Module 12: Video Review

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I watched Isamu Noguchi: The Sculpture of Spaces and Hockney on Photography. I watched both of these videos because they are both about artists I was unfamiliar with and wanted to learn about.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

 Isamu Noguchi: The Sculpture of Spaces taught me about Isamu Noguchi and his spatial sculptures. He uses the earth as his main inspiration, and his sculptures are often built with or around existing space. Noguchi had an emotionally hard childhood and never quite felt in. His father was a poet and did not wish to recognize Noguchi. He moved to America at 13 by himself. He later received a Guggenheim scholarship and studied under Brancusi. He began making sculpture of heads when he returned to America after his scholarship. He credits creating stage sets as the beginning of his ideas for his spatial sculptures. He also credits Japanese gardens as his main influence. The video then discusses his major works at Bayfront Park in Miami, Moere Numo Park and at the UNESCO Gardens in Paris. Noguchi struggled with municipal guidelines while creating these; citing that he was not interested in that type of collaboration. Noguchi stated that his favorite thing about creating sculpture was creating something useful for people, which led to his creation of playgrounds. The video next explores his water sculptures, as well as his work in Jerusalem.  Noguchi used natural surroundings as his main influence, he valued the interaction between man and his sculptures, and his work became part of the communities in which his sculptures were built.

Hockney on Photography discusses the work of David Hockney and his experiments with photography. The video begins with discussing Hockney's use of photography as an art form in itself, specifically his use of photography in collage and to mimic painting. He began using a polaroid, and his use of these images within larger works to create a scene made from these grid-like photographs. This experimentation led Hockney to explore single-point perspective, cubism, shape, and movement. Hockney then began experimenting with reproduction with the copy machine and fax machine; the idea of duplicates and reproduction fascinated him. Hockney's work consistently waivers between the space he has to work with, painting and representation with photography. He seems, however, to be fascinated with space and the limits available to him within these spaces in which he creates. The video then looks at his collage work with photographs, in which Hockey states he was trying to convey movement. Hockney then moved into capturing images of the theater. At the end of the film, he describes his work as a visual silence.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos relate to the text through highlighting two contemporary artists who are influenced by past artists we have learned about in the text, but also how they use modern technological advances to create something all their own; to bring their work to relate to a contemporary audience. 

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I thought the most interesting thing about Noguchi's art was his playground sculptures. I found it quite fascinating that he creates his sculptures for people to interact with and enjoy. I feel that when I think of a sculpture, you shouldn't touch it or get too close to it so that it does not compromise the integrity of the work. However, Noguchi's work is quite different, and I think it's great that he creates his work for the public to interact with and enjoy. It expanded upon the earthworks explored in the reading; and gave me a different perspective on this.

I really loved Hockney's work. I had never seen his work before, and I am enamored with it. I specifically liked that he moved from painting to photography to fax machines and back again. It really expands upon the discussion in the text that contemporary art is constantly evolving, changing, and none of it is more important than the other. I liked that Hockney does not concentrate on one form of creating his art; as I feel that is a misconception of being an artist in general- only being a painter or sculptor, and so on. I also enjoyed how his works often evoke Cubism, yet in a more interesting way that a contemporary audience is able to understand; through the technology of photography. 

Module 11: Video Review

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I watched The Mystical North: Spanish Art from the 19th Century to Present and Dada and Surrealism. I selected both of these videos because I wanted to learn more about these art movements, how the art influenced the world, and the artists who influenced them. 

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The Mystical North: Spanish Art from the 19th Century to Present discusses the influence Spain had on Modern Art. The first artist the video dives into is Francisco de Goya. He spent his youth making lighthearted portraits for the Spanish elite, and after an illness that left him almost deaf, he was left quite introspective within himself, and his art took a drastic turn to darkness and commentary. In 1806, Napoleon invaded Spain, and the Spaniards were greatly outnumbered. The battle was dark and this greatly affected Goya; this resulted in 85 etchings called "The Disasters of War". They were too dark to be published in his own lifetime. Goya then retreated into solitude where he created "The Black Paintings" directly onto his walls. He had created a new outlook within art; conveying horror, despair and doubt. All of these paintings were never shown until they were re-created 70 years after his death. It wasn't until the 20th century that Goya's doubt was shown again in Spanish art. The next artist the video examines is Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi's structures were inspired by God; quite the opposite from Goya. His most troublesome project was the Sagrada Familia cathedral. He was never able to finish the painstaking project. His other influential project was a row of flats called "La Cadrera", which the video explains shows Gaudi's genius; rewriting not only 20th century architecture, but also sculpture. Gaudi's work influenced the next artist the video discusses: Pablo Picasso. Picasso grew up in Barcelona, and even though he spent most of his life in France, his artwork always conveyed the memories of Barcelona. The video walks us through the Picasso Museum, which Picasso designed himself. His young pieces were heavy with religious themes, and even though they moved into subject matter that was more progressive, his works always had a religious undertone. The next artist the video discusses is Salvador Dali. Dali's work all had an infatuation with death, and he used food, sex and death as his inspirations. The video then visits his mausoleum; in which Dali is buried under the floor. He called it the world's largest surrealist object, yet the video describes it as an amusement of horrors. The video explains that Dali gave us the language of dreams. He became a controversial figure and amidst a tumultuous time in Spain between the Communist left and Fascist right. He was kicked out of the Surrealist group and created Premonition of a Civil War. Six months after, civil war rang out in Spain. The video then visits the ruins of Belchite, in which was hit the hardest and destroyed by the war. In April of 1937, one of the worst atrocities happened of the war; the bombing of Guernica, which is the subject of one of Picasso's most influential pieces. The last artists the video examines is Frank Gehry's building designs which helped reshape and modernize Spain after the war, and Calatrava, who designed a modern winery that is steeped in Spanish tradition; the culmination of all the controversial artists that preceded him.

Dada and Surrealism begins examining Kurt Schwitters, explaining that at one time, using every day materials such as tram tickets, restaurant receipts, etc. was not a common act within art. He influenced the perception on what art could be and was a forerunner in these movements. He concentrated on basic shapes, and often used 3-dimensional materials. He also created the Merz structures within his homes and they have a likeness of a Cubist painting, but in 3-dimensional form. He also created a newspaper named Merz, promoting Modern art and this brought him many places to dispense his message. His main aspiration was to take every day objects and remove them from their role, and incorporate them into his art to reveal their "secret life". The next piece of work the video discusses is Hanna Hoch's Cut with the Kitchen Knife. Hoch was a Dada artist, which is explained is a state of mind and an expression of jangled feelings. Hoch was the only woman in the Dada movement, and she used Dada to attack a society she detested. The piece appears chaotic, but a preliminary sketch reveals that each piece and representation was carefully planned as commentary on the people and society in which she loathed. The video also examines some more of her work, and how she uses juxtaposition and contrasting subject matter to comment on a changing world. Next the video looks at George Grosz's Untitled. Grosz aimed to convey the mechanical nonsense that man had become through his work, and was heavily influenced by the first world war. He captured every day people we recognize, and does so with simple lines and forms. The video next discusses Joan Miro's Dutch Interior I, which is a parody on a Dutch painting he saw many years before. He uses abstract shapes and color to leave clues to the viewer about what they are looking at. The Dutch picture asks the viewer to believe what they are looking at, whereas Miro's image makes the viewer work to discover each element and what it represents. The following work the video looks at is Salvador Dali's The Burning Garaffe. Dali used his art to explore the darkest depths of the human mind. All of his works seem to show a world in which civilization has reached a stage of decay, and the subjects of this work are no exception; each subject has lost all hope and endures its misfortunes. The video also discusses Dali's nod to the Spanish civil war through the burning giraffe. The last piece the video discusses is Man Ray's La Fortune. The painting focuses on familiar objects within an unfamiliar setting. In  New York, Man Ray was a Dadaist, and when he moved to New  York, he was a Surrealist, and his goal was to express his interest in unrelated objects in unfamiliar settings. It seems Man Ray did so to challenge the viewer and almost to mock them by saying "not everything has a meaning!".

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The text discusses most of these artists, yet, I feel the videos give a much more expanded dive into each, along with teaching me about a couple of artists I wasn't familiar with. The videos definitely give much more information on each movement and artist. I feel the texts were a nice starting point, but the videos really help to understand each artist and movement much more in depth.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I enjoyed each video, specifically learning about Gaudi and Schwitters. While the videos gave me a deeper understanding of each artist and movement, it was also really neat to learn about these two artists that I hadn't known. I have always been interested in Spanish art, Dada and Surrealism, and I feel the videos deepened my knowledge about each with additional history and how each artist encompassed these movements through their work. 

Module 11: Art Gallery Visit #2

I am sorry about the formatting on this post, I can't seem to get everything to line up!

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:
1. What is the title of the exhibit?

I went to The Burchfield Penney to see Jonathan Rogers' The Complexity of Life. 

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

The theme of The Complexity of Life is a personal representation of Jonathan Rogers' life. It focuses on his upbringing, religion, and moments of struggle, reinvention and faith.

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:
1. What type of lighting is used?

The type of lighting that is used is spotlight. The lights are affixed directly on the paintings to illuminate them.

2. What colors are used on the walls?

The color on the walls is dark grey. The dark grey contrasts with the white ceiling and light wood floors. The dark grey also helps to convey the overall darker tone in Rogers' works. 

3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?

The interior architecture of the space is mostly open, framed by walls. However, there is one triangular-shaped wall in the center, which breaks up the space to display additional paintings. The artists's statement is also displayed within a glass case.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

The gallery entices you to start moving around the space by turning left when you walk in. It encourages you to walk around the space along the walls, stopping at the artist's statement and again at the center wall that breaks up the gallery. The show is arranged in a series-style, so this movement makes sense.

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:

1. How are the artworks organized?

The artworks are organized in a linear, series-style. They appear to tell a story.

2. How are the artrworks similar?

The artworks are all similar, as they are all painted in an illustration, non-realistic style, with the exception of a couple of works, which are more realistic in style, along with a few drawings on the end wall. They mostly all 
have bright, vibrant colors, contrasted with dark undertones in theme.

3. How are the artworks different?

The artworks have a different subject matter within each painting, yet they are all familiar. Each painting  portrays 
a different part of the story.

4. How are the artworks framed?

Only one artwork is framed, the remaining works are on stretched canvas without frames. 

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

Each artwork is identified by a small card next to it. It is labeled with the Artist name, the title of the work, the 
date of completion, the medium, what it was made on, and who donated the work.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

 Each painting is 1-2 feet from the other.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

Select three of the artworks from the show and use the Art Criticism worksheet to desribe, analyze, bracket and interpret the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described. (see the sheet in the module folder)

Take pictures of the images you are interpreting. If this is not allowed, make quick sketches of the pieces.

Jonathan Rogers

The Deliverance from The Visions of Faith Series, 2000

Oil on canvas with wood frame, size not available

1. Be receptive - Keep an open mind.  Look for what is good.  No put-downs allowed.

2. Description – Describe what you see.  (subject matter)? The painting features two large hands, presumably of a man on the bottom left hand side. To the upper right, there is a small cherub-type figure that appears to be flying away, or being released from the hands on the lower left. The two subjects are encapsulated within the sky, on top of stormy, billowy clouds that give way to a small amount of light and blue sky in the distance, which is where the cherub is flying towards. This light highlights the hands.

3. Formal analysis – (form)  What principles and elements were used and how are they used? The painting focuses much on texture and repetition through the clouds. The organic shapes of the clouds repeat throughout the work, moving your eye first toward the hands, and again toward the cherub. The painting also relies heavily on contrast of values and color to do this; the hands are positioned within the dark portion of the storm clouds, yet, they give way to bright light in a warm, yellowish hue, and again, breaking to a contrast of blue sky. This brings the eye to the focal point where the cherub is flying towards. The painting also relies on balance, or imbalance. The hands are large in proportion to the cherub, yet this imbalance is what brings the eye up to the flying child, showing the viewer that he or she is there, and also bringing the focal point to where the cherub is going.

4.  Bracketing - Is there anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?  (iconography) The painting has a religious overtone and is reminiscent of Renaissance painting. Specifically, Michaelangelo's frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The hands are reminiscent of the hands of God, and the child flying represents an angel, cherub or Putti within this style of painting. The child appears to be released from the hands of god and heading to heaven, or a calmer, brighter place.

5.  Interpretation - (content)  What do you think the artist was trying to say? It seems Jonathan Rogers is commenting on religion and the affect it has had on his life. The entire show has religious undertones, yet, the viewer is not really sure where the artist stands in regard to his current beliefs. This painting, specifically, seems as though he is trying to convey that religion was holding him back. Once he separated himself from this, he was in a better place.

Jonathan Rogers

Everybody Dance from The Little Dancer Series, 1990-2006

Oil on canvas, size not available

1. Be receptive - Keep an open mind.  Look for what is good.  No put-downs allowed.

2. Description – Describe what you see.  (subject matter)? The painting features a circle of children and animals dancing joyously in a circle. They are surrounded by what appears to be a forest of wooden crosses, looming above them, under a bright blue, clear sky. To the bottom left of the painting is a grey figure in darkened silhouette, only seen from behind, watching the group.

3. Formal analysis – (form)  What principles and elements were used and how are they used? The painting focuses on shape, line and emphasis. The children and animals create movement while they are dancing, which contrasts starkly against the linear crosses that loom above them. The lines of the crosses draw the eye down to the children, and back up to the sky, creating movement within the eye also. The children appear to be dancing on white snow, which again, causes contrast and emphasis against their forms, the crosses, and the darkened silhouetted figure toward the bottom left of the image.

4.  Bracketing - Is there anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?  (iconography) This work is painted in a more illustrative, cartoon-type style. Again, the artist brings in religious undertones, which in this case, are very apparent through the 'forest' of crosses in which the children and animals dance. The dark figure on the bottom left of the painting watches the celebration, yet is presented in the shadows as a dark figure in the form of a person, but it is clear that the figure is not a person at all, but perhaps a spirit or the unconscious of the children.

5.  Interpretation - (content)  What do you think the artist was trying to say? It seems Jonathan Rogers is commenting on how religion can affect childhood. The children and animals are all dancing joyously, yet, all around them looms symbols of religion and a dark figure which seems to foreshadow something dark. Perhaps the dark figure represents adulthood and the way in which Rogers grew up affected him into his later years.

Jonathan Rogers

Self Portrait from The Portrait Series, 2007

Oil on canvas, size not available

1. Be receptive - Keep an open mind.  Look for what is good.  No put-downs allowed.

2. Description – Describe what you see.  (subject matter)? The painting is of an older man with no hair and a white beard. He wears a dark colored tank top, a black belt, and jeans. His pose is quite informal, as he leans back on his left foot. He appears to be laughing, bearing his teeth while he does so. He holds a paintbrush in his right hand, almost showing it off to the viewer. His left hand lays relaxed at his side. He is positioned in the center of the painting, against a background of warm hues.

3. Formal analysis – (form)  What principles and elements were used and how are they used? This painting relies on contrast, form and value. Value creates the form of the man. He is lit dramatically on his face, and the value creates the planes along his face which emphasize his form. His clothing is dark in value which contrast against his skin and the light background. His clothing is also in a cool, dark hue, which also contrast against the warm tone of his skin, and the warm colored, light background. His form itself also contrasts against the barren background.

4.  Bracketing - Is there anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?  (iconography) The painting is reminiscent of all fine art portraits, however, contrasts them as well. It contrasts formal portraits in its informality. The subject is relaxed, smiling, and waving his paint brush. He stands in front of a bare wall, as opposed to a busy background. It only focuses on him, and his presumable love of painting.

5.  Interpretation - (content)  What do you think the artist was trying to say? This portrait seems Rogers is commenting on himself as an adult, and perhaps how he made it through his childhood. This portrait is displayed on a stand-alone wall, on the opposite side of The Deliverance. Perhaps this was intentional; the remaining paintings in the Little Dancer Series that surround these two paintings tell a story and are arranged in a series. However, these two paintings stand apart, and it seems Rogers is trying to convey that despite his upbringing and struggle to accept religion in his life, he has finally found his way.

Step 5: Document Your Visit

4. Answer this question:What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

I loved it! I thought it was a really fun exercise. It made me stop, look, and think. I am used to just casually walking around exhibits, reading the cards, and moving along. However, this forced me to take in the entire show, and look at minute details that I normally wouldn't notice. I think it will definitely influence how I attend exhibits in the future.

Module 10: Art Material Exploration: Mask Making

1. Upload the three (3) inspiration images to your Blog (or link to your Photobucket account). Explain why you selected the inspiration pieces.

I chose this African Antelope mask because I liked that it represented an antelope. I was also drawn to the decorative elements. After reading about this mask, it is not authentic, but rather was created to sell to tourists, however, I still think it is interesting looking. 

Analysis/Description:

This mask is dark in tone but has contrasting red and white geometrical shapes contrasting against its organic forms. The horns on the top stand out with alternating horizontal red and white lines, and the horns themselves create an interesting negative space, and lead the eye down toward the center of the mask. The central park of the mask is outlined with sharp, geometric shapes that contrast against the organic, round form of the mask itself. The area around the eyes mimics this round shape and are met at the center of each with almond-shaped eyes, cut in the center with a stark horizontal line. The nose cuts through the center of the mask and is decorated with alternating dots of red and white. This leads the eye down to the mouth, which is again contrasted as a sharp, triangular shape against the round, organic form of the mask.

This is a rare Oceanic mask from Australia. I chose it as inspiration because I really liked the textures and contrasts of different materials used. The mask is a "Mawa" mask which means "face". These masks are said to represent mythical heroes who represent rites of passage.

Analysis/Description:

This mask is a long oval shape and takes on a less organic form than a human face. It is bent on the sides which creates sharp angles that lead back toward the sharp, square-like ears, and again to the rectangular face. It is earth-toned in light brown, and has hair toward the top of the face, which is contrasted with a yarn-like material in a much deeper, darker brown tone. The yarn atop the form mimics the overall shape; and leads the eye down toward the almond-shaped cut out eyes, which create sharp negative space on the top portion of the mask. The nose is a large, protruding triangle which droops down at the tip, leading the eye to the mouth. The mouth is highlighted in a red tone and contains small, square-like textures to create teeth. A thin beard frames the bottom of the mask, creating a textured line around the form.

The last mask I chose as inspiration is a mask from Argentina. I chose it because I liked its simplicity and textures.

Analysis/Description:

This mask is a small, round face in a light ivory color. The face is framed by an earthy light brown colored tuft of hair that creates a contrasting texture. Within the face are two small lines indicating eyebrows that are contrasted against the light skin tone, leading to two small cut-out slits for eyes. The eyebrows arch slightly toward the center, leading the eye to the large, protruding triangular nose and down to the small mouth created again by a contrasting slit. Next to each side of the nose are two red dots, indicating cheeks. Atop the rounded form sits a rectangular form split by a triangular shape expanding toward the top in an earthy orange tone. This creates a repetition for the eye, as the warm tone picks up the same tones in the hair that frames the face. The V shape is filled with a black triangle in the center and toward the bottom where the shape converges, and is framed by two white triangles on either side, which repeats the light tone of the rounded face. The V shape sharply contrasts against the organic form below it, which draws the eye down to the face.

2. Include the analysis and description (art criticism steps) of the three (3) inspiration pieces.

See above! I added these underneath the images.

3. Upload images of your sketches and finished piece.

Sketches:

Finished Mask:

4. Explain how you used the Elements and Principles in your finished mask.

I wanted to use bright colors, so I used analogous colors of blues and green, and a complementary pink. I used the form of an animal and used repeating, geometric forms to highlight certain areas to draw the eye around the mask; specifically in the ears, eyes the center. I also used thread to create the whiskers, because I wanted a contrast in material, although, I wish I had a different color like blue or pink- I think that would have fit in more with the mask because I think they stand out too much in black. I also used a contrast in texture with the flowers on top.

5. Share your opinion of your finished mask and what you thought about creating the mask.

Making the mask was really fun! It was harder than I thought and it was fun to sketch it out because my ideas evolved a lot. I do like my mask, but as I stated above, I wish that I had different color thread for the whiskers. Now that I am looking at it, I also wish that perhaps I used some other kind of organic form and texture on the ears. All in all, I thought it was a really fun activity!

Module 10: Video Reviews

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I watched African Art: Legacy of Oppression and Buddhism. I chose to watch both of these videos because I wanted to learn more about both African Art and Buddhism.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

African Art: Legacy of Oppression begins by showing imagery of a travelling exhibit of African art from the collection of the Tervuren Museum in Belgium. The video discusses the huge range in African art styles, as there were over 250 different cultures that resided there. However, the African art that influenced Western Cultures was more abstract and emotionally driven; specifically on the early masters of early Modernism, such as Picasso. These masters used this inspiration to help learn how to convey emotion within their work. The video then discusses the violent Belgian massacre of the Congo in the late 1800's. King Leopold II took over this area and enslaved its people to collect rubber and ivory. African art and even its people were seen as exotic curiosities, and were brought back to be placed on exhibit. In turn, these exhibits did have a monumental impact on Western art, however, it was at the cost of many innocent lives.

Buddhism discusses the beginnings of the religion and the beliefs Buddah discovered to created the religion. Buddah achieved enlightenment and worked to bring his followers into it as well. This was called "The Middle Way" and often referred to the right path of living. After Buddah died, its followers were split in two; and his death was seen as the end of the golden age, however, it was the beginning of an incredible flowering of art and architecture. The video discusses The Great Stupa at Sanchi which is explained as the finest example of monumental architecture and narrative art. The stones are all carved about Buddah's story with representational symbolism. The video also examines Borobudur in Indonesia, which is the largest Buddhist shrine in the world, which is also in the shape of a lotus; the sacred flower of Buddah. When a visitor climbs the summit, they must pass through carvings of all the temptations of the world, and once they reach the top, they have reached enlightenment. It took almost 100 years to build, spent 30 as a place of pilgrimage, and then was buried in a volcanic eruption for almost 800 years until it was uncovered in the 1990's. The last place of worship the video looks at is Chuang Yen in New York which is a complex of buildings. The monastery is constructed without any pillars, and houses a 37 foot tall statue of Buddah, surrounded by 10,000 additional statues. The video also discusses how Buddhism is practiced in every Asian country except India, where it was conceived, but explains Buddhism was not overrun by Islam and Hinduism, yet, enriches them.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos both expand upon the readings in the text. While the text touches upon African art, the video takes a deeper dive into how today we even know that art existed. The Buddhism video touches upon Buddhism, whereas I felt the text had a bit more information on the conception of the actual religion and its beliefs, however, the video actually takes the viewer to places of worship.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I enjoyed both of the films. I specifically enjoyed African Art: Legacy of Oppression. I never knew about King Leopold and the horrors the people of the Congo endured. It was interesting to learn how all of these African pieces of art were brought to the Western world under these awful circumstances, and following this, they were (and still are) used as a spectacle. The Buddhism video was also neat in that it was almost like you were able to take a tour of some of the places in the reading. I am also glad I did the reading prior to watching the videos, as I don't think I'd be able to understand some of the terms the narrator mentioned. It was also neat to see Chuang Yen in New York, which I never knew existed.