Artist Post #2: Robert Taplin

I. Thus My Soul Which Was Still in Flight (The Dark Wood)

2008

Wood, polychromed resin

edition of 3

50 x 48 inches x 42 inches

III. Across the Dark Waters (The River Acheron)

2007

Wood, resin, plaster, lights

edition of 3

84 x 94 inches x 50 inches

II. She Turned Away (Beatrice Sends Virgil to Dante)

2008

Wood, polychromed resin, lights

edition of 3

78 x 56 inches x 47 inches

VIII. Get Back! (The River Styx)

2008

Wood, resin, polychromed resin

edition of 3

82 x 64 inches x 52 inches

Robert Taplin

“Among last season’s most haunting exhibitions, Robert Taplin’s ‘Everything Imagined is Real (After Dante)’ (2007-2009) featured nine eerie ‘tableaux’ enacted by small, life-like figures contained in massive wooden ‘shrines’."

- Wilkin

"What is hell? Desolation, godlessness, other people? Interpreting the creations of Dante with inventions of his own, Taplin dramatically suggests that what goes on in your mind is every bit as significant as the world outside it. Everything imagined is real."

- Harvey

relation to my work:

Robert Taplin's work "Everything Imagined is Real (After Dante)" is work made based on Dante's Inferno. Taplins depiction of the poetic inferno isn't the connection to my work. It is the way that he allows you to look at each scene that he creates. Some of his work is viewed from a small frame that Taplin lets his viewer see only a little bit at a time. Then there are other set ups where the scope is larger and the Taplin allows you to see more. This change of viewpoint is how I want viewers to see my work. I want to pull out and have a wide view but also zoom in and have the viewer see only a small portion of a scene.

interview

Gallery

Bio

Website

Works cited:

Harvey, Michael. "Robert Taplin - Reviews." Art in America. 7 Apr. 2009. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/robert-taplin/.

Wilkin, Karen. "Robert Taplin, Sculpture Magazine | RISD Sculpture." RISD Sculpture | Department Website. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. http://risd-sculpture.com/news_events/faculty_news/robert-taplin-sculpture-magazine.