Article Summary
I wanted to find an article that relates to my upcomming ceramics project. Unfortunately web results regarding “architectural ceramics” were plagued with links referring to the purchase of ceramic tiles and roofing equipment. I did, however, find one interesting article during my search. The publication showcased a house in China, made completely out of ceramic material. The home itself is a melting pot of natural material. Its construction involves 400,000,000 pieces of porcelain, antique ceramic, natural crystal formations, and marble carvings. The house had the look of a giant clay sculpture. It had elements of large braided coils, massive spheres, and forms. I also found it interesting that even pieces formed on the wheel were encorporated into the design. It wasn’t so much the text of the article that I found to be useful. The images of the home are what fascinated me the most. Knowing that ceramics can be applied to such an architectural realm of creation motivates me to try new techniques and methods of construction for my upcoming project.
Article Website: www.luxurylaunches.com/other_stuff/ceramic_house_in_china_worth_us65_million.php
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tara MacMurray
In response to the article from E-Flux i am glad to of found out that they are having such a unique gallery space, that is not usually done. This collection is from Spanish and international artists from around the world, and does not follow a specific theme. Here the gallery has set up their space to reflect a baroque style much like they would of had to depict the great salons. Its more of a warehouse space designed to let the viewers walk about and find their own path. I find that having such a diverse collection would keep the viewer looking more. In this i mean they are not so quick to leave. I know that i have been to galleries where the work is dry dull and just all the same but i feel as if i would be more intrigued to walk about this space than a normal gallery space.
Name: Alison Boliek
Artist: Kehinde Wiley
In the December 2006 issue of Vanity Fair, “The Art Issue”, the works of eight young artists amid the New York art scene were discussed. I enjoyed reading about each of them, but the work of Kehinde Wiley really caught my eye. He became known for his paintings of young African-American men. His approach to portraiture is anything but traditional. His works reflect an urban hip-hop culture and capitalism. They evoke a sense of power and opulence, and are very confrontational as the figure is nearly always looking directly at the viewer. Wiley lets his models pose however they like. They mostly wear sweatshirts or sports jerseys and backward baseball caps. The naturalistic masculine figures are placed atop backgrounds of flat patterns. These backgrounds often use French rococo influence and are commonly floral. The contrast of the three dimensionality of the figure in the foreground with the flatness of the background cause the figures to really pop. However, in some of his works, Wiley chooses to continue the patterns overtop parts of the figure to hold it back in space. His use of vivid colors aids to the incredible energy each of his works exudes. Kehinde Wiley is definitely an artist to check out.
Additional websites referenced:
http://www.artnet.com/awc/kehinde-wiley.html
http://www.sfai.edu/People/Person.aspx?id=944&navID=6§ionID=2&typeID=1
While researching for our Natural/Artificial project, I came across an article called, Is Every "Natural"?, by Ernest Partridge of University of California, Riverside. The article contains a wide variety of information which really helped me to investigate many different issues for my project. The article included a discussion of the psychological aspects of human behavior and the effects they have on global warming. It is suggested that if humans are part of nature, they cannot harm nature. For some reason, I always thought of something natural to be something good until i read this article. But now, I have realized that if people are natural, and people commit immoral acts, to be natural is not always a positive characteristic. In summary, the article made me realize that my preconceived ideas of natural being good and artificial being bad are not valid. The article made me understand the possibility that everything really is natural, good or bad, and artificial simply does not exist.
Article website:
http://gadfly.igc.org/eds/envt/natural.htm
Artist: Kehinde Wiley
In the December 2006 issue of Vanity Fair, “The Art Issue”, the works of eight young artists amid the New York art scene were discussed. I enjoyed reading about each of them, but the work of Kehinde Wiley really caught my eye. He became known for his paintings of young African-American men. His approach to portraiture is anything but traditional. His works reflect an urban hip-hop culture and capitalism. They evoke a sense of power and opulence, and are very confrontational as the figure is nearly always looking directly at the viewer. Wiley lets his models pose however they like. They mostly wear sweatshirts or sports jerseys and backward baseball caps. The naturalistic masculine figures are placed atop backgrounds of flat patterns. These backgrounds often use French rococo influence and are commonly floral. The contrast of the three dimensionality of the figure in the foreground with the flatness of the background cause the figures to really pop. However, in some of his works, Wiley chooses to continue the patterns overtop parts of the figure to hold it back in space. His use of vivid colors aids to the incredible energy each of his works exudes. Kehinde Wiley is definitely an artist to check out.
Additional websites referenced:
http://www.artnet.com/awc/kehinde-wiley.html
http://www.sfai.edu/People/Person.aspx?id=944&navID=6§ionID=2&typeID=1
While researching for our Natural/Artificial project, I came across an article called, Is Every "Natural"?, by Ernest Partridge of University of California, Riverside. The article contains a wide variety of information which really helped me to investigate many different issues for my project. The article included a discussion of the psychological aspects of human behavior and the effects they have on global warming. It is suggested that if humans are part of nature, they cannot harm nature. For some reason, I always thought of something natural to be something good until i read this article. But now, I have realized that if people are natural, and people commit immoral acts, to be natural is not always a positive characteristic. In summary, the article made me realize that my preconceived ideas of natural being good and artificial being bad are not valid. The article made me understand the possibility that everything really is natural, good or bad, and artificial simply does not exist.
Article website:
http://gadfly.igc.org/eds/envt/natural.htm
"Papermilk?"
Catherine Hendrickson
Art390 MW 12:30-3:15
Blog Posting Number 1
I attempted to put the actual photo of the art above but if that didn't work, here is the link: http://www.dusi.nl/images/test%20white%20artwork.jpg
I expected to spend a while online trying to find something really cool to talk about but was blown away when I found this less than a minute into my search. I think it was aesthetically pleasing to me and I have always had a love for black and white photos of any kind. I believe it is a very feminine piece of work because it has elements that resemble floral and pearl necklaces and also the artwork has an overall smooth and curvy nature with seems to make the piece "softer" to the eyes. My first though when looking at the piece was that it was in fact paper formed into an intricate design but almost immediately my mind saw milk being poured from higher up. If I look really hard at it though, it looks almost like computer graphics so I'm still not completely certain what it is but I like the mystery about it- I'd honestly rather NOT know what it is. I thought this piece was just amazing! If you quint your eyes at it and walk a little further away from the screen it realy looks more like a liquid but I also think it's cool how when you really examine the piece close up, there is an immense level of detail and intricateness.
My 1st project for the class is related to masks. I thought it was a good topic for natural vs. artificial because people wear natural masks (to hide their true feelings for example) as well as artificial masks (for parties etc..). I absolutley love trance music and all types related such as ambient music and one of my favorite artists in Shpongle who is primarily ambient. The symbol of this Artists work is a mask (kind of how Godsmack's symbol is a tribal sun). I believe that dance can be related to artificial vs. natural because while dance is a very natural thing is many aspects, it can also show a somewhat artificial side of people. Dancing allows us to express ourselves in ways we normally would not, or could not. I doubt, for example, that a CEO of a big company is going to openly admit he likes to dance at trance parties, so this CEO might portray aspects of being artificial UNTIL he can dance and act his natural way. That might be a little out there, but I like to think deeply and abstractly most of the time. Sooo anyway, I found an article online about masks and what they represent to other cultures and countries. The article had a lot in it about masks worn for dancing and this provided a bit of inspiration for my piece. So to sum it up for anyone who I confused- Masks can be real or fake (party masks or masks we wear to hide our emotions, like a smile when we are sad for example). Dancing can also be artificial and natural, or can serve as a natural outlet for someone who acts artificial.. kind of... Shpongle is a musical group that of course promotes dancing AND they use a mask to symbolize who they are. This is why I'm making the Shpongle mask for my first project. There is so much more in the mask article I found that lends itself to my inspiration but I strongly recommend reading it yourself and see what you can get out of it.
Here is the link:
ohoh.essortment.com/africamasks_rnqe.htm
And here is a link to the spongle mask if this picture I'm posting doesnt work: http://fusionanomaly.net/areyoushpongled.jpg
Art390 MW 12:30-3:15
Blog Posting Number 1
I attempted to put the actual photo of the art above but if that didn't work, here is the link: http://www.dusi.nl/images/test%20white%20artwork.jpg
I expected to spend a while online trying to find something really cool to talk about but was blown away when I found this less than a minute into my search. I think it was aesthetically pleasing to me and I have always had a love for black and white photos of any kind. I believe it is a very feminine piece of work because it has elements that resemble floral and pearl necklaces and also the artwork has an overall smooth and curvy nature with seems to make the piece "softer" to the eyes. My first though when looking at the piece was that it was in fact paper formed into an intricate design but almost immediately my mind saw milk being poured from higher up. If I look really hard at it though, it looks almost like computer graphics so I'm still not completely certain what it is but I like the mystery about it- I'd honestly rather NOT know what it is. I thought this piece was just amazing! If you quint your eyes at it and walk a little further away from the screen it realy looks more like a liquid but I also think it's cool how when you really examine the piece close up, there is an immense level of detail and intricateness.
My 1st project for the class is related to masks. I thought it was a good topic for natural vs. artificial because people wear natural masks (to hide their true feelings for example) as well as artificial masks (for parties etc..). I absolutley love trance music and all types related such as ambient music and one of my favorite artists in Shpongle who is primarily ambient. The symbol of this Artists work is a mask (kind of how Godsmack's symbol is a tribal sun). I believe that dance can be related to artificial vs. natural because while dance is a very natural thing is many aspects, it can also show a somewhat artificial side of people. Dancing allows us to express ourselves in ways we normally would not, or could not. I doubt, for example, that a CEO of a big company is going to openly admit he likes to dance at trance parties, so this CEO might portray aspects of being artificial UNTIL he can dance and act his natural way. That might be a little out there, but I like to think deeply and abstractly most of the time. Sooo anyway, I found an article online about masks and what they represent to other cultures and countries. The article had a lot in it about masks worn for dancing and this provided a bit of inspiration for my piece. So to sum it up for anyone who I confused- Masks can be real or fake (party masks or masks we wear to hide our emotions, like a smile when we are sad for example). Dancing can also be artificial and natural, or can serve as a natural outlet for someone who acts artificial.. kind of... Shpongle is a musical group that of course promotes dancing AND they use a mask to symbolize who they are. This is why I'm making the Shpongle mask for my first project. There is so much more in the mask article I found that lends itself to my inspiration but I strongly recommend reading it yourself and see what you can get out of it.
Here is the link:
ohoh.essortment.com/africamasks_rnqe.htm
And here is a link to the spongle mask if this picture I'm posting doesnt work: http://fusionanomaly.net/areyoushpongled.jpg
For the first project, I researched an artist who used thrown vessels as a type of “building block” for his work. Brad Schwieger’s work stands out from other ceramicists who utilize this technique due to his ability to completely transform the object from its original appearance. Schwieger’s process includes the construction of forms on the wheel, and then the subsequent destruction (cutting, pulling, twisting, etc.) and then reassembling the pieces. Upon completing a piece, it is nearly impossible to tell that it started out as a thrown object. The aspects of a thrown object, most notably the symmetry and the roundness, are not necessarily found in the finished piece. In addition to being attracted to his process, I find that his finished pieces heavily relate to the topic we are dealing with (natural vs. synthetic). Aesthetically, his pieces make references to both nature and the man made (especially architecture).
http://www.claylink.com/schwieger2006.html
(includes Artist Statement and works from the exhibition)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Art in the Vatican
Rebecca Demers
Vatican Museums
In August 2006, I had gone to Europe, and was able to see some of the most famed and beautiful pieces of art in the world. I spent an entire day in the Vatican Museums--if you ever have a chance go! Everything there is stunning! Yet, even after spending hours there,I felt like I was only able to see very limited portions of the museums. I did however get to see some of the works I had only ever seen in books, and that was beyond amazing! Some pieces include: The Sistine Chapel (which sadly you can no longer take pictures in, and you get yelled at, in Italian, to shut up while in there--haha) and The Pietà (inside St. Peter's Basilica--which is a work of art itself!) by Michelangelo, the painting "The Entombment" by Caravaggio, Works by Raphael (Sanzio)--although I cannot recall exactly which ones I saw, I am pretty sure I did at least see "The School of Athens", The Gallery of Maps by Ignazio Danti (I think he was a priest), and the sculpture "Laocoön and His Sons" by three sculptors --Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus (I knew the name of the sculpture, but not who it was by, so thanks wikipedia!). It was incredible! but as I did a tour of the grounds of the Vatican, and later the other cities in Italy, I began to realize that it was not just the works in the museums that was art. The buildings we passed, the Tuscan landscape, the Basilicas, and even the Italian language itself was all art. I was constantly surrounded by new ways of thinking, and the old architecture, and all the music. Italy itself is a museum! It blew me away. And the actual art, was among the best in the world! While I was not actually allowed to touch any of the artwork in the Vatican, I got closer to some pieces than I ever dreamed I would! The Pietà, although encased in glass (because some crazy man tried to attack it with a hammer in the 1970s), was the piece that stood out the most for me. To be able to carve something so beautiful, and so intricate from a giant block of marble escapes me completely. I have tried to carve things out of a block of plaster and I usually managed to mess up anything decent i had made. He must have had the patience of a saint! It also intrigues me because it is the only work that Michelangelo ever signed. While it is a phenomenal piece, why did he sign that one specifically? It got me thinking more than any other piece I had seen in the museum. I'm not saying that the other works weren't as magnificent, because they definitely were, just that the Pieta intrigued me most. Its funny, the trip I had gone on for a vacation turned out to be quite a learning experience too!
The websites I referenced:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Storia.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelo%27s_Piet%C3%A0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoco%C3%B6n_and_his_Sons
For the Natural/Artificial project, I am doing intelligence. My original idea was to have a brain being thrown through a computer. That was probably the most literal way to show the concept. I had originally found articles on Artificial Intelligence. Instead, after talking to Lauren, we came up with a better idea that may require a little more thought from the viewer, and hopefully make the brain more memorable (haha!). Originally, I had given little thought to the display, and currently I am debating about having the brain on top of an open head. I might even make it removable. We'll see about that. Instead of having the brain going through a computer, we decided to put the computer in the brain. My idea in progress is to have a brain with wires and computer chips/parts in very specific areas of the brain. the brain is also going to be severed, to illustrate the internal goings on better. The article I found, is not exactly an article. It explains brain functions and structures. This is pretty important to my project, and it is also something I know little about. It also has pictures and links to important phrases and ideas, and has really helped me to grasp the brain a little bit better. While I was debating about messing up memory (which, thanks to the website I know is in Cerebrum, in the temporal lobe), however, I may do something that involves motor functions, or even involuntary actions like breathing. The website I found has taught me much more about the brain, and will hopefully help keep me inspired, and my brain working for this project.
the website: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Structure1.html
Vatican Museums
In August 2006, I had gone to Europe, and was able to see some of the most famed and beautiful pieces of art in the world. I spent an entire day in the Vatican Museums--if you ever have a chance go! Everything there is stunning! Yet, even after spending hours there,I felt like I was only able to see very limited portions of the museums. I did however get to see some of the works I had only ever seen in books, and that was beyond amazing! Some pieces include: The Sistine Chapel (which sadly you can no longer take pictures in, and you get yelled at, in Italian, to shut up while in there--haha) and The Pietà (inside St. Peter's Basilica--which is a work of art itself!) by Michelangelo, the painting "The Entombment" by Caravaggio, Works by Raphael (Sanzio)--although I cannot recall exactly which ones I saw, I am pretty sure I did at least see "The School of Athens", The Gallery of Maps by Ignazio Danti (I think he was a priest), and the sculpture "Laocoön and His Sons" by three sculptors --Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus (I knew the name of the sculpture, but not who it was by, so thanks wikipedia!). It was incredible! but as I did a tour of the grounds of the Vatican, and later the other cities in Italy, I began to realize that it was not just the works in the museums that was art. The buildings we passed, the Tuscan landscape, the Basilicas, and even the Italian language itself was all art. I was constantly surrounded by new ways of thinking, and the old architecture, and all the music. Italy itself is a museum! It blew me away. And the actual art, was among the best in the world! While I was not actually allowed to touch any of the artwork in the Vatican, I got closer to some pieces than I ever dreamed I would! The Pietà, although encased in glass (because some crazy man tried to attack it with a hammer in the 1970s), was the piece that stood out the most for me. To be able to carve something so beautiful, and so intricate from a giant block of marble escapes me completely. I have tried to carve things out of a block of plaster and I usually managed to mess up anything decent i had made. He must have had the patience of a saint! It also intrigues me because it is the only work that Michelangelo ever signed. While it is a phenomenal piece, why did he sign that one specifically? It got me thinking more than any other piece I had seen in the museum. I'm not saying that the other works weren't as magnificent, because they definitely were, just that the Pieta intrigued me most. Its funny, the trip I had gone on for a vacation turned out to be quite a learning experience too!
The websites I referenced:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Storia.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelo%27s_Piet%C3%A0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoco%C3%B6n_and_his_Sons
For the Natural/Artificial project, I am doing intelligence. My original idea was to have a brain being thrown through a computer. That was probably the most literal way to show the concept. I had originally found articles on Artificial Intelligence. Instead, after talking to Lauren, we came up with a better idea that may require a little more thought from the viewer, and hopefully make the brain more memorable (haha!). Originally, I had given little thought to the display, and currently I am debating about having the brain on top of an open head. I might even make it removable. We'll see about that. Instead of having the brain going through a computer, we decided to put the computer in the brain. My idea in progress is to have a brain with wires and computer chips/parts in very specific areas of the brain. the brain is also going to be severed, to illustrate the internal goings on better. The article I found, is not exactly an article. It explains brain functions and structures. This is pretty important to my project, and it is also something I know little about. It also has pictures and links to important phrases and ideas, and has really helped me to grasp the brain a little bit better. While I was debating about messing up memory (which, thanks to the website I know is in Cerebrum, in the temporal lobe), however, I may do something that involves motor functions, or even involuntary actions like breathing. The website I found has taught me much more about the brain, and will hopefully help keep me inspired, and my brain working for this project.
the website: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Structure1.html
Tracy Koronik
Audrey Kawasaki, Randy Noborikawa
http://www.lineagegallery.com/showdetails.php?ShowID=37
Over the summer I went to Lineage Gallery in Philadelphia to see art by Audrey Kawasaki. She had work in a show, along with Randy Noborikawa, titled The Innocents. Seeing the pieces in person was definitely a different experience than just looking at them on the internet. Her oil on wood paintings were smaller than I imagined them being; however my misconception of their size took nothing away from the work. Kawasaki’s paintings are so delicate. The translucency of the paint is wonderfully done so that the grain of the wood comes through. I really like her use of color washes and think her artwork is beautifully done. Randy Noborikawa had a harder edge southern California/Mexican feel to his work. Bold, bright colors, glitter, and fluorescent lights were incorporated into the pieces. Roses, gems, and skulls were common motifs seen throughout the paintings. I was totally digging the use of the skull. Overall, there was some very awesome work in the gallery that I wanted to take home with me.
Taxidermy
http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?risb=21_T2082674445&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T2082674448&cisb=22_T2082674447&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=138620&docNo=1
The article I read for my outside research was about taxidermy. It relates to my ideas in that I want to make trophy heads for the first project, which is part of taxidermy. In this article I learned more about what taxidermy actually is. The process involves many measurements and sculpting a base body out of wood or other materials such as fiberglass. The actual skin of the dead animal is sewn on to the base, making it full again, like there’s really something underneath. Along with the educational purposes of taxidermy the article mentioned how it’s becoming more accepted and trendy in recent times. Taxidermy is as much about art as it is preserving a piece of nature.
Audrey Kawasaki, Randy Noborikawa
http://www.lineagegallery.com/showdetails.php?ShowID=37
Over the summer I went to Lineage Gallery in Philadelphia to see art by Audrey Kawasaki. She had work in a show, along with Randy Noborikawa, titled The Innocents. Seeing the pieces in person was definitely a different experience than just looking at them on the internet. Her oil on wood paintings were smaller than I imagined them being; however my misconception of their size took nothing away from the work. Kawasaki’s paintings are so delicate. The translucency of the paint is wonderfully done so that the grain of the wood comes through. I really like her use of color washes and think her artwork is beautifully done. Randy Noborikawa had a harder edge southern California/Mexican feel to his work. Bold, bright colors, glitter, and fluorescent lights were incorporated into the pieces. Roses, gems, and skulls were common motifs seen throughout the paintings. I was totally digging the use of the skull. Overall, there was some very awesome work in the gallery that I wanted to take home with me.
Taxidermy
http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?risb=21_T2082674445&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T2082674448&cisb=22_T2082674447&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=138620&docNo=1
The article I read for my outside research was about taxidermy. It relates to my ideas in that I want to make trophy heads for the first project, which is part of taxidermy. In this article I learned more about what taxidermy actually is. The process involves many measurements and sculpting a base body out of wood or other materials such as fiberglass. The actual skin of the dead animal is sewn on to the base, making it full again, like there’s really something underneath. Along with the educational purposes of taxidermy the article mentioned how it’s becoming more accepted and trendy in recent times. Taxidermy is as much about art as it is preserving a piece of nature.
Name: Kerri O'Neill
Artist: Merry Alpern
Source: book- Ctrl Space: Rhetorics of Surveillance from Bentham to Big Brother
Web: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_2_38/ai_57475797
While looking at a book that my friend let me borrow, I came across the works of Merry Alpern. She is a photographer who bases most of her work around the act of voyeurism, which is the practice of obtaining sexual gratification by looking at sexual objects, or acts secretively. Alpern had a friend who lived near Wall Street with a bird’s-eye view of some eye-popping action in the club’s upstairs bathrooms. She was in shock with the things she saw such as strippers changing, drug transactions, and acts of prostitution that she decided to document her findings with her camera for the next nine months, until the club was shut down. In her series of photographs titled "Dirty Windows" she allows the viewer to peek into the lives of individuals who go to this adult club on regular basis. For this particular exhibition, Alpern’s 12 photographs are hung in box formation, like rows and columns of windows, giving the impression of one big building filled with illegal, tawdry acts. In one “window,” a dancer, shown only from neck to thighs, grasps a handful of money while her ratty black-lace teddy is hiked up in an obscene manner. Another scene portrays a young woman kneeling; it’s unclear whether she’s about to engage in a paid sex act or simply bending to lace her boots. These pictures were taken at such an interesting angle that it makes you want to look closer but also turn away at the same time in fear of feeling like a dirty voyeur. I also enjoy how the bars from the window sort of cut the image into parts but still allows you to see the image as a whole.
Here are a few of the "windows":
http://www.newpaltz.edu/news/images/alpern.jpg
http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images_622_115507_resize_merry-alpern.asp
As for the article we had to look up for our projects, I came across "Face Value: Plastic Surgery & Transformation Art." The article talks about a group of artists who primarily base art around beauty, aging, and replaceable body parts. The French performance artist, Orlan, made her own body transformation the subject of her work. Using Photoshop reconfigurations she was able to give her body repeated plastic surgeries. She said her work questions "the status of the body in our society and its evolution in future generations via technologies and upcoming genetic manipulations." I'm interested in showing the difference between natural beauty and artificial beauty for my project. Since plastic surgery is part of the norm these days, it will be interesting to see how an average person will look with a few slices and dices.
Web: http://www.nyas.org/snc/gallery.asp?exhibitID=14
Artist: Merry Alpern
Source: book- Ctrl Space: Rhetorics of Surveillance from Bentham to Big Brother
Web: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_2_38/ai_57475797
While looking at a book that my friend let me borrow, I came across the works of Merry Alpern. She is a photographer who bases most of her work around the act of voyeurism, which is the practice of obtaining sexual gratification by looking at sexual objects, or acts secretively. Alpern had a friend who lived near Wall Street with a bird’s-eye view of some eye-popping action in the club’s upstairs bathrooms. She was in shock with the things she saw such as strippers changing, drug transactions, and acts of prostitution that she decided to document her findings with her camera for the next nine months, until the club was shut down. In her series of photographs titled "Dirty Windows" she allows the viewer to peek into the lives of individuals who go to this adult club on regular basis. For this particular exhibition, Alpern’s 12 photographs are hung in box formation, like rows and columns of windows, giving the impression of one big building filled with illegal, tawdry acts. In one “window,” a dancer, shown only from neck to thighs, grasps a handful of money while her ratty black-lace teddy is hiked up in an obscene manner. Another scene portrays a young woman kneeling; it’s unclear whether she’s about to engage in a paid sex act or simply bending to lace her boots. These pictures were taken at such an interesting angle that it makes you want to look closer but also turn away at the same time in fear of feeling like a dirty voyeur. I also enjoy how the bars from the window sort of cut the image into parts but still allows you to see the image as a whole.
Here are a few of the "windows":
http://www.newpaltz.edu/news/images/alpern.jpg
http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images_622_115507_resize_merry-alpern.asp
As for the article we had to look up for our projects, I came across "Face Value: Plastic Surgery & Transformation Art." The article talks about a group of artists who primarily base art around beauty, aging, and replaceable body parts. The French performance artist, Orlan, made her own body transformation the subject of her work. Using Photoshop reconfigurations she was able to give her body repeated plastic surgeries. She said her work questions "the status of the body in our society and its evolution in future generations via technologies and upcoming genetic manipulations." I'm interested in showing the difference between natural beauty and artificial beauty for my project. Since plastic surgery is part of the norm these days, it will be interesting to see how an average person will look with a few slices and dices.
Web: http://www.nyas.org/snc/gallery.asp?exhibitID=14
Kat Riley
artist: Frances Bagley
http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/31/Patricia_Piccinini/393/37043/
http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/
I looked at the work of Patricia piccinini, she makes strange sculptures that leave the viewer to think about what they are looking at. Patricia received several educational degrees from different schools in different subjects. She originally received her degree in painting, but now does a little of everything. It is one of her most recent exhibitions that originally caught my eye called "unbreaking eggs" in 2005. The show is an installation that shows a human like dog sitting on some sort of spaceship and looking out onto other kinds of spaceships. It also shows other mole like creatures that are called natures little helpers. The main idea behind this work is rebirth and that once things are done or have gone a certain way they can't go back.
When I look at this work I see a lot of ideas that I want to work towards, the craftsmanship on her work is something to admire. My work is often misunderstood much like Patricia’s could be on first glance. The small animals may seem frightening but carry a deeper purpose and message. With my work I want to use my style or to show more and communicate deeper thoughts.
I feel with my work I want to connect my knowledge and interest to the human anatomy with the surreal aspects and objects of my current environment. I often make work that is seen as scary and twisted, but I feel realistic art contributes nothing and does nothing for me. I see the skill involved with making a realistic painting but I rather see a half human half dog sculpture that has babies coming out of its back then a nice landscape. I don’t think with art that form should follow function, and its arts ability to defy what we thought was stimulating to our minds that make it so powerful.
i also read an article talking about an artist named "farmer bob". he creates paintings in which you can tell if you at looking at an ink blob or a animal or the insides of a human. this kind of work inspires me to make more at that isn't so "on the nose". i want to make things that allow the viewer to think and wonder and linger on my work. with farmer bobs work i want to stare into his paintings and try to figure out where and what every thing is and came from. he also says some really interesting and inspirational things like "I would have to say honesty. I love seeing work where you can tell the person truly loves what it is they are making. I don't know how to describe it, but I know it when I see it". i feel like after reading this article i want concern myself less with the next step in my art career and focus on what i enjoy doing, and what originally brought me to study art. http://www.juxtapoz.com/img/features/06/farmerbob/atrophy_2.jpg
artist: Frances Bagley
http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/31/Patricia_Piccinini/393/37043/
http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/
I looked at the work of Patricia piccinini, she makes strange sculptures that leave the viewer to think about what they are looking at. Patricia received several educational degrees from different schools in different subjects. She originally received her degree in painting, but now does a little of everything. It is one of her most recent exhibitions that originally caught my eye called "unbreaking eggs" in 2005. The show is an installation that shows a human like dog sitting on some sort of spaceship and looking out onto other kinds of spaceships. It also shows other mole like creatures that are called natures little helpers. The main idea behind this work is rebirth and that once things are done or have gone a certain way they can't go back.
When I look at this work I see a lot of ideas that I want to work towards, the craftsmanship on her work is something to admire. My work is often misunderstood much like Patricia’s could be on first glance. The small animals may seem frightening but carry a deeper purpose and message. With my work I want to use my style or to show more and communicate deeper thoughts.
I feel with my work I want to connect my knowledge and interest to the human anatomy with the surreal aspects and objects of my current environment. I often make work that is seen as scary and twisted, but I feel realistic art contributes nothing and does nothing for me. I see the skill involved with making a realistic painting but I rather see a half human half dog sculpture that has babies coming out of its back then a nice landscape. I don’t think with art that form should follow function, and its arts ability to defy what we thought was stimulating to our minds that make it so powerful.
i also read an article talking about an artist named "farmer bob". he creates paintings in which you can tell if you at looking at an ink blob or a animal or the insides of a human. this kind of work inspires me to make more at that isn't so "on the nose". i want to make things that allow the viewer to think and wonder and linger on my work. with farmer bobs work i want to stare into his paintings and try to figure out where and what every thing is and came from. he also says some really interesting and inspirational things like "I would have to say honesty. I love seeing work where you can tell the person truly loves what it is they are making. I don't know how to describe it, but I know it when I see it". i feel like after reading this article i want concern myself less with the next step in my art career and focus on what i enjoy doing, and what originally brought me to study art. http://www.juxtapoz.com/img/features/06/farmerbob/atrophy_2.jpg
Name: Ben Lenoir
Artist's Name: Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
Title: Shadowscapes Tarot
Found: One The Web at Shadowscapes Tarot
I originally encountered Stephanie's work on an online art community called DeviantART and immediately visited her website on the web because I was fascinated with her work. She completely changed my view on the tarot deck. I used to think that it was just cards but now I look at each of the 78 cards as a singular piece of art within a collective body. I have followed her work of this deck since she debuted the design for the first card "The Fool" (Shown on the left) since late 2004. I was originally interested in her style of painting because she was able to render very beautiful and accurate images with watercolors, but I became more interested as the deck developed. Her deck, which is still in progress, still remains a very cohesive body of work. Stephanie's style is somewhat reminiscent of Celtic artwork in the patterns that she inserts into the backgrounds or the common symbols of the minor arcana (Swords, Pentacles, Wands, and Cups). Each suit of the minor arcana is a collective body of work all in its own, they all have a common color scheme as well as the symbols. It is also amazing that most decks look the same portraying the aspect of a specific card the same, but she infuses her own style and symbolism into each card making it new and original. This body of work has inspired me to infuse meaning into things my own way and it will work out to be better because it is not a trite symbol that everyone uses to convey a certain meaning. I also have taken the fact that meanings for a common trait, emotion, or action vary on a more personal level than I originally thought, so with proper justification I could apply this way of thinking to my own art.
For my independent research on the current Natural/Synthetic project I am doing research on Carl Jung's theories as a psychologist. I am trying to illustrate the relationship of the connection between dreams as a synthetic situation in which your natural self/conscious is interjected. Jung has many interesting theories as to what dreams are experiences of and how they work and can be read. The most interesting to me is that he thinks on some level dreams are our way of connecting into the collective consciousness of the human race and "re-experiencing" another's thoughts or actions. He also talks about common symbols within dreams and how they affect the experiencer. I find all of this very helpful within my own investigation of what my dreams are and how they may be related to something more than myself. When we go to sleep are we tapping into this important resource of the human race or are these images and situations all just random firing of nerve cells that cause us to conjure up images of a synthetic situation?
Article: Carl Jung
The artist I chose to research is the photographer Manuel Alvarez Bravo. As a photo student, i apprecaite the raw interpretation his photographs convey of his home, Mexico City. His pictures date back to 1929 and are described as thoughtful and intellectual. I like to bring a selnse of humor into my work, which is something him and I have in common. He uses witty titles to describe his work, which in effect encourages the viewer to see the pictures in a different light than they may have. He was also known to set up models in situations that appear surreal making you take a second or third look. I believe Manuel was way ahead of his time, or maybe he was the beginning of this innovative type of picture-making. Either way, he was a cool guy with a really really good eye.
As i photographer i researched a fellow photographer by the name of John Gutmann. In the article it talks about his well-off upbringing which made it easy for him to go to an arts school at the time. Which is in the 20's. From this he went on to be a master student in painting. Then when he was older he had a promising future as an art professor or as painter but this was terminated by the Hitler run government in Germany, where he lived at the time. He then decided to head to the Americas, more specifically San Fransisco California. He bought a Rolleiflex camera and some film which would jump start his career as a photographer. While living in America he was astonished from the lifestyle of the natives and made a body of work consisting from the pictures of the every day lives of pedestrians. To some it might just be an everyday photograph but to him it was seeing things through the eyes of a foreigner. He also got involved with taking portraits of pop culture persons and swimmers. He was intrigued by all the glitz of the star and as for the swimmers it was the rippling water and how it fell off of the swimmers bodies. Also for the pop culture icons he analyzes them rather then endorses them. As for what i am going to take away from this article, i applaud John Gutmann, not only for leaving his home to pursue his dream but also to be able to look beyond the every day man and find something spectacular. One of my favorite images is "the artist lives dangerously", this is truly a moment a photographer would not want to miss, and it also can speak to one because isn't it always a dangerous game we artists play? -Tara MacMurray
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/G/gutmann/gutmann.html
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/G/gutmann/gutmann.html
Dan Rucker
Artist/Architect: Tadao Ando
Artwork/ Project: 4x4 House
Source: Architectural Record, Senior Seminar Course
Art and Architecture go hand in hand. The design elements of architecture can be closely compared to the creative elements artists use in their work. I recently watched a film based on various artists in a course I am taking here. The documentary showcased an architect named Tadao Ando. Me having a background in architecture, I was very familiar with his work and have done extensive research on his artistic style and his philosophies on art and architecture. I found a back-issue of Architectural Record magazine that displayed a piece of work known as the 4x4 house.
The project was built as a memorial dwelling for an earthquake that devastated Osaka, Japan years ago. The design of the home was very sculptural. The exterior resembles a piece of modern abstract art. The way the house is positioned and the choice of material only adds to the look of it being a giant sculpture.
The design of this house began to inspire me to look closer into the relationship between art and architecture. The poetic meanings or purposes for architectural structures attempts to achieve the same level of impact as fine art. Architects use their architectural style to inflict an emotion on the viewer, much like artists.
I base a lot of my own artwork on the same principles in which architecture is founded on. I use complex methods of design to achieve a look of structural balance and detail. Architecture is going to play big role in my ceramics. I am going to use slab forms to construct a standing object that resembles an architecturally sound structure.
I feel as though everyones artwork can improve by doing a bit of architectural research. It has helped me look at structures in a sculptural way, and influenced my artwork.
Artist/Architect: Tadao Ando
Artwork/ Project: 4x4 House
Source: Architectural Record, Senior Seminar Course
Art and Architecture go hand in hand. The design elements of architecture can be closely compared to the creative elements artists use in their work. I recently watched a film based on various artists in a course I am taking here. The documentary showcased an architect named Tadao Ando. Me having a background in architecture, I was very familiar with his work and have done extensive research on his artistic style and his philosophies on art and architecture. I found a back-issue of Architectural Record magazine that displayed a piece of work known as the 4x4 house.
The project was built as a memorial dwelling for an earthquake that devastated Osaka, Japan years ago. The design of the home was very sculptural. The exterior resembles a piece of modern abstract art. The way the house is positioned and the choice of material only adds to the look of it being a giant sculpture.
The design of this house began to inspire me to look closer into the relationship between art and architecture. The poetic meanings or purposes for architectural structures attempts to achieve the same level of impact as fine art. Architects use their architectural style to inflict an emotion on the viewer, much like artists.
I base a lot of my own artwork on the same principles in which architecture is founded on. I use complex methods of design to achieve a look of structural balance and detail. Architecture is going to play big role in my ceramics. I am going to use slab forms to construct a standing object that resembles an architecturally sound structure.
I feel as though everyones artwork can improve by doing a bit of architectural research. It has helped me look at structures in a sculptural way, and influenced my artwork.
Monday, September 17, 2007
what makes pottery art?
Student name: Ashley Hamilton
Museum: Philadelphia Museum of art
Web address: http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/46274.html
artwork: early 19th century Japanese dish with design of chrysanthemums
I was having a conversation with my professor today about exactly what makes pottery “art”. I guess this goes back to the age old question “what is art?” I found this piece of Japanese pottery and I thought it upheld my side of the argument. I tend to feel as though pieces thrown simply for mass production which (in my opinion)is a craft, and involves far less thoughtfulness is less ‘artistic’ than, for instance, this Japanese dish. I have read many articles on where the line can be drawn between useable dishes and ones which seem more like art that would be displayed only in a gallery and never meant for practical use. At first glance, this dish seems very un-useable. I would be terrified to ever scratch a fork on the gorgeous ornamental glazes that cover the inside of the dish. I have also considered the fact that maybe my training as a painter has made me think this way. I automatically think of detailed paintings as something which should never be touched and only admired from afar in a gallery or museum setting. I admire this dish as a work of art and also for the attention paid to something as simple as a dish in making it so ornate. It is obvious that someone put a great deal of thought into creating this work, even though the artist is unknown. This is another point which I think is odd, because in my opinion someone who made something this beautiful should have claimed it as their art work! While this dish was probably functional at the time it was made, I would still certainly consider it to be art because of the amount of detailed work and thought which seems to have gone into making it.
One of the articles I read about pottery to broaden my knowledge and expand my way of thinking about art is called “Golden Clay” by Jill Conner. Basically the article is a review of “Great Pots: Contemporary Ceramics from Function to Fantasy” at the Newark Museum. The article references artists such as Edwin and Mary Scheier, who add Picasso-like designs to simple bowls, instantly making them look like high art. This is an example of function meeting artistic statement and proves that both can be achieved in a single pot. On the other hand, the review showcases works by Tashiko Takaezu who created a large closed vessel. This questions the functionality of a pot. I was actually very interested in this kind of pottery simply because I have always had the notion that pottery is meant to be used for storage, cooking, or eating/drinking from. This piece completely questions and changes my old views. I think it is beautiful in its own right and is actually one of the most interesting pieces I think I’ve ever seen because it has such a simple basis, yet makes a huge statement and impact on viewers. Another artist reviewed was Raymon Elozua who made what LOOKED like a functional pot in terms of form, yet could never be actually functional because it is made of wires with large gaps between them. Again, this questions exactly what a vessel should be. It embodies exactly what a tea pot should look like aesthetically, yet takes away any chance of it ever being used for its ‘age old function.’ Also, this work made me think about glazes in a new way. Elozua dangles small pieces of fired glaze from the edges of the wire, not actually serving any function other than visual interest. This made me rethink glazes as well, considering I only ever viewed them as a way of adding to the visual appeal of an already functional piece of pottery. Reading this article will most definitely make me think twice before I sit down to throw my next pot. I now see that ornately decorated works can be used for function, and vice versa as the least beautiful pots sometimes end up in museums for simply questioning the viewer’s original notion of what a ‘pot’ should be. Everyone should read this review!! It actually makes you think differently about pottery- especially if you only ever before saw it as something functional and not as art.
Article link: http://www.artnet.com/magazine/reviews/conner/conner4-29-03.asp
Museum: Philadelphia Museum of art
Web address: http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/46274.html
artwork: early 19th century Japanese dish with design of chrysanthemums
I was having a conversation with my professor today about exactly what makes pottery “art”. I guess this goes back to the age old question “what is art?” I found this piece of Japanese pottery and I thought it upheld my side of the argument. I tend to feel as though pieces thrown simply for mass production which (in my opinion)is a craft, and involves far less thoughtfulness is less ‘artistic’ than, for instance, this Japanese dish. I have read many articles on where the line can be drawn between useable dishes and ones which seem more like art that would be displayed only in a gallery and never meant for practical use. At first glance, this dish seems very un-useable. I would be terrified to ever scratch a fork on the gorgeous ornamental glazes that cover the inside of the dish. I have also considered the fact that maybe my training as a painter has made me think this way. I automatically think of detailed paintings as something which should never be touched and only admired from afar in a gallery or museum setting. I admire this dish as a work of art and also for the attention paid to something as simple as a dish in making it so ornate. It is obvious that someone put a great deal of thought into creating this work, even though the artist is unknown. This is another point which I think is odd, because in my opinion someone who made something this beautiful should have claimed it as their art work! While this dish was probably functional at the time it was made, I would still certainly consider it to be art because of the amount of detailed work and thought which seems to have gone into making it.
One of the articles I read about pottery to broaden my knowledge and expand my way of thinking about art is called “Golden Clay” by Jill Conner. Basically the article is a review of “Great Pots: Contemporary Ceramics from Function to Fantasy” at the Newark Museum. The article references artists such as Edwin and Mary Scheier, who add Picasso-like designs to simple bowls, instantly making them look like high art. This is an example of function meeting artistic statement and proves that both can be achieved in a single pot. On the other hand, the review showcases works by Tashiko Takaezu who created a large closed vessel. This questions the functionality of a pot. I was actually very interested in this kind of pottery simply because I have always had the notion that pottery is meant to be used for storage, cooking, or eating/drinking from. This piece completely questions and changes my old views. I think it is beautiful in its own right and is actually one of the most interesting pieces I think I’ve ever seen because it has such a simple basis, yet makes a huge statement and impact on viewers. Another artist reviewed was Raymon Elozua who made what LOOKED like a functional pot in terms of form, yet could never be actually functional because it is made of wires with large gaps between them. Again, this questions exactly what a vessel should be. It embodies exactly what a tea pot should look like aesthetically, yet takes away any chance of it ever being used for its ‘age old function.’ Also, this work made me think about glazes in a new way. Elozua dangles small pieces of fired glaze from the edges of the wire, not actually serving any function other than visual interest. This made me rethink glazes as well, considering I only ever viewed them as a way of adding to the visual appeal of an already functional piece of pottery. Reading this article will most definitely make me think twice before I sit down to throw my next pot. I now see that ornately decorated works can be used for function, and vice versa as the least beautiful pots sometimes end up in museums for simply questioning the viewer’s original notion of what a ‘pot’ should be. Everyone should read this review!! It actually makes you think differently about pottery- especially if you only ever before saw it as something functional and not as art.
Article link: http://www.artnet.com/magazine/reviews/conner/conner4-29-03.asp
Sunday, September 16, 2007
INTERPRET
Welcome back to UD clay! Posting comments about art seen on the web, in museums and galleries, or through a lens darkly--the rules remain the same. Be sure to include your name, artist's name, title of work, and where you saw the art. All comments should contain at least 100 words.the fine print:
you are required to post at least four comments about art seen/heard/smelled throughout the course of the semester.
Check your syllabus for due dates. Two of those comments should include a response to something mentioned by a classmate.
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