Blog 2: Bear Like Me



This is a piece entitled Bear Like Me, created in 2021 by Paola Pivi. Paola Pivi has an extensive collection of similar artworks, all life-size polar bears with fluorescent monochrome feathers. She began creating this series in 2006 when she first moved to Alaska. Like the rest of her similar works, they are made with urethane foam, plastic, dyed turkey feathers, and whatever props are needed. In this case, a trapeze. Bear Like Me currently hangs in the Aspen Art Museum in Colorado.  This piece was created in Aspen Colorado for the 2021-2022 ArtUP program.

Bear Like Me uses elements of texture, color, and form to make her artwork stand out. Form gives this artwork its foundation. This piece is a representational three dimensional modeled art form. Her work is life-size and performs human activities. She succeeds in making her work lifelike, and giving it a human feel while also letting it stay wild. 


Color may be the most notable aspect of this artwork. Paola Pivi's bears are brightly colored and monochromatic. Bear Like Me is bright pink and stands out, especially in the muted colors of a museum. The muted colors and surrounding empty space make her art very striking. In a crowded room, the extravagance of her work would be lost and would feel too cluttered. Additionally, her work is monochrome, which draws attention to the overall work of art and has limits distractions. I think it's simplicity also adds a feeling of serenity.


Her use of physical texture also adds to the art piece. The use of feathers makes the bear appear soft and fluffy. She also uses the feathers in a way that makes the “fur” seem realistic, as if it’s actually growing from the polar bear. Especially on the head. This texture makes the creature seem more alive. The way the light shines on the feathers adds to the texture by adding depth.


These elements combined make her work very extravagant, eye catching, and oddly inviting. Her work is meant to be playful and fun. In an interview with Financial Times in 2021, she stated “My art talks to an uninformed audience exactly in the same way as the informed audience.” Accessibility is an important part of Pivi's artwork. I appreciate it's simplicity. This work makes me think of a gentle giant and contrasts the way that polar bears are in the real world. Personally, this piece of art makes me think of kindness and I appreciate it's playfulness. I also think it's beautiful the way it stands out in a room. When I went to the Anchorage Museum, I saw some of her polar bears and they immediately caught my eye. My favorite from Paola Pivi is “We are the Alaskan Tourists” which was an exhibition at the Arken Museum in Denmark in 2020. 



Works Cited: 

​​”Artist Paola Pivi Invites Viewers into a Multi-Media World of Lies.” The Anchorage Museum (Dec 2021) www.anchoragemuseum.org/about-us/press-room/press-releases/2021/artist-paola-pivi-invites-viewers-into-a-multi-media-world-of-lies/

“Paola Pivi.” Aspen Art Museum (Dec 2023) www.aspenartmuseum.org/artcrush/live-auction/paola-pivi

“The Visual Elements.” The Artyfactory. (2023) https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/visual-elements/visual-elements.html 

Hodgkin, Beatrice. “The Bear Necessities of Paola Pivi.” Financial Times, (Sept. 2021) www.ft.com/content/caaf62c4-24dd-4884-8ea7-d74139a6ee60

Comments

  1. Eli CleinSeptember 18, 2024 at 3:19 PM

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  2. Eli CleinSeptember 18, 2024 at 3:20 PM

    Hey Kate, I enjoyed reading this blog post. I never realized sculptures like this existed before. The point you made about it being mono-colored makes a lot of sense. The quote you used helped better connect the points you made.

    ReplyDelete

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