The golden fish sculpture was designed by Frank Gehry, who is a Canadian architect. Gehry is best known for his conceptual and iconic architectural designs, which are in different areas of the world. His work also fits into the post modernism and deconstructivism period. This sculpture is 52m long and it was built for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, it was made by intertwining stainless steel strips supported by a metal structure. The golden shimmer on this sculpture is bold and warm. Also, the colours seem to alternate depending on the direction of the sun. With that being said, the netted look on the surface of the sculpture resembles the scales of a fish. The golden fish has become one of the most loved landmarks by the city and it continues to be a tourist attraction. This sculpture is sight specific because it was made for the 1992 Olympics, and it also serves as a canopy to the restaurant and the casino that is beneath it. Gehry’s main concept behind this sculpture is to do with the fish, it is actually an expression of his anger towards “useless references of post modernism”(Wikiarquitec, 2020). Furthermore, he also just admires the beauty and structure of a fish and how its body can just do magnificent things. I like this sculpture because of its abstract style, I believe it really does the compliment the space around it.
This installation was made by Rania Hassan, she creates site specific installations that bring our connection to time, place and circumstances together. The main themes that are present within her work are community, synchronicity, identity and time. This installation is called ‘liminality’, it is made up of silk, linen and bamboo woven into a web structure. ‘Liminality’ means being in a state of transition, this piece is about the highlighting the tension between moments that are known and unknown. When I look at this installation it reminds of old house that has been abandoned and filled wit cobwebs. I also think it is interesting how the colour of the web matches the colour palette of the interior. The red matches the top set of stairs and the beige colour matches the walls. Moreover, this makes this installation site specific because of the way it mirrors the interior. What I like about this installation the most is the attention to detail, like how the web matches staircase cover. It’s like everything in this installation synchronises together and is in harmony. The meaning that Hassan is trying potray in her work is to show us that we as humans are always interconnected to each other, our energies are always being exchanged in a liminal space.
References
Wikiarquitec (2020) golden fish - data, Photos & Plans, WikiArquitectura. Available at: https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/golden-fish/ (Accessed: January 30, 2023).
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