Final Thoughts

1. What were you expectations for this course and were they met?

I didn’t really have expectations for this course, other than to do better than I had during my previous attempt at it. ;-) I definitely met that goal, but I also learned a lot about myself.

2. Now that you've been through this course, what is art? How would you define it now compared to your initial posting?

I still believe that art is the expression of human existence, but it is also so much more. It will give you what you put into it.

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

Wharton Esherick is more than a favorite artist to me; he is a role model and inspiration. Since my first posting I have had the opportunity to visit his house in Pennsylvania and see his work first hand. It was such a great experience and one of those awe-inspiring moments in my life.

 4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I like the convenience of taking an online course, but they are A LOT more work than in classroom courses. This course was very time consuming, which is why I neglected it the first go around. I’m glad I worked it out though and would recommend the course to other students, especially those with little to no art background. 

Self-Portraits

Here are the three self-portraits that I found inspirational along with a photo of the artists who created them:

1. Tamara de Lempicka

Self-Portrait in Green Bugatti

Oil on Canvas

1925

2. Kasey McMahon

Connected//Self-Portrait

Steel, CAT5, other data cables

2010

3. Bruce Nauman

Self-Portrait as a Fountain

Color photograph

1966-1967

Here is my self portrait photograph:

 My final self-portrait in colored pencil:

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?

I selected these inspiration pieces, because I thought they really showed the versatility in doing something like this. It’s really all about you the artist and how you want to portray yourself. These are all very different self-portraits that I personally feel a connection with.

2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait?

I selected colored pencil, because I wanted to create a very layered effect, as well as keep it light feeling.

3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them?

The challenged I faced were what color palette to choose and also at what angle I wanted to portray myself. I decided on a cool color palette and showing myself at an odd angle.

4. How does this piece represent you?

This piece represents me, because it shows only a part of me and it carries an air of mystery and elusiveness. The layered colors symbolize me as a person to show that I am very layered, yet still simple in a way and colorful.

5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?

I definitely aimed to create a sense of visual texture and focused on the linear components of the face. I really tried to use color and to manipulate the medium to create this.

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?

Yes, but it would’ve been better to explore more possibilities if we were to be given this project earlier in the course.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?

I thought it was ok. I would have liked to do an acrylic painting, but I really didn’t have time to do studies on it. I think having had a strong photograph that I really liked and felt comfortable working with really helped the creation of my final piece. 

Exhibition Critique

1. Which projects did you review?

I reviewed the exhibition, “Water All Around,” by Richard Cruz.

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?

I selected this exhibition, because I thought the theme was very original and interesting. There is a lot that can be said about the use of aquatic imagery in art works.

3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?

I think it’s hard to critique someone else’s hard work, especially when you know that creating this project required lots of time and effort. I just tried to be honest and respectful, although he did a great job so it was easy to comment on the positive aspects of the exhibition.

4. How do you feel about critiquing your peers work?

I think it is very healthy to critique and be critiques by your peers. It is a very essential part of being an artist and creating art works. Creating art works and showing them to the world is a risk. It leaves you feeling very vulnerable to show a part of yourself to others. You have to be open to what other people are going to say in response.

5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?

Of course. Honesty is the best policy. I’d like to know whether I was successful in getting my points and views across, or whether the same pieces and topics that affect me also touch other people.

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?

I would rate my article an 8, because I tried to keep it simple and to the point. I very easily could have dissected the pieces and selection of artworks more in depth, as well as the theme, but I didn’t feel as though it was necessary. He did a great job and I thought his point came across very well.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

Surely. It’s so interesting to see the kind of art works that other people (strangers, basically) are attracted to and why they are attracted to them. Art is so subjective and each person can take away something completely different from a particular piece. It’s always so interesting to see and hear about those different experiences and perspectives.

Project #4: Art Curation

For this project I really tried to think of a theme that meant something to me. I have been working with recycled materials and concepts for a few years now and I thought that would be an excellent theme to apply to this project and to create an exhibition out of recycled artworks.

There is a growing awareness of the very serious environmental issues that exist today and I truly believe the change can start with artists and designers. As a designer, I can use eco-friendly or recycled materials in my designs and make a difference. We can change the way things are made. With that being said, there are many very talented artists out there who are also creating beautiful works of art out of recycled materials. My goal for this project was to find recycled pieces that didn't necessarily look like "trash." I think its important to create that effect so people can see that there is nothing taboo about recycling or using things over and over again.

I started by finding around 15 artists and selected pieces from each to curate this exhibition. I then looked at the similarities and differences amongst the pieces that I selected and decided to group them together in pairs for comparing. My exhibition would have to be on the larger scale since all of the pieces are either sculptural or installations. I wrote my theme description out and exhibition explanation and then showed my comparison artworks in the following slides. I used an earthtone theme with lots of shades of green to represent my recycled/earthy theme.

I really liked this project, because after gathering all of the artworks for my exhibition and after studying the different pieces, I felt very inspired to see what other people are doing out there in the world with recycled materials.

Curation Video Review

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art 

-Artists and gallery curators explain what Lowbrow means to them. Artist Anthony Ausgang says it is essentially reactionary to highbrow culture. The dictionary definition is, “a person regarded as uncultivated and lacking in taste.”

--Its influences include comic books, B-movies, rock ’n’ roll, surfing, hot rods, and Cold War imagery.

-Art historians call it Pop Surrealism; practitioners call it Lowbrow.

-Artists and gallery curators explain how the term Lowbrow originated. Artists Robert Williams says he invented the term but doesn’t care for its meaning. Some believe Lowbrow Surrealism is a more fitting term while others embrace Lowbrow.

-Artists and gallery curators explain why Lowbrow art appeals to the masses. Pop culture, car culture, and folk art have both had major influences in the genre. Lisa Petrucci says the art is more relatable than esoteric art.

-Artists and gallery curators discuss pop culture and consumer references in Lowbrow art. The time after WWII known as the “Atomic Age” is another important part of the genre.

-Art covers so many different things ranging from concept art to paintings. Artists Anthony Ausgang says it is the job of critics to categorize the art. Robert Williams, the original Lowbrow artist, discusses his early career.

-Artists and gallery curators talk about Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and psychedelic rock posters.

-Anthony Ausgang recalls being introduced to Zap Comix. Robert Williams discusses how Robert Crumb inspired rock poster artists to start doing underground comics.

-At a time when galleries were not willing to display Lowbrow, the Laguna Art Museum put on a show featuring Ed Roth, Von Dutch, and Robert Williams. Artists and curators discuss the impact of MAD magazine on art culture.

-Artists and curators discuss the tiki theme that was prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s across the US. Lowbrow artists drew upon this imagery and incorporated it into their art.

-Artists and curators discuss conceptual art. While conceptualism brought thought to art it excluded audience members who were not trained in art history.

-Ausgang says, “Lowbrow blitzkriegs the idea that high culture requires a certain level of intelligence.” Robert Williams thinks the established art world is set up to promote only certain types of art like minimalism and abstract.

-Artist and curators discuss the unwillingness of the mainstream art world to accept Lowbrow. These unaccepted artists created their own art scene after being shut out from museums and galleries.

-Artists and curators discuss the emergence of female artists in Lowbrow.

-Artists and curators discuss the effect of the internet on art in general and Lowbrow specifically.

-Artists and curators discuss the difference between the fine art scenes in NY and the Lowbrow and pop culture going on in California.

-Artists and curators discuss how the punk rock generation propelled Lowbrow art culture. Artists were able to get their work to the masses through album covers and fliers.

-Artist Nicole Steen and other members from Pop Tarts discuss the parallel underground art scenes in Vancouver and California.

-Artist 12Midnite and the ladies from the Pop Tarts talk about bringing their work to the US. There are many talented Lowbrow artists in Vancouver but it does not have the population to support a big art scene.

-Curator Billy Shire is credited with promoting the Lowbrow art movement by opening the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco. Juxtapose magazine has made it possible for people worldwide to stay in tune with the Lowbrow art scene.

-Artists and curators discuss the current and future monetary value of Lowbrow art. The Pizz says he is internationally known but not wealthy while paintings by Mark Ryden sell for $500,000.

-Twenty years ago Robert Williams couldn’t get anyone to show his art work and now he is in demand all over the world. Over the last ten years Lowbrow has gained more recognition and acceptance.

-Ausgang and other artists share what they love about their work.

Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach

-Modern art in the MOMA from 1929 onwards was displayed primarily in chronological order, representing each art movement. Art is displayed on white walls with flexible lighting.

-By the 1970s, traditional ways of displaying modern art are questioned. Art came off the walls to become busy and noisy. Artists explore the political and ideological context of the museum itself.

-The Tate Modern displays its modern art in four sections. In each section an overarching principle provides a theme for the selection and exhibition of the selections of modern art.

-The Tate’s thematic approach to displaying art prompts controversy when three works by Richard Long are juxtaposed with Monet’s “Water Lillies.” Yet, the connections among the pieces are justified.

-Unlike MOMA’s original concept of displaying art in chronological order, visitors to the Tate are provided with striking and often abrupt transitions between the individual display rooms.

-Critics argue that the Tate Modern’s thematic presentation of art requires that viewers have no knowledge of art. They believe art should be more than entertainment.

-Many abstract artists tried to make paintings that were not dependent on figuration. They wanted to convey emotions, aesthetic effects, or social vision.

-The Josef Beuys room in the Tate Modern creates a church-like atmosphere. Visitors do not materially understand what they see. They transition to the next room where art consists of waste and junk.

Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology 

-Native American bones were collected as a scientific curiosity during the US genocide against Indians. Anthropologists differ on whether or not the remains should be returned to their ancestors.

-Maria, a Yankton Sioux fights for the bones of a Native American who is taken for study after a road construction crew discovers the body. Anglo bones are reburied but Native bones are studied.

-David Van Horn, a field archaeologist, is charged with criminal possession of Native human bone fragments. He avoids jail but loses his livelihood as a result of his prosecution.

-Europeans encounter, seemingly strange, Native Americans and remove them from their own land. Burial mounds are thought to be too civilized to have been built by Native Americans.

-In the 19^th Century, Samuel Morton MD, studies brain size and conclude that the size of one’s cranium is related to intelligence. Native American skulls are collected and stored in museums.

-Susan Harjo, a Cheyenne and Muscogee, leads the fight for Native people’s objects of worship to be returned. The Smithsonian’s inventory reveals that 18,000 Native’s bones are stored there.

-Dr. Barnes, a physical anthropologist, is prevented from doing her research of Native American migration because of the new law. Bones with similar defects suggests shared genes and origins.

-Bronco Lebeau, a Lakota Sioux, rejects theories of evolution and migration held by the dominate US. The Sioux people emerged from the Black Hills and did not migrate from somewhere.

-Repatriation requires that scientists first determine the bones tribal affiliation. Skull measurement helps to identify where the bones should be returned. Conflict of interest is rampant.

-Native Americans have ceremonies to discover whether the bones are their ancestors or not. Their past is conveyed through an oral tradition. Native Americans do not want the scientists’ history.

-Scientists learn a lot about today’s health problems by studying the remains of human beings from the past. Scientists can benefit future knowledge by studying the past.

-Bruce Rothschild, an arthritis researcher, theorizes that arthritis is a new disease whose trigger may come from the Tennessee River region. Natives as well as scientists are skeptical.

-British researchers DNA test bones infected with TB. They claim research benefits understanding how man has changed from the ancient to the modern. Native Americans are still skeptical.

-Maria Pearson continues to represent the right to an undisturbed Indian burial ground. The holy areas are avoided by construction crews and archaeologists do not excavate graves.

-The Great Plains Omaha ask the University of Nebraska to analyze the bones for their cultural and health significance prior to repatriation. Change in diet and lifestyle is related to high rates of diabetes.

-Omaha women die earlier due to small pox and a change in their daily life. Their bones reveal that hard work by manufacturing furs wore them down and led to a lower birthrate and life expectancy

-Native Americans, in the early 20^th century, are stripped of their tribal identity at US boarding schools. Dr. Reinhardt restores pride by sharing his research with today’s Native Americans.

-Dennis Hastings, an Omaha, is satisfied with the reburial of his ancestors’ remains. Moreover, both the tribe and scientists have gained new knowledge by having the bones analyzed prior to burial.

-Now, Native Americans design the exhibits in New York’s Native American Museum. Ancestors’ bones continue to be brought home. Archaeology must share the responsibility for stewarding the past.

An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and the Metropolitan Museum of Art

-Phillipe de Montebello has served as director at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for 31 years.

-de Montebello guided the acquisition of more than 84,000 works of art from around the world, increasing sections of artworks within the museum, as well as staff.

-The museum’s Euro center has grown to represent all countries and continents.

-The Met, under the leadership of de Montebello, has been innovative in many conservation techniques.

-Several pieces are acquired and inducted into the Metropolitan’s collection, conserved and either put on display or added to the archives at the Museum.

-Several pieces contribute to the physically growing world-renowned cultural institution.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

The videos relate to the curation project, because they expand our minds on what it is to select pieces of artworks to include in a collection of pieces. Each piece can influence or impact another piece within the collection. We can see the importance of each piece, especially within the de Montebello video. He labored over the acquisition of many pieces. The Tate video shows us how we can be creative in displaying artworks. There are no rules, although there are traditional ways of displaying.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I really enjoyed seeing the diversity in these films. The Lowbrow film and Tate Modern film really showed us about how the art world has changed and been affected over the last fifty years. I think they all really lent perspective into how artworks are selected, valued, perceived, and displayed together. They definitely helped me come up with my curation theme and project selections.

Art Gallery Visit #2: George Eastman House Museum

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:1. What is the title of the exhibit?

“Ideas in Things” located in the Entrance Gallery at the George Eastman House Museum

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

The exhibition displays a series of photographs all by different photographers. The photographs display their persistence as cultural artifacts and as vehicles for memory and meaning. This exhibition, drawn from the collection of George Eastman House, is a small selection of art and other photographic objects that illustrate the way photographs live, move, and change over time in the material world we share with them.

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:1. What type of lighting is used?

The gallery space used a system of spot lighting. Each piece had its own spotlight with direct lighting over the piece.

2. What colors are used on the walls?

The walls were painted a very dark color, almost a charcoal gray. I think this was used to highlight the photographs which were primarily matted with white.

3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?

I’m not sure what is meant by “materials,” but the gallery was pretty traditionally arranged with wooden floors, drywall, track lighting, and a small central bench for sitting.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

The gallery is relatively small so the flow of traffic from the viewer was very simple. The gallery was in a “T’ shape, so upon entering you could either go straight forward or to the right. The traffic flowed either way along the perimeter. Photographs tend to demand that kind of traffic, because there is nothing to go around.

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:1. How are the artworks organized?

The works were not organized by any one thing in particular. Most of the photographs hung on the wall, although there was one piece suspended from the ceiling and a few pieces on a glass table against a wall.

2. How are the artrworks similar?

The artworks are similar in that they are comprised of the same medium, photography. All of the photographs were antique and of people.

3. How are the artworks different?

Some of the photographs were in black/white, while others were in color. The size and scale of the pieces were different, as well as the time period they were taken in. Some photographs were portraits or staged images, while others were more candid photographs.

4. How are the artworks framed?

The artworks are framed in contemporary black frames with white mattes.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

Each photograph is labeled with a small plastic plaque to the bottom left of the piece. The text was in white so it was easily read.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

 The distances between each piece varied, but mostly 1-3 feet were between each piece.

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

Select three of the artworks from the show and use the Art Criticism worksheet to describe, analyze, bracket and interpret the work using the 5-step Art Criticism Process described.

#1

Thomas F. Barrow

LANDSCAPE

1981-82

Gelatin silver print with caulking, staples and spray paint

 In this piece, I see a black and white landscape of what appears to be a barren land, possibly in the desert. The photograph is repeated twice on the top and bottom, creating an asymmetrical balance within the composition. Each photograph appears to have an X across it. The photograph on the top is disjointed as though it has been ripped apart and placed back together, almost like a puzzle. Where the pieces have been readjoined, there is a green color in the seams. The green color stands out against the monochromatic black and white.  I think the artist used the X and the ripping of the photograph to show us his negative association with the location of this photograph.

#2

Rick McHee Hock

CODEX (MONKEY BUSINESS/TRAP)

1987

Polaroid transfer process monoprint

In this piece, I see several small photographs, drawings, newspaper clippings, all in a sepia tone or black and white finish and all in a grid like layout. There is a mixture between text and imagery that all work to create a balanced composition. The way the photos are arranged create grid like lines that define each photo into its own space. The photographs all have a lot going on within them that causes the composition to have a very textured and chaotic feel. The panel of 36 photos shows us wildly contrasting Renaissance portraits, cartoons, news photos and more. We see Eve tempting Adam, the model Donna Rice tempting politician Gary Hart aboard the Monkey Business yacht, and Popeye tempted by a can of spinach. I think the artist wanted these images cause us to question our origin. It's the idea of evolution vs. creation- whether we came from Adam and Eve, or from monkeys.

#3

  

Various Photographers

[Panel of Cartes and Tintypes, Received by Post Office Dead Letter Office]

1961-1865

Albumen prints and tintypes

Again here we see a series of small rectangular photograph portraits. It is clear that the photographs are old and all in black/white or sepia tone. All of the images are of men- some in uniform and others in period garb. There is a sense of balance within the composition, as well as line formed by the grid layout. Because there is no one artist for this composition, we can attribute the sense of anonymity for these photographs. I think the reason for their grouping, other than that they were returned to the Post Office, is the anonymity factor. These photographs never reached their destination, so they become orphans, thus relating them to one another.

Step 5: Document Your Visit

Answer this question: What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

I think it’s interesting to consciously view the gallery’s layout and arrangement of artworks from a different perspective. I don’t think most people realize the amount of thought and work that goes into arranging an exhibition. There is so much to consider even on a psychological level. The smallest details and differences can change the entire feel of a space or a certain piece. I thought the theme for this show was pretty broad. The only thing holding these images together was the mystery behind them. I can appreciate that, but I’m not sure the average viewer would be able to make sense of the exhibition’s theme. Other than that the space had an excellent flow and was easy to view and be a part of.

For more information, please visit the George Eastman House and the "Ideas in Things" exhibit.

Video Review: Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose these two videos, because I am interested in Postmodernism.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s

-Abstract Expressionism was born from a joining of attitudes in American art and European avant-garde art, but was later rejected for its nonfigurative and seemingly egocentric character in favor of the ultra-objective phenomenon known as Pop Art.
-By using Franz Kline’s painting “C&O,” abstract art is compared to figurative art. The filled spaces of the canvas are distinctively different in these two styles.
-Kline initially injects his work with mood and expression but moves towards painting colors in undefined space thus sparking the imagination with a sensual impact.

-Kline uses shapes that evoke emotions. Kline’s use of action painting reveals a process of constant discovery and leads us into a world of color and form.
-“Mountains and Sea” causes her to emerge on the artistic scene and influences a generation of artists. There is a fundamental change in the way we look at a picture from her strength of vision.
-Frankenthaler’s work is both feminine and mystical and induces a contemplative mood. An observer experiences a warming and exhilarating sense of fruitfulness in her work.
-“Morning: The Springs” expresses movement as an echo of sensations and is evocative of plant forms, light, and falling water. It is a momentary gift of light with a calligraphic quality.
-In 1952, de Koonig makes his name with “Woman One.” By embracing a passionate and instinctive approach to painting, he becomes an instant talisman of “action painting.”
-John’s paintings undermine our assumptions and make us think. He seeks to make his common subjects visually seductive and to deceive our senses as a coherent system of information.
-By using blobs, drips, and layers, pattern dominates Johns’ work. The observer takes in the layers and yet sees the whole and moves from an impersonal to personal experience of his paintings.
-In the 1960s, Andy Warhol is pop art’s most famous son. This is never a very clear movement but is the first 20^th Century art movement since Futurism to embrace the rhythms of city life.
-Both Warhol and Rauschenberg become art icons of the 60s by paving the way for pop artists in their use of everyday objects.
-Lichtenstein’s “Girl With Hair Ribbon,” juggles the notions of representation and abstraction. The closer one looks the less the image is apparent and the details take on a life of their own.
-Lichtenstein treats style as something to be chosen according to the job, but he also concentrates on themes that stir emotions and passions.

Andy Warhol: Images of an Image

-Andy Warhol worked as a commercial artist until 1960 when he began experimenting with advertising images. He worked until his untimely death in 1987.
-Andy Warhol’s interest in the lives of these famous women and celebrities inspired several repeated images.
-Photographs are blown up and developed onto silk screens; They are transferred to paper and canvas, using ink and paint.
-The techniques used for Warhol’s silk screen, Ten Lizes, featuring Elizabeth Taylor was created in 1963.
-Warhol used images as a consumer product- he saw the repeated silk screen images as a way to make money.
-Warhol began to photograph his friends. He soon was filming them as well and ended up shooting about 100 films. He then began adding paint to his silk screen images.
-Warhol produced dozens of self portraits. As an art journalist his work addresses race riots, the conquest of the moon, the Cultural Revolution in China, and the universal reign of the dollar.
-The museum visitor critiques Ten Lizes.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The first video shows the new and exciting art movements happening during the 1950’s and 1960’s, which became the birth of postmodernism. Artists were creating in a new style and this became liberating to the art world, art critics, and the everyday consumer. The Andy Warhol video shows how technology, advertising, and media affected the art world. By using the repeated images of iconic figures, such as Elizabeth Taylor or Marilyn Monroe, he makes a commentary on American culture and consumerism.  

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I have always been fascinated by the AbEx and Pop art movements. I think people of my generation can identify better with Postmodern art and such well-known figures like Jackson Pollack and Andy Warhol who have been idolized by contemporary culture. I think especially the process of creation, as well as seeing Andy Warhol as a person, can help us understand these two artists and the motives behind their creations.