Art exhibit curation

This project was fun to do. I often really enjoy interpreting art work. Everyone sees different things and I've always been intrigued by art interpretation conversation. I found it easy to develop a theme. I stumbled upon my theme because I had found the images almost one after another on artstor. Once I had all my images, the other sub themes shined through themselves. I liked the food still lives because it they are so simple looking yet all of the artist's choices have a purpose for each piece. Playing with the different artistic styles was interesting. I liked being able to tell a story with them. I found an exhibit to focus, but was also able to tell a story like one of the videos discussed.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10ofHoRfAVhsPUIDYAVHYYjXAlh0X0B3dN-YiQ6QbdL0/edit?usp=sharing

Curation videos

The first video I watched was on Lowbrow art. I was really interested in this video. The artwork was a lot of fun to see. Lowbrow was like an underground art for founded by the outcast of the fine arts. Women and naked figures may have been the subjects and that was frowned upon. Lowbrow was originally derogatory, but the lowbrow artists have come to own the term and have said that it is everything that encases the artwork it labels.

The culture show video helpful with the curation project. It brought up contrast of piece, a master piece or showcase art work, and it taught me to try to tell a story with the art works.

The Met video also helped with the curation project. It also emphasized some sort of focus within the exhibit. It discussed and intuitive flow as well. The curators made a leap and bought an art piece they knew nothing about but the exhibit was an amazing success and had supporting art works that told a store of the showcase piece.

The videos help me organize and construct my pieces. I had the pieces, but needed an arrangement to create a flow and the videos helped me find that.

I definitely feel the videos helped me in the curation project. I love learning about lowbrow art. I thought it was just pop art, learning about its history was fun and the art was enjoyable to look at.  

Gallery visit 2

The exhibition name is Somewhere Behind, Somewhere Ahead. The theme for the exhibit was the reflection of changes in our surroundings through the eyes of the new emerging generation. The goal of the exhibit was to get high schoolers involved in the museum side of the art world. It was done to open up the concept of art curation to a younger crowd of students. 

Ambient lighting was used. Many the pieces where inside of cases. These cases had their own lighting. It was all very soft and not over powering for the eyes. The walls were either white or a very pale baby blue. A lot of windows where used to create the boxes I described before. The window boxes are cool because it forces angles of viewing. The way some of the painting were displayed inside of them was very dynamic as well. The some paintings where on opposite walls looking at one another inside the window boxes. There was also a pedestal box for one of the piece. The curved wall that was painted blue had many pinned up images. The rainbow portrait fit very well with the curve of the wall. The movement through the exhibit was very smooth. It starts at one end and ends at another or vice versa. Viewers may stay stagnant for a while because many of the pieces are close together. 

The artworks were organized relatively close to one another. Some paintings faced one another so the viewers POV was limited to certain angles. The 3-D piece on the pedestal was displayed so you could walk all around it. There were 3 larger pieces on the curved wall. None of these where framed. However many of the paintings and mixed media art works in the window boxes were framed. The types of frames varied with each art work. Some of the frames helped develop the artwork more, other frames looked like the art work was framed just to frame it, not to compliment the work. All of the images reflected the same theme. All of them were done by college students. Many of the art works had human subjects, but not all. The sculptural pieces didn’t display any people. All of the art works were labeled. The each had a white text box with the name of the art work, the mediums used, their high school, the artist’s name, and occasionally a description. 

            I enjoyed this visit a lot. I took a friend that had never been and this exhibit was a new thing for the both of us. I was honestly my favorite. Being student’s art work, I was very impressed. I also connected with the theme a lot. The different displays were intriguing and made me want to look longer. It was a small space but used very well and the movement in the area flowed well. 

ANALYZED ART WORKS 

               

PICTURE EXPERIENCE

Mod 11 videos

          I chose to watch the video on cubism because I have heard of if but don’t know a lot about it. I picked the video on expressionism for the same reason. I feel I’ve learn a lot about analyzing artwork but haven’t dove very deep into the styles or time periods.               

         While watching the video on cubism, I came to realize it is composed of the playful arrangement of shapes and planes, it uses layers and angles, and many cubist artworks try to impersonate movement. One of the examples used in the video is one I’ve seen while visiting the Albright. Giacomo Balla is the artist. He captures the movement of the dog on a leash. The layers in the feet create the movement like concept. 

                  In the expressionism video, I noticed the strong emphasis of the female figure and the variations. It reminds me of the figure from what I think was in the Velázquez video. I was a very organically shaped woman, but many people were so mesmerized by it that it was replicated into a massive version, compared to the small finger size it originally was. I knew that expressionism was a means of emotional communication but it’s not only about the emotions of the piece. The emotion is communicated as a whole and through the separate aspects like color, form, shape, shade, and more. 

       The videos bring the artworks to life. I find that I learn more about a painting. Where as in the text, I have to analyze it to understand it. I appreciate taking the time to do it, but there are many artworks in each section. The added history from the videos is enriching as well.

      The videos are much more enjoyable. Yes, I have to sit through them, but I don’t have to read them. I’m a more visual person so I prefer this way of teaching/learning. 

Mask project

The first mask I chose for inspiration because its use of movement. I searched water masks and that was the only image that seemed to have what I wanted. The curl form looks like waves and the texture with the rain drops gives the mask more dimension and gives the viewer some room for interpretation.

The second mask came up when I searched for a tissue paper mask. I wanted the tissue paper to enhance the text in my piece and I though the texture on this mask was unique. I also liked its organic form. This mask is what lead me explore other mask forms. 

The third mask with the cluster of flowers influences the texture in my mask. I liked that not only was the mask something you could wear but it had a life of itself. 

I used texture on my mask and made it more 3D but adding the crinkled tissue paper. There is contrast between the tissue paper and the painted portion. I kept the colors all cool to unify the piece. 

I think my mask is cute. I’ve done masks before and would’ve explore more items to bring it to life if I permitted myself more time. I might of used actual dried flower rather than tissue paper. I liked the idea of exploring different masks forms. That part was very experimental for me. Most of the masks I’ve made before were full face. 

 

Buddhism and Hinduism

I’ve always been interested in Buddhism and Hinduism. I wanted to learn more about them which was why I choose these two videos.

For both videos, I felt that symbolism was a prominent concept. Both cultures had art work and architecture that showed symbolism. The spiritual leader came in many forms to avoid having the image of a “God.” In Hinduism, water is a symbolism for the flow of life. This is partly what inspired my mask in this module’s art project. Both beliefs systems influenced art and especially architecture. Many of the worship structures and symbolic sculptures were amazing works of art. I find that religion and spiritual groups place a lot of indirect emphasis on the art works that are used in their religion. The symbolism is as important as the concept itself. 

Again, the videos provide more interactive histories to the art provided in the book. The element of symbolism was more prominent and I saw it more when explained in the art works. I feel the videos are a better into the topics of the text than exploring the text first. I’d like to go back and look at the arts in the text and look for symbolism in them. 

I enjoy the videos much more than reading the text book. I just don’t comprehend as much. I think they add a lot of depth for me because they reach to a new way for me to learn. 

Non-dominant vs Dominant

I liked being able to use my hand as the subject of my drawing. Being able to turn my hands and maneuver them made it easier to put marks on the paper of what I saw. It helped me develop the image more and create the shadows. 

I used pencils because that was what I had access to at the time. If I had charcoal around I would’ve preferred that. I like how charcoal can be used to create shadows. 

It was very odd using my non-dominant hand. There was a lot of lack of control. I eventually had to do a sort of continuous line drawing. This was the only way I was able to control my lines. I used the lines that didn’t conform to the shape to shade. 

You can see the lack of control in the drawing I did with my left hand (on the bottom). However, there is a unique characteristic to the lack of control. I somewhat like the image using my non-dominant hand more due to the something extra the lack of control added. The hand almost seems like it’s in a static motion. 

I would like to do more drawing with my non-dominant hand. I think I’d enjoy the challenge but would also like to build up the control using my right hand.  

Dominant on top 

Non-Dominant on bottom 

 

Module 9 travel influencing the arts

Out of the videos I choose to watch Velazquez and Albrecht Durer. I had not heard of Velazquez and though it would be interesting to expand my knowledge and learn about a new artist. I picked Durer because I had lived in the area the described in the video. The time on these videos was nice as well. 

One thing I found in common was that both of these artists developed their art and world views through travel. They were both influenced by the religions they were surrounded by. Velazquez’s balance between the image and the deeper concept to his subjects. He was able to give his paintings life because of this. He used imperfection to humanize each of the subject and used mood to tell a story. Durer mixed myth with realism in his artworks. His travels inspired the animals he created in his images. They were symbols of his experiences. He also was the “first true” land scape artists. He uses colors and contrast to show the glow of light, and set moods for the landscapes. 

The videos are much more interesting that the text for me. They bring the artwork to life. They not only give an art history, but they bring the history of the artist to life. 

I like the videos and I do feel the bring more depth. They helped me learn a few new things and brought realizations of myself. They bring more understanding on how they used the elements and principles of art. The commentary is very helpful when it describes the artworks. 

Architecture

I decided to watch Architecture: The Science of Design & Frank Gehry: Architecture as Art. 
In the Architecture: The Science of Design, it was apparent that the process of building and the materials consisted of the smallest steps and details. I personally wouldn't of called the video The Science of Design, but the science of architecture, because it related much more to the process than the design aspect. In the video, it show where the products came from and the ingredients. One change in the mix of the material could change many characteristics of the cement. When considering the form and design of the structures, wind velocity, technology and the base support are three of the many things architects have to think about when planning a building. There was also note of the difference between practical material vs. decorative material. The use of these needs to be planned accordingly as well. 

The second video, Frank Gehry: Architecture as Art was interesting to watch. I don't feel like I paid attention to the information about Frank Gehry as much as I did about the discussion of the exploration of his creative process and again the technical and material process of architecture. His creative processes was developed through his explorations and when he was able to explore architecture from a creative aspect, his idea became revolutionary. He used unconventional materials and broke boundaries. He used perspective, form, space, and light in new ways in his architecture projects. Technology has helped expand the possibilities in the world of art as well, especially in architecture. 

I feel that neither of these videos played into the text. The most recent text was more art history and the videos were clearly focused on architecture. Though they didn't relate much in my opinion, I see the expansion of the emphasis of the elements and principles of art and design. I feel the videos are relevant to the text in that way. 

I liked the videos. I wish there were more artistic architecture shown. Many of the structures shown looked very modern and city related. I did enjoy the discussion of Gehry's creative process. The videos also brought new concepts for me to consider in my own art making. The idea of practical vs. decorative material seems important when doing any art work. 

I choose the science of design video for time purposes and because I like that is seemed more general. It was geared toward architecture as a whole where as the other videos were geared towards innovators in the architecture world.
I then picked from the other 3 and went with the Gehry video. I like the architecture as art in the title and it made me think of the artist Hundertwasser and how he was an artist. He used his art to build his architecture. 

Sculpture, Glass, and Ceramic Video Review

While watching the videos, I identified a few key concepts or theme. Both videos applied the art medium to the world. It was explained how glass and ceramic are used for insulation. Glass is used in buildings for energy efficiency purposes. The process of all mediums also included how they affected the world. Quarries contribute to the production of the products for mixing plasters, and marble cutting. In addition to showing the way it connects to the rest of the world, it also showed the processes. They all seemed very long and need to be well panned to be well executed. It blew my mind that the marble sculptor mentioned he works on multiple projects to keep fresh ideas.

The videos showed the process and the incorporation of the elements and principles of art and design. Seeing how things are laid out and cut made the concepts in the text become their own step in the process of creating a piece of artwork. It also expanded the medium I've seen into something more life like with a story behind it.

I enjoyed the films. Some parts could become a bit dull, but I appreciated that the glass and ceramic video was about a half hour. It was fun to see the process and the bigger picture to the creation of glass, ceramic, and marble.

Peer Review

https://artinquiryfundamentals.blogspot.com/2019/02/principals-and-elements-of-design.html?showComment=1552238813666#c3384511722397964540

At first, I just viewed the slide show. I definitely had some questions as to which image was linked to which elements or principals. Once I reviewed the list, it made a lot more sense. I saw other  elements and principals. I made up my own labels prior to reading the blog. The Ferris wheel looked more like a line piece to me but I also saw the concept of shape in the Ferris wheel image. 

https://allyharrington22.blogspot.com/2019/02/module-three-photo-project.html?showComment=1552239325443#c1458294449241652290

Ally's project was very calming to view. The identification between which image represented what was a little difficult to match. The animation goes by very quickly and I wasn't able to figure out which element. I saw texture, contrast, color, pattern, movement, and form very clearly. Texture I saw in the doll figures fur, color in the rock among the forest floor, pattern in the black item that could also be used for texture. 

https://allyharrington22.blogspot.com/2019/03/module-5-project.html?showComment=1552235816643#c5420170232505120875

Ally and I had similar images but not the same. We both had question on pieces of art works that looked like they had bee chopped up and rearranged into a new image with the old fragments. Some one commented on my blog saying it gave them a Alice in Wonderland feel. I would have to agree. They cause us all confusion and made us want to understand more. It was as if the images where like a vortex of intriguing confusion pulling our mind in to make ourselves just ask more questions.

https://artinquiryfundamentals.blogspot.com/2019/03/gallery-visit-1.html?showComment=1552237386921#c1966256959921693834

Sandra and I didn't have any of the same images, but I do recall all the artworks she posted. I have seen the We The People exhibit many times. Many of them perplexed me, but I didn't take much interest in them except for a few. The massive German artwork of the flowers reminds me of the Pollock painting that made an impact on me. The size of Kiefer's artwork made an impact to, but in a calming way compared to Pollock's intensity.

 I really liked the untiled #901. It reeled me in with its bright and intense colors. I liked how Sandra talked about how its not normally something she was drawn to, but its simplicity and cleanness drew her in. I'd have to say the same. I like all sorts of art, modern isn't normally what I would pick first, but it is very  hypnotic and calming.  

Ally's connection with the bust peaked my interest as well. Her comment about feeling connect because our extremely old ancestor made this artwork. Art is a means of connections cross time and culture and I think this piece drives that concept home.  

I enjoyed reading each others blogs. It give us insight on people we only know digitally. By peer reviewing we are learning about them in a creative and artistic manner. We get to learn about each other aesthetic and culture ourselves about other opinions. It has given me new points of view that I didn't see prior to reviewing the blogs.

I don't know if I found the comments on my blog helpful, but it was cool to hear how some people agree or had a different concept. I did like the feedback that I needed to elaborate more. I think I needed to better communicate what I saw with the viewers of my slide show (project 1).

 

Repsonse to Gallery Artwork

L matin en Provence 

 Paul Cézanne 

Oil on Canvas

 40 3/8 X 33 3/8 inches

           1900-1906

           This image had a very calming impression on me. I feel as if I'm able to look at it and develop a scene that is most appealing to me. The image looks as if it could be a city, a storm coming through trees, or a the view from sitting on a park bench.

 Convergence
          Jackson Pollock
          Oil on Canvas
          95 1/4 X 157 1/8 inches
          1952

          This piece is very bold. Its randomization and size gives it power. The size alone is what makes an impression on me. It stand out very boldly. The contrasts of black and white with the mix of colors creates illusions. I feel like there's almost letters written out that need to be decoded. I feel a lot of emotion and release in this piece. The splatters of paint needed high energy to be put on the canvas and that is the impression I receive from this artwork, high energy.

  Soleil, tour, aéroplane

Robert Delaunay 

Oil on Canvas 

52 X51 5/8 inches 

1913

                                                                                                   

I felt a strong connection this piece of artwork because it reminded me of the music festival I like to go to. There's a cluster of people in a field on the left hand side, and the stage structure is on the right hand side. The bright colors had me captivated in the scene and it feels very free loving and happy. That's the feelings I connect to my music festivals. I has a synesthetic experience while view this piece. 

Translumina II
Richard Joseph Anuszkiewicz
Acrylic on wood construction
85 X 85 inches
1986

       This artwork was very bold and striking, similar to the Jackson Pollock piece I discussed. The color contrast giving the mind the illusion of depth. I felt a connection with this piece in reference to direction. The piece moves clockwise with the overlapping pieces of wood. I feel that choosing a life direction can be like this continuous rotation motion that puts us through illusions of feeling like we know. People a consistent, like the red in the artwork, but we change like the other colors that give the illusions of depth. I feel that my thoughts aren't very clear, but the basis of my though it there is complexity in simplicity, and the artwork portrays this.



Beta 
Lynda Benglis
aluminum screen, bunting cloth,
plaster, paint, gold enamel,
acrylic, and sparkles
42 X 42 X 10 inches
1972

I really like this piece a lot. I led me to objectively think about the artwork and I used questions from AED 100 to analyze it. Why these materials, why this form, and why use the pastel colored sparkles? Though it was pleasing to look at it, I don't think that is the message behind it. I get more of a high anxiety, like stomach knots, feeling from the artwork. It's the conflict of what the sculpture is trying to portray that leads me to want to know more.



Danseuse au café
Jean Metzinger
Oil on Canvas 
57 1/4 X 45 inches 
1912

This image was intriguing to look at. It sparks confusion and disorientation. It looks like a puzzle. A s I viewed it longer, I couldn't help but realize the center didn't seem to  follow the swirl disorientation. Was it like a vortex? I want to  understand the relevance of the confusion being provoked by the image and why its is structured that way.