A piece of artwork that really stood out to me was the family tree of name brand foods. I thought it was both comical (Quaker Oats having an affair [presumably] with Aunt Jamima. Just like Benjamin Franklin) but also really complex, clean and beautiful. I loved the addition of the wallpaper, an important quality that makes it seem like we're in our grandmother's home. It also shows that all races are related, not necessarily by blood, but just as human beings.
I also loved the row of televisions where the mother and father were trying to perfect the American accent while she tried to perfect the respective language of her parents. I thought it was raw, powerful, and also comical to see their reactions or hear their attempts. It really had a great message of assimilation in the United States or anywhere else in the world.
A piece of artwork that I really couldn't stand was that robot going to two different chairs. I understood the point, or at least I think I did, which had to do with parents who were constantly fighting, hence the breaking glass, the yelling, etc, and the robot is the baby trying to go to both. I just thought the sound was completely obnoxious and totally unnecessary. I mean, yes, it was necessary, but that particular track was unbearable. I remember going through the whole exhibit and hearing that annoying cry and I wanted to get out. Not the best choice, in my humble opinion.
The other two pieces, who I believe,was by the same artist, showed a digital installation (by two different projectors) and they discussed the themes of the Japanese imprisonment in camps during World War II and the second one discussed the issue of slavery in the founding days of America. Both pieces were very simple, but they made a very raw and powerful presentation.
Lastly, there was the documentation of a woman's mother in a white gown from when she was one to seventeen (if I remember correctly). The mother wanted to follow the grandmother's tradition and do it with her daughter but ultimately failed to do so. So, throughout the whole project, there are the pictures of her mother and a picture of the exact location that her mother was in for her photo. That way, she was literally forcing and placing herself in the family tradition. It was a great and interesting piece. The explanation before the whole thing started was most definitely needs.
Overall, I absolutely adored the exhibit, minus that one, obnoxious (in my opinion) piece. It was all powerful, interesting, and thought-provoking. I think it was one of the more successful exhibit at TCNJ.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
"St. Catherine of Siena to Mary Kate Olsen"
what god stole your hunger? who demands this reduction
to vertebrae? it’s a specific treason, a case worth losing,
nobody can hear you with fingers or sticks between your lips,
nobody loves you in the bathroom, everyone’s in the kitchen
again, this is my body, broken for you, take and eat
the appearance of bones is not a miracle of the flesh
(take and eat) what do your visions say? who
marries you in the dream, Christ slipping a ring
on my thin second finger, my shorn hair all over
the floor, gold for gold, I was six when he first
came for me, who insists on this full body stigmata
how long have you been paying this penance? are you ready
to die for this? martyrdom's a pretty notion until you're nose
to nose with it and nothing to be done, body rejecting water,
salt, fish, when you realize the devil's the one who wants
you small, who told you the pus of a cancer was wine, said
sip, swallow, this is my blood, transubstantiation in three
degrees, when you have given your good body to a lie
Mary, when your bones turn to whispers they will bury you
under a stone that did not ask to be a stone, we do not ask
to be but we are and to live, Mary, to swear
on everything holy that these bodies are not vessels
but gifts, that's the trick, to be an altar and not
another sacrifice, for what are you atoning? who is you
Eucharist? I made men believe, I brought a condemned man
to faith and caught his severed head in my hands, beguine
or not you have hands, a throat, the world doesn't need
another dead-thin girl, your suffering is not special, offered up
to magazine covers and lip gloss endorsements, thousands
flocked to confession after I preached in public squares, what
are you winning? my mistake was believing that the body
meant nothing, yours the opposite- Mart meaning bitter
Katherine meaning you, Christ and I died at 33, anvils
for the world's beatings, vessels of the world's sins, glue
your brittled bones into the fact of a god who bids you
eat, our bodies broken into bread at your feet, chicory,
water lily, do this for you, rosemary, asphodel, do this
in remembrance of me.
Marty McConnell
Link:
https://www.spokenwordredux.com/index.php?option=com_poem&task=detail&id=1390&viewcount=yes&Itemid=69
PS. This website has the poet reading the poem. Check it out. Very intense.
to vertebrae? it’s a specific treason, a case worth losing,
nobody can hear you with fingers or sticks between your lips,
nobody loves you in the bathroom, everyone’s in the kitchen
again, this is my body, broken for you, take and eat
the appearance of bones is not a miracle of the flesh
(take and eat) what do your visions say? who
marries you in the dream, Christ slipping a ring
on my thin second finger, my shorn hair all over
the floor, gold for gold, I was six when he first
came for me, who insists on this full body stigmata
how long have you been paying this penance? are you ready
to die for this? martyrdom's a pretty notion until you're nose
to nose with it and nothing to be done, body rejecting water,
salt, fish, when you realize the devil's the one who wants
you small, who told you the pus of a cancer was wine, said
sip, swallow, this is my blood, transubstantiation in three
degrees, when you have given your good body to a lie
Mary, when your bones turn to whispers they will bury you
under a stone that did not ask to be a stone, we do not ask
to be but we are and to live, Mary, to swear
on everything holy that these bodies are not vessels
but gifts, that's the trick, to be an altar and not
another sacrifice, for what are you atoning? who is you
Eucharist? I made men believe, I brought a condemned man
to faith and caught his severed head in my hands, beguine
or not you have hands, a throat, the world doesn't need
another dead-thin girl, your suffering is not special, offered up
to magazine covers and lip gloss endorsements, thousands
flocked to confession after I preached in public squares, what
are you winning? my mistake was believing that the body
meant nothing, yours the opposite- Mart meaning bitter
Katherine meaning you, Christ and I died at 33, anvils
for the world's beatings, vessels of the world's sins, glue
your brittled bones into the fact of a god who bids you
eat, our bodies broken into bread at your feet, chicory,
water lily, do this for you, rosemary, asphodel, do this
in remembrance of me.
Marty McConnell
Link:
https://www.spokenwordredux.com/index.php?option=com_poem&task=detail&id=1390&viewcount=yes&Itemid=69
PS. This website has the poet reading the poem. Check it out. Very intense.
Write Up on "St Catherine of Siena to Mary Kate Olsen"
The concept of "St Catherine of Siena to Mary Kate Olsen," (for convenience's sake, we'll call it St. Catherine)was to focus solely on certain images that the poem presents, at least in my head. While I was reading St. Catherine, I was struck by the honesty of some of the lines (example, the world doesn't need another dead thin girl). However, though the main theme deals with eating disorders in women, I feel that this poem can be universal. I feel that in general, it talks about low self esteem for both men and women, and how we torture ourselves because of it. I knew I wanted to make it simple, using Photoshop solely for the cover. I found pictures on the internet that were very somber, and I manipulated them through illustrator, putting them into live sketch and eventually put them into a gray scale. I loved the distorted effect that it had on the photos, similar to how people with low self esteem have a distorted image of themselves. The reason I put it into such a structured and disciplined set up was to also go with the strict and rigid feel of the poem. Hanging them on a piece of thread was also meant to symbolize how weak and dangerously thin some people's self esteem is (are?). The starch white paper, with the simple black, gray and white pallet really bring a real, almost newspaper aspect to it while the type is similar to that of a typewriter, and similar to an old fashioned news report. It's very "matter of fact," much like the poem.
Collaborative Presentation Experience
Our theme included both Masaki Fujihata and Perry Hoberman. Our exhibit was entitled "The Interactive Journey." Our idea behind the whole exhibit was to solely dedicate the gallery to interactive art. In other words, we wanted to explore art that relies on the viewer to complete it, instead of the artists' being in complete charge. We wanted to go away from the forbidden art to the reachable and literally touchable. It was an interesting comparison between both Fujihata and Hoberman because though they were similar when it came to interactive and digital art, the way they presented were quite different. Fujihata was mainly projections while Hoberman was mainly installation. Overall, I feel that our exhibit was highly successful in not only showcasing two amazing digital artists but by allowing them to unite into an interactive journey.
Links:
Fujihata:
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/artist/fujihata/biography/
http://images.pingmag.jp/images/article/sonar01.jpg
http://www.fujihata.jp/um05/IMG_1684.jpg
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/actobjects/fujihata.Beyond-Pages2.jpg
Hoberman:
http://www.perryhoberman.com/
Links:
Fujihata:
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/artist/fujihata/biography/
http://images.pingmag.jp/images/article/sonar01.jpg
http://www.fujihata.jp/um05/IMG_1684.jpg
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/actobjects/fujihata.Beyond-Pages2.jpg
Hoberman:
http://www.perryhoberman.com/
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Steve
Steven presents a lot of great background information on both articles.
Neidich: CAMP OJ was really interesting. I like how he documented it and shows us how what we see came to be from media information. It definitely seemed very interesting. Shot Reverse Shot is actually really interesting. That's my favorite piece. I like how five different couples were photographed. I like the theme of seeing different views of a conversation. I think it's my favorite because it's so interesting. In the Mind's I is also really interesting. I love how the viewer becomes the artist by expressing what he thinks or imagines in his head. It's really fascinating. This was definitely the coolest one, though not necessarily my favorite. Opti-Isolator has these "eyes" follow you around the room but looks away when you look at it. I think thats fascinating. It's too bad Matt didn't help Steve because the pieces seem really interesting. Steve does a really good job with "his" artist, but I would've liked to know about the artist. Pity. The theme of vision is really interesting. It's a very interesting and different exhibit that i would most definitely go to.
Neidich: CAMP OJ was really interesting. I like how he documented it and shows us how what we see came to be from media information. It definitely seemed very interesting. Shot Reverse Shot is actually really interesting. That's my favorite piece. I like how five different couples were photographed. I like the theme of seeing different views of a conversation. I think it's my favorite because it's so interesting. In the Mind's I is also really interesting. I love how the viewer becomes the artist by expressing what he thinks or imagines in his head. It's really fascinating. This was definitely the coolest one, though not necessarily my favorite. Opti-Isolator has these "eyes" follow you around the room but looks away when you look at it. I think thats fascinating. It's too bad Matt didn't help Steve because the pieces seem really interesting. Steve does a really good job with "his" artist, but I would've liked to know about the artist. Pity. The theme of vision is really interesting. It's a very interesting and different exhibit that i would most definitely go to.
Aaron and Casey
They discussed Reuben Langdon and Trisha Brown. Their ideas about the exhibit sounds interesting. Making an exhibit with simply televisions with films is something I would probably be interested in. Both of the presenters give great background information on the artists.
Langdon's biography was really well presented. Interesting take on artists-Avatar stunt double. I'm a little confused how he himself is the digital artist, but rather a stunt double...The videos were interesting. Is it safe to presume that the artists are the stunt doubles because they allow for a great range of motion for digital artists.
The background information on Trisha Brown is also very well done. I found that her work was a more legitimate take on art. She actually created things and not simply followed through with instructions. I felt that her work was really quite beautiful and elegant. Like I said before, I feel that she is more important as an artist because she choreographed the dancers. I feel that Langdon is told to do something, and therefore he doesn't create his stunts.
Overall, however, the presentation was excellent. They gave a lot of great and interesting information. Some of the videos, perhaps, were a little long, but otherwise, everything was great. They definitely knew their stuff, I just can't accept the overall conclusion that Langdon is considered an artist.
Langdon's biography was really well presented. Interesting take on artists-Avatar stunt double. I'm a little confused how he himself is the digital artist, but rather a stunt double...The videos were interesting. Is it safe to presume that the artists are the stunt doubles because they allow for a great range of motion for digital artists.
The background information on Trisha Brown is also very well done. I found that her work was a more legitimate take on art. She actually created things and not simply followed through with instructions. I felt that her work was really quite beautiful and elegant. Like I said before, I feel that she is more important as an artist because she choreographed the dancers. I feel that Langdon is told to do something, and therefore he doesn't create his stunts.
Overall, however, the presentation was excellent. They gave a lot of great and interesting information. Some of the videos, perhaps, were a little long, but otherwise, everything was great. They definitely knew their stuff, I just can't accept the overall conclusion that Langdon is considered an artist.
Artist Comparison
By far, my favorite piece in the exhibit was "Smoke Knows" by Pae White. This piece is apparently one of a series of tapestries with photographic aluminum and clouds of smoke appearing digitally. There is this incredible sense of elegance that comes with the whirling smoke. White's inspiration for the piece was cotton's "dream of becoming something other than itself." She accomplishes this theme by pairing an immaterial object (the image of smoke) with the physical and very real sheet of black cotton. It's absolutely gorgeous and almost has a seductive quality to it. Her strength lies in using an everyday image of both smoke (perhaps cigarette smoke?) and a sheet of cotton. These everyday objects are literally transformed into a sense of longing and I personally feel that the artwork has a sensual and sexy quality to it.
Another beautifully elegant piece that I adored was Edgar Cleijne and Ellen Gallagher's collaborative project called "Better Dimensions." Both artists wanted to present a narrative story. The images were projected in a room by walled in sliding panels. At first there is an image of JFK's bust, and if I remember correctly, it was rotating. There are gorgeous organic images that are caused by painted slides. These images move across the room. I feel that it brings an almost alien quality to the piece. After some research, I found out that the text and graphics are based loosely on the American Illusionist Black Herman and jazz musician Sun Ra. By using both of these artists, especially Ra who claimed he went into outer space, the two artists create an incredible virtual and visual poem. I'm not really sure what was going on politically during the time of JFK (besides Vietnam) so I'm not necessarily sure what the political connotation is.
The artists, I feel, created incredibly elegant pieces by using video, projections and slides. However, White used a black cotton sheet and the projected images of smoke moving onto the cotton. She created a very sensual piece that projected themes of longing onto the viewer. I also loved her idea, allowing cotton to transform itself into a cloud of immaterial and digital smoke. Cleine and Gallagher created another elegant piece, except it obviously had some kind of political connotation. However, what I loved about it was the organic images moving around the wall which was created by painted slides. It was gorgeous. I didn't really care, if you will, that I didn't understand what the point was. Like I mentioned before, it was stunningly gorgeous.
"Smoking Knows"
"Better Dimensions"
Another beautifully elegant piece that I adored was Edgar Cleijne and Ellen Gallagher's collaborative project called "Better Dimensions." Both artists wanted to present a narrative story. The images were projected in a room by walled in sliding panels. At first there is an image of JFK's bust, and if I remember correctly, it was rotating. There are gorgeous organic images that are caused by painted slides. These images move across the room. I feel that it brings an almost alien quality to the piece. After some research, I found out that the text and graphics are based loosely on the American Illusionist Black Herman and jazz musician Sun Ra. By using both of these artists, especially Ra who claimed he went into outer space, the two artists create an incredible virtual and visual poem. I'm not really sure what was going on politically during the time of JFK (besides Vietnam) so I'm not necessarily sure what the political connotation is.
The artists, I feel, created incredibly elegant pieces by using video, projections and slides. However, White used a black cotton sheet and the projected images of smoke moving onto the cotton. She created a very sensual piece that projected themes of longing onto the viewer. I also loved her idea, allowing cotton to transform itself into a cloud of immaterial and digital smoke. Cleine and Gallagher created another elegant piece, except it obviously had some kind of political connotation. However, what I loved about it was the organic images moving around the wall which was created by painted slides. It was gorgeous. I didn't really care, if you will, that I didn't understand what the point was. Like I mentioned before, it was stunningly gorgeous.
"Smoking Knows"
"Better Dimensions"
Self Visualization
My idea for this triptych was to show how I see myself in the mirror. I wasn't interested in making a progression from different times of my life, but a general overview of how I feel. The feet represent my shyness. The pose is kind of a nervous stance, kind of like wanting to get out of a situation. The colors also make me a little uneasy. The photo of me represents the shame i feel when I see myself. The colors are dark and gloomy to reiterate the loneliness and shame I feel when I see myself. Lastly, the hands represent the pain I feel when I look at myself or when I look at my past. Sure, my life isn't the most difficult one out there, but it hasn't been a cake walk either. So these three pictures kind of wrap up how I feel/who I am as a person. I also wanted to unite everything by making each photoshop altered photo into live trace, and changing it from black and white to color. Each photo has 11 or 14 different colors.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Josh and Kristen's Presentation
Lillian Schwartz and Robert Lazzarini
They both presented a lot of good background information for both artists.
Schwartz is really interesting. She started her work in the 70s, i believe. I really like IT IS I (Mona-Leo). It's a very interesting concept and I think it's really amazing how she did this before photoshop or anything like that. I also really liked how they kept her photo up in the background while discussing her work. Simple observation but I think it's a very good approach. Night Scene was also interesting because its so new and so advanced (for that time period at least). Her UFO piece, though kind of seizure inducing, was really an amazing technological advance. I actually like the second, and earlier, video they showed. I feel that the music and everything really fits together. It doesn't make me want to shake around all over the floor.
Lazzarini is also really fascinating. i actually like him better than Lazzarini LOVE the tea cup work. I think its really fascinating and cool...tempted to buy them from MOMA... the Knives piece is also really cool. I do agree that seeing some of the images live is very important because you can really get the effect of it. Pay phone was also really cool.
I liked how they compared the context and how one has effected the other. To see two different artists form the same area, and how she helped him come to the point where he is, is very interesting and I would most definitely go to this exhibit.
This group was really quite excellent. They gave a lot of great information and more importantly, made it all very interesting. I really liked how they organized and set everything up. VERY well done.
They both presented a lot of good background information for both artists.
Schwartz is really interesting. She started her work in the 70s, i believe. I really like IT IS I (Mona-Leo). It's a very interesting concept and I think it's really amazing how she did this before photoshop or anything like that. I also really liked how they kept her photo up in the background while discussing her work. Simple observation but I think it's a very good approach. Night Scene was also interesting because its so new and so advanced (for that time period at least). Her UFO piece, though kind of seizure inducing, was really an amazing technological advance. I actually like the second, and earlier, video they showed. I feel that the music and everything really fits together. It doesn't make me want to shake around all over the floor.
Lazzarini is also really fascinating. i actually like him better than Lazzarini LOVE the tea cup work. I think its really fascinating and cool...tempted to buy them from MOMA... the Knives piece is also really cool. I do agree that seeing some of the images live is very important because you can really get the effect of it. Pay phone was also really cool.
I liked how they compared the context and how one has effected the other. To see two different artists form the same area, and how she helped him come to the point where he is, is very interesting and I would most definitely go to this exhibit.
This group was really quite excellent. They gave a lot of great information and more importantly, made it all very interesting. I really liked how they organized and set everything up. VERY well done.
Lucy Henry's presentation
Lucy did Eva and Franco Mattes, who created avatars, and Adrienne Jenik and Brennes, who created desktop.
Mattes' "Annoying Japanese Child Dinosaur" shows a Japanese woman as a geisha, perhaps? She's obviously Japanese because of her eyes and she is part of an exhibit. I really enjoyed the Ameshin Yossarian (which is a triptych! yay!) Aimee Weber is another avatar by the Mattes and again, i find it very interesting because it shows how people want to be and not necessarily what they look like. it show society's impression on what perfection is. they also use a photographic way of taking the pictures by using the beautiful angles of photography.
Second Life is another thing that the Mattes invited which is basically a second life in which you have to take care of yourself, just in a virtual world. Reminds me of the SIms. So they were, I guess, the founding parents of avatars
Jenik and Brennes helped create desktop theater. This allows the characters to interact, chat, stage performances, etc. It's almost like a chatroom except with idealized (i suppose?) people where they can interact without any fear of judgement.
I really liked the Icon War with sounds. It was amusing and creative.
Overall, I felt that Lucy has a lot of interesting information but needs to organize it better so that we can understand it better. Like I said before, the information was great and fascinating and i felt she herself talked about it well. However, the organization of the power point was a little bit unclear. Would the exhibit be filled with computers with people making their own avatars and having them interact all together? I feel that this would be a very successful exhibit, if in fact, this is what her idea was.
Mattes' "Annoying Japanese Child Dinosaur" shows a Japanese woman as a geisha, perhaps? She's obviously Japanese because of her eyes and she is part of an exhibit. I really enjoyed the Ameshin Yossarian (which is a triptych! yay!) Aimee Weber is another avatar by the Mattes and again, i find it very interesting because it shows how people want to be and not necessarily what they look like. it show society's impression on what perfection is. they also use a photographic way of taking the pictures by using the beautiful angles of photography.
Second Life is another thing that the Mattes invited which is basically a second life in which you have to take care of yourself, just in a virtual world. Reminds me of the SIms. So they were, I guess, the founding parents of avatars
Jenik and Brennes helped create desktop theater. This allows the characters to interact, chat, stage performances, etc. It's almost like a chatroom except with idealized (i suppose?) people where they can interact without any fear of judgement.
I really liked the Icon War with sounds. It was amusing and creative.
Overall, I felt that Lucy has a lot of interesting information but needs to organize it better so that we can understand it better. Like I said before, the information was great and fascinating and i felt she herself talked about it well. However, the organization of the power point was a little bit unclear. Would the exhibit be filled with computers with people making their own avatars and having them interact all together? I feel that this would be a very successful exhibit, if in fact, this is what her idea was.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Marina Abramovic and Lynn Hershman
This presentation introduced the artwork of Marina Abramovic and Lynn Hershman. It addresses the role of women in society and aspects of feminism. The group, so far, has provided a plethora of biographical information and it is all very useful. They are a really great team. I like how they don't use words but rather just show work].
Abramovic's "self mutilation art" is very interesting and disturbing...but in a good way. She focuses mostly on her individual self and the intervention from the part of the audience. I think it's very brave, controversial and emotional.Julie explained her artist's projects incredibly well. My favorite piece is the "Awkward Situation" in which people had to squeeze in between both of the artists to view the exhibit. Only lasted 90 minutes because of the police intervention...Kind of made me angry that art has only certain limits and people are too prude/closed minded to enjoy somehting as beautiful as the human body. I really like a lot of Abramovic's work. She has a lot of powerful statements.
Cassie's introduction of if Hershman's project is very well done. Her project which involved documenting a woman who is an hermit and it really is a powerful piece, saying that women are being repressed and forced to be alone. I really like that she makes powerful statements but i feel that her work isn't as powerful or emotional as Abramovic. I really did like "Paranoid Woman" though. I think it's really an interesting piece and kind of, in a way, creepy.But my favorite piece of hers is the one where she rented a hotel room and puts the things people left over. i think its a very interesting statement of people.
Abramovic's "self mutilation art" is very interesting and disturbing...but in a good way. She focuses mostly on her individual self and the intervention from the part of the audience. I think it's very brave, controversial and emotional.Julie explained her artist's projects incredibly well. My favorite piece is the "Awkward Situation" in which people had to squeeze in between both of the artists to view the exhibit. Only lasted 90 minutes because of the police intervention...Kind of made me angry that art has only certain limits and people are too prude/closed minded to enjoy somehting as beautiful as the human body. I really like a lot of Abramovic's work. She has a lot of powerful statements.
Cassie's introduction of if Hershman's project is very well done. Her project which involved documenting a woman who is an hermit and it really is a powerful piece, saying that women are being repressed and forced to be alone. I really like that she makes powerful statements but i feel that her work isn't as powerful or emotional as Abramovic. I really did like "Paranoid Woman" though. I think it's really an interesting piece and kind of, in a way, creepy.But my favorite piece of hers is the one where she rented a hotel room and puts the things people left over. i think its a very interesting statement of people.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Johann as an Avatar!!
Today we had to post an image that we altered in Illustrator. Mine is what I would look like with plastic surgery. And if I were blue...kind of like an Avatar
Enjoy
Enjoy
Monday, March 8, 2010
Post about three artists
Marina Abramovic has a very interesting take of self image and the portrayal of women. In the piece “Balkan Erotic Epic: Women in Rain 2,” she exposes the women’s genitalia (perhaps representing that women are simply sex objects to many in society) while other women attack and murder each other. The way I personally saw this piece was that women attack each other extraordinarily harshly when they should be united as one. In “Self Portrait”, she exposes her breasts but completely covers her face with her hair and is holding a skull. This concept is extremely powerful because it shows that people see women for their body, almost as objects and the face, or who they really are, is not important. It’s extremely profound and deep. Abramovic really uses her art to show the role of women in society and discusses her sense of self worth.
Frida Kahlo has very similar ideas to Abramovic. She really wants to symbolize the place in society that women hold. In “Without Hope,” It shows Kahlo herself being force fed food and a skull. This represents, to me, the things women are forced to believe in, forced to do, and forced to act in a society that basically run by men. The skull represents the inevitable death of oneself if she allows to be controlled as such. In her painting “Little Deer,” her head is attached to a deer’s body, and shes desperately trying to run away from hunters who are penetrating her with arrows. I felt that this represented the abuse and mistreatment of women in society. Not necessarily physical abuse, but in an inequality abuse. She is being persecuted and tortured. Most of her paintings show herself depicted, which makes it more personal and more frightening. To watch a recognizable face being tortured like herself in the paintings shows a life of pain, grief, and inequality.
Cui Xiuwen usually uses a beautiful, extraordinarily thin Asian woman in all of her pieces of work. The pieces are from an angel series, in which all the women are dressed in white and look extremely angelic. Despite the surroundings, like in “Angel No. 10,” which has a broken down background, the woman appears to be absolutely perfect. And she is repeated in the picture quite a few times. To me, this shows how women are becoming a brand rather than an individual self. It also shows the obsession with a certain look, which can be seen in “One Day in 2004.” There is the repetition of one model throughout the entire picture with the same exact outfit. This represents, again, the obsession with perfection and idealism. She’s trying to convey that women should be an individual and not what magazines or movies portray them to be.
Frida Kahlo has very similar ideas to Abramovic. She really wants to symbolize the place in society that women hold. In “Without Hope,” It shows Kahlo herself being force fed food and a skull. This represents, to me, the things women are forced to believe in, forced to do, and forced to act in a society that basically run by men. The skull represents the inevitable death of oneself if she allows to be controlled as such. In her painting “Little Deer,” her head is attached to a deer’s body, and shes desperately trying to run away from hunters who are penetrating her with arrows. I felt that this represented the abuse and mistreatment of women in society. Not necessarily physical abuse, but in an inequality abuse. She is being persecuted and tortured. Most of her paintings show herself depicted, which makes it more personal and more frightening. To watch a recognizable face being tortured like herself in the paintings shows a life of pain, grief, and inequality.
Cui Xiuwen usually uses a beautiful, extraordinarily thin Asian woman in all of her pieces of work. The pieces are from an angel series, in which all the women are dressed in white and look extremely angelic. Despite the surroundings, like in “Angel No. 10,” which has a broken down background, the woman appears to be absolutely perfect. And she is repeated in the picture quite a few times. To me, this shows how women are becoming a brand rather than an individual self. It also shows the obsession with a certain look, which can be seen in “One Day in 2004.” There is the repetition of one model throughout the entire picture with the same exact outfit. This represents, again, the obsession with perfection and idealism. She’s trying to convey that women should be an individual and not what magazines or movies portray them to be.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Awkward Conversation
"Awkward Conversation"
I wanted to portray the way we as human beings mostly communicate with people (texts, phone calls, facebook, etc) and I wanted it to be an extremely awkward and unsettling conversation. Though some people may have though its me talking about a new sex toy I had experimented with (to each his own, I suppose), I wanted to convey tight, almost claustrophobic spaces (the tunnel of a playground for small children). Perhaps the tunnel does convey a sexual theme, par example (as the French say) the conversation after a one night stand, which makes you feel dirty...
In other words, the conversation can be anything (sex toy or otherwise). Hopefully, it just conveys that the conversation is AWKWARD as hell
Monday, February 1, 2010
Two posts in one day, ya'll are in for a treat.
Anyways, for our next project, we had to take three pictures and eventually, use those three to make one photo.
When I was looking for my "inside" photo, I was really struggling with it because it'll be one of the most important aspects of the photo. It basically sets the mood for everything. Finally, I was in my backyard and saw the play set from my mom's summer daycare. I took a picture of a tunnel that connects two part of the play sets together.
PS. I want to tilt it 90 degrees, to make it more uncomfortable
I then had to find an "outside" picture, and I already had a theme and was looking for something uncomfortable. I finally saw a potted plant with really hard soil and branches from the previous spring. I took this because most people, and correct me if I'm wrong, don't want to sit on
hard dirt with branches coming out from every angle.
Finally, I ran back indoors and knew the pose I wanted. SO much human interaction is based on the telephone, so I took a picture of me, in a shirt with some briefs on. Why would I expose myself like that? Well, what's more uncomfortable than sitting on hard dirt with sticks coming out of it, inside a small tunnel while talking on the phone in your briefs.
Enjoy it ladies...
I'll give you a peak at what my idea is...the title...
....
"The Uncomfortable Conversation"
Anyways, for our next project, we had to take three pictures and eventually, use those three to make one photo.
When I was looking for my "inside" photo, I was really struggling with it because it'll be one of the most important aspects of the photo. It basically sets the mood for everything. Finally, I was in my backyard and saw the play set from my mom's summer daycare. I took a picture of a tunnel that connects two part of the play sets together.
PS. I want to tilt it 90 degrees, to make it more uncomfortable
I then had to find an "outside" picture, and I already had a theme and was looking for something uncomfortable. I finally saw a potted plant with really hard soil and branches from the previous spring. I took this because most people, and correct me if I'm wrong, don't want to sit on
hard dirt with branches coming out from every angle.Finally, I ran back indoors and knew the pose I wanted. SO much human interaction is based on the telephone, so I took a picture of me, in a shirt with some briefs on. Why would I expose myself like that? Well, what's more uncomfortable than sitting on hard dirt with sticks coming out of it, inside a small tunnel while talking on the phone in your briefs.
Enjoy it ladies...
I'll give you a peak at what my idea is...the title...
....
"The Uncomfortable Conversation"
Today is February 01, 2010.
I finally sat myself down on my computer and forced myself to read the posts of others about the four artists (in no particular order: Teun Hocks, Gregory Crewsdon, Cindy Sherman, and Jeff Wall). As I was reading them, I found that I wasn't as bored as I thought I would be. In fact, I was actually enjoying reading the different interpretations of style and technique. I also liked some of the people's interpretations of the artists' art (redundant?)
Teun Hocks:
There seemed to be a consensus that Hocks uses a lot of humor to either make you confused/laugh/ uncomfortable. His style, which most agree on, is surrealism. He brings two realistic aspects/activities (a large painted set and a photo of himself [later painted]) and puts them together. What happens is that by putting two daily activities/places but not having the activities/places match up, it causes them to become out of place or surreal. Themes can be interpreted differently, which is the reason I don't like discussing what the artist meant to do. There can be so many different interpretations that there could be much conflict in doing so. However, no matter what your opinion of the subject matter and what it's trying to show, there is always a sense of humor.
Gregory Crewsdon:
There also seems to be a consensus often works in a human/human made objects into a natural setting or nature into a human made setting. By doing this, he creates a surreal work of art that often makes the viewer awkward/uneasy. Also, at first glance, Crewsdon's work seems to be a painting with no digital work, much like Hocks. However, once you realize that it is, you really begin to appreciate the subtly and attention to detail. I read on someone's post that there's always a light source (whether it be the TV or the moon). I thought that was a really interesting thing to notice because I didn't notice that right off the bat.
Cindy Sherman:
Many people agreed that Sherman's use of black and white gave the photos an almost vintage/nostalgic feeling to it. People also agreed that the main point of Sherman is to show the feminine body and the beauty of femininity. But it also shows the stereotype of certain women (ex. the prima dona actress, the business woman etc) They are all very simply shot, but with wonderful costumes.
Jeff Wall
Many of Wall's pictures seem to be real life. There doesn't seem to be any digital touches to them, besides the obvious photo. However, this is what makes Wall's work so interesting. Many feel that his simple subjects show many themes of racism and chaos. His work is seamless, much like the other artists but what separates him is that there is no sense of surrealism or nostalgia. It's gritty and simply there.
By reading other people's say towards the art, I felt that I got a better understanding. I usually like to just look at art and not really think about the process of what the artist did, because to me, it kind of kills the magic of it. So because of this, I usually miss A LOT of the techniques/thoughts behind it. However, I did enjoy reading other people's blog to really get a better understanding of everything and open my artistic eye into the world of the other artists.
I finally sat myself down on my computer and forced myself to read the posts of others about the four artists (in no particular order: Teun Hocks, Gregory Crewsdon, Cindy Sherman, and Jeff Wall). As I was reading them, I found that I wasn't as bored as I thought I would be. In fact, I was actually enjoying reading the different interpretations of style and technique. I also liked some of the people's interpretations of the artists' art (redundant?)
Teun Hocks:
There seemed to be a consensus that Hocks uses a lot of humor to either make you confused/laugh/ uncomfortable. His style, which most agree on, is surrealism. He brings two realistic aspects/activities (a large painted set and a photo of himself [later painted]) and puts them together. What happens is that by putting two daily activities/places but not having the activities/places match up, it causes them to become out of place or surreal. Themes can be interpreted differently, which is the reason I don't like discussing what the artist meant to do. There can be so many different interpretations that there could be much conflict in doing so. However, no matter what your opinion of the subject matter and what it's trying to show, there is always a sense of humor.
Gregory Crewsdon:
There also seems to be a consensus often works in a human/human made objects into a natural setting or nature into a human made setting. By doing this, he creates a surreal work of art that often makes the viewer awkward/uneasy. Also, at first glance, Crewsdon's work seems to be a painting with no digital work, much like Hocks. However, once you realize that it is, you really begin to appreciate the subtly and attention to detail. I read on someone's post that there's always a light source (whether it be the TV or the moon). I thought that was a really interesting thing to notice because I didn't notice that right off the bat.
Cindy Sherman:
Many people agreed that Sherman's use of black and white gave the photos an almost vintage/nostalgic feeling to it. People also agreed that the main point of Sherman is to show the feminine body and the beauty of femininity. But it also shows the stereotype of certain women (ex. the prima dona actress, the business woman etc) They are all very simply shot, but with wonderful costumes.
Jeff Wall
Many of Wall's pictures seem to be real life. There doesn't seem to be any digital touches to them, besides the obvious photo. However, this is what makes Wall's work so interesting. Many feel that his simple subjects show many themes of racism and chaos. His work is seamless, much like the other artists but what separates him is that there is no sense of surrealism or nostalgia. It's gritty and simply there.
By reading other people's say towards the art, I felt that I got a better understanding. I usually like to just look at art and not really think about the process of what the artist did, because to me, it kind of kills the magic of it. So because of this, I usually miss A LOT of the techniques/thoughts behind it. However, I did enjoy reading other people's blog to really get a better understanding of everything and open my artistic eye into the world of the other artists.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Today is January 26, 2010. Our assignment was to make a composite of two different images to bring them together as one.
"Protection" shows how useless the Great Wall of China was during the era it was built. Any of their enemies could easily break through or go through the wall. This is similar to the Mexican border wall that's supposed to "prevent" illegal aliens from going through. Again. Useless.
PS. click on the picture to see a better, more clear and larger photo.
"Protection" shows how useless the Great Wall of China was during the era it was built. Any of their enemies could easily break through or go through the wall. This is similar to the Mexican border wall that's supposed to "prevent" illegal aliens from going through. Again. Useless.
PS. click on the picture to see a better, more clear and larger photo.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Four Artists
Today is January 25, 2010.
Today we were assigned to compare four artists in which I will post in order of my favorites: Teun Hocks, Gregory Crewsdon, Cindy Sherman and last, and certainly least, Jeff Wall.
Teun Hocks
The reason I liked Teun Hocks the best is because, though his paintings have a social message, it had a lot of humor. And what I find genius is how he takes photos of himself and then places it in a painted scenery. So, for example, the one in which he's sleeping in a cardboard box I find to be absolutely brilliant. Though I'm not exactly sure what it represents I have two guesses. 1. The ridiculous living conditions in the city...small enough to compare living in a cardboard box. 2. It brings attention to homeless people. Now, these interpretations are probably way off, but I love his use of muted colors, use of humor and almost dreamlike scenery.
Gregory Crewsdon
I love Crewsdon's work because it brings together situations that are uncomfortable or awkward together which creates not only humor, but an uneasy feeling. For example, the photo on the left shows a man in his living room, presumably, sitting in grass or dirt and starting a fire as if he's in the wilderness. This photo is awkward and almost uncomfortable because we as people do not expect to see such conditions in our homes, and by literally bringing the outdoors indoors, it just feels out of place and awkward.
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman, though she takes amazing photos, has a more classic view on art. Most of her photos are in black and white, which I absolutely love. Black and white not only brings you back to the forties or fifties glam era, but it also has a certain mood associated with it that cannot be replicated with colored photos. The thing that separates Sherman from the rest is that her photos aren't strange. They don't necessarily have any humor or any oddities. In fact, though they are photographed beautifully, they seem more like fashion ads rather than art with a deeper meaning. Regardless of this, I love the portraits of not only herself but other women.
Jeff Wall
Jeff Wall is my least favorite. Though I can see where he's coming from, I just can't appreciate a trashed room. He uses many materials that can be seen as trash by others and he brings it together to create one unified piece. However, for me, I feel that there's too much going. It makes me feel really just, uncomfortable, which, I suppose is what he wants to do, somewhat like Crewsdon. Crewsdon's work, however, I enjoy more so than Wall because Wall's seems all over the place.
All artists all convey their messages beautifully, some better than others. Hocks uses humor, muted colors and a combination of reality and painting in order to suggest moral themes. Crewsdon brings awkward, almost unbelievable situations together to make a creepy almost uneasy situation. Sherman, however, doesn't use any color. She uses black and white and photographs mostly herself or women. Though sometimes it creates more of a magazine photo, it creates a very nice mood and feelings. Wall brings a lot of items that could be used as trash and brings many objects into a room. He makes it on a human scale which let us wonder in, but I almost don't want to because of the anxious and almost uneasy feeling the mess creates.
Today we were assigned to compare four artists in which I will post in order of my favorites: Teun Hocks, Gregory Crewsdon, Cindy Sherman and last, and certainly least, Jeff Wall.
Teun Hocks
The reason I liked Teun Hocks the best is because, though his paintings have a social message, it had a lot of humor. And what I find genius is how he takes photos of himself and then places it in a painted scenery. So, for example, the one in which he's sleeping in a cardboard box I find to be absolutely brilliant. Though I'm not exactly sure what it represents I have two guesses. 1. The ridiculous living conditions in the city...small enough to compare living in a cardboard box. 2. It brings attention to homeless people. Now, these interpretations are probably way off, but I love his use of muted colors, use of humor and almost dreamlike scenery.
Gregory Crewsdon
I love Crewsdon's work because it brings together situations that are uncomfortable or awkward together which creates not only humor, but an uneasy feeling. For example, the photo on the left shows a man in his living room, presumably, sitting in grass or dirt and starting a fire as if he's in the wilderness. This photo is awkward and almost uncomfortable because we as people do not expect to see such conditions in our homes, and by literally bringing the outdoors indoors, it just feels out of place and awkward.
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman, though she takes amazing photos, has a more classic view on art. Most of her photos are in black and white, which I absolutely love. Black and white not only brings you back to the forties or fifties glam era, but it also has a certain mood associated with it that cannot be replicated with colored photos. The thing that separates Sherman from the rest is that her photos aren't strange. They don't necessarily have any humor or any oddities. In fact, though they are photographed beautifully, they seem more like fashion ads rather than art with a deeper meaning. Regardless of this, I love the portraits of not only herself but other women.Jeff Wall
Jeff Wall is my least favorite. Though I can see where he's coming from, I just can't appreciate a trashed room. He uses many materials that can be seen as trash by others and he brings it together to create one unified piece. However, for me, I feel that there's too much going. It makes me feel really just, uncomfortable, which, I suppose is what he wants to do, somewhat like Crewsdon. Crewsdon's work, however, I enjoy more so than Wall because Wall's seems all over the place.All artists all convey their messages beautifully, some better than others. Hocks uses humor, muted colors and a combination of reality and painting in order to suggest moral themes. Crewsdon brings awkward, almost unbelievable situations together to make a creepy almost uneasy situation. Sherman, however, doesn't use any color. She uses black and white and photographs mostly herself or women. Though sometimes it creates more of a magazine photo, it creates a very nice mood and feelings. Wall brings a lot of items that could be used as trash and brings many objects into a room. He makes it on a human scale which let us wonder in, but I almost don't want to because of the anxious and almost uneasy feeling the mess creates.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Journey Begins...
Today is January 19, 2010. It is not only the first time I ever typed out the year 2010, but also the first day of class. So in other words, it it probably the most epic time of my life.
But nonetheless, this semester I have decided to challenge myself to expand my computer skills and stretch my knowledge beyond the ever useful internet and Word Processor. Today, I have committed myself to writing a blog in order to track the progression of my, well, lacking skills in digital arts. Hopefully, this will be a successful, joyous and exciting journey and I ask that you to join me in a once in a life time experience to not only follow my frustrating experiences, but to participate in my voyage into the deepest lagoon of technological creativity.
Confused at what I'm saying? I wouldn't blame you. I don't even know.
Anyways, today, our assignment is to show what/who inspires us to enhance our creativity.
1. Since this is an art class, I should mention which artist inspires me. And that would be, without a doubt, Salvador Dali. My idol.
2. Trees. Glorious Trees
3. Vibrant. Exciting. NYC.
But nonetheless, this semester I have decided to challenge myself to expand my computer skills and stretch my knowledge beyond the ever useful internet and Word Processor. Today, I have committed myself to writing a blog in order to track the progression of my, well, lacking skills in digital arts. Hopefully, this will be a successful, joyous and exciting journey and I ask that you to join me in a once in a life time experience to not only follow my frustrating experiences, but to participate in my voyage into the deepest lagoon of technological creativity.
Confused at what I'm saying? I wouldn't blame you. I don't even know.
Anyways, today, our assignment is to show what/who inspires us to enhance our creativity.
1. Since this is an art class, I should mention which artist inspires me. And that would be, without a doubt, Salvador Dali. My idol.
2. Trees. Glorious Trees
3. Vibrant. Exciting. NYC.
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