Richard Serra was one artist in which I was very interested in that I saw at Dia: Beacon. Serra was born in San Francisco in 1939 but currently lives in New York and Nova Scotia. He is best known for his Torqued Ellipses which were done during 1996-1999. The sculptures are rolled steel plates, each two inches thick and weighing two tons. I know when you hear an explanation of Serra's artwork it does not sound too impressive because it is something that you have to actually see in person. His sculptures are enormous and when you are in their presence you get this unusual feeling. This emotion is hard to explain but its almost as if your in another world just by yourself traveling to see where the paths between the steel will take you. Serra's inspiration for the work was Francesco Borromini's San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane church in Rome which he had visited in 1990. The center of the church is an ellipse and you can clearly see the relationship between Serra's sculptures and the church.
