Environmental art environments

Large-scale outdoor art, it is large enough for viewers to enter and move about, and experience first hand as well as observe. Environmental Art was introduced in the late 1950s as a part of the breaking down between barriers of art and life. An early example of Environmental Art was "Store" by Claes Oldenberg (1961-1962). He rented an actual store, made 'saleable' goods in the back room, marketed plaster and cloth sculptures in the front, and displayed his 'wares' in the display window. One of the most spectacular 'environments' was done by Andy Warhol who did a room of floating, helium-filled pillows. One wall was covered silk screened with cow-image wallpaper. Other Environmental Artists are Louise Nevelson who did bas reliefs that covered entire walls; Herbert Ferber who built sculpture rooms; Les Levine who covered room spaces with mylar; and Dan Flavin who created 'rooms' of flourescent light. Mark di Suvero built huge constructions from junk material that people could climb on; Tony Smith made space-frame structures for the Corcoran Gallery and the 1971 World's Fair in Osaka. Sources: "The Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art"; "Phaidon Dictionary of Twentieth Century Art"