paper-wonders-blog

[paper-wonders-blog]

Chapter 10

Early Christian art brought forth a new era to western art. The religion of Christianity attracted many people. Through which it it began to spread across Europe. Therefore influencing the art culture for many years. This chapter held my attention throughout because, I am Catholic, and I enjoyed immersing myself in the beginnings of Christianity and the art which came along with it. Alongside the assigned reading, I also researched the art of Oceania from 1-500 A.D.

To me, the most fascinating aspect of the chapter was the construction of churches and basilicas. Up until Constantine put forth the Edict of Milan, Christians worshiped quietly and privately. However, once they were allowed to worship without the fear of getting in trouble, they built beautiful Basilicas to worship in. There are many symbolic purposes in the way the Basilicas were constructed. In most churches you will find a crucifix at the altar. I had no idea, most of the time the crucifixes faces westward because Jesus faced westward when he was crucified. I have been fortunate enough to visit multiple basilicas in America, and they are nothing short of amazing. I cannot even imagine how elaborate and gorgeous the basilicas must be in Europe. The gorgeous paintings, mosaics, stained glass would have me entranced. Hopefully one day I will be able to visit them myself.

For my own research this week, I learned more about Oceania (Australia Region). Beginning around 1 A.D., the people of Papua New Guinea began to trade with Indonesia. There have been Prehistoric Stone Sculptures found in the area of New Guinea. Scholars are not completely sure about there use, but the resemble small animals such as hedgehogs, birds, and even humans. These sculptures remind me a lot of the Venus Sculptures. They are, however, much smoother in texture. I imagine because of the different kinds of rocks found in this region. I think it is very interesting to compare the two groups of sculptures because it shows difference in culture between the two places. The people of the Stone Age in Western Europe seemed focused on fertility, where the people of New Guinea prioritized animals. The New Guinea sculptures are a little more abstract compared to the Venus Sculptures. Perhaps the abstract technique offers a little more perspective on their culture, and the sculptures held great spiritual value.

Both the assigned reading and my own personal research offered me new information. I enjoyed getting a closer look at the beginnings of Christian art and where my own faith comes from. Learning about historical art, away from the western region was also very enjoyable. There is so much rich history the world has to offer through the art left by its previous people, and it is interesting to study the similarities and differences between different regions.

National Gallery of Australia. “CollectionThe Ambum Stone.” The Ambum Stone, National Gallery of Australia , nga.gov.au/AmbumStone/.

“Oceania, 1–500 A.D.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=05&region=oc (October 2000)

Kjellgren, Eric, and Jennifer Wagelie. “Prehistoric Stone Sculpture from New Guinea.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ngss/hd_ngss.htm (October 2001)

[paper-wonders-blog]

This is an incredible piece with an even more incredible meaning! 

Week One

Standing a little over 6 foot tall, “Expansion” sits on a pedestal in New York City. This mixed media sculpture was made to represent what a women believed to have thought about the way so many people live their everyday lives. When light shines through this sculpture it is said “you can her inner self trying to break out”.  “From the moment we are born, the world tends to have a box already built for us to fit inside.  Our umbilical cord never seems to be severed; we only find new needs to fill. If we disconnected and severed our attachments, would we shatter our confinements and expand beyond our shell? Would the world look different?  Would we recognize ourselves? Are we the box that we are inside, and to be authentically ‘un-contained’ would we still be able to exist? This is the irony of containment. As long as we don’t push on the walls of our surroundings, we may never know how strong we really are.” –PAIGE BRADLEY

[paper-wonders-blog]

I agree with you 100% in saying this class has taught us to apreciarte art whether we love it or hate it. From now on I feel I have the skills and the background knowledge to create informed opinions. I like your thoughts on Sister Corita Kent’s writing and how the term “rules” can shut down an audience before they even start reading. It's interesting what different words are associated to being positive or negative in our brains. 

Week 16

Week 16

            The final weeks readings included a reading from Sister Corita Kent named “10 rule for students and teachers” and “An artist’s life manifesto” by Mirina Abramovic.

            While I did enjoy reading the ten rules and the inspiration, I kept going back to the little voice in my head that kept asking why these are labeled as rules.  I believe that when you put the title next to a list that states Rules, that right off the bat are people not going to read them and or try to find ways around them.  Also people think if you don’t follow the rules that you will not be successful.  I feel that not only with art but everything in life you can bend some rules to benefit the good of the future. I will be posting these where I can read them daily but will remove rules and replace with goals. 

            As far as the life manifesto by Mirina Abramovic,  I thought the points they brought forward to list was interesting and the ones they wanted to focus on by relisting.  This reading got me into the heads of artist and how they process things around them.

            Art Appreciation, I think this has been one of the best classes that taken for some time.  The title of the class is 150% true.  Art Appreciation makes you appreciate art.  Weather you love it or hate it you can still appreciate it.  Starting this class I was unaware of all the different styles and what goes into art and the hopes of the same outcome from viewers.  While there were a few chapters in this course that made me feel sick and disturbed for watching (videos). I could share my thoughts with the class and relate to a few but at the end of the day still appreciate what the artist was trying to convey. 

            While I’m not big into doing art on my own. After taking this class I do see myself recognizing more art pieces around and taking the time to stop and smell the roses as some say.  I will now be able to put most of the pieces of the puzzle together when viewing art work.  Thanks for a great learning experience. 

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 16

Upon starting this class, I thought I had a very open mind to the different possibilities relating to art. I now understand, I thought I had an open mind, but it was actually quite closed. In the beginning I had the ability to appreciate and understand things which I initially thought were beautiful. The things I thought were beautiful still are very beautiful, but I dismissed many great works as strange, therefore not good. This course has brought me to the appreciation of things I find strange, sad, or even gross. My mind has been opened to the fact not all good art is visually pleasing, sometimes the most meaningful art makes us feel something.

This week’s readings didn't follow the norm for what we usually read. I felt Sister Corita Kent’s, “Ten Rules for Students and Teachers,” was something we all could use when creating, learning, and appreciating. In a way, it is a guideline to live our lives- in that at some point in each of our lives we are either a student or a teacher. Marina Abramovic’s, “An Artist’s Life Manifesto,” was very well done. Even Though I didn't agree with every single statement, there was certainly a lot of truth to her words. I appreciated the format of her writing and her use of repetition. The readings for this week are ways we all strive to live our lives with more open and free minds.

If this course has taught me anything, it’s to keep my mind open. I will always keep my eye out for beauty in the world. I will try to find the meaning behind pieces before judging them. When looking at art, I will try to relate to the artist and understand why and how they created them. In many different forms of art the beauty is in the process rather than the finished product. In the future, when viewing art I will strive to create a meaningful opinion and reasons for liking or disliking the piece. And most of all, I will look for art in the most unlikely of places because art is everywhere.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I like how you appreciate Tabaimo’s work! I found it is very different from anything else we have ever studied. My favorite part about her films, is how she finds creative ways to display them. How a film is presented, and the atmosphere of the room can really effect of an audience feels while viewing the film. These are all things an artist has to consider, and I think Tabaimo executed her peice in a very neat way. 

Week 15 - Digital Art

o   Your reflections on the reading

Our reading this week was about digital art. I really enjoyed reading this chapter because I find digital art to be very interesting. There are so many different ways to create art digitally, for example virtual reality, 3D art, etc. I love to draw and mostly use a tablet hooked up to my computer and Photoshop for art. The endless possibilities and the access to colors and brushes etc. makes digital art really fun and convenient which seems to be what appeals to many people, including me. Convenient as digital art might be, it still takes months for some artists to finish their work, especially if they’re professionals or if the art is for movies. The time it takes seems to be worth the end product though. 

Your reflections on the  videos/media

I think this week’s video on the artist Tabaimo was, again, interesting. I liked how she incorporated such deep meaning into her works. I will say though that her works reminded me a lot of the videos we watched for Week 7 (Photography and Film). Her works drive home her point but also makes me uncomfortable and a little uneasy in the meantime. I believe she intended these works to create those types of feelings into the viewer, and I can appreciate that. However, I did not even want to watch the video over again or even finish honestly because much of it was just so… strange. I wouldn’t have understood most of the meanings behind her works had she not been explaining them, so I would have just been turned off because all I understood was the feeling. Particularly the restroom piece where the woman seemingly has an abortion, but, through her nose? It is interesting, however, to see these issues from a culturally different point of view. Her work definitely makes an impact on the viewer. Now that I am thinking about that abortion scene, I’m wondering if the reason the baby came out through her nose was to show that, to the person, the abortion was nothing eventful. More like a mundane thing like blowing her nose. The thought and details she puts into her work is amazing.

Connections/comparisons

Like with other weeks, there is the main connection of digital art because that is the topic being covered. However, I think there are several connections between Tabaimo’s work and the reading. The reading explains how there are endless possibilities when it comes to digital art and how it is continually evolving. Tabaimo seems to utilize as much of her resources as possible to create her works. It really struck me how unique Tabaimo’s art is compared to many other works of digital art that I have seen. I don’t usually see too many artists that create little “movies” that are all the artwork like she does. I’m not quite sure how to explain it, but Tabaimo manages to make her works stand out from many other artists. Many people don’t understand digital art and still believe that it isn’t truly “art,” but I think anyone viewing Tabaimo’s work would not even question its validity as “art.”

Some of Tabaimo’s works even seem to be 3D, similar to 3D movies, where her art spreads out from their “box,” like with the walls in the beginning or the moths in the bathroom.

Connections to another artist’s work

I chose Rick Silva for this week’s relevant artist. I liked a lot of his works, but I was drawn to works that he and a few other artists created called SIGNALS. It focuses on “Immersive audio-visual renderings of seascape environments.”(X )The 2D works for SIGNALS are fantastic and the videos were captivating. My favorite was Signals Interstitials and Signals 4. The audio in Signals 4 combined with the video that sort of explores the ocean bottom was fun to watch. I loved how the waves and lighting changed fluidly around the square of moving colors throughout Signals Interstitials. 

Check them out for yourselves!

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 15

What amazes me the most about digital art is the immensity of the digital world. When I think about how many different sites and possibilities there are on the internet, it almost makes my head hurt. I thought this week's assigned reading did a great job explaining the different ways digital art is created and how it has changed over the years. I like how it touches on the different controversies the online world has brought to the art world. My favorite piece featured in the reading was Pamela Zagarenski’s, 1895. I like the different layers in her work and how she brought together different styles. I think the character in her piece is cute, but holds a lot of emotion. Even though its face is rather simple, you can still see the longing in its eye as it gazes upward.

(Another peice by Pamela Zagarenski)

This week’s assigned video was certainly different from anything we have ever studied. I didn’t like how there was a translator speaking for Tabaimo. Normally, when watching the interviews, I really appreciate the personal effect we get when the artist speaks about their work. This week, I felt much more out of touch. However, it was very easy to enjoy Tabaimo’s work. I loved the vibrant colors she used on her pieces and how she connected much of her work to her own culture. Her concept of the relationship between a public restroom and the online community is phenomenal. It's an easy idea for her viewers to grasp, yet it allows them to find a personal story inside themselves.

Yung Jake’s, Get Embedded piece is something I wouldn't normally put in the category of art if I just saw it on one of my social media newsfeeds. I probably would watch half of it and pass it off as another offensive video which has surfaced to underneath my fingertips. The entire website was programmed to react on what the video said, and I thought it was really cool. I assume it took a lot of time and effort to figure out the coding for the site. Trying to understand the true meaning of the site has been very difficult for me. I would like to think the piece was meant to mock some of the sites and videos which are popular these days, but honestly I think it was just the artist’s style. I didn't personally have connection with the piece, but that doesn't mean it wasn't done well.

Rick Silva is a digital artist who makes art which is meant to be viewed on a computer screen. His website matches the theme of what seems to be common among artists. It has a very cut and dry look, and the website which displays his work, almost doubles as a piece itself. I liked his piece called, Colorado. It reminded me of old home videos which may have gotten damaged. The piece is eight minutes of flashing colorful lines over a video of a mountain. I thought his piece had a neat effect, and might give its audience a reminiscent feel.

https://vimeo.com/35266252

So far, when it comes to digital art, I haven't found much of an emotional connection to any of the online pieces I have viewed. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough, or perhaps it's because a computer screen disconnects us from feeling true feelings. Regardless, digital art is still an amazing way for artists to create. Especially because it gives them the ability to create pieces with perfect technique. This is a tool which hasn't been around for very long, and it is exciting to think about the endless possibilities for art yet to come.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I too feel frustrated with sound at times. Sometimes the quietest noises drive me crazy. I can understand where you might find the sound added to Tim Hawkinson’s larger peice, Uberorgan, annoying. Perhaps, Tim Hawkinson wanted us to feel slightly frustrated with the sounds we heard. Not all art has to make us feel pleasant all of the time. I think it's a cool contempt that art can evoke any sort of emotion or feeling the artist wishes its audience to feel. 

Week 14 - Sound

Your reflections on the reading

This week’s reading was interesting and contained, again, a lot of information that I never knew or thought of. I never thought to think of sound being considered art so this week is really challenging my view of what art can be. I am still not sure if I really consider sound to be ‘art,’ but I think I can understand why others do consider it an art. I liked that the article mentioned that we are constantly hearing sounds but most of the time we do not listen, or consciously notice it. I also liked that it was pointed out that we usually focus more on the objects that make sound rather than the sound itself. I was also surprised by John Cage’s piece 4’33, which incorporated the audience into the performance by focusing on all the sounds present.

Your reflection  on the videos/media

I thought the video for this week about Tim Hawkinson was neat. I thought it was interesting how he incorporates sculptures into his work. His larger scale piece, Uberorgan, was amazing because it was so huge and made equally ‘large’ sounds. The sounds reminded me of whales. I will say though that I really didn’t enjoy any of the sounds made. The “rain drops” were amazing because of how he created them but the continuous sound was just plain irritating for me. Same with Uberorgan, amazingly crafted and unique, but I can only listen to so much of that sound before I just can’t stand it any longer.

Also, I’m one of those types of people that are just incredibly irritated and angered by certain noises so it might mostly just be me that is affected by them in this way. I can hardly stand the sound of chewing, even when someone’s being as quiet as possible, and sometimes have to even leave the room because it makes me so irritated. Same with other small noises, especially if it is quiet and it’s the most prominent noise I can hear. I share a room with my sister and she usually wakes up much before me to do her makeup. I become so incredibly frustrated and angry just by the small short noises of her picking up and setting down her various make up brushes and tools. Even I’m surprised by how angry I get but I can’t help it, even if I know it’s irrational. I usually either put on white noise and fall back asleep or listen to actual music to wake up. So it’s interesting that a lot of noises we simply hear and don’t acknowledge, and there’s others that we can’t NOT acknowledge.

Connections/comparisons you find between the two

There’s the obvious connection of sound being the main point of both the article and the video. They both show examples of how sound can be used in art. One difference I noticed is that Hawkinson uses sculptures to make sound or go along with sounds while the article focused on ways that were strictly sound, like in John Cage’s 4’33.

Connections to another artist’s work

For my relevant artist this week, I chose Haroon Mirza. He does sculptures, installations, and performances. I thought one of his works, the National Apavillion of Then and Now was amazing. It’s a circle of light that gets bright as the noise increases and goes completely dark when the noise stops. I think it’s awesome how that works and it gives me a better understanding of how sound can be art.

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 14

When I first saw we would be learning about sound this week, I got really excited because I thought we would be covering music. As soon as I read this week’s assigned reading, I knew this week we were covering sound in a broader context. Until reading this chapter, I never thought as sound being specifically made as a form of art expression and not just made for music.

The article this week really got me thinking deeper about sound and not only as a type of art. I liked how the article had very basic information, and facts. It talked about how sound is not a substance or a mass, but how it is a process. Even though this seems like common sense, it is a concept which makes me think about how I almost never acknowledge sound. The article also talked about how we refer to certain sounds by the object which makes them and not the actual sound itself. Again, this is a basic concept, but one which isn't thought about very often.

Tim Hawkinson seemed to see the world in a very interesting way. I could tell he was a naturally intelligent man. He seemed to know and understand exactly how allo of his pieces worked, but he just didn't know the technical terms for all of the parts. Everything he has made he has taught himself. He thinks a lot like an engineer rather than an artist. I thought it was cool how he said he normally doesn't do primary drawings because he can't always see his finished piece in his mind. This shows how much of his work reflects the process rather than the original idea. I think the piece he did in the warehouse was really neat, and the sound aspect of the piece added to the level of intensity. My favorite piece of his was the dripping water. I loved how he added rhythm to it. I often find myself listening to the rain and feeling very calmed by it. When rhythm is added to this sound, it only creates a greater effect.

I really liked Marcus Fischer’s work. His music seemed to be both music and sound art combined. The music he creates is very peaceful. It’s the kind of music I would listen to in order to meditate or relax. In my band class right now we a currently working on a very slow song. My conductor is working with us on pushing from one phrase to the next phrase. I found Fischer's work does just that. Perhaps it is what makes his sound so peaceful.

https://marcus-fischer.bandcamp.com/track/the-one-that-went-with-the-film-of-the-trees

In conclusion, sound is an art form which appeals to your ears rather than your eyes. Because of this, it has a very powerful effect on our emotions and enables artists to use this to there pieces advantage. I think sound can be a powerful force on its own, but when it is added to a visual element, each can benifit and increase the intesity of each other. Whether sound is created naturally or unnaturally it has its own unexplainable way of connecting with human emotions.

[paper-wonders-blog]

This week, I also needed to take time and reread this week's concept because it wasn't clear to me in the beginning. As I kept reading, and watched the video, it started to make a lot more sense. I also loved Tania Bruguera’s work. I like how her art directly made a difference in the world. I like how you found the meaning behind Vanessa Beecroft’s peices. It is always  neat to know an artist’s backstory because it helps to find the true meaning of their work. 

Week 13

This week’s topic of social practice, the article, “An Introduction to Relational Aesthetics and Social Practice”, I understood that relational aesthetics had to do with a connection with the audience. Like if the artists get the audience involved that this is a type of relational aesthetics. I thought that this chapter was really interesting yet really confusing. I did need time to take apart of what I was reading in order to comprehend what was the information offered out to me.

This week’s video of Tania Bruguera, her work is amazing. I am so proud of what she has done and the work she has put into the immigrant movement. The way she said that as soon as someone becomes an immigrant, they also lose the ability to talk about politics or be involved in them. The involvement with the Hispanic people is a great way to make her work stand out because it catches a lot of other people’s attention.

Vanessa Beecroft is Italian and does performances and “living paintings” which are by women that are half clothed or nude. She also directed a video for Kanye West, and since then she has worked with him on choreography. Vanessa also had a problem with food when she was younger, anything that would pass her lips, she would write it down in a food log that she had. In this way, I feel that is why she has these girls pose nude, so they can show of their body and not be ashamed of it.

http://www.artnet.com/artists/vanessa-beecroft/

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2005/mar/13/art

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 13

Social practice is a very different art form compared to the other forms we have studied. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around what is actual social practice. I found it can be much like performance art, yet rather than the public being an audience for the show, the public actually become the piece itself. The unpredictability of how the public will respond and participate in the piece is what draws artists to social practice.

At first the assigned articles didn't help me to understand what social practice was as an art form. After doing my own research, watching the assigned video, and re-reading the articles, I found myself with a better grasp on social practice.The first reading, An Interaction to Relational Aesthetics and Social Practice, had me confused. But then it came to my attention, maybe the post wasn't exactly meant to explain social practice. The post was actually an example of social practice. It's a neat concept, the professor asked his friends to explain social practice, therefore creating a work of social practice.

The other article gave me more of a perspective on social practice.To answer the question asked about what the difference between social work and social practice, I have found social practice has the intention for it to be an art piece, where social work isn't art but more of an act. In my opinion, for something to be art, the artist has to believe it is art. If an artist creates something without originally thinking it is art, but later on decides it is, the piece is now art.

This week’s assigned video was very interesting. Tania Bruguera is an amazing women. I appreciated how she described herself as more of an instigator rather than a leader. She truly believes the people taking a part in her pieces have the control once she has gotten them started. Burguera doesn't care if her pieces have to change in order for them to be successful, which shows she has a very open mind. To me, the most powerful piece of her’s  was the one where she allowed people to speak their minds for a minute. I know Cuba has a very strict government, and I can only imagine how painful it would be to feel so restrained.  

Theaster Gates is similar to Tania Bruguera in that one of his main projects helps people in need. The Rebuild Foundation helps to rebuild spaces in the poorer parts of Chicago. One part of the project is, the DA+HC which is a public housing unit. It provides artists and community members a place to live for an affordable price. The unit also has community areas, an art center, and a coffee house.

I have found social practice can be one of the most powerful art forms to directly help people. Social practice is an amazing way to directly touch people. The interactive focus of social practice is what separates this art from from all the others. People will continue to express themselves and help others through the work of social practice.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I liked gaining a new perspective from the articles. I thought they had more relevant viewpoints to what is going on in current events today. Yoko Ono sounds like a very unifique individual! I can't imaginin being exposed to people in that way. She must be very brave, or a person who is very comfortable in her own skin. Perhaps she used this performance as a way for her to open up to others? 

Week 12

When starting the reading for this week, I was relieved to see that it was not out of the book.   This isn’t me saying that the book doesn’t do a good job, but being able to look at a different perspective seemed beneficial.  Reading about the beginnings of performance art was actually not as interesting as I thought it to be.  It was said that performances of Italian Futurists read their manifestos before they made any paintings, during the early twentieth century.  During the rest of the explanation of the beginnings of the art form, the reading showed how movements shaped the section of art into what it is currently.  It even mentioned how the Vietnam War shaped performance art by providing artist against the war with material.   When we are presented the video, it starts with multiple pieces of Janine Antoni.  To me all of her art that was shown was weird, but I thought they seemed very interesting.  Then throughout the video each piece that we saw is given a background, and an explanation to what it means and/or how it was created.  Her first piece that was explained was the rope made of different fabrics.  When showing how she makes some of it, she shows us that she learned to spin hemp into thread.  I found it admirable for her to go to the length of controlling every process to create her rope.  This rope she is making also relates to a future work she plans to construct.  A good chunk of the video talks about how she is diving into tightrope walking.  She also later explains, that this future piece is going to involve a tightrope, but all the attention of the piece is going to be directed towards the fall of the walker.  For me the idea seemed to be a bit off, learning all the skills to create a rope from hemp just for it to be main part of what people are going to admire.  Overall, she seemed very dedicated to what she does, and I can’t personally judge dedication as I do art.

In the reading, it mentions some concepts and styles, and body art is given some explanation.  Janine Antoni did a decent amount of body art, an example is when she casted herself in the lard bathtub.  I thought this was somewhat weird, with the bathtub of lard in all, but she did give some good background on why she did it.  Also, Janine did the painting where she used her hair to paint the floor of a room while people watched.

For this week’s relevant artist, I chose Yoko Ono.  She did a performance where she allowed bystanders to cut pieces of her clothes of her.  I thought this quite interesting, letting complete strangers slowly removing her clothes.  I also learned that she did an internship with John Lennon, and is his widow.  I think that is possible that her art presence in his life probably effected his music in some way.  All in all, she is an interesting artist and deserves the recognition she has received.  

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 12

Before exploring this chapter, I thought performance art was theater. While theater is a type of art, I learned performance art is more about making a statement. It is such a powerful way for artists to convey their message, evoke feelings, emotions, and thoughts.

Janine Antoni is probably my favorite artist we have studied so far. Her mind was amazing. I loved her take on life, and how she vocalized her thoughts to the world. The concepts for her pieces weren’t hard to understand, yet they were strong ideas to convey. The picture of her in the water trough with the cow was my favorite. The concept of drinking from cows all her life, and then allowing them to drink from her is on another level of thinking. If you start to imagine all of the things which produce for us and how we use them, and then imagine what it would be like to reverse the roles, you start to gain a new perspective. Maybe this isn't exactly what Antoni wanted her audience to think about when they saw her picture, but one of the greatest things about art is how it has the ability to inspire new thoughts and ideas.

This week’s reading I also found interesting. I thought it was cool how the article mentioned when artists feel disconnected to painting or the more traditional ways of making art they often turn to performance art because it brings them more in touch with their ideas. I can relate to that statement in a few different ways. The lady climbing the flagpole made a huge statement. My opinion on whether she was right or wrong to do what she did doesn't matter, however I think her performance did exactly what she intended it to do. It got people thinking about something which most likely has caused many people uncomfortable or unhappy feelings.

Adrian piper is a woman who is African American, but she has lighter skin so she is often thought to be Caucasian. This gives her a different perspective than most on racism and equality. She uses this perspective to make art. One piece I saw explored was called, “Catalysis.” She wore a painted white shirt with a wet paint sign on the streets of Manhattan. She was trying to disrupt the usual and and spark questions of the people around her. I think her statement can relate to the woman removing the confederate flag from the flagpole, because they both brought up the topic of racism and equality.

Performance art is different from other forms of art because often times the only thing left from the piece once it has been performed is a photograph or video. Even though there isn't a physical representation, of the work, it still has the power to evoke strong emotions and feelings. Perhaps when viewing a performance piece, one might get the strongest effect because it is only performed once, therefore gaining a very personal experience. Performance art is truly one of a kind, and it has had the abuility to move people for ages.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I thought the lines and columns were just for decoration too! Isn't it funny how they serve a purpose? Just think about all of the other things we think are only comsmetic and actually serve a purpose. I think this is what impresses me the most about architecture, how every little thing is planned, and how every little thing is necessary in the final product. 

Week 11 - Architecture

For me, this chapter on architecture has been the most interesting chapter we have read this far. The time and planning it must take for an architect to create such structures is mind blowing.  Not only do they have to keep the client happy but zoning committees, keeping track of building codes, planning committees and then they just hand off their designs to a contractor and construction crew to make it all come to fruition.  Not sure I could let my vision/creation go – just like that.

I have always thought that the lines in columns were for decorative purposes.  Now I know that those lines actually have a purpose, and that is to conduct rainwater downward.   There is my something new I learned today.

As beautiful as the Taipei 101 is, I would never want to be inside that sucker when a natural disaster would decided to strike.  Yikes!  That building is tall and just by looking at it I can feel my stomach turn at the thought of how much that building would sway (even with that massive pendulum to help out).

I have to say that my favorite piece of architecture is St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. It really is a spectacular piece and I really never get tired of visiting it.   However, as I was scrolling through the internet an interesting tidbit regarding buildings in New York City appeared. According to www.dailymail.co.uk, the “Big Bend” has been designed around zoning laws and requirement and is “described as the ‘longest building in the world’, the project’s concept drawings reveal a skyscraper reaching an apex then curving back down, featuring an elevator system that can travel in curves, horizontally and in loops”.  I can’t wait to see if this piece really comes to life. It will certainly change the Manhattan skyline.

The Artist 21 piece on Maya Lin was interesting to watch.   She makes me want to grab my ice skates and head to Grand Rapids to skate among the stars.  I did find it surprising that she considers herself an artist and not an architect; although most of her designs/concepts are really in architectural form. Congratulations to Maya Lin of creation and completion of the Vietnam Wall!

My relevant artist for this week is Renzo Piano.  After looking at his structures I realized that he “created” The Shard, which is on my bucket list to see when I finally ever get to London.  According to www.the-shard.com the concept of this impressive building

           “was conceived as a building with multiple uses: a vertical city where people could live,    work and relax. It comprises world-class offices, award-wining restaurants, the 5-star  Shangri-La Hotel, exclusive residences and the UK’s highest viewing gallery, The View                    from The Shard, offering 360-degree views. Well-connected and comprehensively              serviced by central London’s transport infrastructure, facilities and amenities, The Shard   is a timeless reminder of the power of imagination to inspire change”.

The Shard has everything you need at your fingertips and really would have no reason to ever leave the building.  It is a visually stunning structure to look at as well, plus all the added extra touches makes this one spectacular building!

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 11

Many people don't immediately think of architecture as an art form, because typically you don't find a building sitting inside of an art gallery. I find it interesting how our minds are constantly analyzing and judging architectural spaces as if they were art, without even realizing it. When we walk into a new room or a building, we automatically start to assess how we feel. We ask ourselves, are we too close to strangers? Are we too cold or too hot? Do we feel comfortable? In one way or another, these questions we are asking ourselves are similar to the ones we ask when we view a piece of art. I had never thought a architecture this way until exploring this chapter, and I am very excited to view buildings and structures with a new perspective.

This week's reading was so interesting. I didn't think I would be so intrigued by it! All of the time and thought which goes into designing and building a structure is obvious, but I never think about it when I visit new buildings. The thing I was most impressed with was probably how architects try to create work which invokes a certain feeling. Like churches for example, the reading explained how they try to create a spiritual and solemn mood in basilicas and other temples. The popular arch and dome shape invokes this feeling. What I find most impressive about architecture is even though the artist is attempting to create a certain atmosphere, they also have to account for functionality. Because of this, they aren't given quite as much freedom when they are creating. But if they learn to use the aspect of functionality to their advantage, I believe it creates the most amazing work.

Maya Lin is an artisan who certainly learned how to use functionality to her advantage. Her skating rink was so beautiful. I loved how she brought light into the rink and made it look like the stars were reflecting from the sky. I think what makes Maya Lin such of great artist is her judgement. When she was commissioned to make the piece she automatically knew she was only interested in it if the company agreed one art work will not complete the park. It needed to almost be rebuilt in order to change the mood. It takes an artist with a strong sense of intuition to question their clients request. However, Lin’s final piece was unbelievable and she created a space for people to enjoy for many years to come.

Renzo Piano is an Italian architect. He as earned a lot of recognition for his buildings, and is featured in many different museums. When view his work, I drew a lot of connections to Maya Lin’s work. One of his pieces in particular had many similar aspects to Lin’s cardboard model in her studio. She was planning on taking it outside and making it into a playground. Piano had a piece which looked like a hill, but it had windows built into it. I liked how he combined nature with is architecture.

Architecture has been an important piece of human lifestyle since the beginning of humanity itself. I think we will forever be using it for a form of survival and functionality. The more it is recognized as art, the more we will begin to develop more complicated and impressive works. Art and architecture go hand and hand to work together to create absolutely astonishing results.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I too was intrigued by Kimsooja’s pieces when she stood still in the moving crowds. The more I think about her work the more I think about the different things it could compare to. When she referred to herself as a human needle, at first I thought about a needle poking through fabric, but now I wonder if she isn't  a pin on a map? Maybe she is marking her place in an exact spot, much like a pinpoint on a map marking a certain place. 

Art Appreciation——This week we went over chapter 11, read an article on what is to come to the Smithsonian museum of craft, and also watched a short video on the artist this week who is called Kimsooja. Like I said, the video that we watched was very short yet it explained her message about her art very well. She likes to have one axis that is not moving in her pictures. She also likes to use variety of colors, like you can see in the picture of the quilts that Kimsooja took above, and all of her work has an underlying message. Also in the video in about the middle of it you can see her just standing in the middle of a moving crowd on a crowded strip of sidewalk. I really loved all the craft pictures that were provided in this chapter. My favorite piece is a metal one and it is located on page 358 of our book. With craft it seems like it would take you a lot of time just because everything looks like it is perfect. At first I didn’t really know there were so many types of crafts. I thought there was just a single one and those made out of noodles and glue. I am not even kidding about that part. Whereas the Smithsonian article plays a role it rose some concern. In some parts of the article I got lost because it would start talking about who’s art was shown now and in previous years then it would jump to something that didn’t have anything to do with the article. This week I decided to do a little research on Nick Cave and his works of art. What I came up with is he is a lot like Kimsooja. He likes to use axis in his art that are not moving. On top of that he also likes to use a lot of colors. Not a bad thing but that picture under Kimsooja’s is a piece of art that Nick Cave has created. It looks like a woman or a man, I think woman because of the leg, balancing on one leg with a bunch of bags or quilts wrapped up around her. Kimsooja was really into quilt art as well and Nick Cave. This is not the only thing that he does he also has works of art that contain feather or feather like material but he is an artist that loves to use a lot of colors. Most likely to grab the attention of passerby’s or someone who normally would not look at this kind of art. Like I said before I really like the metal craft art. It seems to pull me in more than any of the other like glass or clay. Metal seems to have more character to it and plus artist seem to add more than just metal to this craft like stones and jewels which I love anyways.

[paper-wonders-blog]

Week 10

Before exploring this chapter, I had many preconceived ideas. I was told, and believed, we make crafts when we are children, and mature into making real art. When I read the post written by Aaron McIntosh, this argument became very apparent.  And while in some instances this can be true, after reading the post I concluded, Craft can easily be believed to be a beautiful art form. Ceramics, glass blowing, metal shaping, wood carving, sewing, and fiber making are all different medias for craft art.

Once I understood what Craft was in terms of art, this week’s assigned reading was a breeze for me to read. Many things I didn’t consider to be a Craft art were in this chapter. Ceramic art is one of my favorites, and I really enjoyed what the book had to say. I loved learning about the history of glazes and how similar the techniques we still use today are compared to thousand of years ago. Glass blowing was another section in the chapter I particularly took interest in. A year ago, I had the opportunity to a glass blowing studio. It is a craft which has to be taken very seriously, and it takes a skilled hand to master. The book described Harvey Littleton’s piece, by saying he captured the liquidity of the glass before it hardens. Thinking about glass in a liquid for was always a hard concept for me to grasp before I went to the studio, and I think Littleton’s piece has a brilliant concept.

At first, relating this week’s video about Kimsooja was a little tricky. I didn’t see how her work related to Craft much at all. Then I started to think about the meaning of her work and the thought process which went through her mind. I thought about how when one is sewing or making pottery, it is a very therapeutic process. This is what I found to be common theme throughout all of Kimsooja’s work. All of her pieces have meditative and calming aspect to them. Especially when she created the room with the light and mirrors for people to just sit in breathe. Her human needle installation had a very rich symbolic meaning. When I saw her standing in the crowd of people I thought about a needle poking through fabric. I thought about how dynamic fabric can be much like the people moving around her. When I saw she did her installation in different parts of the world, I thought about the endless variety of fabrics which are available. Kimsooja certainly has a beautiful take on the world, and it is shown through her art.

From what I understood after doing some research, Piper Shepard takes a different route achieve the stunning lace designs she creates. Rather than weaving thread, which is the more traditional way to make lace, Shepard actually cuts out lace from large pieces of fabric. Her pieces are incredible. I was floored by the amount of time she must put into creating her pieces.

Craft art has been around for centuries, and perhaps was one of the first forms of art ever created. This week’s chapter opened my eyes to the possibilities of Craft. I really enjoyed gaining a new perspective this week. Crafting is not only a way for people to express themselves with the finished product, but it is also a wonderful way for people to relax their minds while creating. Perhaps this is why people continue to use Craft as a way to create amazing work.

[paper-wonders-blog]

I had very similar thoughts about Do Ho Suh’s work. My favorite piece was the the monument with the people holding it up. His year book phot piece was also very interesting. I too, liked how the faces seemed to disappear when the camera zoomed out. I thought it was a neat camera trick. One thing which caught my attention was when he explained how collecting the photos  was interesting because year after year he began to see the same faces. Then he goes on to talk about how maybe we are not all that different. I think everyone has had this thought once or twice in there life, and Do Ho Suh did a great job of expressing it. 

Week 9

This weeks reading was a little hard for me to understand. I read over the reading about three times and still don’t understand all of it. I found this week very informative because I’ve never heard of the art “Installation.” I’m glad the reading this week gave some history about installation because if it didn’t I would be completely lost with it. One thing that I learned is that this art came into use recently and that’s probably why I haven’t heard a lot about it. I liked how in this section of reading it gave different types of installation and also it gave examples to match it so you can see the difference in each.

I found Do Ho Suh artwork very odd but at the same time interesting. I really loved looking at his outside sculpture that he made with the little people holding up a mini building it looked like. The other thing that I really liked was when he printed out all these faces of people and put them around a wall. I loved how the camera zoomed in with the pictures and slowly started to zoom out and you couldn’t even notice there were people on the wall.

I think the artist fits with this weeks reading but I’m not a hundred percent sure because I’m not for sure if I understand installation. By the teacher’s definition, installation doesn’t have an exact definition but it’s a sculpture that is connected to a place. So I think Do Ho Suh’s artwork that he made outside fits with installation.  

The artist that I picked for this week is Olafur Eliasson. Eliasson was born on February 5, 1967 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Eliasson is an artist known for sculptures and large-scale installation art using the materials of light, water, and air temperature. The first picture is an artwork of Eliasson and I find this piece of art very interesting. It has many colors and it looks like the hallway is getting smaller the more you look into it. You can walk inside the hallway that is made of glass and it’s very shinny in my eyes. When I look at it, it reminds me of an aquarium because of the different color of blues and purples and the reflection off of the glass. The second picture is another of Eliasson’s artwork. This artwork is located in a park where everyone can view it. I find this artwork really cool because it’s made out of logs but it keeps getting deeper and deeper when you look inside it. I think this art would take forever because you need to have the right angles for each log so it stays where it needs to be. I think his idea for this art was trying to make you look at it like it’s an whirl pool going around in the circle but it’s made out of logs. Do Ho Suh and Eliasson are similar because they both do artwork dealing with installation but I think Do Ho Suh does more of it than Eliasson and puts more time into it. Eliasson does more colors with his artwork and does more with glass then Do Ho Suh does. Do Ho Suh really thinks outside the box and does a lot of things in broad colors.  Overall this week was a little hard to understand I learned a lot from it.