Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

 POST-MODERNISM

This week's ALVC tutorial covers Post-Modernism. Use the ALVC texts and definitions from the internet to define the term and answer the following questions;

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)

3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.

Use this summary to answer the next two questions.

4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)

'Flower Riot', Banksy

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

Answers:

1)10 main points to define post-modernism
   - reflexive, that he/she is self-aware
   - relativism, the idea that anything goes
   - socail consructivism
   - equity
   - pluralism, that all voices have the right to speak
   - irony
   - no grand narritive
   - rejection of the views of modernism
   - constructive
   -deconstructive

2) the modernism artist as witcombe(2000)  says is "reflexive" in that he/she is self aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive manner,"damasking" pretensions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-consciousness.(pg 24)

3)post-modernism was a movement in witch began because off the disagreement of the old way being modernism. it quickly put the problems that the world was facing to rest. the movement of the new age as some call it in with supports individual freedom and plurality.

4)  Ai Weiwei's "Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo" 

WEEK 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

WEEK 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'. 

Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg's intricately constructed claymation films are both terrifyingly disturbing and artlessly sweet.

The new works created for the Venice Biennale explore a surrealistic Garden of Eden in which all that is natural goes awry.

She exposes the innate fear of what is not understood and confronts viewers with the complexity of emotions.

Nathalie Djurberg was awarded the silver lion for a promising young artist at the Venice
Art Biennale 09.

(http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg)

'Experiment' (2009) Venice Biennale

 

Research Djurberg's work in order to answer the following questions;

1. What do you understand by the word 'claymation'?

2. What is meant by the term 'surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?

3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?

4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?

5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?

7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work.

Answers:

1) clay mation is a film techneqiue that uses clay or a moldible substance to create a moving image by shooting a still shot then molding the media slightly and then taking another still shot and repeated like so to create a moving image.

2) the term "surrealistic garden of eden" means Djurberg's intentions were to make the works dreamlike and with a unconscious state or feel. "all that is natural goes awry' means all that seems natural in the works will seem to stray away from the appropriate or expected coarse.

3) Djurberg work first give's the impression of a ascetically beautiful surrealistic setting. but they work strays away from this feel quickly and confronts the viewer with terrifying and disturbing visual components.

4) the work has a very child'sh look to it. and looks as if she has gotten inspiration from fairy tales and nursery rhymes. the innocence comes with this feel and look of the work. 

5) I believe this fascination of turning innocence into something disturbing or terrifying has come about by designers / artists dedication to push the limits of human emotions though there imagery and works. to create a raw emotion for the viewer in witch gives the work a wow factor. This idea of creating raw emotions though imagery seems subjective, yet this still leaves the viewer asking question to why it is the way it is? 

6) Nathalie Djurberg's is able to create a beautiful emotionally constructed works in with gives her international recognition, people all around the world can feel the same way about the works she creates. there is no way a human can misconstrue the art via cultural differences this is why i believe she was chosen for the Venice Biennale.

7)the works she creates have an Eminence intriguing factor for me. i love the way she can turn something seemingly understandable and turn it into mayhem. 

Pipilotti Rist's video art- how can we link this to science and reason? Still from 'Ever is Over All' (1997) 1. Define the 17th century 'Scientific Revolution', and say how it changed European thought and world view. the scientific revolution was created by a series of changes in the structure of European thought. changes such like systematic doubt, empirical and sensory verification, the abstraction of human knowledge into separate sciences and the view that the world acting like a machine. these views of thinking started up in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and was one of the most influential to the popular mind. this was a technological change that still influences the modern mind. 2. Give examples of how we can we still see evidence of the 'Scientific Revolution' in the world today. an example of these influential ways of thinking in the modern day would have to be the widely changing view of physics. it has always been a question to great minded scientist to continue Albert einstein theory of everything or a complete guide to the workings of the natural word. because of this we have crated particle collider able to detect the smallest types of matter like courts. this is a typical human trait influenced by the scientific revolution of systematic doubt and verification though senses. 3. From your research, do you think that the contemporary art world values art work that uses new media/technology over traditional media? i think with the progression speed of technologies enhancing and changing so radically, that the art world has realized that traditional media is just limiting artiest from new media. the art world is now understanding that a piece of art can be anything. the use of film and progection show how the art word has evolved with the progression of these new technologies. 4. How has Pipilotti Rist used new media/technology to enhance the audience's experience of her work. in the work 'Ever is Over All' (1997) there are two images/films overlapping one another this technique is used to show the relation or create a relation to the two images, this is mainly traditionally used in montages of documenties or films. to use this effect in her work is to enhance the related theme to the viewer. thus creating two images that don't have any relevance to one another meaning together. 5. Comment on how the installation, sound and scale of 'Ever is Over All' (1997) could impact on the audience's experience of the work. having the film installed to be viewed from the corner of two walls breaks apart the two images to show that they are separate from one another. this gives the idea to the viewer that there is two separate images being seen at the same time. but the overlapping of the two images confuses or sets across a deferring view of these two images are in fact related. the music that goes along side with the film sets off relaxed or seemingly out off body experience giving the effect to the viewer that this is no longer a film or piece of artwork but in retrospect a experience to be shared. in one point the music stops to make way for the sound of the window of the car smashing whilst the woman takes a swing at it with her flower. this gives the effect to the viewer that this is happening and shouldn't question the work for what it is. 6. Comment on the notion of 'reason' within the content of the video. Is the woman's behaviour reasonable or unreasonable? i bellive there is no notion of reason at all to this work, making it abstract (it is what it is). the woman's behavior is shown to be normal or approved by. this is showing by the police officer walking past with a friendly smile of approval, this introduces comic tension to the film. so if you were to say if the woman's behavior is right or not one would have to consider its not real, as if its an alienated world she is in to relation to our own. 7. Comment on your 'reading' (understanding) of the work by discussion the aesthetic (look), experience and the ideologies (ideas, theories) of the work. this work makes me wonder i don't know what about but for some reason the effect that is portraits to me is a sense of two combining forces of nature acting together to create something unnatural. making it seem abstract or unexplained. http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=81191 http://www.luhringaugustine.com/artists/pipilotti-rist/ http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/ever-is-over-all/ http://artintelligence.net/review/?p=443 hooker, r. (1996). the scientific revolution. retrieved 21 February, 2006 from: http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee?ENLIGHT/SCIREV .HTM

Pipilotti Rist's video art- how can we link this to science and reason?

 

Still from 'Ever is Over All' (1997)

 

1. Define the 17th century 'Scientific Revolution', and say how it changed European thought and world view. 

the scientific revolution was created by a series of changes in the structure of European thought. changes such like systematic doubt, empirical and sensory verification, the abstraction of human knowledge into separate sciences and the view that the world acting like a machine. these views of thinking started up in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and was one of the most influential to the popular mind. this was a technological change that still influences the modern mind.

2. Give examples of how we can we still see evidence of the 'Scientific Revolution' in the world today.

an example of these influential ways of thinking in the modern day would have to be the widely changing view of physics. it has always been a question to great minded scientist to continue Albert einstein theory of everything or a complete guide to the workings of the natural word. because of this we have crated particle collider able to detect the smallest types of matter like courts. this is a typical human trait influenced by the scientific revolution of systematic doubt and verification though senses.

3. From your research, do you think that the contemporary art world values art work

that uses new media/technology over traditional media?

i think with the progression speed of technologies enhancing and changing so radically, that the art world has realized that traditional media is just limiting artiest from new media. the art world is now understanding that a piece of art can be anything. the use of film and progection show how the art word has evolved with the progression of these new technologies.

4. How has Pipilotti Rist used new media/technology to enhance the audience's experience of her work.

in the work 'Ever is Over All' (1997) there are two images/films overlapping one another this technique is used to show the relation or create a relation to the two images, this is mainly traditionally used in montages of documenties or films. to use this effect in her work is to enhance the related theme to the viewer. thus creating two images that don't have any relevance to one another meaning together.

5. Comment on how the installation, sound and scale of 'Ever is Over All' (1997) could impact on the audience's experience of the work.

having the film installed to be viewed from the corner of two walls breaks apart the two images to show that they are separate from one another. this gives the idea to the viewer that there is two separate images being seen at the same time. but the overlapping of the two images confuses or sets across a deferring view of these two images are in fact related. the music that goes along side with the film sets off  relaxed or seemingly out off body experience giving the effect to the viewer that this is no longer a film or piece of artwork but in retrospect a experience to be shared. in one point the music stops to make way for the sound of the window of the car smashing whilst the woman takes a swing at it with her flower. this gives the effect to the viewer that this is happening and shouldn't question the work for what it is.

6. Comment on the notion of 'reason' within the content of the video. Is the woman's behaviour reasonable or unreasonable?

i bellive there is no notion of reason at all to this work, making it abstract (it is what it is). the woman's behavior is shown to be normal or approved by. this is showing by the police officer walking past with a friendly smile of approval, this introduces comic tension to the film. so if you were to say if the woman's behavior is right or not one would have to consider its not real, as if its an alienated world she is in to relation to our own. 

7. Comment on your 'reading' (understanding) of the work by discussion the aesthetic (look), experience and the ideologies (ideas, theories) of the work.

this work makes me wonder i don't know what about but for some reason the effect that is portraits to me is a sense of two combining forces of nature acting together to create something unnatural. making it seem abstract or unexplained.

http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=81191

http://www.luhringaugustine.com/artists/pipilotti-rist/

http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/ever-is-over-all/

http://artintelligence.net/review/?p=443

hooker, r. (1996). the scientific revolution. retrieved 21 February, 2006 from: http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee?ENLIGHT/SCIREV .HTM

Week 6-Landscape and the Sublime

Week 6-Landscape and the Sublime

'Wanderer in the mists' (1818) Caspar David Friedrich

'Untitled #2" (2002) Richard Misrach

 'Untitled # 394-03' (2003) Richard Misrach

Richard Misrach's photography reflects the concept of the Sublime, from the Enlightenment.

Research Misrach's work by reading about his intentions, and also by looking at the work. Then answer the following questions;

1. Define the Enlightenment, including its context (time and place).

the age of the enligtenment came from euope and america in the 18th centery when the christian way was questioned by science. the enligtenmet is based on the thoght everything was to have a reason for perpose. this was a comleately radical way of thinkig in this age of religious veiws. 

this age of enligtenment was the start of the scientific era.

2. Define the concept of the Sublime.

the subline reffers to the sense of a curtain something is greater or overwhelming that enduces fear into the minds of the observer without having any physical aspect or endagering the observer.

3. Explain how the concept of the Sublime came out of Enlightenment thought.

the subline was a direct outcome of the enlightenment veiw. now that people were facinated by science and the bigger picture artest could not get any costermers wanting religious paintins in which before this radical veiw were the only thing they were painting. this was the birth of lanscape painting people were now wanting butifal painting of real places. from this came the veiw of a curtain place being so unexplanible or amazing (unseen) that the subline was born. 

4. Discuss the subject matter, and aesthetic (look) of Misrach's work to identify the Sublime in his work. Include some quotes from art critics and other writers who have written about his work. 

misrach works are mainly photos of enormous siminly endless landscapes or enormous rock stuctures. this sets of the impresion of the sublime because the lancsapes are so enless or enormous that it gives the impression of overpoering greatness. ultimalty inspiriring fear into the eye of the observer. one critic has abolished this veiw saying "But the strange thing about these photos is how little they call up Turneresque feelings of awe-inspiring sublimity."

5. Add 2 new images of his work to your blog.

6. Describe how does Misrach's photography makes you feel. How does it appeal to your imagination?


his works do have a overwhelming feel to them. as if what he is trying to capture is to great for me to understand. some works have a butifull bliss to them but others have a scary unseen feel to them.

7. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists.

james ward(1769-1859) was a sublime artest in the 18th centry. he painted huge dark and sometime scary murals. another sulime artest from the enlightenment age was Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797).  one contemperary sublime artest i now of is 

Ricky Allman he does works like this 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/profile/richard-misrach-on-the-beach,1147784/critic-review.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2008374684_henry11.html

http://www.thearttribune.com/Art-and-the-Sublime.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/claressinka-anderson/at-home-with-dystopia-sal_b_781325.html

hamilton,p. (19920. the enlightenment and birth of social science, in hall,s.& gieben b. (eds), formations of modernity. cambridge: open university press (p.23)

my 2nd post

Damien Hirst's work 'For the Love of God' and Mercantilism

For the Love of God(2007) Damien Hirst

Research Damien Hirst's work For the Love of God (2007) in order to answer the following questions;

1. Describe the work, giving details of the form and materials:

The Damian Hirst work For the love of god(2007) is a skull shaped with 32 platinum plates set with 8,601 VVS flawless diamonds weighing 1,106.18 carats. and human teeth in which belonged to the original skull. 

2. What does the work mean? What is Damien Hirst communicating in the work?

some people say that Damian Hirst didn't have a meaning behind this work, and then there are others that say its a peace in which acts as a  reminder of how life is always in transit, and that death is enebadable after time. the idea of making it out of expensive media was inspiration from Aztec drawing and Mexican attitudes and celebrations of death eg: decorating the dead. 

3. How does Hirst's diamond encrusted skull relate to Mercantilism and to conspicuous consumption?

This work in the sense that it is made of ridiculous rare and sort after materials gives it the feel as if it is a priceless or rare item. this in relation to mercantilism and conspicuous consumption makes this work done by a artest as art transform into a luxury good or priceless artifact. meaning everyone would love to own this item so the demand of an item such like this would grow to a extream obsession for some. i could say an item like this could create such a frenzy i could possibly relate it to the gold rush or the blood diamond wars. 

4. How much did the work cost, and how much was it sold for, and who bought it?

it is said that for the love of god is the costliest piece of work ever made. sayed to had cost  £14 million to produce this work rely does go above and beyond. the art work was sold for around 100 million pounds from a investment group who remain anonymous. 

5. What are some of the differing opinions of the journalists in the newspaper and blog articles?What did they think of the work?

this work was subjected to a massive amount of criticism with critics says it was to ridiculous, to excessive and extravagant. one journalist went far enough to sat that the work had become the crowned jewels of today. others though were amazed and intreaged by the work from these people came extreamly positive reviews with one writer saying" I can't remember another art work that so perfectly embodies the cynicism and ambivalence successful artists must feel towards those who promote and collect their work. Part of what interests me so much about this whole project is the fact that Hirst is the main person who will profit by its sale. Confusing, but fascinating."

6. Based on your research, what is your opinion of the work, as an object or a work of art:

this to me is an amazing work of art in witch has transformed into a priceless item or artifact. in my opinion no other art'st has been able to do such a thing, as create a sort after item wile still alive. all the priceless painting and statues around the world were made to that state though time a long time after the art'st had passed away. this to me is a amazing anomolly that Damian hirst was able to create. 

- http:/www.damienhirst.com/for_the_love_of_god


- sean o'hagen(sunday 21st may 2006). hirst's diamond creation is arts costliest work ever. the gardian
[ online addition ] retrived from http:/www.gardian.co.uk/uk/2006/may/21/arts artsnews.


- http:/www.artknowledgenews.com/damam_hirst_for_the_love_of_god .html


-http:/www.turismo.intoscana.it/allthingstuscany/tuscanyarts/damianhist-diamond-skull-pulazzo-vecchio/

...

Week 1- Mercantilism and Fiona Hall's work

Week 1- Mercantilism and Fiona Hall's work

'Tender' (2003-05) Fiona Hall

Fiona Hall's contemporary work reflects ideas that come from the Renaissance concept of Mercantilism.

Research the two examples; 'Tender'(2003-05) and 'Leaf Litter'(1999-2003) to explain how they relate to this concept.

1. First define mercantilism, using material from your ALVC handbook, and explain how it has developed since the Renaissance.
2. Identify the ideas or concepts in Hall's work that relate to Mercantilism? 
3. For each work describe the shape, form and materials used, and also explain the ideas behind each example.
4. In your opinion do the materials communicate the ideas of the work? Please explain your answer. 
5. Fiona Hall's recent project The Kermadecs focuses on issues around the Pacific ocean. Research this project to summarize the importance of the area and upload an image to your blog for discussion. 

 ' Leaf Litter' (1999-2003) Fiona Hall

These works were part of an art show titled 'Force Field' which can be viewed in one of the exhibition spaces on Youtube - Part Three: Fiona Hall: Force Field.

Answers:

1: according to Barnard, m. (1998) Mercantilism is the means to make money or wealth for your city or nations state by trading. a mercantilism system was based around the city, greed for accumulating national wealth and to increase its economic power. the most popular way of doing this in the early days of a mercantilism system was to export more goods then they were importing. this type of system for accumulating wealth was being used until the end of the high renascence when the new economic system of capitalism was introduced. this is because of people like Adam smith(1723-1790) were against the mercantilism system. they suggested that economic growth could only really happen if markets were free. (pg 51)

2: Fiona halls works around the environment, politics. she uses her works to relate to money and they way a culture can earn money though trade. mercantilism is all about trade and money, so Fiona hall exploits the political concepts though her works by using the fundamental out come of mercantilism as a medium for her work.

3: works like tender and leaf letter in which are made from banknotes. using these  bank notes to make bird nests is to show that the outcome of trade (that is the money) is not a complete structured tool if there are still people in the nation that is earning the money, that are poor and have no money and are still happy. this reconstruction from money to bird nests in which itself is something natural like happiness. 

4: in my opinion Fiona hall uses very though full mediums in her works.that relate to allot of political and economical tools, doing such with a humorous touch. this way off incorporating art with political problems is very new to me and took me as a surprise.

5: halls new works are based the kermadecs witch is the part of sea that is in between the north island of new zealand and Tonga. these works are to do with a vast range of problems that this area is facing eg: over fishing, whale hunting and oil/ pollution being dumped into the sea. the wild life is very much effected by all of these problems. a group of artists took a voyage around this area of sea including hall. and this is what she came up with. 

bibliography: 

-Barnard,m.(1998) art design and visual culture. London: MacMillan

-Gina fairley(spring 2008)seductive visual for the intellect. world sculpture news (pg 55)

-www.thekermadecs.org