in-tate-britain-now-shes-flying-0xcdmdsprrx

(for more see: http://www.fionabanner.com/works/ingots/index.htm)

Anyhow, she has more interesting work if you care to see her website.

Another that will even resonate with some themes related with aircraft recovery is the work (provocation?) from Roger Hiorn buried aircraft series.

from http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/british-artist-buries-mig-21-fighter-jet-to-symbolize-the-end-of-an-era

First, a 737 in the UK, then a Mig 21 in the Czech Republic...

Why? Not really an answer but anyway: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/apr/21/roger-hiorns-bury-boeing-737-under-birmingham-canalside-ikon

A last one, is the Aviao piece by "los carpinteros"


source https://www.designboom.com/art/imagining-materiality-and-civilization-by-los-carpinteros/


Well, you got the idea... Any links or references to these kind of approaches are welcome, as your comments.

A final line:

I am thinking most of us when thinking on aviation art relate it also to flight and flying. The above seem to consider only the object of technology and its relation to society. Both takes seem worthwhile to explore. I would propose that some of the most interesting art works are those that make you question whats around you in some way or other. Discomfort brings change... hopefully for the better.

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

One of the most famous pieces of war protest "pop art" was James Rosenquist's "F-111," permanently displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79805

There is also a Bell 47 displayed at the museum, used as an example of 20th century design.

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/2234

In 2012 the Pima Air & Space Museum launched its Boneyard Project in which several modern artists decorated planes pulled from Davis Monthan.

https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/the-boney ... os-part-2/

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/the ... um-6452001

This sculpture made of wrecked airplane parts is displayed at the Los Angels Museum of Contemporary Art.

http://www.publicartinpublicplaces.info ... ncy-rubins

August

thx August!

that's really nice. I knew some of them but not all.

I have seen the F-111 piece in Koln last year, without the background context I would be a bit lost on it...

also the last piece on LA MOMA in a fast visit to LA to see the Space Shuttle.

great!

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

Another rich source of what you might be looking for would be the 1930s art deco and modernist movement. Aviation was synonymous with the future for a while there, and the streamlined shapes of the new metal planes inspired a lot of art and architecture, sometimes obviously, other times more abstractly. For example if you enter the lobby of 30 Rock in NYC, there is the famous mural around the ceiling which incorporates many aircraft; a similar one was at the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia, later the Delta Shuttle Terminal and with what is going on at LGA now, who the heck knows what. The planes in these paintings were non-specific but the single-engine ones all look like Vegas or Alphas and the twins all look like DC-3s. A lot of décor (lamps, etc.) incorporated similar shapes. That decade of "air-mindedness" before WWII would have to be the apex of aviation technology's influence on fine art. And it was more of a serious appreciation by the artists of airplanes, whereas the modern stuff shared on this thread thus far all has an ironic take. There must have been exhibits on this somewhere, with exhibit catalogs published.

August

Hi August... I was focusing in modern stuff but you are right. I would also see futurism (aeropintura e Tulio Cralli, Tato) and the early russian modernism.


http://www.midcenturia.com/2010/12/tullio-crali-paintings.html



Schneider cup over Venice by Tato, 1927 by kitchener.lord, on Flickr

Tullio Crali Landing on the Gulf 1939 by kitchener.lord, on Flickr

the russian Malevich

http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/kazimir-malevich-dynamic-suprematism-work-week-21-june-2010

Excellent remembrance, August.

Two of my favourite and references books on this subject are the Robert Wohl two volumes on aviation and culture, "A passion for wings", and "The spectacle of flight". unfortunaly the 3rd volume is yet to be seen...

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

and this was fun to find out about

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/curtissaurus-rex-the-birth-of-a-legend.html

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

Slipstream. The largest sculpture in Europe inside London Heathrow T2.

It's a visualisation of Red Bull Air Race champion Paul Bonhomme tumbling an Edge 540. The original filming to generate the visualisation was carried out from a Nanchang CJ-6 owned by the brother of the curator and project manager.

That looks awesome! Thanks for sharing! Didn't knew about it. Airport commissioned art surely is something I must add to the check list,

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr

"Air borne" sound installation at Adlershof (Berlim) in what was its first commercial airfield: Johannisthal Air Field

http://www.air-borne.info/english/start.htm

It uses sounds culled from radio in the 20s and 30s to infuse the atmosphere with remembrance of the past of the site.

Around it are the wind tunnels and hangars from the 20s and 30s of the different companies and research centres operating there.

http://www.essl.at/works/airborne.html

_________________
rreis

If you want pictures, see rreis@flickr