This is a very large sculpture that hangs on the wall in Art Since 1948. It is taller than a grown up person and wider than your arms stretched way out.
What do you see when you look at this work of art? Does it remind you of anything?
Learn about the Artist
Frank Stella was inspired by Polish wooden synagogues when he made this sculpture. A synagogue is a place of worship for Jewish people. You may be familiar with other places of worship, such as a church, mosque, or temple.
Sadly, most of the wooden synagogues in Poland were destroyed by the Nazis during World War II because they were Jewish places of worship.
Stella made over 100 artworks inspired by Polish wooden synagogues. Each artwork was named after a village where the synagogue is located.
He was inspired by the different shapes, painted interiors, and special techniques used to build the wooden synagogues.
- The inside of the synagogues were painted from floor to ceiling with bright colors and lots of details. That is why this work of art is so colorful.
- The carpenters put the different pieces of wood together without using any nails. He loved the way the shapes fit into each other.
Can you see how Stella used these design elements in this artwork?
Stella created these artworks as a way of celebrating Polish Jewish culture and connecting with it. It is named Kozangrodek III, after the Polish town with the synagogue that inspired it.
Your Turn: Make a work of art
Now it is your turn to create a Stella inspired artwork! Click on KAM Stella Simulator to create a Stella inspired design by moving around different shapes.
KAM would like to thank Sylvia Yang and Nancy Qu for creating this website in their Curriculum and Instruction class through the College of Education (CI: Advanced Educational Technologies for Engagement and Interactive Learning) in Fall 2019.
