UCI/Beall Center for Art

When I  traveled to the campus of UC Irvine, it was somewhat difficult to find to the Beall Center. It was difficult to find because it was in the middle of campus and it was not that big. The first thing I noticed before I walked in was this sign so I knew I was in the right place.

I continued to walk into the Beall center and saw a piece of work entitled "Biomorphic". I had no idea what to think of the work standing in front. It looked like a body that hung them self. As I got, the work started to inflate. After watching Biomorph, I read the wall plate off to the side that described what I had just seen in front of me. Biomorph was short for Biomorphic Wall, that would eventually form an abstract grid that recalls molecular patterns.

The next blown up figurines I saw was a piece of work entitled "Birds". It was interesting to watch this set inflate because each bird would inflate at different times and look as if they were flying by waving its wings. There was a total of six "birds" that would inflate back and forth as you would continue to walk through the center. This one was my favorite because it was the easiest to tell what the work was being focused on. It was also the most interesting because of the different timings that each bird would inflate.

The next creation I came across was a piece called "Inner Space". This one I could not figure out right away. From what I can remember, I think this one was supposed to resemble a space ship of some sort. It was supposed to resemble a space ship when it was completely inflated. This piece took the longest to inflate and it looked as though it did not get blown up all the way but then compared the photo I took and another photo taken from the UC Irvine Beall Center website and saw that we had captured somewhat of the same picture. Meaning that it was inflated all the way in what I saw.

After watching the three pieces of work inflate before my eyes, I expected to see more. As I turned the corner to see if there was, but this was it. I asked a student who was working the front door if there was anymore but he said no this was all for the inflatable bodies. I was a bit confused at first because when Glenn had mentioned this place was "small", I did not expect for it to be this small!
While I was at the Beall Center for Art and Technology, it was interesting to see that people had come up with the idea that figures that inflate is art. I have looked at art in all different ways and appreciate when someone puts forth the effort to display a good piece of work. I enjoyed watching and also learning about the expanding and contracting of the various configurations that I stood before.