As a class we took a trip into Brooklyn to the International Studio and Curatorial Program in order to take tours of a few artist's studio spaces. Chaw Ei Thein, Lilibeth Cuencea, Michael Hofner, and Till Steinbrenner all were gracious enough to give us a sneak peak into their artistic process and previous works. The program was designed to give artists from around the world an opportunity to work and display their work in New York City.
Chaw Ei Thein's work was ultimately a critique of her native Burma. She worked in a large array of mediums, but one of the more striking parts of our conversation was when she described how she handled the nude figure. She showed us a painting of a nude who was chained, mangled and disfigured. Chaw Ei Thein explained that in Burma people would cut off their fingers, or otherwise disfigure themselves, so that they wouldnt have to be enslaved by the government and work in the fields. The entire talk was a sobering experience and tragically reminded me how poorly the quality of life is for some people in less fortunate countries.
Lilibeth Cuenca, a video and performance artist from the Philippines, made work that commented on a wide variety of things. Wrapped up in feminism, she provocatively pushed issues of racism, machoism, and pop culture in a music video entitled "Cock Fight Song." This video showed her dressed up as a rooster and singing, with clips of cock-fights and their predominantly male spectators edited throughout. Another video had a chorus which repeated over and over "how cool to be a nigger" while showing men in sexually suggestive positions and the artist hula dancing, a comment to the racism and homophobia that is still prevalent in her native country.
Michael Hofner showed three photographs from his journey in Tibet. Armed with just a few rolls of film, he strolled on foot through the landscape and took photos of what he felt was important. His wanderings have spawned several commercial books of areas previously uncovered, with more to come. Michael Horner's work may have many parallels with documentary photography, but his struggles to leave and stay out of the studio push it into art.
Till Steinbrenner is one half of the duo Linder & Steinbrenner. They consider themselves inseparable in terms of making art, and even the solo work they make, or made before they met, is all put under the name Linder and Steinbrenner. Their collaborative work consists of site specific installations. In a public park, they put a pair of bleachers facing a park bench. In a gallery they glued photographs of themselves onto the walls. In a cathedral they faced all of the chairs on an angle towards Mecca. Their pieces consistently undermine the places that they're working in.
These artists are wide ranging and their only real connecting force is that they have all come to New York through this program. It was fun and exciting to see this work by established artists overseas, and listen to them talk about their work and the opportunity they have.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
ISCP Review- By Ryan
The International Studio and Curatorial Program aids international artists seeking work space and recognition within a variety of media. The program’s studios are based in
Chaw Ei Thein was the first artist we were introduced to. Originally from
The second artist to present was Lilibeth Cuencea, who worked in video and performance pieces. Her videos commented on feminist stances while calling to discussion issues of racial identity and bias. Lilibeth preformed in elaborate costumes acting out music videos and different performances. In the piece “Cock Fight Song”, Lilibeth constructs a conversation not only about the
Michael Hofner, an Austria-based artist, presented next and showed a variety of work as well. Working mainly in photographs, Hofner prided himself on the physical, naturalistic position of the artist, almost placing the artist in the position of the tourist. Hiking through the many areas depicted in his photography, Hofner displayed a sense of connection to each piece and the story told in each. Although he claimed not being tied down to a studio, Hofner took advantage of his current stability to pull together all the work created and motivated by his travels. With work ranging from photographs to what looked like free-form tents made from yarn and black plastic, Hofener’s work spanned from a two-dimensional format over to sculptural work.
The last artist to discuss their work with the class was Till from the artist team Lotte Lindner & Till Steinbrenner. This team created a large amount of sculptural intervention work attributed to both their names. Each piece varied in inspiration that in large part was based off of location. Again, this artist claimed that the studio felt out of place, but was trying to make good use of this program’s great opportunity. Presenting the slideshow of documentation that accompanied their application for the residency; this presentation seemed to be the most valuable. It gave a sense of how to professionally present one’s artwork and gain such a great opportunity. Till spoke with a large amount of enthusiasm about his work and demonstrated not only the importance of presentation, but a great sense of creativity and sculptural diversity.
All of these artists spoke to the class on a very informal basis allowing for a level of comfort to be built. Due to this sense of ease, it was relatively easy to digest the work and experience the different standpoints of each individual artist. This trip and tour not only allowed the class to visualize one of the options out there for artists to create new work, but also to see what the life style of a studio artist actually looks like. This opportunity built a strong sense that art is not just something done by people struggling to make ends meet in a beaten down basement studio, but something strongly supported by different areas of funding and that this support is even existent on an international basis.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
anna's ISPC visit writeup
Our visit to ISPC in Brooklyn gave us ideas about different ways to work as an artist and alternative methods for generating income. All of the artists we saw dealt with various themes of awareness and collaboration.
Chaw Ei thein was from Burma, left behind an oppressive government, but didn't forget it, instead used it to inform her work. One of her pieces was a collaborative effort of making a replica of a temple from sugar. As the exhibition went on, the temple began to disintegrate. It reflects on the fragility and destruction of the oppressed. her father is a painter and she learned from him. It was inspiriing to listen to her talk. She didn't have a fromal art education, yet manages to be an artist in New York, despite coming from an oppressive situation and having an initial language barrier. For additional income, she teaches art to children.
Lilibeth Cuenca was born in the Philippines and raised in Denmark. Originally, she used video, writing her own words set to music and dressing in costume. Her pieces raise questions about gender roles and stereotypes. Collaboration is an important part to her process, both for the music and video editing. Now she is also doing direct performances. In one video, the musicians doubled as backup dancers, to comic effect.
Michael Hopfner's photographs are of and inspired by his travels to places such as Tibet. He see himself as a tourist. What was interesting was that he doesn't try to direct his experiences, but rather lets his natural curiosity just take him. He keeps journals and later prints and sells small books containing his photography and writings. Also he arranges for group excursions to different areas.
Lotte Linder and Till Steinbrenner are from Germany. They are a married couple who have also joined forces as art collaborators. The husband, Till, was there for us and was really engaging (and tall!). He showed us their proposal video for coming to ISPC. The first work was a set of bleachers they had built facing a pristine bench in a park. It was meant to bring attention to the absurdity of these perfect little viewing areas. They invited people to sit on these bleachers and essentially watch the bench. The added treat was an elderly couple already sitting on the bench, unaware of what was taking place. At one point someone told them to do something, so the man began reading his newspaper aloud for the crowd of onlookers. Since their work is performance based and they don't sell videos of the performance, they are able to generate income from selling furniture they build.
We tend to think of what type of job or training we need to have, forgetting there are alternatives to how we can think of a profession.
Chaw Ei thein was from Burma, left behind an oppressive government, but didn't forget it, instead used it to inform her work. One of her pieces was a collaborative effort of making a replica of a temple from sugar. As the exhibition went on, the temple began to disintegrate. It reflects on the fragility and destruction of the oppressed. her father is a painter and she learned from him. It was inspiriing to listen to her talk. She didn't have a fromal art education, yet manages to be an artist in New York, despite coming from an oppressive situation and having an initial language barrier. For additional income, she teaches art to children.
Lilibeth Cuenca was born in the Philippines and raised in Denmark. Originally, she used video, writing her own words set to music and dressing in costume. Her pieces raise questions about gender roles and stereotypes. Collaboration is an important part to her process, both for the music and video editing. Now she is also doing direct performances. In one video, the musicians doubled as backup dancers, to comic effect.
Michael Hopfner's photographs are of and inspired by his travels to places such as Tibet. He see himself as a tourist. What was interesting was that he doesn't try to direct his experiences, but rather lets his natural curiosity just take him. He keeps journals and later prints and sells small books containing his photography and writings. Also he arranges for group excursions to different areas.
Lotte Linder and Till Steinbrenner are from Germany. They are a married couple who have also joined forces as art collaborators. The husband, Till, was there for us and was really engaging (and tall!). He showed us their proposal video for coming to ISPC. The first work was a set of bleachers they had built facing a pristine bench in a park. It was meant to bring attention to the absurdity of these perfect little viewing areas. They invited people to sit on these bleachers and essentially watch the bench. The added treat was an elderly couple already sitting on the bench, unaware of what was taking place. At one point someone told them to do something, so the man began reading his newspaper aloud for the crowd of onlookers. Since their work is performance based and they don't sell videos of the performance, they are able to generate income from selling furniture they build.
We tend to think of what type of job or training we need to have, forgetting there are alternatives to how we can think of a profession.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Schedule for Faculty Critique
Wednesday April 1st, Drawing Studio
noon - 4:30pm
12:10 - 12:30 Kerrin
12:35 - 12:55 James
1:00 - 1:20 Lauren
1:25 - 1:45 Nadia
1:50 - 2:10 Ryan
20 minute BREAK
2:30 - 2:50 Cody
2:55 - 3:15 Anna
3:20 - 3:40 Kate
3:45 - 4:05 Michelle
4:10 - 4:30 Megan
noon - 4:30pm
12:10 - 12:30 Kerrin
12:35 - 12:55 James
1:00 - 1:20 Lauren
1:25 - 1:45 Nadia
1:50 - 2:10 Ryan
20 minute BREAK
2:30 - 2:50 Cody
2:55 - 3:15 Anna
3:20 - 3:40 Kate
3:45 - 4:05 Michelle
4:10 - 4:30 Megan
PREP WORK FOR FACULTY CRIT
Here are a few things to consider to have the most professional presentation for critique:
1. Most professional possible presentation for faculty critique - we can ask Sarah for pedestals to use during critique. Cody and Kate both of your works may benefit from a pedestal presentation rather than putting the work on one of those dirty tables in the drawing studio. If you use pedestals, they may need to be touched up, this could be done Tuesday afternoon.
2. Kate, it might be good to do a dry run on the wall display of your weapons during critique. This would mean buying L nails or pins or some form of hanging device to install the weapons on to a wall of the drawing studio and see what they look like on display. You may want pedestal for any bombs or grenades...
3. Anna, are your paintings ready for hanging? If not please prepare them for wall hanging with wire. It's best to not just use a couple nails and put them up, but rather to prepare them as they would be professionally hung in a gallery. They need to be viewed on the wall, not on the easels.
4. Lauren, I have the same request for you, will you prepare the prints that you present for wall hanging. Perhaps you can leave a margin along the top and the bottom to use large paper lips as hanging devices or if you already know how they will be hung in the gallery can you do the same for the crit.
5. Same for Nadia, please prepare prints for best way to display.
6. Lastly, I didn't inspect how clean the walls in the studio are, it may be necessary to touch them up, if so we should do so during our regular meeting time. I'll see if paint is available, I'm not back on campus until Tuesday, can someone please take a look at the walls, particularly the central areas that will be used for display.
1. Most professional possible presentation for faculty critique - we can ask Sarah for pedestals to use during critique. Cody and Kate both of your works may benefit from a pedestal presentation rather than putting the work on one of those dirty tables in the drawing studio. If you use pedestals, they may need to be touched up, this could be done Tuesday afternoon.
2. Kate, it might be good to do a dry run on the wall display of your weapons during critique. This would mean buying L nails or pins or some form of hanging device to install the weapons on to a wall of the drawing studio and see what they look like on display. You may want pedestal for any bombs or grenades...
3. Anna, are your paintings ready for hanging? If not please prepare them for wall hanging with wire. It's best to not just use a couple nails and put them up, but rather to prepare them as they would be professionally hung in a gallery. They need to be viewed on the wall, not on the easels.
4. Lauren, I have the same request for you, will you prepare the prints that you present for wall hanging. Perhaps you can leave a margin along the top and the bottom to use large paper lips as hanging devices or if you already know how they will be hung in the gallery can you do the same for the crit.
5. Same for Nadia, please prepare prints for best way to display.
6. Lastly, I didn't inspect how clean the walls in the studio are, it may be necessary to touch them up, if so we should do so during our regular meeting time. I'll see if paint is available, I'm not back on campus until Tuesday, can someone please take a look at the walls, particularly the central areas that will be used for display.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
PRINTING OF CATALOG
Great news from the faculty meeting today - there is money to have the catalog printed! I've looked around and prices are high, we need to keep the cost down, but the department wants 250 printed. This is the place that Sarah recommends based on price and speed:
http://www.48hourprint.com/booklet-printing.html
I was thinking 12 page small booklet would be appropriate, what do you all think? I'm posting this on the blog for discussion. We need to move fast... does anyone know inDesign or Quark?
http://www.48hourprint.com/booklet-printing.html
I was thinking 12 page small booklet would be appropriate, what do you all think? I'm posting this on the blog for discussion. We need to move fast... does anyone know inDesign or Quark?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Gallery Review II
The Vox Populi’s latest exhibitions feature members Anita Allyn, Josh Rickards, and Linda Yun. Among these three artists, painter, Josh Rickards, lets his imagination run wild in Do Unto Others Then Run Like a Mother. These recent paintings continue Rickards’ ongoing interest in people of popular culture and everyday life. Characters such as a young Bill and Hillary Clinton immediately jump out at viewers with their rosy bulbous noses, clothed in heinous 70s garb. Prominent snouts appear throughout most of Rickards’ portraits- some slightly phallic, others quite direct. Rickards explained his nose fetish at the Vox’s artist talk, as a reference to 17th century Dutch portraiture. These allusions to paintings such as Shrovetide Revellers or Pieter van der Brocke by Frans Hals, are not immediately grasped. Rickards’ paintings negate movement or tactile allure. His characters are flat and linear, embracing static stature and stillness-quite the opposite from popular Dutch bar scene subjects. In some paintings, the background becomes a separate entity- jarring colors within bold patterning or repeated geometric shapes- that compete with the characters’ presence. The characters seem to be chosen arbitrarily, though Rickards’ personal interest and technique make each painting comical, quirky, and a little disturbing. Renderings of his subjects- from the Yeti (a swamp monster legend from the Florida Everglades) to Sly Stone, from the creator of Esperanto to Bill and Hillary Clinton, are not flattering. Whether it in the characters’ bulging noses or other misshaped physical features, Rickards goal is not to create the ideal, but to highlight imperfection and the surreal- and how we as a society react to this representation.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Kate's Review #2
Melanie Smith is a multi-media artist whose work addresses, “the urban, cultural, and socio-economic realities of the sprawling megalopolis” of Mexico City. This particular exhibition, entitled Spiral Cty & Other Vicarious Pleasures is separated into two distinct groups: a number of sculptures that compose an installation that comments on the rampant commercialism of Mexico City, and a room of bleak black and white photographs and videos of the streets of the city.
Jam Side Up, Jam Side Down, a 1992 collaboration between Melanie Smith and Francis Alys, occupies the center of the MIT gallery.
A plywood alley, filled with all manner of bright, bulbous vinyl objects hanging like clothing, supplies just enough room for a person to pass through, though she might still brush elbows with the objects. Latex gloves had been knotted together and clustered into giant spheres. White Styrofoam bananas hung in bunches. Inflatable rings were strung along the metal bar that so recalled a closet’s bar. This aisle, a direct critique of consumerism, is constructed to call attention to the unexamined ritual of shopping.
Smith’s piece, Orange Lush (1995), a collage of orange plastic objects on wood, echoes that critique. She adhered a garish orange wig beside floaties, a gaggle of deflating balloons, hula hoops, vinyl, bright cording coiled into a hank, and synthetic toys. Smith’s words hung beside the piece on a little plaque. It read, “Orange seemed to indicate a certain attitude I had about Mexico City at that specific time; orange was always in your face…Wherever something wanted to catch your attention it was orange—I could never separate the color from the object, and all these orange objects seemed to homogenize everything.” By using found objects to convey the feeling a color conjures up instead of, say, paint, Smith calls attention to the obsessive consumption and collection of bright and worthless objects.
Melanie Smith and Rafael Ortega’s 2002 piece, Spiral City, filled the next room with the grey network of Mexico City’s streets, viewed from a helicopter and shot in grainy black and white in a single take. This piece is a stark contrast to the popping color of the other room. Here, the viewer is sucked into an “energy drain” after being overwhelmed, and leaves the gallery as deflated as one of the balloons affixed to Orange Lush.
Jam Side Up, Jam Side Down, a 1992 collaboration between Melanie Smith and Francis Alys, occupies the center of the MIT gallery.
A plywood alley, filled with all manner of bright, bulbous vinyl objects hanging like clothing, supplies just enough room for a person to pass through, though she might still brush elbows with the objects. Latex gloves had been knotted together and clustered into giant spheres. White Styrofoam bananas hung in bunches. Inflatable rings were strung along the metal bar that so recalled a closet’s bar. This aisle, a direct critique of consumerism, is constructed to call attention to the unexamined ritual of shopping.Smith’s piece, Orange Lush (1995), a collage of orange plastic objects on wood, echoes that critique. She adhered a garish orange wig beside floaties, a gaggle of deflating balloons, hula hoops, vinyl, bright cording coiled into a hank, and synthetic toys. Smith’s words hung beside the piece on a little plaque. It read, “Orange seemed to indicate a certain attitude I had about Mexico City at that specific time; orange was always in your face…Wherever something wanted to catch your attention it was orange—I could never separate the color from the object, and all these orange objects seemed to homogenize everything.” By using found objects to convey the feeling a color conjures up instead of, say, paint, Smith calls attention to the obsessive consumption and collection of bright and worthless objects.
Melanie Smith and Rafael Ortega’s 2002 piece, Spiral City, filled the next room with the grey network of Mexico City’s streets, viewed from a helicopter and shot in grainy black and white in a single take. This piece is a stark contrast to the popping color of the other room. Here, the viewer is sucked into an “energy drain” after being overwhelmed, and leaves the gallery as deflated as one of the balloons affixed to Orange Lush.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Open Mic Night Update
We now have more details for the open mic night...
Art Attack-ack-ack-ack, you oughta know by now
When: FRIDAY, MARCH 20 from 7-10 pm
Where: Drawing Room
What: Open Mic, hopefully featuring these bands, with a handful of student performers (please let me know if you can get others!)
1) Moment of Zen (Rock/Alternative): www.myspace.com/momentzen
2) White Star City aka Colleen Napolitano (Acoustic/Folk Rock): www.myspace.com/whitestarcity (Goes to TCNJ and is a graphic design major!)
3) David Sankey (Acoustic/Folk Rock) [TCNJ art major alumni!]
4) Undercover Rabbi (Goes to TCNJ)
5) VultureMoose (Electronica/Casio-Pop): www.myspace.com/vulturemoose (Goes to TCNJ)
6) Dead Bugs (Acoustic/Tape Music): www.myspace.com/skincover
7) Buffalo (Noise Rock/Live Electronics): www.myspace.com/buffalonoise
8) Facundo (8-Bit/Gameboy Pop): www.myspace.com/facundoloop
9) Knights Templar (Post-punk/Shoegaze): www.myspace.com/knightstemplar
spoken word & miscellaneous poetry readings...
plus...
Easel art/graffiti art, Silent Rave (bring your mp3 player and dance to the beat of your own ipod), Ryan Weber's decorate your own sugar cookie.
I think this is it for now, but if someone could make a facebook group, that would help immensely.
One idea for the flyer design was to have text that reads, "art atttack-ack-ack-ack, you oughtta know by now... (senior art students?) open mic night: face rippin' fun", with an image of a chimpanzee ripping through the flyer, wearing a beret and holding an artists' palette- with other text noting the event, that it's in support of the art seniors, the location, date/time and the other activities. If someone could design a flyer, or if anyone has another idea and will want to execute it, please do!
Also, I talked to a senior graphic design student the other day and she was under the impression that we still haven't decided on what mailer idea we liked as a class. Are we set on one/ should someone email professor Kabbash about it?
Art Attack-ack-ack-ack, you oughta know by now
When: FRIDAY, MARCH 20 from 7-10 pm
Where: Drawing Room
What: Open Mic, hopefully featuring these bands, with a handful of student performers (please let me know if you can get others!)
1) Moment of Zen (Rock/Alternative): www.myspace.com/momentzen
2) White Star City aka Colleen Napolitano (Acoustic/Folk Rock): www.myspace.com/whitestarcity (Goes to TCNJ and is a graphic design major!)
3) David Sankey (Acoustic/Folk Rock) [TCNJ art major alumni!]
4) Undercover Rabbi (Goes to TCNJ)
5) VultureMoose (Electronica/Casio-Pop): www.myspace.com/vulturemoose (Goes to TCNJ)
6) Dead Bugs (Acoustic/Tape Music): www.myspace.com/skincover
7) Buffalo (Noise Rock/Live Electronics): www.myspace.com/buffalonoise
8) Facundo (8-Bit/Gameboy Pop): www.myspace.com/facundoloop
9) Knights Templar (Post-punk/Shoegaze): www.myspace.com/knightstemplar
spoken word & miscellaneous poetry readings...
plus...
Easel art/graffiti art, Silent Rave (bring your mp3 player and dance to the beat of your own ipod), Ryan Weber's decorate your own sugar cookie.
I think this is it for now, but if someone could make a facebook group, that would help immensely.
One idea for the flyer design was to have text that reads, "art atttack-ack-ack-ack, you oughtta know by now... (senior art students?) open mic night: face rippin' fun", with an image of a chimpanzee ripping through the flyer, wearing a beret and holding an artists' palette- with other text noting the event, that it's in support of the art seniors, the location, date/time and the other activities. If someone could design a flyer, or if anyone has another idea and will want to execute it, please do!
Also, I talked to a senior graphic design student the other day and she was under the impression that we still haven't decided on what mailer idea we liked as a class. Are we set on one/ should someone email professor Kabbash about it?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Where it's At: Show Themez
1. mixed goods
2. collective composition
3. ten headed monster
4. solid reservations
5. art in the age
6. pieces
7. ten pack
2. collective composition
3. ten headed monster
4. solid reservations
5. art in the age
6. pieces
7. ten pack
Theme ideas
1: Ninjas (this would, however, entail the catalog be empty.)
3: Bakery themed.
VII: "A House of Pomegranates"
b: "The Humans are Dead"
• "Trepidation and Bumblebee Landscapes"
58: Tetris themed (Frogger is also acceptable)
©: "The Object Lesson"
fünf: portals / wormholes / inter-dimensional space / the multiverse
9: Clue themed
六: something to do with handbaskets
3: Bakery themed.
VII: "A House of Pomegranates"
b: "The Humans are Dead"
• "Trepidation and Bumblebee Landscapes"
58: Tetris themed (Frogger is also acceptable)
©: "The Object Lesson"
fünf: portals / wormholes / inter-dimensional space / the multiverse
9: Clue themed
六: something to do with handbaskets
IDEAS!
- salmagundi: a general mixture; a miscellaneous collection
- farrago: a confused mixture
- gallimaufry: a confused jumble or medley of things
- Hodgepodge
- Mixed Up
- The Gun Show
- Famous Last Words: pretty sure this was a show in Philadelphia though.
- worldly possessions; worldly goods
5 ideas
So I'm not coming up with any great ideas, but I'm going to throw what I have out there. Hopefully some can be tweaked into something better. Hope you guys like!!
1. Okay here is the one I have to suggest because, well I like comics. A ten theme going of the comic the twelve. We could have a real retro comic-esque type feel with us becoming the members of this team. I'm not thinking anything cheesy like what powers we would have, just the idea of a team and the golden age comic visual theme.
2. Going with the theme of there being ten of us I was thinking a Ten commandments theme. Not in a really religious way. Sort of the take that the Ten movie took. I don't know. It could turn into something.
3. Along with the semi-religious theme I came up with a creation idea. Maybe playing off the creation of the world/life and making it connect with our visual creativity and everything.
4. Then I was thinking since our larger theme is science related maybe we can do a Sci-Fi futuresque type theme. I figured since some of our pieces sort of give a sense of that type of thing. Who knows. Maybe something like a robot uprising or something.
5. Lastly, I was thinking something simple like preception. Like visual illusions and such and tying that into the design. Since we are visual people and these are our views.
1. Okay here is the one I have to suggest because, well I like comics. A ten theme going of the comic the twelve. We could have a real retro comic-esque type feel with us becoming the members of this team. I'm not thinking anything cheesy like what powers we would have, just the idea of a team and the golden age comic visual theme.
2. Going with the theme of there being ten of us I was thinking a Ten commandments theme. Not in a really religious way. Sort of the take that the Ten movie took. I don't know. It could turn into something.
3. Along with the semi-religious theme I came up with a creation idea. Maybe playing off the creation of the world/life and making it connect with our visual creativity and everything.
4. Then I was thinking since our larger theme is science related maybe we can do a Sci-Fi futuresque type theme. I figured since some of our pieces sort of give a sense of that type of thing. Who knows. Maybe something like a robot uprising or something.
5. Lastly, I was thinking something simple like preception. Like visual illusions and such and tying that into the design. Since we are visual people and these are our views.
5 Ideas for Show Theme
All of these ideas have been thought of with various levels of seriousness... and they are not listed in order regarding this at all :)
1) "iCon" - a play on the iWhatevers and icons. (Along with the pun "I con." ha.)
2) I notice that all of us seem to have narrative themes in our work. Is there a way to play on this? Right now I can't find the right word (one that won't sound hokey) but is there a way to play on fables, mythology or other story-telling devices?
3) On that note, "chapters?" (aaahhhh HOKEY!)
4) As I mentioned in class, we could fashion ourselves as the next species to be near extinction.
"protected status genus" or something. Not sure why, but for me this conjures up images of us being crowded off of rapidly melting glaciers and being forced to swim for miles before we can eat a seal again.
6) We could shop terms from a field of study (ie. forensics) and come up with a play on such a term. Here's a website full of forensic words: http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/text_glossary.htm
1) "iCon" - a play on the iWhatevers and icons. (Along with the pun "I con." ha.)
2) I notice that all of us seem to have narrative themes in our work. Is there a way to play on this? Right now I can't find the right word (one that won't sound hokey) but is there a way to play on fables, mythology or other story-telling devices?
3) On that note, "chapters?" (aaahhhh HOKEY!)
4) As I mentioned in class, we could fashion ourselves as the next species to be near extinction.
"protected status genus" or something. Not sure why, but for me this conjures up images of us being crowded off of rapidly melting glaciers and being forced to swim for miles before we can eat a seal again.
6) We could shop terms from a field of study (ie. forensics) and come up with a play on such a term. Here's a website full of forensic words: http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/text_glossary.htm
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Open Mike Night Discussion
Hey, if you have ideas to throw out about the open mike night, we should put them all in the comments here, just so we dont have 50 different emails flying around. It's a little more organized this way.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Artist Files Lawsuit Against A.P. Over Obama Image
In addition to recently getting arrested, street artist Shepard Fairey is suing the American Press for using his Obama/"Hope" posters without his permission. Read it if you get the chance!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/arts/design/10fair.html
-Michelle
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/arts/design/10fair.html
-Michelle
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
As I was trailing around the different rooms at P.S.1 I stumbled upon an installation entitled Before and After by a debuting artist named Ana Horvat. To my surprise, when I attempted to engage in some kind of conversation with you guys about the exhibit you didn’t know what I was talking about. It must have been tucked in the west wing. Anyway, on one end of the room there was a three-channel video installation, each video contained documentary plastic surgery procedures. The first one was liposuction, the second one was a nose correction, and the third was a breast augmentation. What made the piece especially interesting and funny was that surgery was being performed, not on real humans, but what looked to be home made plush dolls. The first video installation, on liposuction for example, depicted human hands cutting flesh colored fabric stuffed with poly-fill and proceeded to pull pieces of poly-fill out of what seemed to be a leg. The hands would carefully place the poly-fill to the side as if it were fatty tissue. The breast augmentation and nose correction were done in a similar fashion. In the center of the room, there were four jars containing poly-fill and fabric posing as reminisces of each operation. Each jar contained a label, one reading nose operation another that read cellulite. Opposing the video installations was a wall of before and after shots taken of the plush characters as well as personal responses to the operation. One of the responses went like this:
Nose correction
Mirjana K., 32
Before
Suffering from septum deviation, I always had breathing difficulties and frequent upper respiratory infections. A few years ago, I began to intensively pursue singing-it’s my great love. Unfortunately, a year ago I had to stop because I started loosing my voice due to infections caused by my nose structure. Also, I never liked the shape of my nose, so when the doctor recommended surgery, I said yes – that would kill two birds with one stone.
After
The operation was very painful, and the hematoma and the swelling lasted for a very long time; I didn’t leave the house for a month. The cartilage was removed, so the nose was soft. The nose has been changed, but not enough – it is smaller, but not symmetrical. I still don’t like it. Also, as far as the function is concerned, the operation was a failure. Because the operation was extensive and the scar big, there has been unexpected tissues movement during the healing process. I’ll have to repeat the operation.
Although, it wasn’t the best installation I saw at P.S.1 I thought it was a witty attempt at addressing issues of women and the infatuation to obtain ideal beauty. The before and after reactions to each procedure served as an effective commentary on how patients will endure rather heavy amount of pain and aggression as they try to achieve acceptance from others as well as personal satisfaction. The idea of the procedures being performed on dolls really took me back to childhood playing with dolls and that it perhaps could be posing as a childhood game gone too far. A child experimenting with plastic surgery is funny but also disturbing and adds to the drama of a society obsessed with looking perfect.
Nose correction
Mirjana K., 32
Before
Suffering from septum deviation, I always had breathing difficulties and frequent upper respiratory infections. A few years ago, I began to intensively pursue singing-it’s my great love. Unfortunately, a year ago I had to stop because I started loosing my voice due to infections caused by my nose structure. Also, I never liked the shape of my nose, so when the doctor recommended surgery, I said yes – that would kill two birds with one stone.
After
The operation was very painful, and the hematoma and the swelling lasted for a very long time; I didn’t leave the house for a month. The cartilage was removed, so the nose was soft. The nose has been changed, but not enough – it is smaller, but not symmetrical. I still don’t like it. Also, as far as the function is concerned, the operation was a failure. Because the operation was extensive and the scar big, there has been unexpected tissues movement during the healing process. I’ll have to repeat the operation.
Although, it wasn’t the best installation I saw at P.S.1 I thought it was a witty attempt at addressing issues of women and the infatuation to obtain ideal beauty. The before and after reactions to each procedure served as an effective commentary on how patients will endure rather heavy amount of pain and aggression as they try to achieve acceptance from others as well as personal satisfaction. The idea of the procedures being performed on dolls really took me back to childhood playing with dolls and that it perhaps could be posing as a childhood game gone too far. A child experimenting with plastic surgery is funny but also disturbing and adds to the drama of a society obsessed with looking perfect.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Cody & Gino
Gino De Dominicis currently has a striking exhibit through February 9, 2009 at P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center. It highlights his two-dimensional works focused on the figure and constraints of the face in various forms of small sculpture, drawings and paint.
While his paintings are rich with figurative subject matter, De Dominicis use of material is quite bare. Tempera paint and pencil govern the basic material use and all reside on either canvas or board. He rarely uses more than two or three contrasting colors and keeps the figures to a minimal representation. The pieces range from small poster-sized works to largescale paintings on bright gold backgrounds.
Through further research on the artists, it can be seen that he often references mythical kings and deities such as Gilgamesh of Sumeria and Uryashi, the Hindu goddess of beauty. He was fascinated by the idealism of immortality and beauty, representing this examination in his figurative work. De Deominicis takes the human facial structure and morphs it, elongating and compression the features in an abstract representation. Occasionally he will even omit certain qualities of the face. These are paired with surreal figures with tiny bent hands and organic disproportionate bodies. There is an elegance in his study of the human form and how the paint reads on the canvas.
One piece in particular stuck out to me. It is a simple outline of a large triangle painted on the floor of the gallery. The playful title reads “I am sure that you (and you always will) be inside or outside of the triangle”. This witty piece is strikingly different from any of the other wotks presented in the exhibit. It draws awareness to personal and individual space, as well as public space within the gallery through the title alone.
f
While his paintings are rich with figurative subject matter, De Dominicis use of material is quite bare. Tempera paint and pencil govern the basic material use and all reside on either canvas or board. He rarely uses more than two or three contrasting colors and keeps the figures to a minimal representation. The pieces range from small poster-sized works to largescale paintings on bright gold backgrounds.
Through further research on the artists, it can be seen that he often references mythical kings and deities such as Gilgamesh of Sumeria and Uryashi, the Hindu goddess of beauty. He was fascinated by the idealism of immortality and beauty, representing this examination in his figurative work. De Deominicis takes the human facial structure and morphs it, elongating and compression the features in an abstract representation. Occasionally he will even omit certain qualities of the face. These are paired with surreal figures with tiny bent hands and organic disproportionate bodies. There is an elegance in his study of the human form and how the paint reads on the canvas.
One piece in particular stuck out to me. It is a simple outline of a large triangle painted on the floor of the gallery. The playful title reads “I am sure that you (and you always will) be inside or outside of the triangle”. This witty piece is strikingly different from any of the other wotks presented in the exhibit. It draws awareness to personal and individual space, as well as public space within the gallery through the title alone.
f
Friday, February 6, 2009
James: Conspiracy Theory by Robert Boyd
There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; you can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!
This famous rant by Mario Savio is included within the two-channel video installation entitled “Conspiracy Theory” by Robert Boyd. A 10-minute long opus, several different conspiracy theories are featured, including the 9/11 truth movement, the establishment of a New World Order, AIDS being created by the government, the Illuminati, and a weird theory that all of the world’s leaders are actually members of an alien race known as reptilians. All of this is juxtaposed with dance music (wonderfully provided by Kerrin below) that continually repeats “I believe in you.”
What I found compelling about the work, is that the dance music is both making fun of the conspiracies and making these people’s anger and fear positively entertaining. The video clips fly at you at a rapid pace, one instant yelling that “9/11 was an inside job” and the next showing you clips of people pulling off their skin to reveal their true reptilian form. It would be very serious and creepy if it weren’t for the pulsating grooves sarcastically making fun of the whole thing.
I think that this idea of “fear as entertainment” is one that is continually spoken about. Newscasts are constantly parodied with their dire warnings about African Killer Bees, or new discoveries of a common household item that will kill you if you don’t watch our show. In these instances fear is used as a device to keep you interested and ultimately entertained. Robert Boyd takes similar fears—which are more transparently false and sensational—and makes them function as entertainment in the purest form… a dance party!
Some links for you about reptilians:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilian_humanoid#Conspiracy_theories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgZPryMAsLE
http://www.truthism.com
And this is the Mario Savio rant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcx9BJRadfw
Monday, February 2, 2009
Michael Rakowitz and his Social Flair.
As most of you may have gathered by my incessant blathering during class, I'm a big fan of Michael Rakowitz's "RETURN". I had never been exposed to his work before, but I found myself intrigued by the implications that arose in this art/business venture turned socio-economic investigation.
Presented on the first floor of the Sculpture Center, Rakowitz's installation consisted of the following: A couch, a television, a box of dates with four separate partitions, headphones and various hanging documents. Upon closer investigation, one could read (or hear via headphones) the story of Michael's father, an Iraqi Jew, who had immigrated to New York in the mid 1900's and opened an import/export company called Davison & Co.. In a bold art project, Rakowitz had reopened his father's business in Brooklyn, aiming to import the first Iraqi product into America since 1965. He did not have a robust inventory planned--on the contrary, there was only one real item of interest: The renowned Iraqi date.
Via his installation at the Sculpture Center, the viewer is able to witness Rakowitz's experiment of importing one ton of dates into the United States. What I found most interesting was how the project as a whole became far greater than the sum of its parts. The dates followed a surrogate path of today's Iraqi refugees: attempting to cross the Jordanian border after waiting in a 4-day line of traffic only to be turned away on two separate occasions... then traveling through Syria in an effort to reach Damascus, hoping to connect with a flight to Cairo. Even after exiting Iraq successfully, attempts to enter the United States were thwarted by inane bureaucratic excuses. Rakowitz experienced an unusually difficult time importing dates, a sweet fruit symbolizing hope and goodwill, from a country that we are supposed to be helping in their rebuilding efforts. He even received a letter from our own government, in 2004, informing him that it was ILLEGAL to import products from Iraq because we were "at war" with this country. This happened after President George W. Bush had declared "victory" and sanctions had been lifted.
Outside of highlighting some our country's glaring hypocrisies in foreign policy, this art project also acted as a unique social platform. Seated in a neighborhood where many Arab and Muslim immigrant families have settled, Rakowitz's sign drew in many curious customers who were intrigued by the letters in his storefront window: "Iraqi Dates, Coming Soon!" He met an older gentleman who had been away from his native Iraq for 46 years. They found a unique bond as fellow exiles. A Lebanese businessman came in to inquire as to whether or not his shop required an intermediary shipping company in order to secure Iraqi goods. This offer was instead accepted by another Iraqi exile who was searching for a way to send his family goods on a regular basis. Politics were often discussed for hours on end by customers as they engaged with one another openly and honestly, challenging social norms for our society's average retail locations. Who would have thought that camaraderie among so many different individuals could have been found in a small, newly opened storefront in Brooklyn?
I find this kind of work to be not only fascinating and inspiring, but also important. Some very real problems were highlighted by RETURN. In the same token, some very real connections were made. This work was successful in questioning an issue in a unique way and raising awareness about economic/trade loopholes within the relationship between the US and Iraq. It also unintentionally reflected the plight of many Iraqi refugees, who are robbed of even the most basic sense of safety and security.
This is something that, in my opinion, is a truly valuable contribution to the art world and society at large.
Robert Boyd's Conspiracy Theory coupled with Kylie Minogue Fabulousness!
Michelle and I have found the promised land... and it is good.
(real post to come shortly- still editing. But this was TOO GOOD to not share immediately!) :-D
If I find a karaoke machine with this song on it, it will be dangerous.
(real post to come shortly- still editing. But this was TOO GOOD to not share immediately!) :-D
If I find a karaoke machine with this song on it, it will be dangerous.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Joshsua Mosley's "Dread" at ICA, Philadephia
On exhibition from January 16th- to March 29th, Joshua Mosley’s “Dread” is a thoughtful and visually stimulating show. Upon entering the space viewers are first confronted by the dimly lit room before they approach one of the five bronze-cast sculptures that wait in the space. These sculptures exude a sense of looming fear, reflecting the dim lights off their dark bronze surfaces. The five sculptural pieces are placed white pedestals and together they provide an eerie introduction to the animated portion of the exhibition. In an animated film figures replicated in the sculptures (a dog, a cow, a beetle called Anthia sexguttato, Pascal, and Rousseau) are brought to life and interact in a thought provoking and intriguing manner. Throughout the film, the characters come across each other in different situations, each action artistically matching up to the explosions and bellows of the soundtrack. The score replaces the sounds of the world it accompanies and creates a new language for the video to speak through. This film is displayed on a large screen in a side room that seems filled with black, setting an almost all to perfect companion to the gray-scale palette of the video piece.
Approaching these pieces, I was at first struck by the lighting of the room since the sculptures seemed like ordinary three-dimensional pieces and yet their lighting was so differently and intentionally addressed than most items that are placed on pedestals and illuminated by blaring lights. Upon closer approach, each piece was ever so intelligently designed. When reading through the gallery information one takes notice to aspects such as stumps on the dog’s neck seen in “dread” are placed to show an evolutionary track, one which is also included in the four flattened areas along the sculpture of the cow’s spine. The lighting almost forced investigation into these features while also enforcing an eerie and looming sense of dread. The animation then brought these pieces to a new level of interaction showing them walking through nature, conversing, and even in physical conflict. Walking away from this specific exhibition at the
Through researching the exhibition, both through the provided gallery pamphlet and some research, it was interesting to see how the artist took a particular experience and created this grouping of pieces. Mosley was inspired and provoked by a film study featuring a dog in motion by Eadweard J. Muybridge. This photographic series shows a dog very similar to the model created by Moseley that then evolved into the story seen in the video within Moseley’s mind. This work differs than most of Joshua Mosley’s pieces in that he mainly focuses on the aspects of animation, and although the sculptures were initially clay models used for 3-D modeling purposes, their inclusion as distinct pieces set this particular show apart from some others. Through interacting with the exhibition, I was mostly fascinated by its cohesion and structure focused on one evolving topic. The artist not only creates an animation to address his ideas but also the accompanying sculptures and a score that parallels the tale told in the film. This sense of passion and commitment is inspiring and noteworthy. Mosley creates artwork that not only intrigues to viewer on a visual level, but also that exudes a strong sense of intellectual investigation and purpose.
anna's gallery/visit writeup
Aside from the unrelenting wind, it was a fun and informative outing. To me, the most enjoyable was PS1. The space makes smart use of an old school by leaving many of the rooms intact. You enter not knowing what to expect from room to room. It's what a true school should be, a place of curiosity and discovery.
There were three pieces that were particularly effective because the illicit an element of surprise in the ordinary.
The first piece was James Turrell's Meeting, 1986, a permanent site-specific installation. It encompasses one of the former classrooms. When you first walk in, there are spare wooden bench seating along each wall. Just above it, lights are strung that create an orange cast on the walls. When you look up, there is a gaping hold, though a very precise rectangular one, where the ceiling used to be. We're all familiar with the sky, yet we don't expect to see it as we walk into a room. visitors sit along the benches. Everyone is sharing the same space, yet the effect is very different than say, sitting in a subway car, or even sharing space on a beach or park. The first thing I felt was the air, at times refreshing, and at some moments, like a very cold sting. But it was the natural outdoor air seeping into an 'enclosed' space that brought this feeling of calm and peacefulness. Also to sit beneath the sky, makes you aware of our connection to verything. James Turrell is considered a pioneer in his use of light and natural elements in unexpected ways, and this piece was powerful because it allowed you just to be very much present in the moment.
The second installation, Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool, 2004, was equally strong. It is actually a two part installation. When you enter the first floor, a full size, though somewhat narrow pool complete with ladder and deck flooring await you. When you approach the pool, you notice people milling about at the bottom of the pool, fully clothed and breathing. It is unexpected and surprising, but in a very playful way. You realize thewater is not very deep, but rather only about 2" on top of a plexi sheet. When you go to the lower level, you enter the room that seves as the interior of the pool. You look up above to the surface, as visitors gaze down. The lower level is a bit claustrophobic, just the strangeness of feeling you are below water, yet fully clothed, not wet, and you don't have to hold your breath.
The third installation is one from Olafur Eliasson's Take Your Time exhibit from last year. Eliasson has been compared to Turrell with his take on light, reflections, and nature, though in a less sublime way. This piece consists of a large circular mirrow on the ceiling that roates. I wanted to walk beneath it, because I think it would give a better sense of the movement, but when I was there everyone was lying on the floor. I think hte power was more from the people's reaction to it, than the actual piece. To me, it reminded me of the first really warm day in spring , where everyone congregates outdoors, just to soak up the moment. It just became that sort of happy, relaxing space to be in.
I wanted to mention also, two works from the Neo Hoo Doo exhibition because they just really caught my attention. The first was The Lonely Soul, 2006 by Pepon Osorio, which is an assemblage consisting of crutches, a wooden house-like structore supported by crutches, etc. Though the materials are recognizeable objects, they add symbolism. The overall feeling it gave me was issues of assistance, of poverty of the oppressed and suffering. The wheelchair wheels are fully intact, so there should be mobility, yet those type of wheels are for support. The 'house' is supported by crutches. Either the person inside has surrendered to apathy, or the assistance is inadequate. The other piece was Jose Bedia's The Things That Drag Me Down, 1998/2008, a mixed media piece that contains a torso silhouette on the wall, with chains attached to its' shoulders. From this, tow long narrow boats carry liquor, cigarettes, etc. It brought to mind the slave trade and trading in general. The workers who provide the products never see the profits, but rather bloated markups by distributors enjoy the wealth of the workers' labor. This touches on distribution of wealth. The hopeful aspect of the piece is that the tose is upright, appearing resilient, the chains are not overly oppressive, but they are still there. It reminded me of the human spirit, despite whatever hardships, the figure/spirit remains unbroken. This exhibit dealt with issues on spritituality and also humanity. It takes its' idea from Ishameel Reed's poetry, where he states "every man is an artist, very artist a priest." I felt it was a very timely reminder of our own power to change and heal, both ourselves, and one another.
There were three pieces that were particularly effective because the illicit an element of surprise in the ordinary.
The first piece was James Turrell's Meeting, 1986, a permanent site-specific installation. It encompasses one of the former classrooms. When you first walk in, there are spare wooden bench seating along each wall. Just above it, lights are strung that create an orange cast on the walls. When you look up, there is a gaping hold, though a very precise rectangular one, where the ceiling used to be. We're all familiar with the sky, yet we don't expect to see it as we walk into a room. visitors sit along the benches. Everyone is sharing the same space, yet the effect is very different than say, sitting in a subway car, or even sharing space on a beach or park. The first thing I felt was the air, at times refreshing, and at some moments, like a very cold sting. But it was the natural outdoor air seeping into an 'enclosed' space that brought this feeling of calm and peacefulness. Also to sit beneath the sky, makes you aware of our connection to verything. James Turrell is considered a pioneer in his use of light and natural elements in unexpected ways, and this piece was powerful because it allowed you just to be very much present in the moment.
The second installation, Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool, 2004, was equally strong. It is actually a two part installation. When you enter the first floor, a full size, though somewhat narrow pool complete with ladder and deck flooring await you. When you approach the pool, you notice people milling about at the bottom of the pool, fully clothed and breathing. It is unexpected and surprising, but in a very playful way. You realize thewater is not very deep, but rather only about 2" on top of a plexi sheet. When you go to the lower level, you enter the room that seves as the interior of the pool. You look up above to the surface, as visitors gaze down. The lower level is a bit claustrophobic, just the strangeness of feeling you are below water, yet fully clothed, not wet, and you don't have to hold your breath.
The third installation is one from Olafur Eliasson's Take Your Time exhibit from last year. Eliasson has been compared to Turrell with his take on light, reflections, and nature, though in a less sublime way. This piece consists of a large circular mirrow on the ceiling that roates. I wanted to walk beneath it, because I think it would give a better sense of the movement, but when I was there everyone was lying on the floor. I think hte power was more from the people's reaction to it, than the actual piece. To me, it reminded me of the first really warm day in spring , where everyone congregates outdoors, just to soak up the moment. It just became that sort of happy, relaxing space to be in.
I wanted to mention also, two works from the Neo Hoo Doo exhibition because they just really caught my attention. The first was The Lonely Soul, 2006 by Pepon Osorio, which is an assemblage consisting of crutches, a wooden house-like structore supported by crutches, etc. Though the materials are recognizeable objects, they add symbolism. The overall feeling it gave me was issues of assistance, of poverty of the oppressed and suffering. The wheelchair wheels are fully intact, so there should be mobility, yet those type of wheels are for support. The 'house' is supported by crutches. Either the person inside has surrendered to apathy, or the assistance is inadequate. The other piece was Jose Bedia's The Things That Drag Me Down, 1998/2008, a mixed media piece that contains a torso silhouette on the wall, with chains attached to its' shoulders. From this, tow long narrow boats carry liquor, cigarettes, etc. It brought to mind the slave trade and trading in general. The workers who provide the products never see the profits, but rather bloated markups by distributors enjoy the wealth of the workers' labor. This touches on distribution of wealth. The hopeful aspect of the piece is that the tose is upright, appearing resilient, the chains are not overly oppressive, but they are still there. It reminded me of the human spirit, despite whatever hardships, the figure/spirit remains unbroken. This exhibit dealt with issues on spritituality and also humanity. It takes its' idea from Ishameel Reed's poetry, where he states "every man is an artist, very artist a priest." I felt it was a very timely reminder of our own power to change and heal, both ourselves, and one another.
Gino De Dominicis's Maniacal Laugh
The image is on it's side, but it's a black and white photograph of the Virgin Mary and the primary reason behind shooting the video was to capture a loop of the maniacally seductive laugh that engulfs this dark room comprised of several of Gino De Dominicis works at PS1.
As much as I hate to admit it, I really enjoyed Borre Saethre's three room installation that culminates with a boxed unicorn. I hate to admit this, because I think that the work employs a lot of gimmicks (in the form of flashing lights, monitors and beeps), I get the sense that it's void of any meaning and it's primarily ear and eye candy. That said, I appreciate the collapse of modernist form with futuristic materials to present a seductive series of rooms. The combination of sound and small monitors in the first room present a hypnotic rhythm in an otherwise minimal room, the second room functions as a busy portal into the third room, again relatively minimal, but showcasing a unicorn laying in its side. The unicorn is beautifully executed with a gaze that engages the viewer.
In the end, I think that the real reason I enjoyed this work so much and the element that will most likely stick with me was the response of the small children that were in the room at various points when I was there. The awe and surprise of seeing the unicorn and wondering what to make of the frozen creature. Then came the explanation from a slightly older child, perhaps 6 or 7 years old - that the unicorn is dead, due to the heat of the sun....
As much as I hate to admit it, I really enjoyed Borre Saethre's three room installation that culminates with a boxed unicorn. I hate to admit this, because I think that the work employs a lot of gimmicks (in the form of flashing lights, monitors and beeps), I get the sense that it's void of any meaning and it's primarily ear and eye candy. That said, I appreciate the collapse of modernist form with futuristic materials to present a seductive series of rooms. The combination of sound and small monitors in the first room present a hypnotic rhythm in an otherwise minimal room, the second room functions as a busy portal into the third room, again relatively minimal, but showcasing a unicorn laying in its side. The unicorn is beautifully executed with a gaze that engages the viewer.
In the end, I think that the real reason I enjoyed this work so much and the element that will most likely stick with me was the response of the small children that were in the room at various points when I was there. The awe and surprise of seeing the unicorn and wondering what to make of the frozen creature. Then came the explanation from a slightly older child, perhaps 6 or 7 years old - that the unicorn is dead, due to the heat of the sun....
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Leandro Erlich: Swimming Pool @ P.S. 1 (Michelle)
P.S.1
Leandro Erlich: Swimming Pool, (2008)
“Erlich is known for installations that seem to defy the basic laws of physics, and befuddle the viewer with jarring environments that momentarily threaten a sense of balance or space” (P.S.1 Newspaper, Fall/Winter 2008).
Leandro Erlich’s Swimming Pool installation at P.S.1 transforms the Contemporary Art Center’s gallery space into a unique swimming hole… but don’t expect to get your feet wet! Tempting, as it may be to dip an extremity into the Swimming Pool, viewers won’t get anything as much as an inch in if they tried. Erlich’s pool is set into the gallery floor about twelve feet deep, but has an impenetrable glass surface overlaid with streams of water that mimic the rippling from a pool filtration system. The Swimming Pool is in fact not a real pool at all, but an uncanny reproduction. Viewers are confronted with this reality when they observe other gallery visitors at the bottom of the pool. Indirectly all viewers become active participants in Erlich’s work; disorienting each other’s perceptions and ideas of space and environment.
I was immediately drawn to Erlich’s piece when I saw the stained woodwork of a sauna-like structure and the reflection of blue from the pool’s lights. His ability to manipulate a space where viewers become apart of his work mesmerized me. Walking within the pool I had the inquisitiveness of a child, looking above, below and around me taking in the whole space. My overall reaction or sensation was of wonderment. I admired Erlich’s ability to transform a familiar environment into one that questioned reality and flirted with the concept of simulacra. Most importantly, I found that Erlich’s belief that “illusions transform the ordinary into the extraordinary” was a key component to why his work was intriguing. Erlich goes on to say, “They [illusions] act as a trigger for the viewer’s interaction. They are placed in the work not to deceive but to engage, to be discovered, and to be revealed. It is important to restore our capacity for surprise and to keep always in life a certain level of awareness. Reality itself is not made of one truth” (P.S.1 Newsletter p. 3). His other works such as Bâtiment or The Staircase also create experiences in which viewers are able to navigate throughout various spaces that appear to be familiar but contain warped plays on perspective and physics. The Staircase for example places the viewer looking straight ahead at a stairwell that seems to be spiraling downward. This manipulation of space and perspective achieves the same sense of feeling The Swimming Pool creates- by positioning the viewer in a seemingly surreal and unrealistic situation/environment. Bâtiment utilizes mirrors and fantastic viewer participation to create impossible situations upon building facades. This work also possesses the same awareness of space and provocation of contemplation. Erlich’s Swimming Pool showed me how tangible one can make his or her ideas. Art can assume many forms and be successfully carried out- Leandro Erlich’s Swimming Pool demonstrates this.
Friday, January 30, 2009
For future reference:
King Ortler and Little Siberia
Elizabeth Mackie
(Ryan Weber and Katharine Straut)
Kate's Exhibit Review
Visit to Seldon’s Hunter College Studio: Though I am not planning on furthering my education in art after graduating from TCNJ, the visit to Seldon’s studio was still very informative. For one thing, Seldon did not move straight from his BA to his MFA, but rather waited several years. That made me realize that I might change my mind eventually, and so I paid attention to all of his insights. Though his description of grad school was a little bleak, I appreciated his honesty. He made it clear that for some, it is essential, while others consider it a waste of time. The biggest surprise was that in his own work he was clearly continuing to explore, rather than honing in on one focus.
PS1: Robert Boyd’s piece, Conspiracy Theory,
a video collage set to pumping disco music, was at once disturbing and seductive. As passersby browsed through the adjacent galleries, the words, “I believe in you,” pumped faintly to a catchy beat, and drew them to the darkened room. They fumbled into the room and sank to the floor, mesmerized by the glowing video and overwhelmingly upbeat music. Boyd spliced snippets of video from every source imaginable, regardless of quality. The clips were sorted into two separate channels simultaneously shown on two walls that intersected in a corner. He included scenes from sci-fi B movies depicting aliens and reptilian beings peeling off their human masks, grainy shots of impassioned lecturers providing evidence for their conspiracy theories, interviews with matter-of-fact people describing how aliens had abducted them, and documentation of rallies, with crowds brandishing signs declaring that 9/11 was an inside job, or that AIDS is a government conspiracy. Yet Boyd’s work is not a mere collection of clips; it is more than the sum of the results of a YouTube search of the phrase conspiracy theories. The juxtaposition of these images with the disco music conjures up a teeming dance floor, a seemingly innocuous version of a mob.
I found myself becoming transfixed by the various theories. I have always been able to suspend my disbelief long enough to entertain them, and in turn, they would entertain me. But as I watched Robert Boyd’s piece, I was struck with the absolute conviction that these people possessed. Though I was not swept away by them, for a moment, they succeeded in planting a shadow of a doubt in my mind.
Because Robert Boyd gave an artist talk at TCNJ that included a screening of his other video series, Xanadu, I came to Conspiracy Theories already knowing his motivation. Though Xanadu was pretty much the same format (hodgepodge of video clips set to disco), its theme was apocalyptic imagery. I found the subject of conspiracy theories a better fit to the music choice, actually, and if I did not know which piece came first, I might be tempted to think that Xanadu was the second piece, the result of a formula Boyd had premiered in Conspiracy Theories and only resorted to in Xanadu for the sake of uniformity.
PS1: Robert Boyd’s piece, Conspiracy Theory,
a video collage set to pumping disco music, was at once disturbing and seductive. As passersby browsed through the adjacent galleries, the words, “I believe in you,” pumped faintly to a catchy beat, and drew them to the darkened room. They fumbled into the room and sank to the floor, mesmerized by the glowing video and overwhelmingly upbeat music. Boyd spliced snippets of video from every source imaginable, regardless of quality. The clips were sorted into two separate channels simultaneously shown on two walls that intersected in a corner. He included scenes from sci-fi B movies depicting aliens and reptilian beings peeling off their human masks, grainy shots of impassioned lecturers providing evidence for their conspiracy theories, interviews with matter-of-fact people describing how aliens had abducted them, and documentation of rallies, with crowds brandishing signs declaring that 9/11 was an inside job, or that AIDS is a government conspiracy. Yet Boyd’s work is not a mere collection of clips; it is more than the sum of the results of a YouTube search of the phrase conspiracy theories. The juxtaposition of these images with the disco music conjures up a teeming dance floor, a seemingly innocuous version of a mob.I found myself becoming transfixed by the various theories. I have always been able to suspend my disbelief long enough to entertain them, and in turn, they would entertain me. But as I watched Robert Boyd’s piece, I was struck with the absolute conviction that these people possessed. Though I was not swept away by them, for a moment, they succeeded in planting a shadow of a doubt in my mind.
Because Robert Boyd gave an artist talk at TCNJ that included a screening of his other video series, Xanadu, I came to Conspiracy Theories already knowing his motivation. Though Xanadu was pretty much the same format (hodgepodge of video clips set to disco), its theme was apocalyptic imagery. I found the subject of conspiracy theories a better fit to the music choice, actually, and if I did not know which piece came first, I might be tempted to think that Xanadu was the second piece, the result of a formula Boyd had premiered in Conspiracy Theories and only resorted to in Xanadu for the sake of uniformity.
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