Research Paper On Standing Glass Fish

When you enter the Weisman Art Museum on East Bank in Minneapolis, you will be stunned by many different artworks. However, there is one piece of art in particular that stands out. It is a giant glass fish, properly named the Standing Glass Fish. This piece of art was originally created by Frank Gehry in 1986 in a different art museum in Minneapolis, in view of the public, and since then it has been rehomed to the Weisman for its potentially final move. While some sources claim a childhood story is the reason for the creation of this artwork, other sources state a different reason. There may even be a secrete meaning that other sources have not yet found out. No matter why this fish was made, it has made a lasting impression on me and those
The origin of this isn’t fully clear as there are two stories going around. The placard at the Walker Art Center and Weisman Art Museum explain that Gehry designed this stunning art piece as a remembrance of his Jewish grandmother who would leave a giant carp swimming in the bathtub before preparing it for her Friday-night gefilte fish when he was a child . However, according to a Toronto newspaper which interviewed Frank Gehry, this is false. He said that this is a common story most Jewish children share. Instead, this newspaper article states that the idea of a fish came from a talk he gave in 1980s about an architectural debate. He allegedly said, “well, if you need to go back, why don’t you go back 300 million years before man, to fish?” It was after this talk that he started drawing fish in his notebook, which then progressed to lamps, and finally big sculptures, such as The Standing Glass Fish as well as beautiful architecturally designed buildings, such as the Weisman Art Museum . So, even though his grandmother did in fact cook carp on Fridays, his inspiration may not have come from one swimming in the
Instead of being inspired by going back 300 million years ago, this sculpture represents the beauty and fragility of life, and how easy it can be disrupted. With just the lightest of a push, the entire world can come crashing down, and if there is a single piece missing, it becomes obvious and blinds any viewers from the perfection that is life. Life depends on the presence of support, as well as many futile pieces in their proper place. It is something to be looked at in awe, as a specific order of events had to occur to make it real. However, no one can make it through life without support. If someone doesn’t ask for help when they need it, soon their world will collapse. Life is pure from the start, but it is very easy to taint it and turn it into something ugly. However, with a good cleaning, life can start to become pure again. Like all art pieces, the Standing Glass Fish is open for a vast variety of interpretation. Frank Gehry likely designed this piece with many different themes in mind, some he himself may not be fully conscious of. No matter the true meaning of this piece, it leaves a lasting impression and leaves questions in your mind. If you are ever in the Minneapolis area, I highly recommend stopping in the Weisman Art Museum and seeing this beautiful sculpture for