Week 6 Anish Kapoor Sculpture

1. Conceptual art can be singled out as “art designed to present an idea rather than to be appreciated for its creative skill or beauty.” Anish Kapoor has said to be “one of Britain’s leading talents in Conceptual Art.” “Kapoor combines thoughtfulness, creativity and a traditional respect for beauty.” I feel as though his work is more about thinking through the processes and ideas behind it as oppose to something which is solely about admiring the overall beauty. However, saying this I still find his works very interesting to admire. Just the shapes and material behind each of his pieces is so unique and pleasing to the eye.

-Words on Art and the Art of Words. (n.d) Retrieved 30 August, 2011 from http://www.nigelhalliday.org/anish-kapoor-ra-2009/

-Encarta World English Dictionary. (n.d) Retrieved 30 August, 2011 from http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/search?q=define+conceptual+art&FORM=DTPDIA

2. ‘Tall tree and the eye’ is a sculpture by Kapoor which was displayed in 2009 at “the courtyard of The Royal Academy of Arts” which is located in London.  He has put together 76 very shiny spheres “which bubble up to the level of the surrounding Palladian buildings.” This concept of his was “inspired by the words of the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke.” “It is a conjunction of images I have always loved in his Sonnets to Orpheus and this work is, in a way, a kind of eye which is reflecting images endlessly," said Kapoor. Being 15 metres high it has an amazing effect due to the reflections on the spheres. The overall shape of it looks like a tower as it seems to be nearly as tall if not taller than the gallery. Though looking at it, straight away I am very intrigued as to how this was built so seamlessly.

- Guardian. (20 September, 2009). Retrieved August 27, 2011 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/sep/20/anish-kapoor-sculpture-royal-academy

Hive, by Kapoor dominates the central hall at The Royal Academy. This piece “invites the viewer to place their heads inside its internal space yet we are forbidden to do so in very strict terms.” The idea behind it is to spark the mind “to imagine the flight of the bee through some crevice into the obliterating darkness of that immense vessel, the hive: origin of both maker and honey.” However you also “see two colossal shapes like open thighs exposing a dark oval. Even innocents will see a vagina.” We start to put the two together and try figure out what the resemblance is and in what sense is the sculpture a ‘hive’. The piece itself triggers an anxious worry that it might burst through the ceiling and the doors as it may grow even bigger.

- Guardian. (27 September, 2009). Retrieved August 27, 2011 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/sep/27/anish-kapoor-royal-academy-cumming

- A World to Win. (11 December, 2009). Retrieved August 27, 2011 from http://www.aworldtowin.net/reviews/AnishKapoor.html

- The Economist. (24 September, 2009). Retrieved August 27, 2011 from http://www.economist.com/node/14492363

Another installation piece that Kapoor has done is ‘Dismemberment of Jeanne D'arc’ which was for the Brighton Festival in 2009 in UK. “Kapoor has turned the hedonistic seaside town into his personal playland. A dog-legged trail leads you around a series of sites in the city, and then takes you, in a last arduous pilgrimage, to the summit of the South Downs. On the way, you are free to devise a connective plot to link the disparate objects; you can also pause to have your head and shoulders massaged in a basement while you bathe in a blur of monochrome light designed by Kapoor.” He through this piece questions “the anaemia of the Christian myth in the chapel's stained-glass windows.” Also he plays with ideas such as where is the blood of the lamb which was supposedly meant to wash us clean?

- Guardian. (3 May, 2009). Retrieved August 27, 2011 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/sep/27/anish-kapoor-royal-academy-cumming

3. ‘The farm’ is site specific because it has simply been named after its site. On this site is Kapoor’s combination of fabric and steel. He tries to manipulate “the viewer into a specific relationship with both space and time” by stretching fabric and steel to manipulate “views of the New Zealand seascape.” Kapoor’s piece is “related to earlier temporary installations at the BALTIC and the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall.” However this time it is in a different context as it is “conceived for a wild and unconfined landscape.” I find that the chosen site really elevates Kapoor’s work into view. In the artists own words he describes it to be “rather like a flayed skin.”

- Structurflex. (January, 2010). Retrieved August 28, 2011 from http://www.structurflex.co.nz/index.asp?s1=news&s3=Anish%20Kapoor%20sculpture%20blends%20fabric%20and%20steel%20in%20New%20Zealand

- RGCFA. (n.d). Retrieved August 28, 2011 from http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/thefarm.htm

4. ‘The farm’ by Anish Kapoor is an installation located in a “private estate outdoor art gallery in Kaipara Bay, north of Auckland.” It is his first outdoor sculpture which has been made using fabric. The installation itself has been named after its site. This piece has been made to withstand the “high winds that blow inland from the Tasman Sea.” It has been made using a deep red PVC-coated polyester fabric made by Ferrari Textiles. This is supported by two very identical matching red structural steel ellipses that weigh 42,750kg each. The ellipses are orientated one horizontal, the other vertical. “The fabric alone weighs 7,200kg.” “The sculpture, which passes through a carefully cut hillside, provides a kaleidoscopic view of the beautiful Kaipara Harbour at the vertical ellipse end and the hand contoured rolling valleys and hills of “The Farm” from the horizontal ellipse.” The idea behind this piece is to flaunt the Kaipara Harbour to its visitors. The colour is so contrasting in comparison to the site itself which really helps the sculpture to stand out and dominate from a distance.

- Fabric Architecture. (January, 2010). Retrieved August 28, 2011 from http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0110_sk_sculpture.html

5. Every year the French ministry of culture and communication invites a leading artist to make a work that really responds to the architectural space of the grand palais in Paris. This year it was Anish Kapoor himself who was specifically chosen for this role. For the project assigned he created a “temporary, site-specific installation inside the nave of the glass-domed hall” which was to be viewed from May 11 to June 23rd, 2011. The space was also not easy to work with as it was an enormous 13,500 m2 space. It had been so time consuming that Kapoor stated it felt like he had “been working on it since almost 20 years.” The piece ‘Leviathan’ is my favourite because I find it visually appealing in terms of the structural shape and also the materials he has used for this piece. I find it so dynamic when Kapoor introduces P.V.C into his sculptures as it is such a unique material to use for an architectural sculpture. Another element that drew me to it was the fact that you can literally walk in it and really interact with the sculpture so you can get the full experience. I think interaction is the key when it comes to sculptural pieces.

I personally find that it is the aesthetics to this piece that really attract me to it. I truly appreciate the beauty behind this piece and also the attention to detail as you can walk up and really examine this sculpture and yet find it difficult to find a flaw.

- Design Boom. (n.d). Retrieved August 28, 2011 from http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/14562/anish-kapoor-monumenta-2011-leviathan.html

Week 5 - Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

1. In simple terms pluralism is “a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle.”

- Dictionary.Com. (n.d). Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pluralism

2. To me New Zealand’s dominant culture is the look of wearing shorts and jandals and watching the All Blacks game with a bottle of either Steinlager or Heineken. People from other countries rapidly grasp our drinking culture and love for rugby as a nation. It is also recreational activities such as bungy jumping and playing sports. In today’s day and age most kiwis have moved away from the farm life and have gained the love of this American inspired ‘city life.’ The love of the arts is also ever growing in New Zealand now.

3. “Māori culture has predominated for most of New Zealand's history of human habitation.” Te Reo Maori was the common language heard among this country before the 1840’s. It was then when young ones respected the elders and women had no say in important meetings. It was a women’s job be a wife and a mother rather than pursuing to be the future Helen Clark. This was a period before the Maori started “borrowing from Pākehā culture.” Although, it was towards about 1830 when the Maori people started to experiment with the European religion Christianity. We also experienced Maori hierarchy which is something quiet unknown today. “Māori society has traditionally been one based on rank, which derived from ancestry (whakapapa). Present-day Māori society is far less hierarchical than it traditionally was.”

- Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_New_Zealand#M.C4.81ori_borrowing_from_P.C4.81keh.C4.81_culture

4. I think it relates to us in the sense that we can’t be ignorant towards it and not acknowledge our country’s heritage when it comes to referencing them in our artworks. We as artists constantly perform various research’s before developing a final idea and I think it is important that when it comes to presenting a piece - which may in some aspects relate to the Maori culture- it is important that we present it in an appropriate manner. We don’t want to be like game designers today who place a moko on a man’s chin when it is largely disrespectful as only a woman wears a moko on her chin.

The Treaty of Waitangi is our country’s history and till this day there are various controversies in regards to this. It is very important that we as New Zealanders familiarize ourselves with these especially as artists as it would be shameful if we were to reference it wrong.

5. Globalization can have a negative effect on regional diversity in New Zealand in the sense that many companies who use aspects from the New Zealand or Maori culture many times fail to do their research.  They put forward something that they really have no clue about and try selling it. They lack understanding of what a diverse nation we are and despite this we are all familiar with the roots of this country. A good example would be of another modern video game which showed a warrior with a taiaha which was very disrespectfully positioned pointing towards the ground. The failure of having done their research meant offending the Maori as this position insisted on the idea of pointing the taiaha towards the earth god.

Many though agree that “New Zealand culture has been broadened by globalization.” They agree that it is beneficial that we are reaching out to the world and focusing on the “transition from national and regional economies to global economies.” We are now thinking in terms of what it beneficial for us when it comes to our countries future and mass producing into other countries seems to be doing exactly that.

- Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SnOivA55MCcJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_New_Zealand+How+can+globalization+be+seen+as+having+a+negative+effect+on+regional+diversity+in+New+Zealand+in+particular&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz&client=safari&source=www.google.co.nz

- Google. (n.d). Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://www.google.co.nz/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=globalizatio&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=OVJTTqTKOM7YiALvj_jGDA#sclient=psy&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbs=dfn:1&source=hp&q=globalisation&pbx=1&oq=globalisation&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=33929l34087l2l34215l2l2l0l0l0l1l273l273l2-1l1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=9d0d5f7a60b1d045&biw=1366&bih=554

6. Cotton through these works is trying to step away from presenting a visual narrative and moves towards conveying a “sense of the way landscape and objects are repositories of memory.” “These memories in turn develop into our individual and collective cultural landscapes.”

The piece forked tongue has the “letters O/I” which combines faded maps and words is a statement about the ways in which mapping and naming is a record of ownership and control of land in traditional European culture whereas for Maori it was other factors which determined ownership.” This strongly relates to the treaty of Waitangi as it was the Europeans who wanted it on paper to claim the ownership of this land whereas the Maori understood it to be of something different. In the Maori treaty it says that the land still belongs to the Maori whereas in the English version it states that it belongs to the British. Cotton here is trying to portray the insignificance of words on a piece of paper as it can be deceiving as the treaty was.

In the piece ‘welcome’, Cotton is referencing the “controversial motif of "upoko tuhituhi" or “marked heads”, and his iconic birds.” I find this work to be related to colonization in the sense that he is trying to present to the world the Maori colony. He is also trying to represent his ancestors and their after-life through this piece and the importance towards this in the Maori culture. The idea of an after-life or heaven has been expressed by putting an image of Jesus on his piece. It places an idea of the dead. It also seems that Cotton commonly references Christianity through his recent works as he even “often quotes lines from The Lord’s Prayer .”

You also examine that he is trying to present to the world our native birds and familiarising them with what can be accepted to be seen in our colony. He is trying put forward our colonies believes which have very much been shaped by our history.

- Eye Contact. (n.d). Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://eyecontactsite.com/2010/07/pondering-the-marks-and-symbols-of-shane-cotton

- The National Business Review. (n.d). Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-cotton-paintings-examine-cultural-landscape-126412

7. On 13 February 2008, “Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered a formal apology to Indigenous Australians.” Through the installation ‘Sorry’ Albert is trying to capture an “outpouring of emotion” due to this major event in the Australian history. He is reminding the world what the aborigines had to go through for far too long and yet despite a formal apology from the former prime minister, we still agree that actions speak louder than words.

In this installation Albert has simply used kitsch objects and applied them to vinyl letters. Kitsch is “art, objects, or design considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.” Through the use of Kitsch objects Albert puts forward a “forest of face[s]” which represent everything that was stolen from his people and his land.  “Each [Kitsch] represents a false identity, manufactured black faces made to fit white society.” Albert “revels in the sense of irony in the work, with the impetus of such a momentous and joyous event being an apology.”

I personally think his intentions with this piece were to express that it would take a lot more than a formal apology from a politician to make up for the years of pain and disrespect which was brought upon the aborigines.

- Queensland Art Gallery. (n.d). Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/indigenous_australian_art/tony_albert

- Google. (n.d). Retrieved August 20, 2011 from http://www.google.co.nz/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=define+kitsch&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=5X5PTqPtJOX7mAWqxvW-Bg

8. I find that both Albert and Cotton express the idea of pluralism in their artworks by continuously expressing their cultural background through their works. They are not ashamed to express where they come from and they most definitely aren’t afraid to express their opinions on actions related to their cultures especially Albert. They remind us there is more than just “one basic substance or principle,” or more specifically in this case more than one culture. We understand that this world is a multicultural society now and it would be ignorant not to appreciate works which express cultural identity such as ‘Sorry’ and ‘Welcome’. 

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

1.    1.  “Intertextuality is the shaping of texts' meanings by other texts.”

-Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved August 6, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertextuality

Intertextuality is when you look at a piece of artwork or writing and try relate it to something you are familiar with in order to understand it better. We are constantly doing this and it is most common among critiques. They are continuously comparing how a new artist is trying to replicate a previous well known artist.

2.      2. Wiley takes photographs of young African American men that he sees on the streets and then places them in a scene where they are “depicted in a heroic manner.” He is also continuously trying to portray the idea of masculinity through his contemporary paintings. In his own words Wiley suggests that his paintings “quote historical sources and position young black men within that field of power.” Intertextuality is present in the sense that when we see his work we immediately think of the historic segregated society where it was the “white men” of the world who were in high positions as oppose to “black people.” A time when the so called “black people” were ordered to stand at the back of the bus so “white people” could sit at the front. Also I find that we start to think about how we seem to class young men who dress the way that the man does in this picture to be a “thug” and it is contradictory for him to be an important and powerful man. Not only does Wiley make us think about the historical context but also about today’s society in general.

      

      -Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved August 6, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertextuality

 

3. Wiley’s work relates to pluralism because he is reminding us that men from a cultural background which isn’t European are just as equal. They are just as powerful and have the same rights because the post-modern belief is that we are all equal. There is no cultural segregation in the post-modern world. Wiley is among the many “visual communicators [who] critically integrate concepts of pluralism” into their artworks to get this message across.

- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press

4. Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies in the sense that he diminishes the hierarchical lines present. He questions why we only see “white men” to be powerful and not “black men.” He reminds us that we have a “black” president which further emphasises that these lines are slowly diminishing for good. He challenges the stereotypical people from our society and makes them realise that we are no longer living in a day and age where the colour of your skin matters. As for the politics which govern a western worldview, well the politically correct would agree that gone are the days where everything was based on your racial background even things such as whether you deserved to live or die. We now accept that there are multiple cultures in today’s world. I think it also relates to colonisation in the sense that other people are also starting to follow and express his way of thinking about “black people” being just as important and powerful. It also relates to globalization as artists are following his lead around the world and placing the same trademark as Wiley is which is pluralism. The idea that we are all equal despite our skin colour.

5. I find that Wiley’s artworks “often blur the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation.” Just the poses he gets his models to do is so heroic yet historical. It is the type of pose you would expect a Lord to compose for his painter to portray. Yet the colours and backgrounds he uses are so post-modern and appealing to the eye. I also find Wiley to be a very “out-there” artist as he is expressing a questioned idea through his paintings. He really demands second glances from his audience with the ideas he is putting forward. It is unusual that young ‘thuggish looking’ men are portrayed in such a heroic manner which definitely raises some eyebrows. I truly admire his courage and just how brave he is to put forward such a strong idea.

- Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved August 6, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kehinde_Wiley

Hussein Chalayan

1.     1.  I find Hussein Chalayan’s ‘Burka’ to be more art than fashion. He challenges ‘ideas such as modesty, identity and feminity’ by presenting ‘models wearing different length burka inspired creations with nothing underneath them, with some of the model's being completely naked except for a mask and sandals.’ The garment is usually the main attraction in a runway show although in Chalayan’s case it was simply burkas and masks that was the ‘garment.’ When looking at these pieces you don’t think of whether you like the garment but you are more trying to depict what Chalayan is trying say with this piece. It isn’t something a buyer would purchase or any celebrity for that matter to wear to a red carpet event. The contyraversal piece Chalayan’s ‘Burka’ to me is more of a piece of art rather the next big thing in the fashion industry.

-Misanthrope. (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from

http://ilikecatsmorethanpeople.blogspot.com/2010/11/hussein-chalayan-burka-1996.html

‘Afterwords’ on the other hand something which I would label as fashion. This piece is unique and ‘showstopping’ even 11 years later. Chalayan is “renowned for his innovative use of materials.” Certain works such as Afterwords fall into the wearable arts category as Chalayan “explores the notion of wearable, portable architecture in which furniture literally transforms itself into garments.” This to me is fashion and fashion to me is garments which are made to amaze. Accessories which enhance your body shape and style. A garment which can be placed in the fashion category is something which will be the new current trend that the world will follow. Fashion isn’t something you would wonder about trying to figure out the meaning behind it but is more about the appreciation of the garment itself.

-Art Tattler.  (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from http://arttattler.com/designhusseinchalayan.html

2.      2.  By creating an installation piece which is purely for advertising purposes is still accounted as art for me. It doesn’t change the meaning of art for me either. Most art works are trying to present an idea Chalayan is also trying to convey an idea with The Level Tunnel. He is trying to “give the visitor a full body experience of the LEVEL vodka brand.” He is trying to present to his audience the idea and experience of this new product rather than say something about today’s society as most artists tend to do. By collaborating with a company it affected Chalayan’s work in the sense that he had to incorporate the promoting company. For eample in ‘Repose’ Chalayan had to incorporate “long strip of Swarovski Elements lit by LEDs.”

- Behance. (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from http://www.behance.net/gallery/The-LEVEL-Tunnel-(Absolut-Vodka-Hussein-Chalayan)/701114

- Swarovski. (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from http://brand.swarovski.com/Content.Node/ourinitiatives/fashion/hussein/Swarovski-Hussein-Chalayan-FINAL-Release.pdf

3. I think ‘postmodern art’ would be one. This film is postmodern because it explores technical ideas such as extracting cells from garments belonging to various women in order to “examine their DNA sequences.” I think this concept of ‘modern art’ inspired Chalayan to further evolve his ideas about his film so that it is as contemporary as his designs are.

I also find that ‘pop art’ played a role in influencing Chalayan’s film. “The Independent Group (IG), founded in London in 1952, is regarded as the precursor to the pop art movement. They were a gathering of young painters, sculptors, architects, writers and critics who were challenging prevailing modernist approaches to culture as well as traditional views of Fine Art. The group discussions centered on popular culture implications from such elements as mass advertising, movies, product design, comic strips, science fiction and technology.” I feel that this exact influence was what led Chalayan to explore so many different areas in art and design such as making this film.

-Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_art

-Hussein Chalayan. (n.d). Retrieved July 31, 2011 from http://www.husseinchalayan.com/#/art_projects.absent_presence.overview/

4. I think in fashion design it is ok if the designer didn’t personally make the garment without any help as Julia stated that it is “standard practise,” although I think the opposite when it comes to paintings. Fashion is an industry where there are secondary people who nearly have just as much input as the designer does, people such as the assistant designer or perhaps the sample machinist has a better way to go about making the perfect French seam. Paintings on the other hand I find to be very personall in the sense that you are usually creating a piece which expresses your own idea therefore you understand it the best. Also there is usually only one piece being produced rather than various samples like in fashion. I feel like there is no excuse for having a group of people work on an art work unless of course it a massive project or an installation then it would be unfortunate to only work by yourself. I also feel that it is important that when the artist has personally made an art work it coveys their idea better as like I said before only the artist fully understands the ideas you don’t expect an assistant to be on the exact page as the artist. 

Post-Modernism, Ai Weiwei and Banksy

1.

·        - Post-modernism can be seen as a “philosophical movement away from the viewpoint of modernism.”

·       - It questions and attacks the use of “sharp classifications such as male versus female, white versus black, and imperial versus colonial.”

·      -  It further developed from the “modernistic thought.”

·       - Post-modernism is “composed by two part post and modern.” Post means “after” in Latin, and “modernism” reflects on the modern period.

·       - The “coming after” of modernism in the 20^th century.

·       -  It was during Postmodernism when we started to see an “indifference to social concerns.”

·        - When society was shied away from “strict theoretical constraints.”

·       - Post-modernism is open, “unbounded, and concerned with process and becoming.”

·       - It is very closely synced to what “is also called New Age thinking.”

 -Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism

-Essortment. (n.d). Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://www.essortment.com/definition-postmodernism-20903.html

-Your Dictionary. (n.d. Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://www.yourdictionary.com/postmodernism

-Witcombe, C. (2000). Modernism and Postmodernism. Retrieved 29 January, 2004 from http://witcombe.sbc.edu/modernism/modpostmod.html

-Saugstad, A. (2001). Postmodernism: What is it, What is Wrong with it? Retrieved 9 October, 2007 from http://goinside.co/01/1/postmod.html

2. “The post-modern artist is reflective in that he/she is self-aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive manner, ‘demasking’ pretentions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-consciousness.”

- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press

3. It was during Post-modernism when we began to see the acceptance of “social and cultural pluralism.” That is also when the need for “depth” wasn’t as significant. There was soon an “attention to play of surfaces.” The people of the post-modernist era started to adapt to “simulation, visual media becoming undifferentiated equivalent forms.” “Hyper-reality” and “image saturation” became much more dominant than “real” images. The world saw emergence of “pop culture” and also “hybrid cultural forms.” Art was no longer “authenticated by [the] artist” instead it was “authenticated by [the] audience.” Irony was a new concept which challenged “official seriousness.” During modernity there was a “sense of clear generic boundaries,” these boundaries were soon vanished during post-modernism.

- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press.

5. First at foremost he has “challenged his country's political authority and literally destroyed its cultural traditions.”  China was outraged when this contemporary artist smashed a 2000 year old Dynasty urn. To make matters worse Ai then paints “the Coca-Cola logo onto yet another priceless Han Dynasty urn.” This to me is something which can be related to the people involved in the “Dada” movement. “Instead of writing “R. Mutt” on a urinal, as [Marcel] Duchamp did,” he paints a logo which is very well known on a Dynasty urn which is cherished in his culture. Also the fact that this is a sculpture and not a mimetic painting makes it very post-modern. Ai challenges “official seriousness” with the Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo. He demands attention and forces the viewer to really think about the reason behind the piece. It isn’t blatantly obvious which is also a common feature practised by post-modern artists.

- Arthuri Miller. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.arthurimiller.com/journalism/the-worlds-of-ai-weiwei/

- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press

- Chronicle Online. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov06/Chinese.artist.dea.html

6. Banksy is a world renowned artist who creates graffiti masterpieces which leave his audience in wonder as to what he is trying to portray through it just like Ai. Banksy is very political with his pieces and isn’t scared to express his ideas, which again are very post-modern like.  'Flower Riot', leaves us to wonder “does the image mean are we powerless? Flowers are so ephemeral, so fragile. How could they possibly hurt anything?  Or are the flowers a symbol of the intangible power that comes from belief and hope and the certainty of truth?” Like a lot of artists from the “Dada” movement, Banksy moves away from the traditional use of paints and canvas which I truly adore as he is one of my favourite artists. Some people may see his works as vandalism but I see it as post-modern art which is to be admired. They see him to be a “a troublemaker, but he never gets caught” just like Ai.

In Los Angeles (2008), Banksy explores “an invisible world beyond our sense perceptions.” You would obviously never see a monkey walking with food on a tray as humans do. We see a lot of these concepts in post-modern art works as artists are now expressing ideas which evolve from the subconscious mind.  Also in a strange way it is like he is also exploring the idea of pluralism and acceptance of apes in our society as we aren’t all the same but we humans do ‘originate from apes.’ The image looks as though it is a mix between an ape and a caveman. Banksy also like Ai, steps away from serious art and makes some of his pieces quite amusing to look at despite having a strong political meaning behind it.

- Arthuri Miller. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.arthurimiller.com/journalism/the-worlds-of-ai-weiwei/

Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'

From what I can gather, ‘claymation’ is a process where clay models are “moved and filmed using stop-motion photography.” This is a narrative process which is created with the use of clay models and photography.  “Claymation films” is a useful approach to creating lifelike movements detailed with emotion.

-Dictionary Reference. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Claymation

 

A surrealistic artwork is a piece which was inspired by the surrealism “movement in art and literature which originated in France (1924).” These pieces express the subconscious activities that occur in our minds by exposing dreams and similar experiences through art. The Biennale catalogue stated that Experiment (2009), by Nathalie Djurberg was a “surrealistic Garden of Eden.” Djurberg’s garden “is an installation recreating a Garden of Eden from hell. It's a garden covered with creepy flowers. They are so big they dwarf visitors; their colours and shapes are nauseating. Sun never lights up the garden, set in a perpetual crepuscule, in the Basement of the Padiglione delle Esposizioni.” Her film also expresses the opposite of the Garden of Eden as a woman tries to escape an older lecher, when they soon are being attacked by the forest. The Garden of Eden was a peaceful and holy place whereas Djurberg’s forest is “horrifying and quite peculiar.”

We also observe that “all that is natural goes “awry” as the plants look frightening in the dark as though they are under an evil spell. Also just the look of them is unusual and not natural as though it has lost its natural beauty as plants.

- Art 21. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://blog.art21.org/2009/06/16/nathalie-djurberg-and-paul-chan-making-weird-worlds-at-birnbaums-biennale/

-Coulson, J. (1975). The Award Illustrated Dictionary. London, England: Award Publications Limited.

-We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php

Djurberg confronts us with complex emotions such as fear and disgust.  She takes what most people see to be right or wrong and twists them to expose such tormenting emotions from her viewers. We see the models doing disturbing things such as fall apart and have their body parts eat them alive. This sort of behaviour is something to be expected from a “psychopathic horror film.” It is typical for a surrealistic artist such as Djurberg to create artworks which are unexpected and contradicting to society.

- We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php

Djurberg’s films have ideas which are present in children’s stories. They both have the “traditional roles” such as good, bad, and the Good Samaritan. But of course Djurberg’s films are the horror filled version of your usual children’s story. At first glimpse though, the clay characters look innocent with the common big “googly eyes” as seen in children’s books.  This is before a part of their body starts forcing death upon the character. The artist uses the idea of vulnerable clay characters to create a childlike setting before completely taking a surrealistic twist in the narrative.

-Art News. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://artnews.org/artist.php?i=1211

I think designers are trying the approach of turning something “innocent and sweet into something disturbing” because it steps away from the cliché idea of the “happy ending.” Djurberg leaves behind in the viewer’s mind a brutally disturbing image of her clay models therefore making a lasting impact. Now she is known for these disturbing pieces and also very talked-about. She definitely knows how to keep her audience awake with sudden unexpected images such as a Catholic priest watching erotic nude women. This concept has also been evidently inspired by the surrealism movement as we constantly observe the “element of surprise, [and] unexpected juxtapositions” in works done by Djurberg and other artists such as Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte.

-Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism

-Surrealist. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://www.surrealist.com/

I find ‘Experiment’ interesting because it is out of the ordinary and which is also why I think it was chosen for the Venice Biennale. It leaves behind a lingering impression as you end up thinking of the unspoken as surrealistic artists tend to try and achieve this exact impact. In its own sick and twisted way, this piece is exciting and thrilling to watch as you don’t know what is yet to come and while you eagerly wait, a sense of fear arises. This piece demands a reaction from the audience which is why it is perfect for the Venice Biennale.

- We Make Money Not Art. (n.d). Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php

I find Djurberg’s work to be disturbing yet quite effective. This artist knows how to spark emotion from the audience which is a hard thing to do as an artist.  I truly admire her unique terrifying techniques. The effective use of Claymation is quite new to me which is why I really love the detailed models that the artist has presented.  I find her works to be successful despite the horror which is attached to it.

Week 8 Industrialization, Modernism and Architecture

The pig iron structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately 10,000 tonnes. As a demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7,300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 metre square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming the density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic metre. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7.1 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.

At the time the tower was built many people were shocked by its daring shape. Eiffel was criticised for the design and accused of trying to create something artistic, or inartistic according to the viewer, without regard to engineering. Eiffel and his engineers, however, as experienced bridge builders, understood the importance of wind forces and knew that if they were going to build the tallest structure in the world they had to be certain it would withstand the wind.

Gustave Eiffel new that the design and construction of the tower would need to be considered multiple times in order for such a large and artistic piece to come to life.

-http://www.answers.com/topic/eiffel-tower

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, built by Ferrovial. When it was opened to the public in 1997, it was immediately hailed as one of the world's most spectacular buildings in the style of Deconstructivism, although Gehry does not associate himself with that architectural movement. Architect Philip Johnson called it "the greatest building of our time".

The museum's design and construction serve as an object lesson in Gehry's style and method. Like many of Gehry's other works, it has a structure that consists of radically sculpted, organic contours. Sited as it is in a port town, it is intended to resemble a ship. Its brilliantly reflective titanium panels resemble fish scales, echoing the other organic life (and, in particular, fish-like) forms that recur commonly in Gehry's designs, as well as the river Nervión upon which the museum sits. Also in typical Gehry fashion, the building is uniquely a product of the period's technology. Computer Aided Three Dimensional Interactive Application and visualizations were used heavily in the structure's design.

Computer simulations of the building's structure made it feasible to build shapes that architects of earlier eras would have found nearly impossible to construct. While the museum is a spectacular monument from the river, at street level it is quite modest and does not overwhelm its traditional surroundings.[citation needed] The museum was opened as part of a revitalization effort for the city of Bilbao and for the Basque Country. Almost immediately after its opening, the Guggenheim Bilbao became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the globe. It was widely credited with "putting Bilbao on the map" and subsequently inspired other structures of similar design across the globe, such as the Cerritos Millennium Library in Cerritos, California.

-http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/el_museo/el_edificio.php?idioma=en

The pig iron structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately 10,000 tonnes. As a demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7,300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 metre square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming the density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic metre. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7.1 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. The materials have been chosen carefully with consideration of the sun, and other matters related to its weight. Without the right materials such a big tower would be impossible to keep up and withstand nature’s presence.

-http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/eiffel/eiffelfacts.html

The choice of titanium panels was intently chosen because it “resembles fish scales, echoing the other organic life (and, in particular, fish-like) forms that recur commonly in Gehry's designs, as well as the river Nervión upon which the museum sits.”

The designer has deeply thought about what each element of the building resembles. The building was made to symbolize its surrounding site and environment.  Sited as it is in a port town, it is intended to resemble a ship. The curves on the building have been designed to catch the light and create a pleasing effect.

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guggenheim_Museum_Bilbao

Without contemporary art designer Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum wouldn’t have had such detailed meanings behind each aspect of it but also it wouldn’t have looked as unique as it does till this day despite being made in 1997. He has also added in his usually trademark as “it consists of radically sculpted, organic contours” like most of his works do.

--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guggenheim_Museum_Bilbao

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures. It was this speciality that gave him the ability to successfully build the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years. He also managed to have a piece like the Eiffel tower with due the weather conditions for all these years and have it still remain stable despite its enormous height. Without Gustave’s knowledge this structure would’ve been a failure.

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Eiffel#Buildings_and_structures

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. The tower now has two restaurants: Altitude 95, on the first floor 311 ft (95 m) above sea level; and the Jules Verne, an expensive gastronomically restaurant on the second floor, with a private lift. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. In January 2007, the multi-Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse was brought in to run Jules Verne. Today more than 200,000,000 people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006. The tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world.

-http://www.parispages.com/Monuments/Eiffel/

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was built to be a museum of modern and contemporary art and still is till this day showcasing multiple artists along the likes of Richard Serra. With close to ninety exhibitions and over ten million visitors to its credit, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao forever changed the way the world thinks about museums, and it continues to challenge our assumptions about the connections between art, architecture, and collecting.

-http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao

Both structures have been considered the best pieces of their time and still carry a name till this day. They have not only become tourist attractions but have also bought together people from all around the world from different backgrounds and walks in life. People who have been fortunate enough to visit the sites comment that each piece is simple architectural genius.

The Guggenheim Museum is an architectural masterpiece that displays other works of art on the inside as it is a more of an art Museum. The Eiffel tower on the other hand is simple a structural piece that you view which is completely about the Eiffel tower itself as oppose to a place that celebrates and exhibits art in general.