Andy Warhol, Robert Hughes, & Contemporary Art, Nancy

As the semester winds down for this class, all the ideas and concepts of modern art come to my mind. Certain types of art are more prominent on my mind than others. I thought some of the concepts we learned in the class were very interesting such as how art museums have become more like "stores" because visitors often shop around at the art and pick out a favorite; where as upscale department stores have becomes more like museums because people tend to look at items for show and everything is neatly and properly placed. I never thought about it but this concept is very true and I hope for the field of art this idea becomes vice versa one day.
We did mention him briefly but one artist that is very well know whom I have posters of is Andy Warhol. Many art critics, like Robert Hughes, have criticized Andy Warhol. The reason why is still unclear to me but I guess it is rather an opinion. In terms of skill and originality Andy Warhol is not known for that. I think Andy Warhol is recognized more as show artist. His works can be found anywhere from art galleries, posters, to beach bags and t-shirts. I have several Andy Warhol posters in my room and I think they're beautiful for show and can really bring brightness, happiness, and colorfulness into a room or item. In terms of real skill, he may not have that and the fact that Andy Warhol is commercialized may be a reason why his works are not well like by art critics.
The "Mona Lisa Curse" clip is one topic that captured my attention greatly this semester. I can tell that Robert Hughes is a very knowledgeable and well respected art critic. As most people say, I think he makes some very good points about artwork. Especially in the commercialization and economic aspect of art where it is all about money rather than appreciating the work. However I do think Robert Hughes can very overly critical at times. The impression I got from the clip was that Robert Hughes wasn't open to much contemporary art, which is what might make him very critical.
At first I wasn't a fan of many contemporary artworks, and for the eye I still am not. Yet, after taking this course and seeing how I view things I have all respect for contemporary art. Just because something may be unusual looking doesn't mean that it isn't "good art." I'll agree that some contemporary art can be extreme but for the most part it should have its respect. Art today seems to be drastically different from art back in historic times. Artists in historic times tend to use paint, make pottery, sculpture, architecture, etc. Today you find artists using just about anything from plastic to preserved animals. I think this is most likely due to the drastic change we have in technology today and we have access to more types of resources. Other art critics may not think this but to me contemporary art is a sign of change. In this century change is constant happening from science, technology, and ways of thinking. I feel Robert Hughes may have his mindset in more traditional artwork such as painting and drawing. As a person for change, I believe much contemporary artwork, regardless if I find it an eye-sore or "weird", has its place in the art world; the idea that contemporary artwork to me represents change and new ideas gives it great respect.

Fred Tomaselli, Hillary

I visited the Tang Museum at Skidmore College on Saturday, April 17th. The first thing I realized about the museum was how bizarre it was to find a renowned plopped in the middle of a college campus. I guess after being a student at a school that has only one art building it seems odd to think about a building that houses famous works by famous artists is right amongst young college students. However as soon as I entered the museum I did not feel like I was at a college. The Tang did not disappoint, it was large, modern, white, and high ceilinged. I found it sad to find the museum nearly empty, especially because it caused the guides to jump all over you when you entered their designated area. I personally like to view art on my own without someone looking over my shoulder. Once my parents and I were able to escape the young college student stationed at the Tomaselli show we were able to immerse ourselves in the work (maybe a little too much, we couldn't resist from lightly touching the works and taking quick pictures on my phone for this project). The overall generalization I found about Tomaselli's work is that it can look completely different depending on how close or far away you position yourself from the wall. If I took a step back I saw the geometry, the overall layout, the manipulation of color, and the design. But if I stepped in closer I saw the intricate details of the magazine/book cutouts, prescription pills, marijuana leaves, and paint drips. It was almost overwhelming to try to see every little detail in each of his works. But I prefer works that are almost too much over works with minimal detail because with Tomaselli's work I could stand there and discover new things by the second. Some of the works gave me vertigo and made my feel dizzy just looking at them. The work title Black and White All Over gave the me the most delusion. It was placed in a narrow hallway over the lobby of The Tang with glass walls on either side. The piece instantly made me dizzy and then after I realized that I was on a little bridge made me even more dizzy. This made me wonder if the museum works purposefully place certain pieces in specific places.

Fred Tomaselli's work is extremely psychedelic as I assume he was a rather far out guy after seeing numerous marijuana leaves used in his works. One of his works is even titled All the Bands I Can Remember Seeing and All the Extinct Vertebrates in North America Since 1492, 1990. Most of his pieces seem to uncover troubling thoughts in Tomaselli's mind. According to the description provided by the Tang, "Tomaselli amasses actual pills and plants along with a range of images-among them flowers, birds, and anatomical illustrations-carefully cut from books and magazines."

Tang Museum Exhibitis, Nancy

On Sunday, April 18 I visited the Tang Museum at Skidmore College.
The first thing that came to my mind when I arrived at the Tang Museum was the architecture of the building. From the outside it looked almost like a contemporary art museum. Although the architecture didn't resemble, it did remind me of the outside of other contemporary museums such as the Guggenheim Museum. The museum was a lot smaller than I expected, having only three contained floors.
The first exhibit I visited was "Los Carpinteros." I have to say that I enjoyed this exhibit. I thought the idea of taking a bed and formatting it into the shape of a rollercoaster is pretty cool. When I first saw Los Carpinteros I thought the artists just randomly came up with the idea of making a bed into the shape of a rollercoaster. It wasn't until I read the caption that there was a meaning behind it. The meaning was that "not everyone is what it seems" or "things can be made differently" which I thought was an interesting interpretation for the artist.
Along the first floor there were many other exhibits such as Andy Warhol. One portrait that struck me was "Get A Life" by Jane Masters. I thought it was very humorous and to the point which is why it probably stood out at me. I also liked the "Man Dollars" portrait because it was portraying the idea that America revolves around money at times.
The Fred Tomaselli was probably my favorite out of all the exhibits. I thought the images were very unique and colorful. His portraits had a "trippy" effect but it wasn't where it was "loud." It felt very calming looking at Tomaselli's works. Some of my favorite images were "Avian Flower Serpent", "Millennium Phosphene Bloom", "Migrant Fruit Thugs", "Field Guides", and "Super Plant." I thought Tomaselli's drug portraits were interesting. It was funny how he arranged the types of drugs in a star constellation. Not sure what the exact interpretation was but I thought the idea was cool.
I have to say that I did not enjoy the "Amazement Park" exhibit. I thought it was very odd and unsightly. The artists intentions may have been good but I personally did not find anything interesting or flattering about it.
Overall visiting the Tang Museum was interesting. I never really took time to visit a contemporary art museum so it was a good experience to become familiar with artists of present day.

20x200. Hillary

After visiting the web site 20x200.com and browsing through all the artwork I chose this piece by Jennifer Sanchez. It is titled ny.09#19. I would buy the 16"x20" edition at $200. I was first attracted to this piece because of the colors and intricate designs. It reminded me of random little doodles that I like to draw for fun. I like how its a collage that is all mixed together. It looks messy but it works. The longer you look at it the more you'll discover. I also like the fact that there are drips and splotches that don't seem planned. Sanchez has stated that her work is an experiment and that she goes into it having a broad idea of what she wants to create but she never can guess what will happen. To me this is a metaphor to life. You may have a plan but it does not necessarily play out the way you had hoped. I think the artist embraces this fact and accepts that life and art isn't always geometrically perfect.

20x200 Red Plastic Plates, Nancy

When I went on the 20x200 website many images "spoke" to be because they are so colorful and unique. This image in particular captured my attention, "Red Plastic Plates" by Ann Toebbe. The artists said that the image was made by cutting our pieces of paper and painting them. It's funny because the red plastic plates weren't the first thing that struck my attention when I saw this image but rather the dimension and view. The upper wall where the kitchen entrance is in normal 2-D but the rest of the image is flat. I think this gives a lot of character to the image and how artwork can be viewed in two different ways even though it is one image. The idea of cutting out the objects from pieces of paper was the reason that the table and plates and down flat. I also like this image because it reminds me of a nice, well kept house. Many contemporary images of rooms in houses remind me of my own home.

Schoolyard Art: Playing Fair Without the Referee Podcast Response, Nancy

In the podcast art critique Dave Hickey spoke about art and money. The overall message Dave Hickey is saying is that art has become a business rather than subject of study and appreciation. Years ago, art was used as expression of oneself or something, creativity, and interpretation. These aspects may still apply to art today but the fact that money has become an important factor. Dave Hickey uses the terms right and wrong to describe the price points in art. If an artwork is right, it has a good economic value.
When I think of art today I see either two things: art created by someone who has talent and loves art and the fancy art galleries in the cities. I think the culture of today's world has a lot to do with this. We live in a technological society and our world seems to be facing more problems than every today. People believe we can solve problems by technology, research, and policy-making. The sense of creativity for many people seems to have been "lost." I believe the loss in creativity is one reason why art has become an economic factor. Art is almost become just aesthetic rather than expression and interpretation of oneself and society. The better the look of the art or popularity the greater the economic value it will have. I also feel that a lot of society revolves around the amount of wealth one has which has made art an economic importance. People believe if they make the "right" art they can make a good economic living. However, I believe this is not only happening with not just art but other areas of study as well.
I believe that if society looks at art for its appreciation and interpretation rather than just the aesthetic aspect, the economic importance will not be a huge issue. Sometimes I feel we need art to make us think and realize issues and a break from just using technology, research, and policy. It is funny how looking at something as simple as a piece of artwork or reading a poem can give a lot of sense into oneself.

Appropriation Art. Hillary

Today we talked about appropriation art. We learned that appropriation art is when an artists adopts, borrows, or reuses a pervious image or work of art from a different artist. It is also described as a collage or a deliberate reworking of other peoples works. Appropriate art is a source of a lot of legal turmoil concerning copy write issues. However it is mainly the companies and corporations that wish to sue, not the original artists. For the most part art has a community based value and encourages others to use original ideas and make it their own. When we discussed this art movement I was reminded of two different DJ's that compile numerous different parts of previously made songs to make one new long song. One of these musicians is named Gregg Gillis, also known as Girl Talk. He produces mashup-style remixes, in which he uses often a dozen or more unauthorized samples from different songs to create a new song. The New York Times Magazine has called his music "a lawsuit waiting to happen," a criticism that Gillis has attributed to mainstream media that want "to create controversy where it doesn't really exist," citing fair use as a legal backbone for his sampling practices. Another artist is Milkman. "'Milkman'" is the stage alias of hip-hop/dance/rock mashup producer Gregg Luskin. He began his mashup career while a computer student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He began his live DJ career at house parties. From there he has moved onto opening for such acts as Lil' Jon and Kid Cudi. He refuses to reveal the origins of his stage alias "'Milkman'" but has alluded that it is derived from the actual Milkmen whom used to bring that "wholesome goodness" right to your doorstep, something he attempts to accomplish with his music. However, due to the possible legal problems, Girl Talk and Milkman are not available on itunes.

http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_index.cfm

Do re mi. Hillary

Today we learned about performance artists that utilize the audience as apart of their work. When we watched a clip of artists performing various social experiments in the Tate Modern Museum I remembered a youtube video I saw of people dancing in a train station. After researching this video I found numerous other groups who choreograph social experiments. Some of these groups perform dances in public areas and some perform tasks that are against the social norm seeking a reaction from the public. Here are some videos that portray their actions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdeBp8J0rqs

House 1, Nancy

This summer I interned in Washington, D.C. In Washington, D.C. there is a outdoor Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art. Out of all the various artworks this one captured my attention the most. When you look at the house you think it's in 3D, but it actually one dimension. This house was created by artist Roy Lichtenstein and it is known as "House 1." As attractive this so called "3D house" is, I am not sure how to interpret it. After doing some research on the house and how it was done, I finally came up with an interpretation. As I said when a person looks at this house from a picture or distance they believe it is 3D, however as you look closer you realize it isn't. Sometimes in life people or situations seem to be in one view in generality but when we look closer, study, get to know, and learn the situation it may not be what we thought it was. I believe "House 1" represents this idea in some way by tricking the mind and telling the message that there are different ways to see things.

Performance Art. Hillary

This week we learned about the art movement called performance art. We saw examples from Matthew Barney and Marina Abramovic. We learned that performance art is when the actions of an individual or a group at a particular place and in a particular time constitute the work. It can happen anywhere, at any time, or for any length of time. Performance art can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the performer's body and a relationship between performer and audience. Performance art traditionally involves the artist and other actors or electronics to produce art that is not meant to be sold, but rather art that focuses on the reaction and experience of the audience. After understanding this definition of performance art I thought of the music video for the group named OK go. Their song, This Too Shall Pass, is set to a very in depth domino effect of various objects. There is a live audience watching the "machine" unfold, as well as the band taking part within the performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w

Decorative Desserts, Nancy

When I saw the cakes my friend made two things came to my mind: 1) She should be on the show Ace of Cakes 2) Next time I have a party I want her to make my cake. To me these cakes look absolutely amazing and the way she makes these theme cakes and baked goods is an art. In fact, the cakes are so awesome looking that I don't even want to eat them (joke). The more I saw these cakes, a thought came to my mind. After traveling to several different countries one thing that I've learned is that Americans love and make some of the best foods and that we can use foods to make beautiful and hardworking creations, such as these cakes. It amazes me that we can take something as simple as baking and make it into a form of art.
Another factor I had in mind was that these decorative cakes and cupcakes remind me of Jeff Koons' artwork. His artwork was very contempory and many of his works are a model of pop culture items and ideas. Many of my friends decorative desserts resemble pop culture items or ideas, such as the NY Mets cake or the Las Vegas theme birthday cake.

Installation Art. Hillary

This week we learned about installation art. We learned that installation art focuses on how the art work affects the space of the gallery. We learned that this particular type of art dominates the provided space, examples include clutter splattered everywhere, or a strategically placed interior design, or a big architectural design. The important foundamental feature of installation art is that it must have a dynamic relationship with the space and it must confront the viewer; it must evoke as many senses as possible and aim to take over the body as well as the mind. We saw examples from the Guggenheim Museum, Tate Modern in the Turbine Hall, as well the Museum of Modern Art. The installation piece that sparked my attention most was the exhibit at the Tate Modern apart of the Unilever Series by Miroslaw Balka. He built a large, dark, black box in the middle of Turbine Hall. I was initially attracted to this piece because it reminded of a exhibit I went to with my Mom and Aunt in NYC when I was younger. We waited in line for hours to climb into a small hole in the middle of the wall. It was a pitch black tunnel that wove around and had subtle inclines and declines. The material of the tunnel also changed throughout course; it really made you rely on all your senses other than vision to find navigate your way through the tunnel. After doing some more research about Miroslaw Balka I learned that his black box is a symbolic structure of the Holocaust. It is similar to how many polish jews were told to enter a dark black room which they were told to be showers but were really gas chambers. This black box is meant to test how well you trust a strange unknown place as well as playing with your senses of vision by creating a big contrast from light to dark, as well as the sense of sound by hearing many people before you stomp through the steel architecture, as well as evoking emotions of excitement and fear.

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/unilevermiroslawbalka/default.shtm

Good Excuse. Hillary

This week we discussed how the advent of technology has changed the entire evolution of the world, specifically concerning how it has affected the world of art. We learned that mass media influences art as well as altering how we view images. We mentioned the work of Andy Warhol and how his work represents the "machine domination" that evolved in the 1960's. His work represented the boom of technology and how the machine began to dehumanized their generation. I was immediately reminded of a song titled Good Excuse by John Butler Trio. The lyrics explain the importance of "taking a step outside and see what's shakin' in the real world." The music video for this particular song follows the evolution of a robot living in a industrial dominated world to a more humanistic being surrounded by nature and trees. Some of the lyrics include:

Oh won’t you just wake up
feel the humming
This cruel world is killing you
better start running
Catch up with your life, catch on up
Before the whole thing is through

Boy won’t you turn your game boy of

Go take a step outside and see what's shakin' in the real world

This song represents how important it is to embrace technology but not let it dominant our lives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#v=DL6VeE0Iyho&feature=related

3D Blackberry, Nancy

I have a friend who is majoring in 3D Animation at FIT and about a year ago he began to post some of his work on facebook. It may be just because he is my friend but his artwork always "stood out" to me. As you see this is a 3D picture of a blackberry. For some reason I always paid more attention to this image more than any of his other images. I think it is because we live in such a technological society and the 3D blackberry in the image is almost like a symbol of how we are dependent on our cell phones. About a month ago I went on a two week study tour with my tropical biology class to Costa Rica. I remember one of the professors that traveled with us said he was going to be so happy to get away from technology for a week. By the end of the trip he was using the laptop more than anyone else! I feel that cell phone usage and technology is so essential in our lives now that people use it to create sample artwork, like my friend in this picture.
But don't get me wrong, I feel like I can't live without technology either!

beauty then the beast. Hillary

This week in class we discussed basis of beauty in the contemporary art world. We looked at art pieces from various artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jackson Pollock, and Dash Snow. Each of these artist's work supports the notion that conceptual and abject art reigns over traditional beauty.

Art has evolved from being a technical and vocational craft in the 16th century to being an undefinable craft. According to famous art critic and graphic designer, Milton Glaser, art can be defined as anything that evokes attentiveness. It is known that art is needed to define a culture and generation. With this said it can be understood that not all art is necessarily beautiful depending on what events happened in that era or the artist's life.

Art can be used to depict politics, or tormenting events, or simply the reality of everyday lonely life. This statement is supported by Dash Snow's blunt and revealing polaroids. After viewing Snow's photographs it can be said that grim and grit have replaced pretty models; reality over radiance. Beauty is no longer about symmetry or perfection, but it is whatever portrays the brutality of the world. The need to create a lasting social impact has changed the image of beauty from excellence to actuality. It has become necessary for art to acknowledge the bad side, shake us up, and open our eyes to deepen our engagement about what the world amounts to today.

Aberration #8. Hillary

After reading the online article titled What Makes Good Art by Margaret Livesey, I began to realize that just because a work of art may seem daunting, confusing, or bizarre upon initial interpretation that not all first impressions can withstand the presence of a thoughtful reconsideration.

During my research for contemporary art pieces I came upon the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago website. While searching through the current exhibitions I found the elements of photography, particularly photographs by Adam Ekberg. The photography titled Aberration #8 intrigued me and puzzled me at the same time. I was instantly drawn the bright blue and green color of the sun’s reflection. However, I could not place the setting of the photograph. My initial thought was that the photograph was taken under the sea looking up at the sky with seaweed infesting the water. Upon second glance I quickly realized the camera was facing up towards the sky with leaves from trees surrounding.

This photograph can seem too minimalistic, therefore baffling and possibly point-less. For the typical person using a camera, a photograph is meant to document a specific place or event or person, not an image that can evoke emotions or memories. After viewing the photograph numerous times I began to see the image as a symbolism for hope, instead of just a bright ring of blue light. The angle of the camera pointing optimistically at the bright and obviously sunny sky evoked memories of summer and feelings of relaxation. The work of art turned from frustrating to pleasing all due to reconsideration.

Adam Ekberg based this portfolio of aberrations off of lens-based phenomenon, such as the reflection of sunlight. Ekberg states that his images juxtapose banality with the phenomenal. This is shown through the ordinary and simple nature scene countered balanced with the bight ring of sunlight from camera shutter exposure.

Windswept

Monica Gaspo
Intro to Visual Arts
Windswept

Linzi Lynn grew up with a passion for theater. She went to theatrical school because her parents thought her way for finding drama in everyday life would make her a great performer. However, she found that her true passion was to correlate her love for theater and drama and reflect that through painting people and animals. She discovered this later in life after she was married and had a family. Her studies in theater taught her how to express and search for emotion in the outside world. Lynn is able to express drama in both deep and dark art work, and vivid and bright art work. She finds inspiration through other artists, her travel experiences and the people that she meets. Her way of expressing emotion through color makes is easy for her viewers to take away their own individual thoughts about the works.



Windswept is a limited edition canvas painting that has been on sale since 2008. Linzi Lynn is known for capturing emotions through vivid colors and distinct lines. This painting stood out to me for many reasons including the way in which the woman’s hair is blowing forward, and the extreme colors. I feel as though the artist is trying to express this woman as care free and emotional. This painting reminded me of the quote, “letting your hair down”. The woman looks as if she is letting go of her emotions that are shown through the colors in her hair. I also am observing that the woman’s skin is more muted colors than in her hair. I feel this was done on purpose to express specific emotions that the painter is trying to express. After taking in my first impression of this painting I feel as if there is a deeper meaning than just the expression of emotion. I feel as if she is trying to express movement and motion of the emotion. It feels as if the emotions are blowing off the woman. Her expression on her face seems serine and content, as if she was able to realize why things have happened to her.
Linzi Lynn’s paintings are all original and dramatic. They are meant to form emotion through color and lines. This is different from other artist, which contains many objects in their paintings because Lynn usually uses only one object full of color and drama. Her paintings are modern and contemporary and are focused on feeling and passion. Lynn’s way of using both her talents, painting and theater, makes it possible for her to create paintings that express a certain emotion at a specific moment in time. She cycles through inspiration sometimes being dark and exaggerated, and currently being vibrant and extremely expressive.