When I went to the Blanton to see Ellsworth Kelly’s structure, I didn’t know anything about the piece or the artist. All I knew was that is was a permanent fixture. I arrived at the Blanton and saw the exhibit that wasn’t apart of the structure first. I was immediately intrigued by his work. It was incredibly modern, juxtaposing with the baroque art upstairs. There was a powerful simplicity to the pieces. When I saw the building, the concept of simplicity from his work was completely gone. The building was set up like a chapel, an altar to light itself. The building, complete with barrel style roof, has 4 ends, cross shape, much like the style originating over 1000 years ago, making it historical in its own right. At each end, multicolored windows, signature of his collection. The sunlight was the final piece of the art, creating a kaleidoscope inside. The docents made sure that the inside was completely silent, creating a place of worship. The piece is meant to be a sense of spirituality, the human spirit. The light makes such a beautiful scene. It’s so simple in that it’s just glass, color, and light, but the effects have huge ramifications. The piece is meant to create self-reflection and contemplation. The piece isn’t old, but it more than holds its own in the world of art and will stay that way.
