Where a sculpture is situated requires careful attention to how it will impact on the surrounding environment and vice versa. In the case of Sky Mirror (2006), by internationally renowned artist Anish Kapoor (b. 1954), this is particularly important. Reaching 10 metres in diameter, the vast stainless steel structure seems to pull the sky down into the landscape, investigating the relationship between objects and space. As part of the major exhibition Anish Kapoor at Galleri F15, Norway, Sky Mirror is situated in the baroque gardens that are overlooked by the main building.

This solo show presents a number of key works from over the course of Kapoor’s long-spanning career. Early pieces, such as The Chant of Blue (1983), provoke curiosity over the materiality; four pieces of carved polystyrene are coloured with intense pigments that distort the physical contours. An exploration into the absence of light is also central, especially within the aptly named fibreglass and pigment work, Void (1994).

Kapoor is well-known for considering shape and tone more widely, exploring the notion of darkness. Even in Turning The World Inside Out (1995), the shadow that lingers on the underneath of the sphere provokes discussion. The world – in this instance, the walls of the gallery – is reflected through the exterior of the piece. The smooth surface is disrupted only by a navel-like indent. The feeling of serenity it conveys is at odds with the concave shape of Hex Mirror (2009), which simultaneously inverts and distorts the room. The diverse materials and approaches that are employed by Kapoor emit a sort of playfulness, as the protruding curved shape growing from the wall (When I Am Pregnant, 1992) does. Amongst the displays, however, a sense of greater inwards reflection becomes clear.

Anish Kapoor runs from until 14 October at Galleri F15, Norway. Find out more here.

Credits:
1. Anish Kapoor, Sky Mirror, 2006. Kensington Gardens, 2010-11. Photo: David Morgan. © Anish Kapoor, 2018.
2.Anish Kapoor, Cloud Gate, completed in 2006 in Millennium Park.
3. Anish Kapoor, Sky Mirror, 2006. Versailles.