Form and Function: SmART Weights

Part one of Short Series Musing on Art and Fitness

“Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight, or the open apple-blossom, the toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever follows function, and this is the law. Where function does not change, form does not change. The granite rocks, the ever-brooding hills, remain for ages; the lightning lives, comes into shape, and dies, in a twinkling.” - Louis Sullivan (architect)

This post is part one of a short series musing on art and fitness.

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To live an artful life means to experience things deeply and critically, and act with a sense of purpose. It’s been our modus operandi to be inspired by the things that exist around us, and to want to find unique and shared ways of interacting with those phenomena. This drive has shaped the course of art, and also fitness. Both disciplines respond to the adage that form follows function. A work of art or exercise adheres to certain tangible qualities, which are based on the intended purpose of said things. The artist has an idea of what they want to represent and communicate, then based upon that criteria, chooses the appropriate materials, process and form that enables them to convey their concept. A physical fitness program contains a series of exercises that strengthen and support bodily function. The form of an exercise is paramount to its efficacy.

The visual and structural connection between art and exercise is twofold: life inspires art and art inspires life. The physique and function of the human figure informs how we express ourselves. Artists portray the body as strong, stable, heroic and beautiful, but also vulnerable. These are also important qualities that are addressed through fitness. Perhaps the most obvious example is ancient Greek sculpture, a mode that fascinated artists and bodybuilders alike. The ancient Greeks mused over the human body and its connection to the divine. This took shape and form in their style of realistic marble sculptures of swole looking gods. The connection between human nature and spirituality influenced bodybuilders and athletes, who fashioned their body and training after the aesthetics of ancient Greek sculpture. Through a concept called the “Grecian Ideal,” bodybuilders sculpted their bodies to the same proportions of these works of art (see: “Chiseled: The Relationship Between Abs, Bodybuilder Aesthetics and Art”).

Workout equipment is a great example of form following function. Weights are designed to be handled and used in a variety of exercises. And while their main purpose is to strengthen muscles, there are ample examples of artistic looking weights. Diego Villarreal Vagujhelyi’s solid-stainless steel weights dumbbells would be a key feature of any aesthetic conscious gyms (see: “Are gyms ugly, and does it matter?”). Straddling the line between an art and a utilitarian object, they are durable, ergonomic and captivating. I can’t fathom paying the 4k price tag for a pair of twenty-pound dumbbells, but if money was no object, I’d definitely have them on my rack; and I’d even consider commissioning a heavier set or two.

What I find most significant about the way Vagujhelyi’s dumbbells are made, is the care he takes to fashion them so that they adhere to the physiological shapes of our left and right hands respectively. They’re also treated with a hand polished mirror finish, so that they reflect the processes of curling, pressing, lifting and holding them. He’s also crafted a pair of two-pound reversible weights that can be used for adding some resistance while running.

Diego Villarreal Vagujhelyi’s dumbbells. Photographed by @matteoverzini

Vagujhelyi’s weights remind me of ancient Greek halteres, which are ergonomic elliptical stones used by athletes to provide extra propulsion in the long jump, as well as weightlifting and strength training activities. Seeing his twenty-pound dumbbells juxtaposed with a classical marble bust in a recent exhibition curated by Alexander May, makes total sense conceptually.

Consideration of how humans and objects interact is a philosophical underpinning of both art and exercise. Each discipline prompts us to be critically engaged and observant of a material’s multifaceted qualities through physical experiences. This has significant implications on how we value ourselves, others and the environments we inhabit.

When I was a graduate student in both Art History and Art Education, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s essay “Why We Need Things” was required reading. His insights into the power materials have on our physical actions and cognition is instrumental to my thoughts about art making and physical fitness training. He describes objects as having positive and negative consequences on our personal lives and within the culture we are a part of.

Objects give us power, they become extensions of ourselves and remind us of special interactions and other moments in our lives. They can also become an addiction and distraction. I consider art and fitness objects to be more of the former. Although they can certainly be obsessions and distractions, I’d say they’re healthy ones. The outcomes of engaging with artworks and working out with weights are uplifting. These kinds of intellectual and physical activities are part of Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow,” wherein he notes that we derive a profound sense of satisfaction and pleasure from challenging and engaging actions.

Art making and exercise are processes that implore us to go with the flow. Going with the flow gives me a flexible outlook to address preconceived and unforeseen challenges. Instead of getting flustered in the face of a challenge, I give myself credit for taking on the experience in the first place. It’s actually quite easy to let go of stressors, because it seems as if nothing else matters during the time when the endorphins of art and exercise take the reins. This is an enjoyable moment due to associating challenges in art and fitness with an overarching sense of well-being and self-care.

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