The Serial Progressions of Modern Contemporary Sculpture

The vast majority of recognized Modern Contemporary Sculptors work in a Serial content for recognition. That is they choose a medium or format which they stick to throughout there carriers. This method may produce a slow growth syndrome, but enables the artist to become recognized by drilling similar sculptures that are identifiable to the artist in the viewers mind. Such Serial Artists that have exceptional strength with this serial approach are Richard Serra and Mark di Surveo. Although these sculptors choose to work with the same problems through out their carriers they make slight adjustments to their formula year by year. If you were to go back to to the beginning of their carriers you would see a drastic change within the same content. This is found in the work of Modern Contemporary Sculptor, Christopher Georgesco. He has worked in Wood, Concrete and Steel, Painted Steel, among a assortment of other materials and has linked his works by not churning out slightly changed replicas of his former self in a Serial Content. He has chosen to use a constant vocabulary which links different phases together by using the same language other than the same formula as such artist as Bernar Venet. Vernet as successful has he might be does not impart the excitement of experimentation. As with Serra, Vernet seems to fall flat with his continuous use of coiled metal year after year. The presence of artistic growth does not seem to follow the commercial success that has apparently followed. Some times Identity from repetition may play into the hands of the mundane. Even when championed with the mirrored moves of tilts and postions of his obvious mentor Richard Serra.
A great example of a Modern Contemporary Sculptor who do not work in serial content is Bruce Nauman. His non-serial approach of changing from neon to rope to drywall to metal to his complete content make him in fact a serial Modern Contemporary sculptor in that he has chosen to become recognized as a serial artist by using a conceptual link. He is in fact one of the reasons that prove that there are no absolutes in Art and the fact that the rules are in place are a perfect reason to break them. Photo Above: "Concrete Block Series" 1973-1974.