By: Dylan Willis, Madison Dowling, Ireland Kelly

Artist statement:

We wanted to represent the complex aspects of these very simple sculpture pieces. Two-part chairs, Right angle version (a pair) blends into the fast paced world of campus, and they sometimes go unnoticed by people who pass by them everyday. This, to an extent, was Scott Burton’s goal with this piece. He believed that his art should “place itself not in front of, but around, behind, underneath (literally) the audience” (Visual Aids) Making his pieces interactive to the world around them.

-Madison Dowling

This drawing of the granite was made to focus on the intricacies and flowing nature of the African granite itself. These chairs are made with hard lines and right angles, yet made out of a very natural material. A close up, detailed interpretation of the granite allows the viewer to take a closer look at the texture and material of these sculptures. Bringing the chairs out from that background of life and into the foreground.

-Ireland Kelly

The photograph of the individual using the sculpture as a seat represents Scott Burton’s purpose. The art is meant to be interacted with and used in your day-to-day life, they aren’t meant to make you think about what is going on in the world but let you focus on yourself. The chairs are the main focus in the photograph but you are still very aware that an individual is using them, fulfilling the purpose of the work.

-Dylan Willis

In this drawing made up of cubes you can see the right angles and smooth surfaces that Scott Burton incorporates into his sculpture. The grey scale in this drawing removes the textures so you can focus on the modern forms.

-Dylan Willis

This black and white line drawing represents the straight lines and harsh angles used throughout the sculpture. The lines along the corners of the piece are essential to defining the silhouette.

About the Artist:

Scott Burton was born in 1939 and raised in Greensboro, Alabama. In his early teens he moved to Washington D.C, where his mother was studying art. He would eventually study at Hans Hoffman School of Fine arts where his mother went to school. Between the years of ’59- ’62 he would take courses at 5 prestigious colleges – Goddard College, George Washington University, Harvard University, Columbia University and finally New York University. He walked away with a bachelor’s in literature and a Masters in Fine Arts.

Scott Burton was not a sculptor until the late years of his life (1975-1989). In his early years, after graduating from school, he was an art critic and an editor for Artnews and Art in America. During his time as an art critic he developed a deep understanding on the art world and the culture of the art community in New York City, which was important to his career as an artist. During this time he also began his own career as a performance artist. In the early 1970’s he performed his pieces in locations such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim, the Documenta exhibition (a world renowned performance art exhibition that occurs every 5 years in Germany), and the Berkley Museum.

His sculpture work was aligned with traditional utilitarian modernism, first brought about by Russian Constructivists, and followed by Bauhaus artists. This Bauhaus movement was revolutionary in the 20th century because it deeply connected society and technology. Creating a industrial take on art and craft. Bauhaus artists and constructivists were the early minimalists, and focused on furniture that was similar to Burton’s style. But because this art movement really took place in the early 1900’s Burton’s perspective was a combination of minimalism and a modern take on the Bauhaus aesthetic.

Burton is known for his use of granite and bronze to create sculptures that balance furniture and sculpture. He creates a unique aesthetic with these materials because he uses such harsh lines and right angles but carves them into natural materials. For example the sculptures we have on campus are very block like, but the granite is made up of naturally occurring lines and waves. This juxtaposition of man-made angles and the natural textures is a recurring theme in his sculpture. Burton was also extremely interested in the idea of public art. Most of the pieces he created represent tables, chairs, benches etc. Things to be placed in the public for use and beauty.  He believed that his art should “place itself not in front of, but around, behind, underneath (literally) the audience” (Visual Aids) Making his pieces interactive to the world around them.   

Sources:

AIDS, V. (n.d.). Scott Burton. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.visualaids.org/artists/detail/scott-burton

Burton, S., & Getsy, D. (2012). Scott Burton: collected writings on art and performance, 1965-1975. Chicago, IL: Soberscove Press.

Gallucci, J., Princenthal, N., Droitcour, B., & Ross, A. (n.d.). Art In America. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/scott-burton/

Scott Burton Papersin The Museum of Modern Art Archives Burton. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.moma.org/learn/resources/archives/EAD/Burtonf