Improvisation - looking and listening activity page
Sam Gilliam

Look at the fabric structure by Sam Gilliam. How could you apply the term improvisation to this work?

Gilliam completed this work in 1967. Find out what was happening in the musical world at this time. Click here for information about various musical styles.

The colors in Gilliam's work are jewel-like and brilliant. How much of the color choice do you think was improvised and how much controlled? See the artist's biography for details.

In what way can this piece be likened to a performance in music? - think about the installation of the structure and what will happen when it is disassembled. Does the piece always look exactly the same when it is rehung?

Look at some other fabric sculptures by Sam Gilliam. Compare them to the fabric sculptures of Claes Oldenburg.