Do Ho Suh, Andrea Zittel, Tim Hawkinson and Layla Ali - Amy Lu
In each of these artists, there is an element of simplicity and complexity that is behind each work. Not only that but Do Ho Suh, Andrea Zittel, Tim Hawkinson and Layla Ali are all influenced by family and the exploration of themselves.
Do Ho Suh has an amazing sensibility in his repetitions. The way that he thinks about scale, size, especially in the usage of the space that he is provided is extremely exact. He thinks about alternate ways to make a simple plastic model person into different pieces using color, shape or size. From his interview and his Art 21 video, I have realized that he is influenced by his youth in the precision of his father’s style of scholarly painting, his time spent in the mentally exhausting mandatory training and locations, whether in NYC or Korea. I have a profound respect for the focus and command of a feeling that he can elicit in his pieces.
Andrea Zittel has simple concepts, but the process up to the realization is complex. Her pieces are influenced by her family life and the concrete environments where she lives, whether that be NYC or L.A. They comment on the everyday materials that we use that may go unnoticed. There is a lack of interaction when she “experiences” a piece, such as living on an island or mobile home.
Tim Hawkinson’s pieces have a fascination with using and morphing himself, whether on the surface or within. His “emotor” piece deals with mechanically creating different emotions. Pieces like “Uberorgan” explore “sculpting air” in a sense that can parallel with an exploration of what is inside himself in its biomorphic quality.
Layla Ali’s artwork is deceptive. They look simple in their color and figures, but behind is an almost psychotic control in how a color is picked out, what brushes to use for what colors and how to keep it all organized. The way she works as well as her pieces have something to do with her youth, from the lack of control of how she grew up to playing dodge ball and the alienation that comes with being a single minority. While I commend her for the way that she does her work, I also realize that I would never want to work the way that she does.
Do Ho Suh has an amazing sensibility in his repetitions. The way that he thinks about scale, size, especially in the usage of the space that he is provided is extremely exact. He thinks about alternate ways to make a simple plastic model person into different pieces using color, shape or size. From his interview and his Art 21 video, I have realized that he is influenced by his youth in the precision of his father’s style of scholarly painting, his time spent in the mentally exhausting mandatory training and locations, whether in NYC or Korea. I have a profound respect for the focus and command of a feeling that he can elicit in his pieces.
Andrea Zittel has simple concepts, but the process up to the realization is complex. Her pieces are influenced by her family life and the concrete environments where she lives, whether that be NYC or L.A. They comment on the everyday materials that we use that may go unnoticed. There is a lack of interaction when she “experiences” a piece, such as living on an island or mobile home.
Tim Hawkinson’s pieces have a fascination with using and morphing himself, whether on the surface or within. His “emotor” piece deals with mechanically creating different emotions. Pieces like “Uberorgan” explore “sculpting air” in a sense that can parallel with an exploration of what is inside himself in its biomorphic quality.
Layla Ali’s artwork is deceptive. They look simple in their color and figures, but behind is an almost psychotic control in how a color is picked out, what brushes to use for what colors and how to keep it all organized. The way she works as well as her pieces have something to do with her youth, from the lack of control of how she grew up to playing dodge ball and the alienation that comes with being a single minority. While I commend her for the way that she does her work, I also realize that I would never want to work the way that she does.
museum visit #2 - eric
Eric Zimmermann
Museum Visitation #2
Grounds for Sculpture
While at the Grounds for Sculpture I found many different pieces that intrigued me but none so much as Justin Shull’s piece “Terrestrial Shrub Rover”. The piece itself is fully functioning but while on display is always at rest and has its door open. The door of the “Shrub” being open allows those viewing it to see inside, and see that actually mechanics that are going on while whomever is driving it is inside. The piece was created as a reflection of the spirit of exploration partly in relation to the upcoming expeditions to the moon in 2020. The Rover is solar powered and is equipped with cameras on its exterior hidden in the foliage allowing the driver to see his surroundings. Overall I think the piece is quite successful, although I had to go on the Internet to find videos of it in actually use. I feel that perhaps a video looping through showing this video would possibly make the piece more successful to a viewer who can not on their own envision this process.
Video Link: http://www.justinshull.us/art/projects/terrestrial-shrub-rover/
Do-Ho Suh - Eric Zimmermann
Installation work has never really been something until recently that I really liked and would even consider creating. Even after taking conceptual art and learning about people like Duchamp I really didn't take the time to really investigate, and think about its purpose, etc. However, recently I have found myself really expanding from my own personal comfort zone and thirsting for more knowledge about all aspects of art, and wanting to become better acclimated. Do-Ho Suh actually has contributed to this, especially after being presented with a more in depth reasoning and explaination to his work. You are able to take notice of certain influences on your own as well such as the influence of still lifes, and space. Overall this was very interesting in my opinion.
Andrea Zittel- Written Interview-----DQ
“I believe that the ‘lonesome island’ represents both our greatest fears and our greatest fantasies and because of the complexity and contradictions of our desires I feel compelled to create a work that explores and addresses these desires.” (Andrea Zittel) This is a great quote because I can relate with the need to address complex fears and fantasies. She brings a unique mode of expressing these concepts mostly through architecture and furniture. The idea behind Free Running Rhythms and Patterns is something I have thought of before in the sense that what if we closed our senses off from the real depiction of time, which is light and sound? To exist in darkness for a period of time, with no noises or distractions would completely change your perception of time and enhance your senses for a short time. It’s because of everyday life that our senses become dull. Too much background noise is being introduced literally ever second. And complete darkness is hard to find. Again, to create a body of work, like most of Zittels’, that fits into the art world is a compelling and inspiring approach to me. Because the aim at this point may not be to create individual works or grandiose paintings or drawings but to bring awareness somewhere where we have been departing from. Our life becomes one big stimulus plan. It becomes harder and harder to get true silent rest and quiet time in the day. To be surrounded by people who want these similar things is just as hard if not harder to find.
Layla Ali Video ----DQ
Ali seems, to me, to work in art in a way I am not willing to do. She is too methodical, systematic and precise. This seems to reflect her personalities. Since she acts on impulse, it strikes a chord in my brain that she seems bored (she also sounds bored) and she even states that she wished art was a secret world or some form of escape. I would ask her why does she not allow her self to then do what she wants, why not try to escape with art? She seems to make too many rules for her life and process. She will not cross contaminate a brush. She plots her ideas months before she get to the actual work. She seems to make art that reflects the real world of what we all grew up with and what we know of it.
One thing she does do that I like is she takes files and hangs them on the wall. She puts cut outs from newspapers into categories, which seems to cultivate new ideas or projects. I wish, for her sake, that she tried a new approach to art because she is boring me with the images and her tonal expression of her own art. But, what do I know. This is just my opinion.
One thing she does do that I like is she takes files and hangs them on the wall. She puts cut outs from newspapers into categories, which seems to cultivate new ideas or projects. I wish, for her sake, that she tried a new approach to art because she is boring me with the images and her tonal expression of her own art. But, what do I know. This is just my opinion.
Do-Ho Suh: Dan McCafferty
Do-Ho Suh produces pieces that involve extreme precision and mass amounts of objects combined to create one. Suh says that he uses his own personal space rather than public space to show his art. Much of his work has to do with Korean culture. The interesting part is that most of his pieces are very large but the items used are very tiny. The small objects are usually people related such as dog tags, human figures of portraits. When they are all combined they create a sense of community or people coming together.
Most of his installations relate to architecture and definition. I can not pinpoint what movement it would fall under but I feel like his sculptures mimic types of Korean paintings. A lot of his pieces have a variety of color and some focus on a certain color such as red. Some of this inspiration could have come from his father because he was a painter.
Most of his installations relate to architecture and definition. I can not pinpoint what movement it would fall under but I feel like his sculptures mimic types of Korean paintings. A lot of his pieces have a variety of color and some focus on a certain color such as red. Some of this inspiration could have come from his father because he was a painter.
phil grasso- Response
Phil Grasso
Theory Practice
The artists represented in these particular readings all coincide with a conceptual outlook on art, in a sense that inspires critical thought as well as an innate aesthetic beauty. Do Ho Suh is an artist who’s work I have had an interest before. He creates large-scale sculptures using glass as a staple in most. I find his pieces quite interactive in the sense that the different colors, which are reflected by natural night, constantly change the viewers perception. Mostly inspired by his Korean heritage his concepts are well versed and explored pushing the boundaries of art much like the Dadaist of the 20th century.
Andrea Zittel who’s focus coincides with personal space and the recreation of natural beauty using the mundane as a starting point and transforming the thought processes by isolating them from their original environment. The intimacy puts the viewer in a place that is quite comforting and familiar. This attribute is very important because it engages the viewer by making them feel apart of the work, making them interact and most importantly think about how these particular instances reflect their own lifestyle and hopefully gives a new appreciation for the usual everyday items in our life.
These two I found to be the most interesting of the ones discussed. I have researched them prior to this reading and found a natural attraction to their work. The surreal quality established in the making of each is present along with the meticulous and very attentive detail that entices the viewer in the first place,
Theory Practice
The artists represented in these particular readings all coincide with a conceptual outlook on art, in a sense that inspires critical thought as well as an innate aesthetic beauty. Do Ho Suh is an artist who’s work I have had an interest before. He creates large-scale sculptures using glass as a staple in most. I find his pieces quite interactive in the sense that the different colors, which are reflected by natural night, constantly change the viewers perception. Mostly inspired by his Korean heritage his concepts are well versed and explored pushing the boundaries of art much like the Dadaist of the 20th century.
Andrea Zittel who’s focus coincides with personal space and the recreation of natural beauty using the mundane as a starting point and transforming the thought processes by isolating them from their original environment. The intimacy puts the viewer in a place that is quite comforting and familiar. This attribute is very important because it engages the viewer by making them feel apart of the work, making them interact and most importantly think about how these particular instances reflect their own lifestyle and hopefully gives a new appreciation for the usual everyday items in our life.
These two I found to be the most interesting of the ones discussed. I have researched them prior to this reading and found a natural attraction to their work. The surreal quality established in the making of each is present along with the meticulous and very attentive detail that entices the viewer in the first place,
Kevin Keane, Response Contemporary Artist
Do – Ho Suh’s large, meticulously crafted sculptures address the dynamic of personal space versus public space. One of his pieces titled ‘cause and effect’ is an upside down red and yellow cylinder spanning from the floor to the ceiling. I find the way in which the piece is so top heavy interesting. This piece seems as though it needs to be viewed in its appropriate setting to be fully analyzed. Another piece titled ‘uni-forms’ is of a series of coat jackets hung up as if they are on display in the front of a department store. This piece immediately brings the Dada “readymades” to mind. The way in which he uses coat jackets as a symbol for his piece is similar to the work of Marcel Duchamp in his use of premade products to be conceptualized as artwork.
Similar to Do – Ho Suh, Andrea Zittel takes influence form the Dada movement. Her work features environments created out of “readymades.” The Zen school of Buddhism inspires her work. Her clean aesthetic and the way in which these products are presented to me represent serenity. She uses objects together to create environments that represent her beliefs in them.
“Zoopsia,” meaning visual hallucination of animals, is a body of work by the contemporary artist, Tim Hawkinson. In this body of work he takes images and uses them out of context to make the illusion of animals making the title “Zoopsia” appropriate. In a different way then the two previous artists, Hawkinson uses images, rather than objects, to represent something that it’s not.
Laylah Ali creates gouache paintings that she uses meticulous detail in the subject matter, color choice, and brushes that she uses. A similar style of meticulous detail is seen in Georges Seuret’s work, specifically “Sunday Afternoon on the island of La grande jatte.” In this piece Seuret construct the image with pointillism that reminds me of the detail that Ali uses in her work.
Similar to Do – Ho Suh, Andrea Zittel takes influence form the Dada movement. Her work features environments created out of “readymades.” The Zen school of Buddhism inspires her work. Her clean aesthetic and the way in which these products are presented to me represent serenity. She uses objects together to create environments that represent her beliefs in them.
“Zoopsia,” meaning visual hallucination of animals, is a body of work by the contemporary artist, Tim Hawkinson. In this body of work he takes images and uses them out of context to make the illusion of animals making the title “Zoopsia” appropriate. In a different way then the two previous artists, Hawkinson uses images, rather than objects, to represent something that it’s not.
Laylah Ali creates gouache paintings that she uses meticulous detail in the subject matter, color choice, and brushes that she uses. A similar style of meticulous detail is seen in Georges Seuret’s work, specifically “Sunday Afternoon on the island of La grande jatte.” In this piece Seuret construct the image with pointillism that reminds me of the detail that Ali uses in her work.
Leandra Bourdot - Do Ho Suh, Andrea Zittel, Laylah Ali, Tim Hawkinson
I found the grouping of this week's artists interesting - each artist has similar influences rooted in childhood and personal history, but with the variation in experience come widely different pieces and sensibilities.
I was most drawn to the work of Andrea Zittel. I find her investigations into the simple, taken-for-granted components of everyday life and interaction with objects fascinating. The creation of her own world, as processed completely through the filter of her self, is an element of artmaking which I find one of the most compelling in my work, and the completely immersive spaces which result are interesting dissections of the backdrop of common experiences. I was particularly drawn to the piece Pocket Property - the elements of control, isolation, self-sufficiency and living are all part of what drives my own work, in ways that are both very different and uncannily reflective.
I am also fascinated by the process by which Laylah Ali creates her work. The degree of thought, planning, gleaning and organizing which informs each visually simple piece is astounding. I'm always interested in the precise process through which artists create their work; in Ali's case, I am astounded. The personally-derived nature of her work is very much mirrored in the systems of organization and development she utilizes; seeing the full skeleton of what she creates brings a new layer to the work itself.
I found Do Ho Suh's pieces incredible in their sheer scale; and the reconstructions of commonly experienced phenomena is poetic in pieces such as his monument and his Seoul / LA home. The ambition which informs each piece is incredible, and I enjoy the questioning rather than message-conveying quality of his work.
When it comes to Tim Hawkinson, I am impressed simply by the skill with which he makes pieces which are compellingly beautiful or fascinating and utterly repulsive at the same time. His bird pieces are ones which also resound with me, initially because of my personal working with them. Upon realization of materials, however, the pieces become nearly transcendental: they are delicate, beautiful pieces made of materials considered disgusting to the point of nearly taboo, and the pieces, ultimately, shed the connotations of good or bad, and simply are what they are.
I was most drawn to the work of Andrea Zittel. I find her investigations into the simple, taken-for-granted components of everyday life and interaction with objects fascinating. The creation of her own world, as processed completely through the filter of her self, is an element of artmaking which I find one of the most compelling in my work, and the completely immersive spaces which result are interesting dissections of the backdrop of common experiences. I was particularly drawn to the piece Pocket Property - the elements of control, isolation, self-sufficiency and living are all part of what drives my own work, in ways that are both very different and uncannily reflective.
I am also fascinated by the process by which Laylah Ali creates her work. The degree of thought, planning, gleaning and organizing which informs each visually simple piece is astounding. I'm always interested in the precise process through which artists create their work; in Ali's case, I am astounded. The personally-derived nature of her work is very much mirrored in the systems of organization and development she utilizes; seeing the full skeleton of what she creates brings a new layer to the work itself.
I found Do Ho Suh's pieces incredible in their sheer scale; and the reconstructions of commonly experienced phenomena is poetic in pieces such as his monument and his Seoul / LA home. The ambition which informs each piece is incredible, and I enjoy the questioning rather than message-conveying quality of his work.
When it comes to Tim Hawkinson, I am impressed simply by the skill with which he makes pieces which are compellingly beautiful or fascinating and utterly repulsive at the same time. His bird pieces are ones which also resound with me, initially because of my personal working with them. Upon realization of materials, however, the pieces become nearly transcendental: they are delicate, beautiful pieces made of materials considered disgusting to the point of nearly taboo, and the pieces, ultimately, shed the connotations of good or bad, and simply are what they are.
Crystal Kan- Contemporary Artist Videos and Articles
Do-Ho-Suh creates sculptures that deal with space, memory and repetition. Much of his work is affected by his memories of his life in Korea as well as the heritage taught by his parents. He deals a lot with identity and the relationship between the individual and the collective. Perhaps this is affected by the homogeneity that is emphasized in Asian culture, where much of the population looks the same yet have unique qualities in each person. He states that he is influenced Felix Gonzalez Torres, who has the same style of minimalist sculptures.
Andrea Zittel reminds me a lot of time based art in terms of setting conditions for herself to live through and creating an intimate experience for the audience to interact with. Her work involves adapting a limiting environment to accommodate human needs. Zittel's work is quite utilitarian by creating multiple purposes for one piece. For example, in the Art 21 video, they were drinking out of bowls that look small enough to be a glass for beverages but also large enough to be a bowl for meals. Zittel has a lot of control over her work, which creates isolation as a byproduct.
Tim Hawkinson has a lot of organic shapes and textures in his sculptures. He tends to use his own body or found objects that are readily available for him to use. There is a lot of transformation of his body to create other objects, such as animals. He is also inspired create environments that involve sound, including creating his own instruments. I can't exactly think of a precise predecessor for Hawkinson in art, but when I think of using one own body in art, I tend to think of Cindy Sherman. But when I first saw his "Zoopsia" series, I immediately thought of Georgia O' Keefe in terms of colors and organic shapes.
Layla Ali's art style is inspired by graphic art and comic strips in the newspaper. She pays a lot of attention to detail in terms of colors by keeping a log on how she makes certain colors and using a different brush for each color. Ali's work is inspired by her past and social commentary, especially since she grew up as the only black person in her school. Much of her art illustrates the before or after of an act of violence to her imaginary green and blue men. It seems that her art is much inspired like many of her African American predecessors in terms of race and power struggles experienced from life.
Andrea Zittel reminds me a lot of time based art in terms of setting conditions for herself to live through and creating an intimate experience for the audience to interact with. Her work involves adapting a limiting environment to accommodate human needs. Zittel's work is quite utilitarian by creating multiple purposes for one piece. For example, in the Art 21 video, they were drinking out of bowls that look small enough to be a glass for beverages but also large enough to be a bowl for meals. Zittel has a lot of control over her work, which creates isolation as a byproduct.
Tim Hawkinson has a lot of organic shapes and textures in his sculptures. He tends to use his own body or found objects that are readily available for him to use. There is a lot of transformation of his body to create other objects, such as animals. He is also inspired create environments that involve sound, including creating his own instruments. I can't exactly think of a precise predecessor for Hawkinson in art, but when I think of using one own body in art, I tend to think of Cindy Sherman. But when I first saw his "Zoopsia" series, I immediately thought of Georgia O' Keefe in terms of colors and organic shapes.
Layla Ali's art style is inspired by graphic art and comic strips in the newspaper. She pays a lot of attention to detail in terms of colors by keeping a log on how she makes certain colors and using a different brush for each color. Ali's work is inspired by her past and social commentary, especially since she grew up as the only black person in her school. Much of her art illustrates the before or after of an act of violence to her imaginary green and blue men. It seems that her art is much inspired like many of her African American predecessors in terms of race and power struggles experienced from life.
Artist and what movement they could be linked to (Jeff Barnard)
For this week’s response, I looked at the work of Do-Ho Suh and read the interview of him on designboom. When I look at the artist’s works, I can’t help but be reminded of the work of Surrealism and Dadaism which were popular in the early to mid 20th century. One such art piece that comes to mind is Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” piece where he took a urinal and changed its environment to make it become something else. One artist that he was inspired by was Felix Gonzalez-Torres, who would make installations with various items like candy and allow the viewers to take the candy and use that to symbolize death. In most of Do-Ho’s art pieces, he uses found objects to comment on aspects of society, whether it was American or Korean society was up to him.
Like Marcel, Do-Ho Suh used objects that were associated with one aspect of society like the military and used it as something else. In the piece ‘Some/one’, he took thousands of military dog tags and linked them together so as to make a dress out of them. This was done to illustrate that every soldier was part of one large body and were not just individuals. This comment on the military seems exactly what a surrealist would do in order to bring this to the attention of the people in order to get a reaction to it. When I look at this piece, I feel a sense of awkwardness knowing that these people served their country and yet their tags are used to make a dress which seems like an odd choice of clothing to me. It seems like something an emperor would wear to show his bond to his military or his victory over his enemies.
In conclusion, I think that Do-Ho Suh was an artist that could be linked to the Surrealism/Dadaism movements of the early to mid 20th century. His art seems to reflect the attitude of someone who finds it necessary to use found objects to comment on society. He also reminds me of other artists that would use found objects to create a more conceptual piece like Tate Gallery and Tracy Emin. His subject matter would include many different aspects of society as well as himself including the military dress and the arch way to his family home in Korea. Do-Ho Suh was an interesting person and one of many who should be thought of if anyone considers Surrealism as inspiration for future art.
Like Marcel, Do-Ho Suh used objects that were associated with one aspect of society like the military and used it as something else. In the piece ‘Some/one’, he took thousands of military dog tags and linked them together so as to make a dress out of them. This was done to illustrate that every soldier was part of one large body and were not just individuals. This comment on the military seems exactly what a surrealist would do in order to bring this to the attention of the people in order to get a reaction to it. When I look at this piece, I feel a sense of awkwardness knowing that these people served their country and yet their tags are used to make a dress which seems like an odd choice of clothing to me. It seems like something an emperor would wear to show his bond to his military or his victory over his enemies.
In conclusion, I think that Do-Ho Suh was an artist that could be linked to the Surrealism/Dadaism movements of the early to mid 20th century. His art seems to reflect the attitude of someone who finds it necessary to use found objects to comment on society. He also reminds me of other artists that would use found objects to create a more conceptual piece like Tate Gallery and Tracy Emin. His subject matter would include many different aspects of society as well as himself including the military dress and the arch way to his family home in Korea. Do-Ho Suh was an interesting person and one of many who should be thought of if anyone considers Surrealism as inspiration for future art.
Danielle Kuhn
I went to the Chelsea galleries. At the Sonnabend Gallery, Matthew Weinstein was presenting some of his work. Part of his exhibition was the video “Chariots of the Gods.” It was behind a black curtain in a room with his paintings. We weren’t even sure if we could walk into the room at first, but we ventured to boldly push the curtain aside. We walk into a dark room with one bench and a large video screen. On the screen there is a video of a metal fish charm hanging from a chain that moves as if it is swimming, but it is not in water. It is in an ornately decorated room. It appears to be moving towards the “camera” which pans backwards through the rooms. As the camera moves we are allowed to see more of the room which the fish is in. It feels as though we are in the same room. The fish talks to us, the audience, and has a female voice with a very soothing accent. I become engaged not only in the ornate charm talking to me and the beautiful room slowly revealed to me as we move around, but also what she is so soothingly discussing with me. She talks about aliens. She talks about aliens telling humans their emotions are insignificant. She brings up the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient mechanical computer designed to calculate astronomical positions. She implies that ancient humans could not have made such a device without alien blueprints. She also says the aliens left Earth because they found being treated as gods to be embarrassing. They decided to come back later because they still wanted to “just hang.” There is nothing new under the sun. Then she describes a dinner date with a friend. It was a frustrating dinner until a man skipped down a light beam. His smile was infectious and he told her that she was a lucky lady. He tells her that she is lucky because she lives in the shadows of her own dreams and these shadows are so dark that she cannot see what is in front of her. He stops talking and she is brought back into the reality of her dinner date. She tells us to be quiet and close our eyes. We are suddenly aware of the noise of the air conditioning. It is part of our experience with her; she wants us to be comfortable. She signals “on, off, on, off” and with her commands the air conditioning clicks on and off. After a little more discussion she informs us that she has to leave us forever, as those are the rules. And she leaves us with a song. In the room we started in we revisit the paintings. Some are clear to us now that they were taken from the animation.
I thought the video was really great. I was completely immersed into another room in conversation with a metal fish. The fish was beautiful and so was the room. Her voice took me into the story and with the inflexion in her tone I really felt as if she were talking to me. She would raise her voice and I would shrink back as if I were in trouble. She made me feel small and uninformed, but I wasn’t offended. Her stories were a bit vague or imaginative at times. I was constantly trying to comprehend what she was trying to convey as I also tried to fill in the gaps. I was fascinated but felt like I was given snippets that I had to interpret for myself. The fish couldn’t give me any straight answers but she could give me ideas as a starting point. There is so much to appreciate in the animation. The conversation is so intriguing that you want to know more and truly understand. The actresses voice is perfect and very manipulative; you believe her, want to please her, and feel like she has so much to offer you. The scenery is beautiful, and the animation is wonderful; the way the fish glides and moves through the air is so physically correct and gracefully beautiful. The way the camera pans around really pulls you in as if you were in the room, and every time you turn a corner you’re anxiously awaiting to see what else will be revealed to you. It is a very smartly done animation; I would love to watch it over and over. I was told that the animation is clearly inspired by a book of the same name, “Chariots of the Gods.” I will certainly read this book now. I also hope to be able to view some of Matthew Weinstein’s other animations.
I thought the video was really great. I was completely immersed into another room in conversation with a metal fish. The fish was beautiful and so was the room. Her voice took me into the story and with the inflexion in her tone I really felt as if she were talking to me. She would raise her voice and I would shrink back as if I were in trouble. She made me feel small and uninformed, but I wasn’t offended. Her stories were a bit vague or imaginative at times. I was constantly trying to comprehend what she was trying to convey as I also tried to fill in the gaps. I was fascinated but felt like I was given snippets that I had to interpret for myself. The fish couldn’t give me any straight answers but she could give me ideas as a starting point. There is so much to appreciate in the animation. The conversation is so intriguing that you want to know more and truly understand. The actresses voice is perfect and very manipulative; you believe her, want to please her, and feel like she has so much to offer you. The scenery is beautiful, and the animation is wonderful; the way the fish glides and moves through the air is so physically correct and gracefully beautiful. The way the camera pans around really pulls you in as if you were in the room, and every time you turn a corner you’re anxiously awaiting to see what else will be revealed to you. It is a very smartly done animation; I would love to watch it over and over. I was told that the animation is clearly inspired by a book of the same name, “Chariots of the Gods.” I will certainly read this book now. I also hope to be able to view some of Matthew Weinstein’s other animations.
Nancy Graves in Chelsea - Amy Lu
During the trip to the Whitney, a group of seniors also went to the Chelsea galleries to get the most out of our New York City experience. Amongst the many galleries that we went to, the pieces of Nancy Graves, called Nancy Graves at the Ameringer, McEnery and Yohe gallery still sticks in my mind. Upon entering the gallery, all that I saw were little splashes of color in odd arrangements. This, unlike some pieces where huge pieces were on display, enticed me to come take a closer look. Being a color lover, it was interesting to see such vibrant colors in sculptural form, accented by the white walls. This gallery displayed bronze pieces in a variety of organic and manufactured items which were welded together and then painted with rich and color patinas which are oxide coatings. These pieces are designed to defy gravity and generate a balance from their imbalance. This tilting and shifting of perspective was enjoyable in its imperfection and the way that they were uplifting and, despite their metal material, did not seem extremely solid. The colors were pure and playful and form not representational. In fact, I did not even see a need to interpret a more recognizable shape onto them, but just saw them as they were.
The piece shown above, simply titled Untitled, was not only exhibited well, but embodied the “balance by imbalance” best for me. All of the pieces were sitting on small white blocks protruding from the wall near eye level so all of the pieces were straightforward. Because of the height of this piece, it seemed to tower over me, dangerously, since it seemed to curve. The colors on all of the pieces were like paintings and were enhanced, not inhibited by the 3D shape of the sculpture. Not only was I attracted to the colors, but there seemed to be more and more details to see in the bronze itself, just like how plaster holds the shape of the tiniest detail in the mold.
Upon researching more about Nancy Graves, I realized that she also has paintings which are 3 dimensional, her description including that her “…works represent Graves’ continuing exploration of the tensions that exist between painting and sculpture, as well as her juxtaposition of real and fabricated imagery drawn from nature, art history, and western and oriental cultures…” She has also produced work in film, costume design, glass, polyoptics in addition to welding, painting and sculpture. Her vast experience in world cultures and her interest in reality and artificiality in pushing the boundaries of art and knowledge of techniques are things that I want to explore.
Danielle Kuhn
Art 21, etc
I always really enjoy watching the art 21 videos. Mike Kelley discussed how he is interested in repetition and how art itself is repetition. He also said that his art has to be available to the lazy viewer and the sophisticated viewer. I think this is very true even though I’ve never thought of it that way before. This way it can appeal on many different levels. I remember watching the Identity chapter before, and I really enjoyed Kerry James Marshall. The introduction to this chapter was great too. Marshall discusses making things seem fresh even when they’re not. This is certainly something we’ve been discussing in class recently. When every subject has been covered already, how do we present it in a new way that doesn’t seem played out? I really enjoyed the piece Marshall does on home. People are obsessed with knowing what others are doing in the privacy of their own homes. In the chapter about Fantasy Cao Fei discusses the understanding of society as a whole. She recognizes that many people are discontent with their roles in life. People play out fantasy lives to try to get something that they feel like they are missing. Another section I remember watching is the Structures video with Matthew Ritchie. He was one of my favorites in the series. He recognizes that we can only process so much, and that to understand anything we have to continually tune out things around us. It is how we get through the day. I love his Universal Cell piece and his ideas on everything being a part of the same thing, a continuum. I found Lucas Sarmaras’s auto interview to be very humorous but also sad. It is very honest and true; it is a very intimate interview. I think it is a wonderful look at someone inside their own head. He mentions that art is dealing with people on your own terms. This gives being an artist a sense of control. You chose how much it is necessary to show. You chose the interaction of the viewer with your artwork. He also says how he isn’t interested in reaching out to the masses. He is interesting in reaching the equivalent of himself amongst those masses. “For continuity” he says. I found the Warhol quotes to be very surprising. I’ve never been interested in his work but I would see it everywhere. His approach to his own artwork is unlike what I’m used to hearing. He says the more you look at the same exact thing the meaning goes away and the better and emptier you feel. I found this surprising, since it’s such a depressing view. He also says he is not a social critic, which I assumed he was. He simply paints what he knows best. He doesn’t think, he just paints; his work is very distant from himself. I’m not sure how seriously to take some of his quotations. There is obviously some truth to what he says, but it is hard to believe he isn’t thinking about what he’s doing. It seems like he does think very much about how to portray himself.
I always really enjoy watching the art 21 videos. Mike Kelley discussed how he is interested in repetition and how art itself is repetition. He also said that his art has to be available to the lazy viewer and the sophisticated viewer. I think this is very true even though I’ve never thought of it that way before. This way it can appeal on many different levels. I remember watching the Identity chapter before, and I really enjoyed Kerry James Marshall. The introduction to this chapter was great too. Marshall discusses making things seem fresh even when they’re not. This is certainly something we’ve been discussing in class recently. When every subject has been covered already, how do we present it in a new way that doesn’t seem played out? I really enjoyed the piece Marshall does on home. People are obsessed with knowing what others are doing in the privacy of their own homes. In the chapter about Fantasy Cao Fei discusses the understanding of society as a whole. She recognizes that many people are discontent with their roles in life. People play out fantasy lives to try to get something that they feel like they are missing. Another section I remember watching is the Structures video with Matthew Ritchie. He was one of my favorites in the series. He recognizes that we can only process so much, and that to understand anything we have to continually tune out things around us. It is how we get through the day. I love his Universal Cell piece and his ideas on everything being a part of the same thing, a continuum. I found Lucas Sarmaras’s auto interview to be very humorous but also sad. It is very honest and true; it is a very intimate interview. I think it is a wonderful look at someone inside their own head. He mentions that art is dealing with people on your own terms. This gives being an artist a sense of control. You chose how much it is necessary to show. You chose the interaction of the viewer with your artwork. He also says how he isn’t interested in reaching out to the masses. He is interesting in reaching the equivalent of himself amongst those masses. “For continuity” he says. I found the Warhol quotes to be very surprising. I’ve never been interested in his work but I would see it everywhere. His approach to his own artwork is unlike what I’m used to hearing. He says the more you look at the same exact thing the meaning goes away and the better and emptier you feel. I found this surprising, since it’s such a depressing view. He also says he is not a social critic, which I assumed he was. He simply paints what he knows best. He doesn’t think, he just paints; his work is very distant from himself. I’m not sure how seriously to take some of his quotations. There is obviously some truth to what he says, but it is hard to believe he isn’t thinking about what he’s doing. It seems like he does think very much about how to portray himself.
Art 21 - Amy Lu
Initially what I was interested in the most were the memory series. Josiah and Hiroshi were intriguing because of what they said about art or artists. Josiah enjoyed how the material he was working with was unaltered for hundreds of years, but just adapted and I do agree with his theory that art is a fusion of yourself with an object and that is what a viewer should experience. When I make a piece, a part of me is definitely merged with the piece itself, whether it be a work in progress or done. And I do hope that viewers can respond to the final product and for a moment, lose himself or herself in it. Hiroshi’s statement that an artist’s obligation is to make the imagination possible is a challenge that all artists should think about and gives a great sense of purpose that I respect.
The artist that caught my attention the most was the abstract painter, Mary Heilmann, in the fantasy section. Her way of talking about art being able to transport a person without fear of any consequences, able to express emotion and even the technical aspects of what a 2 squared painting does to a space and on the wall was definitely enlightening and made me want to share in the experience of what her art does. I have always wanted the audience to feel something when interacting with a piece of my work, sometimes in a very uncomfortable way, and I feel like this can be another direction to head in when thinking about how to paint and particular piece. The strokes of her work have a specificity and carelessness to them which I respond to strongly as well.
The artist that caught my attention the most was the abstract painter, Mary Heilmann, in the fantasy section. Her way of talking about art being able to transport a person without fear of any consequences, able to express emotion and even the technical aspects of what a 2 squared painting does to a space and on the wall was definitely enlightening and made me want to share in the experience of what her art does. I have always wanted the audience to feel something when interacting with a piece of my work, sometimes in a very uncomfortable way, and I feel like this can be another direction to head in when thinking about how to paint and particular piece. The strokes of her work have a specificity and carelessness to them which I respond to strongly as well.
Warhol, Samaras and Barthes
The readings this week were such a relief because they were so easy to read and understand while still being thought provoking. I do not think that there is a single artist that does not know Andy Warhol and it was great to read these quotes because they added more to his pieces. The general categories talked about were business in art and emotion or emptiness and how he likes boring art. He gives a chance for the audience, reader or viewer to either agree with him or disagree wholeheartedly with these comments; knowing that no matter what, at least they are paying more attention to what he is saying. What is extremely thought provoking to me was that he might be doing this to market himself, this type of persona was made to make his artwork more widely spread. This also makes me wonder what kind of person he really was.
An autointerview is a great way to direct a conversation – each question and answer is exactly what you want it to be. Samaras turns this into an art form, and through it, portrays a persona much like Warhol does. A similarity that I got from both was not being entirely sure which part was the truth and what was artificial or only for the public. Is it necessary to hide or to portray only a sliver of you as an artist? Is that what our art pieces are doing? Is it necessary to market ourselves along with our work? What purpose would that have?
Roland Barthes’s reading brought up the topic of originality possibilities. Is it really possible to have an original piece of work? Is the artist’s hand as important in the work anymore? How much power is in the viewer’s hands as compared to the artists? As enlightening as this negative piece of work is, I believe that every piece of artwork is original. Even if it were exactly the same as another piece, the fact that artist is different, that it was made in a different time, makes the piece new. I also believe that it will also be possible to make original work. Each artist is guided by unique experiences, that, although might be similar to someone else’s, can still provide the basis to making original artwork.
An autointerview is a great way to direct a conversation – each question and answer is exactly what you want it to be. Samaras turns this into an art form, and through it, portrays a persona much like Warhol does. A similarity that I got from both was not being entirely sure which part was the truth and what was artificial or only for the public. Is it necessary to hide or to portray only a sliver of you as an artist? Is that what our art pieces are doing? Is it necessary to market ourselves along with our work? What purpose would that have?
Roland Barthes’s reading brought up the topic of originality possibilities. Is it really possible to have an original piece of work? Is the artist’s hand as important in the work anymore? How much power is in the viewer’s hands as compared to the artists? As enlightening as this negative piece of work is, I believe that every piece of artwork is original. Even if it were exactly the same as another piece, the fact that artist is different, that it was made in a different time, makes the piece new. I also believe that it will also be possible to make original work. Each artist is guided by unique experiences, that, although might be similar to someone else’s, can still provide the basis to making original artwork.
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