Monday, December 13, 2010

AED200 Reflection

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

 " I don't really expect anything. I just was to see what's presented to me to learn.I haven't really taken any art classes that teach about art of artists so this is kinda new to me. "

 I enjoyed this class in the aspect of getting to see art I have never seen before and learn more about art and art styles. I didn't expect to actually create art so that went beyond my expectations.

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


"Creative action."

I still feel that art is creative action, expression, or some sort of product. 

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.



Still Edgar Degas. I have a beta fish named Edgar after him. I love his style. The colors are visually appealing to be as the figures just seem so expressive



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?

"A little nervous. I have had siblings take them in the past and have seen them drown in work. But I guess I have to have my own experiences. "

I don't think I would take another online course. It really did have quite a bit of a work load but i expected it and it was doable.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Self-Portrait



Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Self-Portrait. c.1575. Blue pen-and-wash drawing. Narodni Gallery, Prague, Chechia.. 
 http://www.abcgallery.com/A/arcimboldo/arcimboldo17.JPG


Henri Matisse. Self-Portrait in a Striped T-Shirt. 1906. Oil on canvas. Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark.
 http://www.join2day.net/abc/M/matisse/matisse31.JPG

Nathan Altman. Self-Portrait. 1926. Lead pencil on paper. 44.6 x 35.9 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.
 http://www.abcgallery.com/A/altman/altman6.JPG

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?
 I liked the different and unique styles of each piece.

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

Color pencils. I enjoy working with color pencils. 

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

Finding a picture of myself that I liked enough to work off of. 

4. How does this piece represent you?

It is in my own unique style. 

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

I used color. The photo is terrible but there are a lot of different shades and tones to the image. there are subtle purples and blues where they wouldn't be expected. 

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?


I always enjoy working with color pencils. 

7. What do you think of your final artwork?
It looks a lot better in person that it does in this photo. I lost my digital camera so I can not get a better image of it. I really think it came out great and would proudly show it off to other people.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Reflection

1. Which projects did you review?

Jenna Fanara

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?

I like a lot of the pieces she chose to use as well as the theme she choose.

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

I don't want to act like I am  the know it all on art or the theme of the curator. But I just give my opinion and how the critiqued doesn't see it.

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

I really don't enjoy it. I feel a lot of the time its not really honest or well thought through. I have read a lot of peer critiques  that made me really mad because the criticizer really had no idea what they were talking about or and background on the matter.

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

 No I would not and I really want the person I critiqued to read mine.

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

 I would rate it an 8. I feel I was through and honest. I may have done a better job if I knew a little more about the theme.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

  I do like it when we get to see each other works. I am just not a fan of critiquing them or reading other students critiques.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Video Blog Week 15

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark 


Writing about visual art is much tougher than writing about literature or music. There are prejudices in art criticism and the best art of the last 50 years,which has been predominantly abstract. America’s post-WWII “culture boom” and abstract art, David Smith and elitism in art. Tthe place of personal taste and aesthetics in art criticism. Intuition, reasoning, and relevance have a place in art criticism. Has modern art proven itself?
 Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark

Pollock was thought to one day be a great painter. In the summer of 1947, Jackson Pollock painted his first spatter-drip piece "death of easel painting." Jackson Pollock has a disdain for easel paintings, yet his own paintings remained easel paintings until the end. At the time he painted them, Pollock knew his paintings were not murals. He knew that his paintings were transitional works from the easel to the mural. The element of size was not critical to the historical placement of Pollock's paintings. More important was Pollock's departure from the contained, boxed characteristic of modern paintings. Pulling away from containment and orderliness. Is the only demand on art is that is be good art? Pollock choose his particular way of applying paint to canvas because of the way the paint broke the plane, or how the paint "cut." The technique was a way to release the requirements of his wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Apollonian rather than Dionysian. No one has successfully explained what makes a painting succeed or fail. Artists of his day, as well as Pollock himself, felt isolated and alone in the art world and the world at large. Artists of the Pollock era want what most artists want: fame and money. In his time, Jackson Pollock did not achieve fame as much as he did notoriety At the end of his life, Pollock said that he didn't take enough time looking at the Impressionists.
 
An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance (Giorgio Vasari)

The Renaissance is marked by a renewed enthusiasm in the arts and many Italian artists contribute to its development. Giorgio Vasari writes the "Lives of the Artists." Giotto is one of the first artists to revive the realistic style of the Romans by using perspective found in architecture and landscape. tThe figure DavidIn "The Madonna and Child," Francesca experiments with contrasting light and dark to create depth. This is called chiaroscuro. The Catholic Church conveys Christianity through art. In "Adoration of the Magi," Botticelli incorporates his patrons, the Medicis. "The Birth of Venus" celebrates the beauty of the human form and uses techniques learned from preceding artists.In the sculpture "David," Michelangelo drives for perfection, creating a powerful symbol of the Republic. The painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Florence represents man's relationship to God. is standing on one leg, it appears balanced. Nudes reflect the beauty of the human form.

The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages

Media artists express their negative opinions about critics. Critics get us to think. Lighting the way for readers. Criticism of media arts improves the media in general. They also give artists breaks they hope for. Book critics are likely the most influential in their ability to benefit new writers Critics who are successful enjoy their craft. Some critics develop their love of reading and enjoying plays and shows as very young children. A music critic, passionate about his work, wants the world to experience the same love for music that he has. Professional critics often find themselves acting as reporters. A review is an informed opinion, and criticism is more analytical. Criticism is generally delivered by someone willing to take a stand and make an argument. Superior criticism is characterized by how well it makes its argument, how it touches on the human experience, and how useful are its insights.Effective criticism requires logic, emotional support, and personal credibility of the critic.The best critics start with their depth and breadth of knowledge. Critics must break down their particular media art into components.  Using their critical thinking skills, critics then evaluate and draw conclusions, leaving the reader to agree or disagree, or to spark curiosity.Good criticism must be well constructed and well written. Critics study their medium carefully, take notes, and work to get their reviews or criticism correct. Critics work in different media genre such as books or film, but also genres within a genre such as classical music, jazz, or country western. The Internet provides a new and diverse forum for critics and their followers. The key to becoming a critic is to learn to write, to write, and then to write more. After college graduation, aspiring critics should "start at the bottom" in specific media arts to learn the ropes find are of interest, and discover the "gold standard." Often associated with negativity, criticism is actually the practice of analyzing, classifying, interpreting, or even evaluating literary or other artistic works. 
The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture

Dahome art is visually beautiful, but it is often ignored as art and treated as craft. The image of the colonies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was not coherent or consistent. While most countries were symbolized by famous monuments of each country, the Dahomian exhibit consisted of a group of thatched structures, suggesting that there was no civilized infrastructure. Images of African people showed violent behavior toward each other, fostering the notion that they are savages who might also turn against Europeans. That is how colonialism is justified. Three figures from the 1900 Paris World Fair represent the three aspects of African people. At the 1900 world Fair Algeria was treated differently from Dahome. Algeria had a much longer history of colonization than Dahome. The country's exhibits are displayed in two palaces The Algerian exhibit is symptomatic of a much larger transformation that took place at the end of the 19th century. An even more insidious side to using indigenous people in colonial exhibits were the display of naked African men and women in caged enclosures along with exotic species of the animal kingdom.Europeans justify the pornographic nature of photographs of indigenous as scientific and artistic study. The French created a dichotomy between the Dahome and Algerian exhibits. Though today the former French colonies are independent, they are still linked politically and economically with the West. Exhibitions of material culture are displayed throughout the West. They show no connection with cultural meaning, and are evaluated through the eyes of Western viewers who believe they are seeing "art" rather than material cultural objects. ndigenous material culture on display as art in Western collections can be tied to an appreciation by descendants of the original objects.
Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation

Jackson Pollock is an enormously important modernist master who raises many questions with his work.  He has been used as a negative point of reference for modern art. He is important in modern art but have offered conflicting reasons. Described as optical as opposed to tactical.The qualitys described as the ability of a painting to articulate the conditions of human beings at a particular moment. Opinions pull in different direction partly because of the problem of adequately describing Jackson Pollock's work and relating defined terms to the artist's intentions. What makes his work critical can't be disentangled from describing what he's done. In this way the concentration his work requires challenges the distraction endemic in the wider culture. Michael Fried and T.J. Clark are both committed to a historical way of looking at art and realize they are redefining the terms with which they speak of Pollock's work to reach a place of agreement over his historical importance.

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

 They certainly relate to the project. Each video gave a lot of good information on how art is criticized, why it is, and who does it.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of art criticism?

I did find all the vidoes really useful. They all seemed to really give a lot of good information about critiquing work that I can really use. 


Sunday, December 5, 2010

Art Curator Project 4

When I read the description of this project I though that this would be a fun project and really did find it to be one. I did have a bit of trouble when it came to picking a theme. Art is such a vast world the options really are endless. I settled on art from the sixties because I am intrigued by Andy Warhol, Twiggy, and Mod. I did have difficulty acquiring images, it was the most time consuming part of this project. most websites I would found were just trying to sell me a poster of the art works and not really about the pieces. I am satisfied with the outcome of my choice of the sixties. I really like all the images I chose. I could certainly see how this project really reinforced a lot of the things we did over the semester.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Video Blog Week 13 and 14

 The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art


Concepts: The definition of `lowbrow is "a person regarded as uncultivated and lacking in taste". Lowbrow has many different meanings depending on the individual. Robert Williams claims he invented the term. Pop culture, car culture, and folk art had influence in the style. The time after World War II or the "Atomic Age" is an important part of lowbrow. Art covers so many different things ranging from concept art to paintings. Psychedelic rock posters and underground comicsWhile conceptual ism brought thought to art it excluded audience members who were not trained in art history. Artist Anthony 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. Lowbrow artist created there own art scene. Punk rock propelled the lowbrow art culture. 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. are a big part of the genre.






Concepts: 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. A simple and clean set up. But by the 1970s, traditional ways of displaying modern art are questioned. Art was no longer just on walls but on the floor, moving, and making noise. 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 set up of the works make it so the viewer has to look for the parallels. Visitors to the Tate are provided with striking and often abrupt transitions between the individual display rooms. Art should be more than entertainment.






Concepts: Native Americans' bones were collected as a scientific curiosity during the U.S. genocide against Indians. Anthropologists differ on whether or not the remain should be returned to their ancestors.David Van Horn, a field archaeologist, is charged with criminal possession of Native human bone fragments. Buria Samuel Morton M.D. \concludes that the size of one's cranium is related to intelligence. Native American skulls are collected and stored in museums. l mounds are thought to be too civilized to have been built by Native American.There is a fight for Native people's objects of worship to be returned. Maria Pearson continues to represent the right to an undisturbed Indian burial ground. The holy areas are avoided by construction crews and archeologists do not excavate graves. Dennis Hastings, an Omaha, is satisfied with the reburial of his ancestors' remains. Moreover, both the tribe and scientists have gain new knowledge by having the bones analyzed prior to burial. 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.





George Eastman House: Picture Perfect


Concepts:  George Eastman, the father of popular photography, created the first affordable, user-friendly camera.The photography collection at George Eastman House is a visual history of photography that represents the work of 14,000 amateur and professional photographers. George Eastman worked to make photography accessible to everyone; he created the first affordable, user-friendly camera and founded the Eastman Kodak Company. The motion picture film stock he invented with Thomas Edison became the industry standard. The George Eastman House is one of the world's premiere motion pictures archives. In 1996 the George Eastman House established the first school in North America to teach the restoration, preservation, and archiving of motion pictures. The George Eastman House offers a variety of means to access collections, including 140,000 online images, that celebrate the art, technology, and impact of photography and motion pictures.





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

All the videos had a great deal to do with exhibiting art. I felt a little off track with the video Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology. I do see now that is show a darker side to exhibiting and that things aren't always easy or right. It was a good contrast to the other videos that were more focused on exhibition. The video George Eastman House: Picture Perfect was a good example of how different exhibits can be compared to a museum like the Moma of Tate.




 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 do feel a better understanding has been formed. They were all really did relate to curation in different ways. It was a good mix of information



Friday, November 19, 2010

Video Blog Week 12

1. I selected the videos at random. I really didn’t know what to choose. I did select the Andy Warhol video because I find Andy Warhol to be an interesting person.


2. The Power of Art: Rothko

Can art change a life? the world? What can art do? Rothko committed suicide in 1970. In the 1920s, Rothko's early paintings indicate a "knotted imagination." To release his mind's interference, he dabbled in Expressionism. Rothko insists that his paintings imbue the values of contemporary society, and he denies any psychological interpretation of his art. His paintings show human tragedy. Rothko turned his art into an assault on the rich restaurant patrons whom he despised, hoping the paintings would make them sick as they dined. It’s thought that he awakened the art world to an American genius whose art transcended that of most 20th-century painters.

Uncertainty: Modernity and Art

Instead of offering an idealized or ennobled vision of humankind, modern art—an instrument of the tumultuous 20th century—communicates chaos, anxiety, and above all, uncertainty. What can we still believe in? And is Western civilization nearing its end?  With the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, Man is separated from Nature, machines rule work, and science challenges religion. One can look at modern art to discover self in a changing world. What is the underlying message of modern art? Uncertainty.  Modern art is a complete break from art of the past that was inspirational, idealized. Art is the lightning conductor for changing values. Modern Art keeps responding to modern life. In modern life, people live in doubt, and one is never sure of one's true identity. Reality is different jostling points of view colliding together. Abstract art tests out modern changes. It comes to no conclusions. Abstract art does not point to a god or higher intelligence.  In art today, one questions whether the values once expressed so nobly in Greek statues are really only illusions. People are only what consumerism tells them they are.

Hockney on Photography

The camera was not invented in the 19th century, only the chemical process was, says David Hockney. There is a void between the person behind the camera and the subject. He aims to take away the void. Hockney uses photographic images to create something pertaining more to the condition of painting. A large version of a Hockney photographic collage creates interest because of its perspective of perspective. As a child, Hockney frequented the cinema and came to see that a different world existed outside his hometown. Hockney explains perspective in ways that most people have not considered. Everything is related to everything else. Technology has changed not only the cost of reproducing photographs, but also has changed what is possible to create in size. 

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. Worked with silk screening. Andy Warhol saw the repeated silk screen images as a way to make money. His work revolves around pop culture.

2. It gave a better in depth look at postmodern art. I felt the each section, although there were many, were very short. They did not go into much detail at all but just gave a basic over view. The videos really took some of the sections that were in the chapter further.

3.  I really enjoyed the videos on specific artists. It really gives a more in depth look at the individuals. I really liked the video on Andy Warhol. The page in the book on him was a short blurb in comparison.