Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Walker Art Center


The best example I found of a piece with strong FORMAL qualities was Christopher Wool's Drunk II. The reason for this is because of the solid line throughout the lettering, and the large bold shapes the letters become. Looking up close the letters don't even look like letters. They become shapes. Looking far away they become letters than spell out DRNK, rather than DRUNK. Wool has captured the feeling of being 'drunk' from far away and from up close. Up close, you get a overwhelmed feeling, as you're much smaller than the oversized letters on the gigantic canvas. From far away you're confused, because the letter U is missing. This is a good example of both strong formal qualities and formal aspects that I really like and wish to get into my own work. Check and a win for Mr. Wool.

Christopher Wool
Drunk II
http://media.walkerart.org/2692480.jpg




There was a piece that startled me to say the least. It was a peculiar find at first, and then it became downright disturbing the more I looked at it. While it was particularly offensive in some parts, it was completely intriguing and the vileness of it kept my interest nearly the whole time I waProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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at the Walker. It was a piece by Ann Agee, a collection of small white clay figurines. From a distance, they look similar to ballerinas or dancers or posers. But from close up you see the small details that make them more gruesome than they look from far away. Some of the figurines are of mothers and their children, though the children are posed as though they are molesting their mothers, cupping their hands around her breasts. Another figurine is of a woman hanging out of a tree and a man below her with his arms and hand underneath her, waiting to catch something. If you move your angle so the figurine is at eye level, you'll see that the woman is giving birth, a baby hanging upside down from her rear end and the man is going to catch it. There were other unmentionable acts going throughout these figurines such as two women burning bras and other undergarments and a few figurines together and making weird hand gestures. The VERY weird part about these clay sculptures is that each and every one of them wore a fantastically happy grin across their faces. Talk about creepy. This piece's content is it's strongest quality. I want this kind of content in my work. Not the creepy kind, but more so the kind of impact it has on the viewer. Make sense?

Ann Agee
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3201639182_70b223dc21.jpg

This piece called "Untitled' by Kazuo Shiraga was a mass of thick layers of paint in red, navy blue, and pink colors. This painting has both formal and content qualities that I would like to incorporate into my own designs. To me, it looks like a mass of lines, like an explosion of color and light and shadow. Learning the history behind it, that the creator was trying to emphasize a message behind an Asian war... well I began to see it. Now that I know the history, I kind of understand why the artist used such bold, livid colors and why it's in a maelstrom of pattern and lines. It's a good concept for formal qualities and content.

Image taken from: http://cva-oad-sectb-allan09.blogspot.com/2009/10/images-of-work-we-saw-at-walker-from.html
"Untitled" by Kazuo Shiraga

The fourth piece of art that lacks both formal and content qualities is this one, "Suaire de Mondo Cane" by Yves Klein.

To be honest, I didn't get this one at all. Our guide didn't talk to us about it, so I didn't get to hear about the history behind it or get the message explained to me. It was difficult to understand what the message was, and to be honest, I still haven't got it. It kind of made me angry that I didn't get it. This one was a fail for me.






Image taken from: http://cva-oad-sectb-allan09.blogspot.com/2009/10/images-of-work-we-saw-at-walker-from.html

"Suaire de Mondo Cane" by Yves Klein






The last piece that really caught my eyes... wasn't one we were introduced to, but it had by far the most lasting impression on me. I really wanted to talk about this one, but it just wasn't flying with my tour guide. I completely ignored her while she droned on about a slash in the middle of a canvas and stared at this other piece for a while. This piece that had me so infatuated was a blank white canvas with nothing on it. The only intriguing aspect about it was that the canvas had been stretched wrong. Instead of completely flat, it was wrinkled and bunched up in places, overlapping in others. It made me think, what would Van Gogh's Starry Night look like if it were on a screwed up canvas like this? It made me itch throughout the rest of the tour to go home and try it. Try my own hand at painting on a canvas that was screwed up like this piece.

( I haven't got a photo of the piece and I couldn't find one, but I think you get the idea of what it looked like.)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Walker Art Center

%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStNcbN_oGzI%2FAAAAAAAAAB4%2FxUQLoyM-oag%2Fs1600-h%2F2692480.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0pt+10px+10px+0pt%3B+float%3A+left%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B+width%3A+218px%3B+height%3A+320px%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStNcbN_oGzI%2FAAAAAAAAAB4%2FxUQLoyM-oag%2Fs320%2F2692480.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391754801575369522%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%0D%0AThe+best+example+I+found+of+a+piece+with+strong+FORMAL+qualities+was+Christopher+Wool%27s+%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-style%3A+italic%3B%22%3EDrunk+II%3C%2Fspan%3E.+The+reason+for+this+is+because+of+the+solid+line+throughout+the+lettering%2C+and+the+large+bold+shapes+the+letters+become.+Looking+up+close+the+letters+don%27t+even+look+like+letters.+They+become+shapes.+Looking+far+away+they+become+letters+than+spell+out+DRNK%2C+rather+than+DRUNK.+Wool+has+captured+the+feeling+of+being+%27drunk%27+from+far+away+and+from+up+close.+Up+close%2C+you+get+a+overwhelmed+feeling%2C+as+you%27re+much+smaller+than+the+oversized+letters+on+the+gigantic+canvas.+From+far+away+you%27re+confused%2C+because+the+letter+U+is+missing.+This+is+a+good+example+of+both+strong+formal+qualities+and+formal+aspects+that+I+really+like+and+wish+to+get+into+my+own+work.+Check+and+a+win+for+Mr.+Wool.%0D%0A%0D%0AChristopher+Wool%0D%0ADrunk+II%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fmedia.walkerart.org%2F2692480.jpg%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AThere+was+a+piece+that+startled+me+to+say+the+least.+It+was+a+peculiar+find+at+first%2C+and+then+it+became+downright+disturbing+the+more+I+looked+at+it.+While+it+was+particularly+offensive+in+some+parts%2C+it+was+completely+intriguing+and+the+vileness+of+it+kept+m%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStNeHjKViZI%2FAAAAAAAAACA%2FLseXKKGSzJ0%2Fs1600-h%2F3201639182_70b223dc21.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0pt+10px+10px+0pt%3B+float%3A+left%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B+width%3A+320px%3B+height%3A+240px%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStNeHjKViZI%2FAAAAAAAAACA%2FLseXKKGSzJ0%2Fs320%2F3201639182_70b223dc21.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391756662683306386%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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%3Ey+interest+nearly+the+whole+time+I+was+at+the+Walker.+It+was+a+piece+by+Ann+Agee%2C+a+collection+of+small+white+clay+figurines.+From+a+distance%2C+they+look+similar+to+ballerinas+or+dancers+or+posers.+But+from+close+up+you+see+the+small+details+that+make+them+more+gruesome+than+they+look+from+far+away.+Some+of+the+figurines+are+of+mothers+and+their+children%2C+though+the+children+are+posed+as+though+they+are+molesting+their+mothers%2C+cupping+their+hands+around+her+breasts.+Another+figurine+is+of+a+woman+hanging+out+of+a+tree+and+a+man+below+her+with+his+arms+and+hand+underneath+her%2C+waiting+to+catch+something.+If+you+move+your+angle+so+the+figurine+is+at+eye+level%2C+you%27ll+see+that+the+woman+is+giving+birth%2C+a+baby+hanging+upside+down+from+her+rear+end+and+the+man+is+going+to+catch+it.+There+were+other+unmentionable+acts+going+throughout+these+figurines+such+as+two+women+burning+bras+and+other+undergarments+and+a+few+figurines+together+and+making+weird+hand+gestures.+The+VERY+weird+part+about+these+clay+sculptures+is+that+each+and+every+one+of+them+wore+a+fantastically+happy+grin+across+their+faces.+Talk+about+creepy.+This+piece%27s+content+is+it%27s+strongest+quality.+I+want+this+kind+of+content+in+my+work.+Not+the+creepy+kind%2C+but+more+so+the+kind+of+impact+it+has+on+the+viewer.+Make+sense%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AAnn+Agee%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3513%2F3201639182_70b223dc21.jpg%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStSPqk4bw4I%2FAAAAAAAAACI%2FCaccQGpJI_U%2Fs1600-h%2Fwac_1729g.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0pt+10px+10px+0pt%3B+float%3A+left%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B+width%3A+320px%3B+height%3A+213px%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStSPqk4bw4I%2FAAAAAAAAACI%2FCaccQGpJI_U%2Fs320%2Fwac_1729g.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392092615486980994%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3EThis+piece+called+%22Untitled%27+by+Kazuo+Shiraga+was+a+mass+of+thick+layers+of+paint+in+red%2C+navy+blue%2C+and+pink+colors.+This+painting+has+both+formal+and+content+qualities+that+I+would+like+to+incorporate+into+my+own+designs.+To+me%2C+it+looks+like+a+mass+of+lines%2C+like+an+explosion+of+color+and+light+and+shadow.+Learning+the+history+behind+it%2C+that+the+creator+was+trying+to+emphasize+a+message+behind+an+Asian+war...+well+I+began+to+see+it.+Now+that+I+know+the+history%2C+I+kind+of+understand+why+the+artist+used+such+bold%2C+livid+colors+and+why+it%27s+in+a+maelstrom+of+pattern+and+lines.+It%27s+a+good+concept+for+formal+qualities+and+content.%0D%0A%0D%0AImage+taken+from%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fcva-oad-sectb-allan09.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fimages-of-work-we-saw-at-walker-from.html%0D%0A%22Untitled%22+by+Kazuo+Shiraga%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStSRA84SGJI%2FAAAAAAAAACQ%2FwLkOekVJ_XQ%2Fs1600-h%2Fwac_6713g.jpg%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22margin%3A+0pt+10px+10px+0pt%3B+float%3A+left%3B+cursor%3A+pointer%3B+width%3A+320px%3B+height%3A+289px%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Zi2uGxFpKaE%2FStSRA84SGJI%2FAAAAAAAAACQ%2FwLkOekVJ_XQ%2Fs320%2Fwac_6713g.jpg%22+alt%3D%22%22+id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392094099397548178%22+border%3D%220%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3EThe+fourth+piece+of+art+that+lacks+both+formal+and+content+qualities+is+this+one%2C++%22Suaire+de+Mondo+Cane%22+by+Yves+Klein.%0D%0A%0D%0ATo+be+honest%2C+I+didn%27t+get+this+one+at+all.+Our+guide+didn%27t+talk+to+us+about+it%2C+so+I+didn%27t+get+to+hear+about+the+history+behind+it+or+get+the+message+explained+to+me.+It+was+difficult+to+understand+what+the+message+was%2C+and+to+be+honest%2C+I+still+haven%27t+got+it.+It+kind+of+made+me+angry+that+I+didn%27t+get+it.+This+one+was+a+fail+for+me.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AImage+taken+from%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fcva-oad-sectb-allan09.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fimages-of-work-we-saw-at-walker-from.html%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Suaire+de+Mondo+Cane%22+by+Yves+Klein%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+last+piece+that+really+caught+my+eyes...+wasn%27t+one+we+were+introduced+to%2C+but+it+had+by+far+the+most+lasting+impression+on+me.+I+really+wanted+to+talk+about+this+one%2C+but+it+just+wasn%27t+flying+with+my+tour+guide.+I+completely+ignored+her+while+she+droned+on+about+a+slash+in+the+middle+of+a+canvas+and+stared+at+this+other+piece+for+a+while.+This+piece+that+had+me+so+infatuated+was+a+blank+white+canvas+with+nothing+on+it.+The+only+intriguing+aspect+about+it+was+that+the+canvas+had+been+stretched+wrong.+Instead+of+completely+flat%2C+it+was+wrinkled+and+bunched+up+in+places%2C+overlapping+in+others.+It+made+me+think%2C+what+would+Van+Gogh%27s+%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-style%3A+italic%3B%22%3EStarry+Night%3C%2Fspan%3E+look+like+if+it+were+on+a+screwed+up+canvas+like+this%3F+It+made+me+itch+throughout+the+rest+of+the+tour+to+go+home+and+try+it.+Try+my+own+hand+at+painting+on+a+canvas+that+was+screwed+up+like+this+piece.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28+I+haven%27t+got+a+photo+of+the+piece+and+I+couldn%27t+find+one%2C+but+I+think+you+get+the+idea+of+what+it+looked+like.%29

Monday, October 5, 2009

Art = Work

I chose this piece really because it displays a new outlook on the world of art as we know it. It's conceptual (something I'm trying very hard to come to understand), and it's message is clearly displayed. (YES! Something you don't have to stare at for six hours to comprehend!)

Art equals work in most societies. Actually, in all societies. Art is something that the creators continually enjoy creating and viewing. It's not something we view as work. That's why this piece (a CD cover for a band called "The Used") is so striking. We as creators of art don't view art as something that we need to work at, or even consider art. For the most part, it comes easy to us, and we're all talented individuals... people that don't really need skill or work to get our creations to that perfection we all crave.

Then it takes a twist, and you notice that the syringe containing ART is being injected into the arm that contains WORK. Is ART neutralizing WORK? Is it accompanying it? Are we going to see a WWF smackdown between ART and WORK? The image almost makes you want to turn it into a movie, just to see what's going to happen next. It's a cliffhanger.

This cd cover has long been one of my favorites, as it happens to belong to a band that I particularly like. It strikes me as an intriguing image, that while the longer you look at it, the more details and thoughts invade your mind.


The Used
CD Cover
http://www.ukundercurrent.com/img/mdb/usedartwork410.jpg

Monday, September 28, 2009

Hollywood Boulevard Gave Me What I Deserved

(* There was no image of this piece on the Midway website)

Upon entering the Midway on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, I was surprised. Well, surprised is the best word I can apply to this gallery. I was beyond confused, upset, and completely irritated with myself. As I looked around at the artwork displayed before me, I found I couldn't wrap my head around the concept of what I was seeing. I asked myself, "How can this be considered art?" "What on earth was the creator thinking?" If I was surprised at just that first room, imagine how the second and third rooms made my head feel. I saw giant blue rectangles and flat cardboard sculptures... I saw completely maelstroms of colors and shapes with no defined shape or meaning to them. How could I possibly make sense of it? And then I saw it.

It was a basic white sheet of paper with scribbling on it. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the scribbling was actual words. Written in graphite in a childish handwriting was "You got what you deserved," and underneath that was, "On Hollywood Boulevard" in something similar to an elegant cursive handwriting. While I still didn't consider this to be art, it really clicked inside my head. As I looked at this piece, I found I could relate to it. I'm a simple person. I don't bother people, and I don't like being bothered by people. I've been told I can be harsh when I need to be, and that I can be brutally honest when I want to. This is what radiated off the paper in front of me that day at the Midway. A brutally honest and harshness, that created a disturbing picture in my mind. The crudity of the writing and the uneven lines and letters helped add to the effect. When I finally found out the history behind this piece, it blew my mind away. The creator simply walked out on Hollywood Boulevard and picked up scraps of paper with writing on them. I was awed to say the least.

I am no conceptual art lover by any means. Sure, these pieces of art that are impressed upon me are called art, and are certainly interesting to look at, but for the life of me, most of the time I can't wrap my head around why it's considered art. I'm simply a girl who views art as being able to re-create an image or object in a new form other than the ones we see through our retinas. The Midway was an entirely new experience to me, and completely confusing at the same time. For me to be awed by something I don't entirely understand altogether is something amazing. This piece really got me.

Monday, September 21, 2009

MIA Exhibition

As curator for the new museum, I, Samantha Basques, am putting a new spin on things and the meanings of the work. Selfishly, I am warping the true meanings of the artists' work, and I am putting music to each piece of artwork. For just a taste, I'll give you the first few rooms of the museum, each piece of work associated with the top songs on my music playlist.

The first piece of work is by an unknown artist done in oil on stretched canvas. The depiction in the painting is that of a young woman's body, clothed in a blue frock and white lace garments accentuating her dress. The face of the figure however, is strikingly male. Due to this oddity, this painting wins the song title, "Dude Looks Like a Lady," by Aerosmith.









The second piece of art you'll see coming through my museum is the small, 10x15 inch carved depiction of Christ's last three days on Earth. While it's a moving piece, with the incredibly amazing detail included, this piece of artwork earns the song "Lord, Have Mercy on Me" by Outrageous Cherry.


Coming to the third piece of artwork, your eyes will land on the simplicity of the red and blue graphically designed poster. The beautifully crafted inspires a memory of happier times in the viewer, and will create a wishful feeling with "No Rain," by Blind Melon.

The fourth piece of art work you'll happen across is the oil painting on canvas "Through Birds, Through Fire, But Not Through Glass," by Yves Tangry. In a surreal set-up, Tangry displays a crazy set of objects, seemingly randomly placed, but as the viewer continues to study the painting, he or she will see the cleverly placed objects form a picture. Can you see it? The strange and surreal aspects of this painting land it in at "Nine in the Afternoon," by Panic at the Disco.

The fifth piece of artwork is that of a extremely vuluptuous female figure. Not only is she naked, but she is in a rather, suggestive pose. This piece earns the song title "Curse of Curves," by Cute is What We Aim For.


The sixth and last work of art is a large scale digital print titled "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters." by an unknown artist. This print depicts a man sleeping, or burying his head into his desk while a swarm of hauntingly frightening birds flying around him, creating pity for the man as he is obviouly preturbed and upset by these creatures. This print deserves the song of "Monsters" by Matchbook Romance.




Note: If you haven't heard any of the songs mentioned, you should probably listen to them or clips of them.. all are located on youtube. If you don't listen to them, you probably won't understand the similarities to the work and the song.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Sept 15th Assignment "I Love New York"


Created by Milton Glaser, the "I Love New York" symbol has become a renown and iconic symbol of our generation. Not only has it originated and created a wide band of merchandise, it's become the beginning of a new era. Following the "New York" image, comes a long line of successors and look-alike images.

One wonders why the "I Love New York" symbol is so iconic in the first place. Is it the simplicity of the symbol itself, and in being so simple embeds itself in the minds of anyone who sees it? It's a symbol that sticks with you once you see it, and continually recognize throughout the rest of your life. The symbol has grown to worldwide infamy and status. It's no longer available just to New Yorkers, but everywhere around the nation, and from there, the world.