The Captive Cat:
At Columbia University, a bronze statue of a cat stands on the floor at the head of a staircase. Presumably it is of some value, for university officials have fixed a chain around its neck and fastened the chain to the stair railing.
Should the artwork be appreciated as a statue of a chained cat, or is it simply a chained statue of a cat? Becuase the chain is visiable, is it possible to exclude it from one's aesthetic appreciation of th e work?
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I would probably have to actually see this statue to know if I would appreciate it as artwork or just see it as a chained statue of a cat. I do believe that it would be hard to not notice a chain around the cat statue's neck. That would probably take away from the statue's appeal. Many great works of art are surrounded by glass or chained in place to protect them. While I agree that these artworks need to be protected, how can anyone really appreciate them with distracting things around them.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be difficult to separate the chain from the original work. Especially if we as viewers didn't necessarily know whether the chain was intended by the artist or added by the University. Either way, once you see the chain it would probably add a new context that changes your impression of the work.
ReplyDeleteI, too, feel that it would be difficult to seperate the chain from cat. No matter the intention of the chain, the viewer is going to place speculation as to why the chain is there. As humans, we are so driven on the symbolism of objects and the nonverbal message that objects send. A chain is a symbol of slavery, captivity, oppression...a means of controlling something. So to me, that is the context I would view the chain around the neck of the cat statue.
ReplyDeleteComing from a non-art point of view I would probably think that the chain was apart of the statue unless is was not of the same color and looked out of place. I would find the piece of artwork odd as it is a cat with a chain around its neck (most cats hate having leashes on, I know from childhood experience, haha) but I would have to see the statue in order to understand the true meaning behind it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the chain would be viewed as a piece of the artwork even if that wasn't the intention of the chain. I think that it would also bring a lot of thought to the piece of art, even if that's not what the artist was trying to do.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with others that I would have to see the statue and understand its full meaning/reasoning. However, in my opinion I feel that the chain emphasizes the statue (more eye catching). I think it would draw more attention and raise questioning as to why there is a chain around the cats neck. Is the cat.. evil? dying? scared? afraid? being strangled? a pet? a mascot? etc...
ReplyDeleteI must agree with most of you that it would be hard to ignore the chain around the cat's neck, and I would have to respond to it as a viewer. It would be interesting to (if this situation actually exists) how the artist felt about the additon of the chain. I think that if I had a piece that was displayed in such a manner that I would not be comfortable with the changes in context and interpretation that the chain introduced. There has been some real debate about sculpture that is site specific that has been altered in some way, like our cat.
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