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Site-specific art

274 articles

Site-specific art is a form of artistic creation designed for a particular location, taking into account the space’s unique characteristics. This genre emerged in the 1960s with the rise of installation art and land art. Artists like Robert Smithson, with his “Spiral Jetty,” and Christo and Jeanne-Claude, known for wrapping buildings and landscapes, pioneered this approach. Site-specific works often integrate with their environment, whether natural or urban, and can encompass various mediums including sculpture, performance, and multimedia installations.

Notable examples include Richard Serra’s “Tilted Arc” and Olafur Eliasson’s “The Weather Project” at Tate Modern. Site-specific art challenges traditional notions of portable, commodifiable artworks, often emphasizing experience over object. It can be permanent, like Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or temporary, such as Ai Weiwei’s installations.

Tiglachin-Monument-1984-concrete-and-steel-50-feet-15.24-meters-high-installation-view-Addis-Ababa-Ethiopia feat

The Tiglachin Monument: Addis Ababa’s tribute to the Derg

Sculptures   10 min read
When strolling down Churchill Avenue in Addis Ababa, it’s hard to miss the towering Tiglachin Monument. Also known as the Derg Monument or Our Struggle Monument, it was built to pay homage to the Cuban and Ethiopian soldiers who died in the 1977-78 Ogaden War. In Amharic, Ethiopia’s official working language, Tiglachin” translates to “Our [...]

The Tiglachin Monument: Addis Ababa’s tribute to the Derg Read

Jesús Rafael Soto – Esfera Caracas (Caracas Sphere), 1997, 1,800 hollow aluminum rods, stainless steel cables, paint, metal structure, 12 m (39.4 feet) diameter

Jesús Soto’s Esfera Caracas – Vandalized sphere reborn

Installations, Sculptures   9 min read
Can art shape the identity of a city? In Caracas, Venezuela, one kinetic sculpture has done just that. The Esfera Caracas (Caracas Sphere), created by the renowned Venezuelan artist Jesús Rafael Soto, is more than just a work of art; it’s a symbol of resilience, culture, and transformation. Suspended gracefully above the bustling Francisco Fajardo [...]

Jesús Soto’s Esfera Caracas – Vandalized sphere reborn Read

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Do Ho Suh at Incheon Airport: Home Within Home – Floating nostalgia

Installations, Sculptures   6 min read
Imagine walking through one of the world’s busiest airports and suddenly encountering a life-sized house suspended in midair. Home Within Home by Do-ho Suh, installed at Incheon International Airport, is exactly that—a monumental, translucent structure that captures the viewer’s attention in an otherwise transient space. This captivating installation reflects the artist’s ongoing exploration of the [...]

Do Ho Suh at Incheon Airport: Home Within Home – Floating nostalgia Read

Herbert Bayer – Double Ascension, 1972, painted steel, 14.5 feet (4.4 meters) high x 33 feet (10 meters) long, installation view, City Bank Plaza, Los Angeles feat

Double Ascension by Herbert Bayer: The heart of Arco Plaza

Sculptures   6 min read
Is it possible for a single sculpture to redefine public space? Double Ascension by Herbert Bayer, created in 1973, does just that. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, this innovative work showcases the artist’s pioneering approach. Bayer, an influential figure of the Bauhaus movement, influenced art, design as well as architecture. This significant piece [...]

Double Ascension by Herbert Bayer: The heart of Arco Plaza Read

Bernard Nebieridze - Kolkheti (კოლხეთი), 1992, ceramic, 217 square meters, installation view, Green Bazaar, Kutaisi, Georgia feat

The market relief of Kutaisi – The largest of the Soviet Union

Ceramics   8 min read
The Kolkheti relief, also known as the Kutaisi Market relief, is a striking ceramic panel located at the entrance of the Kutaisi Central Bazaar in the city of Kutaisi, Georgia. The artwork, created in 1985, is a high-relief that depicts various historical and mythological figures, as well as individuals who have contributed to the development [...]

The market relief of Kutaisi – The largest of the Soviet Union Read

Jean-Michel Basquiat – Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump, 1982, acrylic, oil stick, spray paint on canvas, 240 x 420 cm (96 x 164 in), installation view, Fondation Beyeler, Switzerland, 2023 feat

Banksy vs. Basquiat – Who did it better? Boy & Dog in a Johnnypump

Paintings, Street Art   9 min read
Jean-Michel Basquiat had a short but successful career. Starting in the late 1970s with painting graffiti, it was not until the early 1980s that he experienced real success in the art world. During this time, he created one of his most best-known paintings, Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump. It is considered Basquiat’s artwork at [...]

Banksy vs. Basquiat – Who did it better? Boy & Dog in a Johnnypump Read

Tezuka Osamu’s Characters on Parade, 2019, Kokusai-Tenjijō station, Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan feat

Osamu Tezuka’s ceramic relief in Kōtō, Tokyo – Astro Boy & Beyond

Ceramics   8 min read
Osamu Tezuka is often referred to as the Walt Disney of Japan. Regarded as one of the most legendary Manga artists of his generation, Tezuka sometimes went by other celebrated titles, including “god of manga” and the “godfather of anime”. In 2019, 30 years after his passing, a large ceramic relief was installed to pay [...]

Osamu Tezuka’s ceramic relief in Kōtō, Tokyo – Astro Boy & Beyond Read

George Zongolopoulos - Umbrellas, 1997, stainless steel, height 13 m, Thessaloniki Seafront, Thessaloniki, Greece feat

Thessaloniki’s iconic Umbrellas: George Zongolopoulos’ masterpiece at 96

Sculptures   8 min read
What makes summertime in Thessaloniki, Greece, even better is lounging at the waterfront in full view of George Zongolopoulos’ breathtaking public installation, Umbrellas. Umbrellas is a renowned installation and for good reason. It is a stainless steel structure towering an impressive 13 meters high and perhaps Greece’s most photographed sculpture. What’s even more impressive is [...]

Thessaloniki’s iconic Umbrellas: George Zongolopoulos’ masterpiece at 96 Read

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Metalmorphosis in Charlotte – A giant rotating head sculpture by David Černý

Sculptures   4 min read
David Černý is one of the most celebrated artists and sculptors in the Czech Republic. A rebel sculptor inspired by many things, including his own anger, Černý’s works always inspire controversy. The artist has built a name for himself in the global art world thanks to his shocking and provocative public works. Among his most [...]

Metalmorphosis in Charlotte – A giant rotating head sculpture by David Černý Read

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Richard Wilson’s Turning the Place Over – A radical intrusion in Liverpool

Architecture, Installations   4 min read
Turning the Place Over was a temporary artwork that was created for the European Capital of Culture. Liverpool got its turn to host the European Capital of Cultural in 2007, a few years after the city received its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The European Capital of Culture saw several events and art exhibitions organized [...]

Richard Wilson’s Turning the Place Over – A radical intrusion in Liverpool Read

Roman Ondák’s Measuring the Universe – 90,000 people created this artwork

Installations, Performances   5 min read
Conceptual artists, particularly in Europe, have a rather exceptional and extremely rich history that spans decades. Nowadays, conceptual art is still one of the most prominent art movements. In the early days, conceptual art did not play a prominent scene and would often thrive as an underground movement. Although artists have been experimenting with the [...]

Roman Ondák’s Measuring the Universe – 90,000 people created this artwork Read

Marc-Chagall-Four-Seasons-1972-dedicated-Sept.-27-1974-hand-chipped-stone-and-glass-fragments-128-panels-installation-view-Chase-Tower-Plaza-Chicago-feat

Marc Chagall’s Four Seasons in Chicago – His largest mosaic work

Installations, Mosaics   5 min read
Chicago is a bustling city with numerous buildings. In the midst of all the bustle is one magnificent landmark: Marc Chagall’s Four Seasons mosaic. Located in front of the Chase Tower Plaza, the mosaic spans over a 70-feet (21-meter) length and wraps around a rectangular support. In its dazzling display, themes of nature emerge from [...]

Marc Chagall’s Four Seasons in Chicago – His largest mosaic work Read

Carve - Marmara Forum Cloud Playground, 2020 feat

This cloud playground is too much fun – Marmara Forum’s Oyun Alanı

Architecture, Sculptures   4 min read
The roof park of Marmara Forum is perhaps one of the most photographed in Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated in the Bakirköy district and a marvel of architecture located in a residential area in the city. Bakirköy is a crucial shopping and commercial center and is one of the most visited in the country. On [...]

This cloud playground is too much fun – Marmara Forum’s Oyun Alanı Read

Ernesto Neto’s Gaia Mother Tree crochet work & 420kg of spices

Installations, Mixed media   5 min read
In 2018, the atrium of Zurich’s main station basked in the glory of a giant, colorful installation by the Brazilian contemporary artist Ernesto Neto. The huge Amazon tree-like sculpture stretched from the ceiling to the floor of the Swiss central station, helping set the mood and brighten the travelers’ spirit. It is the star artist’s [...]

Ernesto Neto’s Gaia Mother Tree crochet work & 420kg of spices Read

Isamu Noguchi - Red Cube, 1968, steel, aluminum, 24 feet tall, installation view, 140 Broadway, New York feat

Isamu Noguchi’s Red Cube sculpture – A masterpiece in New York

Sculptures   6 min read
Red Cube is a gigantic monumental sculpture by the American landscape architect and artist Isamu Noguchi, located out in Lower Manhattan. The minimalist masterpiece combines architecture and art, creating a fascinating monochromatic cube that balances nimbly on one of its corners. Notwithstanding its title, Red Cube isn’t an actual cube but rather looks as though [...]

Isamu Noguchi’s Red Cube sculpture – A masterpiece in New York Read