Progress Post #29 - April 27, 20184/30/2018 This week, we wrapped up (haha see what i did there) our paper mache projects! We used a mixture of flour and water which I thought was very interesting as I had only ever used the store-bought versions. I think the flour and water combo didn't really stick to mine that well but that may have also been because I have a very thin project and it's not ideal for paper mache. My sculpture kind of broke apart after adding a bunch of my strips but I can always superglue the two parts together and, this way, it is easier for it to dry without drying in a strange position. I might look into paper mache a little bit more especially in regards to larger projects since I don't think I chose the right base shape for this.
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Progress Post #28 - April 20, 20184/30/2018 This week, we started talking about paper mache or papper mash. I have worked with paper mache once before, and I was not good at it. I do not have high hopes for this project. I decided to make something very round and thin which is very difficult so far. I finished my base structure but it does not look like my sketch, but I guess I am satisfied with it. We also started watching a documentary about Jeanne-Claude and Christo which I very much enjoy. It's interesting to see the bureaucracy and legal work that goes behind making their projects come to life.
Progress Post #27 - April 13, 20184/30/2018 This week, we jumped right into learning about sculpture! I really enjoyed learning about all the different types of sculptors and how they each individually contributed to increased abstraction of the art. Jeanne-Claude and Christo are especially interesting as they wrap massive buildings and structures? The idea of doing such a large scale and public project is very interesting and shows how sculpture can break the limits of painting. Their work really highlights the differences between 2D and 3D. I am very excited for this unit as I have always wanted to experiment with sculpture and making 3D works.
Common Themes and Analysis
Artistic movements have always been met with aversion by the public. Whether it is the rise of naturalism or abstract expressionism, everyone's a critic of new ideas. However, with non-objective and abstract art, widespread criticism is commonplace. In "The 1913 Armory Show: America's First Art War," the author explores the various complaints of the public and publications during the controversial Armory Show which displayed hot new art from Europe. Hot new art meaning Impressionism, Expressionism, and, the most disputed, Cubism. These movements were all groundbreaking when they were birthed and in "The 'ism' that isn't" the author seeks to define what makes 'ism' movements 'ism' movements. Although at first glance these two articles seem barely similar, they share many common themes. For example, both articles are addressing the explosion of groundbreaking art movements in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. They both reference the influence of Cubism and how artists were truly breaking out of the constraints of realism and what the world had defined as art in the past. Cubism was one of the first movements to show that some artworks' intention is not to depict reality but an alternate, stylized, and sometimes incomprehensible form of it. Furthermore, both articles discuss art pieces' ulterior motives and messages in regards to the political world. When referring to political motives, "the 'ism' that isn't" finds that politics were central to the creation of art movements and is the defining feature of "isms." In "the 1913 Armory Show...," the author states that contemporary art is focused on the emotions of suppressed minorities and are used to make powerful political statements. Both understand the importance of politics in regards to art and the motivations it provides. In terms of differences, the Armory Show has a more focused and narrow approach to artistic movements. It hones in on cubism and its role in public outcry in 1913. On the other hand, the isms is a comprehensive analysis of the meaning of ism and how artists, curators, and collectors alike can not go around willy-nilly making up art movements. In addition, the isms are a critique on a specific art show that, according to the author, "travesties the history of modern art by stripping it of politics." The ism article also brings up multiple questions about how art will change in the future intrinsically while the Armory Show focuses on how reactions and the discourse surrounding art will change. Flaws and Strengths "The 1913 Armory Show: America's First Art War" is wonderfully written and provides images to go along with the article which I found very helpful. Seeing the works that were displayed in this show helped me envision myself in the shoes of a normal civilian going in to see this exhibit. Furthermore, seeing the so called "explosion in a shingle factory" of "Nude Descending A Staircase No. 2" was particularly interesting. The inclusion of quotes from the time period also gave the article a sense of trustworthiness and validity. The article was very easy to understand and digest which is always a good quality for widespread information. However, as someone unfamiliar with Gertrude Stein, I believe there could be more information included about her considering the amount of times she was mentioned in the article. "The 'ism' that isn't" is an intellectual piece. I enjoy the in depth analysis of the idea of an 'ism' and the various examples provided as well as the historical contextualization of the movements. I also enjoyed the quote by the painting tutor as first hand accounts always work in the favor of an article. Seeing the perspective of someone who disliked impressionism at this time period supported the argument about how isms are groundbreaking. Sometimes the article was a bit difficult to follow as it jumped around quite a bit. Personal Opinion As this new age of art dawns upon us in the 21st century, I believe there are no more boundaries left in art to push. As mentioned in the ism article, isms were all groundbreaking movements designed to question the idealized version of art that existed at the time. Their rebellion is part of what made them great. However, Duchamp's beliefs about everything being art as long as the artist intended it to be virtually destroyed the idealized version of art. I think that no more isms can exist as no more boundaries exist to be stretched. Public derision will forever exist towards art as the 1913 Armory Show indicates (as there are people who still hate abstract art today simply for not conforming to perspective and realism). However, their derision will always be towards the wide idea of contemporary art since we are no longer inching along the idea of non-objective, we are entirely in the mouth of non-objective. It's no longer uncommon for people to see works like White on White by Malevich hanging in an art museum. I guess I'm trying to say that the era of life-changing artistic innovation is over? Or, more optimistically, the era of isms are over because nothing is out of the question anymore. Experience #3 - New York Field Trip4/7/2018 From April 3 to 5th, I had the pleasure of going on the New York Art Field Trip which featured visits to museums like the MoMA, the Met, and the Guggenheim. I loved visiting these museums and seeing some of the worlds most famous artworks in person. In particular, I enjoyed seeing some of Van Gogh's pieces in person (especially his self-portrait and Starry Night), Madame X by Jean Singer Sargent, Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrian, some of Cézanne's work, and the exhibit on Adrian Piper. The Met was my favorite museum as it featured so many works from so many time periods, places, and movements. The endless amounts of art there and the beautiful architecture and organization of the building made me want to live there forever. I was unable to explore the whole museum and spent a lot of my time in a room with various Cézanne pieces and repeatedly visiting the room with Madame X but the experience was definitely worth it. I really want to visit the museum again so I can explore all corners and rooms of this spectacular museum and soak up all the information and art history that is available. The room with the Chinese zen garden and artwork was one of my favorites as it reminded me of the times I have travelled to China and seen the beautiful places the rooms were based off of. It made me nostalgic as well as reflective on my experiences. The exhibit on Dahn Vo at the Guggenheim was AMAZING. I had downloaded the audio guide for it so I learned so much about his artistic process, the meaning behind his work, and his motivations which inspired me to find a deeper motivation behind my artwork. I also really enjoyed seeing the one work by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (my favorite artist !!!). The MoMA was also an incredibly rewarding experience. I spent a very long time looking at the Adrian Piper exhibit on the sixth floor, and I immediately fell in love with her artwork. The performance aspect of it and the blatant, unapologetic power behind her messages juxtaposed on images was crazy influential. Her work makes me want to pursue performance art and collages featuring typography as I believe pieces in those mediums hold a unique kind of power unparalleled by art in traditional art mediums like painting and drawing. This experience has inspired me to ask questions about the mediums I have been using. For example, what is the extent of the difference between working in a traditional medium vs. an untraditional medium (like performance or computerized collaging etc.)? How can I use performance art to convey what I believe in? How can I improve my technical art to the extent of Jean Singer Sargent? How can I break the rules of existing art like Duchamp? How can I incorporate everyday objects with meaning into my work like Dahn Vo? author.jacqueline. she/her. senior. virginia, usa. art v. archives.
March 2020
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