Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art
Lowbrow art-art that nobody else knows how to characterize. It is a reaction to high brow culture-no color fields or urinals in galleries
Originally associated with hot rods and naked women
Some people call it lowbrow surrealism
Reaches out to masses and people relate to the imagery
Grew from World War II planes and hot rods with the pin-up style naked women
Inspired by suburbia, nuclear family, Malibu beach/surf scene, comic books and B level movies
Psychedelic rock posters-not accepted in galleries because associated with hippies and drugs
Lowbrow always has a narrative, a lot of things happening or about to happen
Tiki culture: men coming from the Pacific in World War II and came to love that decor-tiki idols
Culture open to women artists
Internet has opened a lot of doors to exposure to all kinds of art and made people more aware. People can can discover and seek out what they like.
People became exposed to the art through album covers and flyers
Vancouver experienced a similar underground art culture to California
Value of paintings is growing
George Eastman House: The Perfect House
George Eastman born1854 in the new age of photography, founder Eastman Kodak and popular photography
created first affordable, portable camera
George Eastman House holds 400,000 photographs, 25,000 films, 62,000 personal artifacts and 16,000 pieces of photographic technology
able to document history
First Kodak camera cost $25 for 100 exposures
Eastman understood marketing: "you press the camera, we do the rest"
Eastman worked with Edison to create a 35 MM motion picture camera
Restoration and preservation of film is a relatively new career and is growing
Eastman House has a large online collection
Eastman committed suicide in 1932 because he had a terminal illness and wanted to be in control of his life
Displaying Modern Art: the Tate Approach
Tate Modern: 4 million viewers in the first year
MOMA-pioneered display technique of chronological sequence of works. White walls with lighting on works. Separate rooms dedicated to different movements. Makes it seem like an evolution and that one piece built from a older piece.
Tate: 4 sections in themes-landscape, still life, history, nude-allows for many possibilities
Bones of Contention: Native American Archeology
Native American bones have been collected and studied at will
Discrimination-white people bones are reburied in a cemetery, while bodies of native American buried in the same area are taken for study.
1976-first law passed to protect Indian burial grounds
Colonists and settlers were fascinated by Native Americans
Dug up burial mounds and later discovered Native Americans had indeed built the mounds
Smithsonian held the remains of 18,000 Native American remains
Anthropologists want to study origins of Native Americans. Similar bone defects suggest shared genes origins. Many tribes do not believe the theory of migration. They believe in Creation.
Takes time to repatriate bones to correct tribes
Computer analysis may help determine what bones belong to a tribe
Native Americans have an oral tradition of their history
Study today's health problems by looking at remains
Omaha tribe work with University of Nebraska to understand their past culture and health. Studying their bones has provided a lot of significant information.
Repatriation has been accomplished
The videos relate to the art curation project because they showed different ways to exhibit art and show possible themes. The video on Native American bones showed the importance of respecting artifacts of a culture and if it is moral to remove objects to display them. It is an ongoing issue and certainly something to consider.
The videos definitely helped me because they explained different artistic movements and gave me ideas about how to present my Art Curation project.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Video Reviews
I chose the first three videos because I have always been fascinated and confused by Pop and Modern Art. I hoped watching the films would help me understand the styles better. I chose the last video because I wanted to know about Rothko's work,
Andy Warhol: Images of an Image
Ten Lizes 1963
Warhol began as commercial artist
Silkscreen Marilyn Monroe made Warhol famous
Silkscreen process-enlarge original image, contrast can be changed, results in large half tone sheet, screen of mesh is stretched across frame and treated with a light sensitive material. Then layed on screen and exposed to light. Then it is rinsed with water, the black unexposed parts dissolve, while the white parts harden filling in the screen. This creates a negative image. It is then placed over the final surface, inked is poured and forced through the screen and creates a positive image.
Much of Warhol's work is a parable of mass production. The variation of the silkscreen technique mimics defects of mass produced molded objects.
Create the idea that celebrities are products just like a can of soup
Warhol was extremely narcissistic and obsessed with the idea of celebrity
Warhol used Polaroids as the basis for silkscreens
Subject of works (Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor) are recognizable even with flaws, variations and destruction of original image
Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50s and 60s
Figurative vs. Abstract: Abstract art wants viewer to think and feel about what the painting is. Space is different in each styles. In figurative painting the imaginary space around it grows. Abstract works in the real space between the viewer and the painting.
Action painting: the actions of the artist while painting is important as the final painting.
Difficult for an artist to be done with an abstract painting
Helen Frankenthaler impacted other color field artists-used cloth instead of canvas. This caused the paint to really seep in and appear to emerge from the painting
en caustic technique-oil paint mixed with solution of melted bee's wax. This dries quickly leaving translucent colors. It also holds brush strokes well
Pop Art movement was not a clear, coherent movement. Artists of the movement were brought together because they lived in the same city. Pop Art was the first 20th century movement since Futurism to embrace the rhythms of city life.
Warhol and Rauschenber paved way for pop artists to use everyday objects in art
Warhol became a brand-produced thousands of silkscreen portraiture of celebrities and wealthy upper class-many of his works were not actually executed by Warhol himself but by his assistants
Lichenstein used the idea of the comic book to create his works
Uncertainty: Modernity and Art
Greek statues offer the idealistic human form
Industrial Revolution separates man from nature-leads to modern life
Modern art has made obscurity popular
Modern art changes as society changes
Modern life means living with doubt
Cubism is deliberately primitively drawn to fight the recognizable. figures are fragmented then put back together
Abstract art puts the viewer in an experiment and provokes questions but gives no answers
Abstract Expressionist artists dared the viewer to look into the void
Pop Art communicates the ever growing value of consumerism
The growth of China economically helped moved China away from propaganda art to the avant garde
Power of Art: Rothko
Rothko committed suicide in 1970 because he had spent so much time in his mind and the realm of the dead
Rothko was commissioned to do paintings for the Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagrams building in New York. He was paid $35,000, what would be the equivalent of $2.5 million today.
Born in Russia 1903 and then immigrated to the United States
Sought to communicate tragedy and basic human emotions through his art
Viewed the Seagram paintings as fight against the wealthy that would dine there. He hoped the diners would lose their appetites
After dining at the Four Seasons, Rothko decided his paintings will never hang in the Four Seasons because the people will never look at his paintings
Began to break down (chain smoking, alcoholism) and fell into melancholy that was reflected in his work
The video relate to the text because they discuss some of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century.
The videos were interesting and kept my attention. They went into more depth and discussed more artists than the text.
Andy Warhol: Images of an Image
Ten Lizes 1963
Warhol began as commercial artist
Silkscreen Marilyn Monroe made Warhol famous
Silkscreen process-enlarge original image, contrast can be changed, results in large half tone sheet, screen of mesh is stretched across frame and treated with a light sensitive material. Then layed on screen and exposed to light. Then it is rinsed with water, the black unexposed parts dissolve, while the white parts harden filling in the screen. This creates a negative image. It is then placed over the final surface, inked is poured and forced through the screen and creates a positive image.
Much of Warhol's work is a parable of mass production. The variation of the silkscreen technique mimics defects of mass produced molded objects.
Create the idea that celebrities are products just like a can of soup
Warhol was extremely narcissistic and obsessed with the idea of celebrity
Warhol used Polaroids as the basis for silkscreens
Subject of works (Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor) are recognizable even with flaws, variations and destruction of original image
Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50s and 60s
Figurative vs. Abstract: Abstract art wants viewer to think and feel about what the painting is. Space is different in each styles. In figurative painting the imaginary space around it grows. Abstract works in the real space between the viewer and the painting.
Action painting: the actions of the artist while painting is important as the final painting.
Difficult for an artist to be done with an abstract painting
Helen Frankenthaler impacted other color field artists-used cloth instead of canvas. This caused the paint to really seep in and appear to emerge from the painting
en caustic technique-oil paint mixed with solution of melted bee's wax. This dries quickly leaving translucent colors. It also holds brush strokes well
Pop Art movement was not a clear, coherent movement. Artists of the movement were brought together because they lived in the same city. Pop Art was the first 20th century movement since Futurism to embrace the rhythms of city life.
Warhol and Rauschenber paved way for pop artists to use everyday objects in art
Warhol became a brand-produced thousands of silkscreen portraiture of celebrities and wealthy upper class-many of his works were not actually executed by Warhol himself but by his assistants
Lichenstein used the idea of the comic book to create his works
Uncertainty: Modernity and Art
Greek statues offer the idealistic human form
Industrial Revolution separates man from nature-leads to modern life
Modern art has made obscurity popular
Modern art changes as society changes
Modern life means living with doubt
Cubism is deliberately primitively drawn to fight the recognizable. figures are fragmented then put back together
Abstract art puts the viewer in an experiment and provokes questions but gives no answers
Abstract Expressionist artists dared the viewer to look into the void
Pop Art communicates the ever growing value of consumerism
The growth of China economically helped moved China away from propaganda art to the avant garde
Power of Art: Rothko
Rothko committed suicide in 1970 because he had spent so much time in his mind and the realm of the dead
Rothko was commissioned to do paintings for the Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagrams building in New York. He was paid $35,000, what would be the equivalent of $2.5 million today.
Born in Russia 1903 and then immigrated to the United States
Sought to communicate tragedy and basic human emotions through his art
Viewed the Seagram paintings as fight against the wealthy that would dine there. He hoped the diners would lose their appetites
After dining at the Four Seasons, Rothko decided his paintings will never hang in the Four Seasons because the people will never look at his paintings
Began to break down (chain smoking, alcoholism) and fell into melancholy that was reflected in his work
The video relate to the text because they discuss some of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century.
The videos were interesting and kept my attention. They went into more depth and discussed more artists than the text.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Burchfield Penney Visit
1. The title of the exhibition is Time Share: An Historic Art Collaboration. The theme is artworks from the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society that show important Buffalo landmarks, events and people.
2. The lighting in this exhibit was low. Only the artworks had light directed on them. The walls are painted a blue-gray color. The area is pretty open so the viewer can easily go around the entire room and see all the works. There is little interior architecture except for a small wall about 8 feet by 10 ft that is placed at the entrance that holds a painting and the title of the exhibit.
3. The artworks are organized by subject and time for the most part. Mostly landscapes are in the first room and moving into the second room are more recent works, such as a photograph from World War I. The artworks are similar in that all show important landmarks, like Niagara Falls, events, such as the Pan American Exposition, and people, such as William McKinley, from around Western New York. They are different in the subject matter. There are landscapes, portraits and photographs. The artworks are in simple wood frames for the most part except for the portraits, which have more elaborate frames. Each artwork has a plaque next to it that has the title, artist, medium and if some information about the context of the work. The artworks are fairly close to each other; about 2 feet apart.
The left image is entitled White Man's Fancy: Maiden of Past. The right image is entitled Red Man's Fact: The Maiden's Sacrifice. Both images were created by James Francis Brown in 1891 to juxtapose each other and show how the story of the "Maid of the Mist" legend is viewed by "white" men and "red" men. The left image shows a woman with wings that appears to be floating in the air and carefully balanced on a rock, with mist surrounding her. The right image shows a woman going over the edge of Niagara Falls in a canoe and a man in another canoe following behind her. Both images are well balanced and harmonious. The colors are somewhat muted. though the artist shows skill in the transparency he achieves in the wings and mist.
2. The lighting in this exhibit was low. Only the artworks had light directed on them. The walls are painted a blue-gray color. The area is pretty open so the viewer can easily go around the entire room and see all the works. There is little interior architecture except for a small wall about 8 feet by 10 ft that is placed at the entrance that holds a painting and the title of the exhibit.
3. The artworks are organized by subject and time for the most part. Mostly landscapes are in the first room and moving into the second room are more recent works, such as a photograph from World War I. The artworks are similar in that all show important landmarks, like Niagara Falls, events, such as the Pan American Exposition, and people, such as William McKinley, from around Western New York. They are different in the subject matter. There are landscapes, portraits and photographs. The artworks are in simple wood frames for the most part except for the portraits, which have more elaborate frames. Each artwork has a plaque next to it that has the title, artist, medium and if some information about the context of the work. The artworks are fairly close to each other; about 2 feet apart.
The left image is entitled White Man's Fancy: Maiden of Past. The right image is entitled Red Man's Fact: The Maiden's Sacrifice. Both images were created by James Francis Brown in 1891 to juxtapose each other and show how the story of the "Maid of the Mist" legend is viewed by "white" men and "red" men. The left image shows a woman with wings that appears to be floating in the air and carefully balanced on a rock, with mist surrounding her. The right image shows a woman going over the edge of Niagara Falls in a canoe and a man in another canoe following behind her. Both images are well balanced and harmonious. The colors are somewhat muted. though the artist shows skill in the transparency he achieves in the wings and mist.
This work is entitled Horseshoe Falls and Niagara Gorge by Raphael Beck. The medium is oil on canvas. It is a landscape work of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Gorge. The work captures the movement of the Falls and the Niagara River. It uses linear perspective. It also utilizes color, especially in the sky. It is also balanced and harmonious. The artist wanted to capture the beauty of the area. The artist did not live far from the Niagara Falls and wanted to paint his surroundings.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Mask
I choose the following inspiration pieces because they stood out to me. The first with the protruding nose caught my eye. Then the colors of the second piece were very vivid and I though of feathers. The feathers made me seek out the third piece.
My sketches:
I tried to combine elements of each inspiration piece. The protruding nose from the first image translated into a large beak in my final work. I was really inspired by the parrot mask and that is how the piece grew. I wanted colorful feathers; similar to a Native American headdress. Then I kept going with this idea of the parrot in a tree.
Once I found my inspiration pieces, the idea for my mask came quite easily. I enjoyed the process and had fun creating my mask.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Video Reviews
I chose this video because I do not know much about African art
African Art: Legacy of Oppression
The color white represents the Spirits of Dead
exaggerations and simplified African images inspired modern artists
Congo cultures glorified chiefs and mothers in art
Valued everyday objects- believed the objects had magical powers
Used masks used to frighten people
King Leopold II conquered the Congo and severely abused natives-kidnapping villagers for slave labor, raping women and forcing natives to bring back rubber so Leopold could profit from it.
I chose this video also because I do not know much about African art and I hoped to gain a better understanding of their stylized form.
African Art
The making of everyday objects, decoration of homes and dress shows the importance of art in Africa
Most objects made of wood and straw-deteriorate quickly
Drawings on stone of animals are the oldest examples of African art
Egyptian art and lifestyle spread to southern Africa
Bronze statues also survive
Glorified rulers-believed them to be divine
Most 20th century artists viewed African art as primitive and child-like
Perceptual art-artists observation of the world
Conceptual art-flows from artists imagination
African art is more conceptual-Symbolism is important
Was better to make the same thing as someone else but better, than to make a unique object-this perpetuated the same things being created so it helps us to better understand the culture because these objects would otherwise be lost
Masks and sculptures were not mean to represent a person but to conjure spirits
Rigid frontal images are common
Masks are just one aspect of costume used for masquerades
Masks could represent many things
I chose this video because I admire the dedication of the monks in Buddhism and the religion always seemed mystical; which interests me.
Buddhism
Began in India
Siddhartha Gautama born in 563 BCE
Meditated and when he opened his eyes he was "awakened" and enlightened and Buddhism was born
Bodh Gaya-sacred city for Buddhism
Tanha-extinguish all desires and anything that feeds the ego that obstruct enlightenment
Freedom from these meant one could in the world but not a part of it- "middle way"
Buddha wanted to share his enlightenment so founded the religion
Buddhism split into two groups after Buddha's death
hinyana-individuals who wanted to cross to nirvana in a boat they built and rowed them self
manyana-those who wanted to seek companions and wait for ferry to cross to nirvana
Great Stupa tells the story and teachings of Buddha in relief sculptures
Borobudur Temple-stepped pyramid with 3 circular levels on top-made shape of a lotus flower
took 100 years to build
contains 432 carved buddhas
was buried by a volcanic eruption but uncovered in 1815 and restored
Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York-11.5 meter high statue of Buddha, largest in Western hemisphere and took 8 years to build. 10,000 smaller Buddha statues surround it. Building was erected around the statue
I chose this video in hopes of better understanding the difference between Hinduism and Buddhism.
Hinduism
Varanasi-holy city in India
Ganges river-strong symbol in Hinduism-represents reincarnation
Many pilgrims hope to die in Vernasi because they believe they will escape the cycle of reincarnation and go straight to heaven
Believe cremation liberates the spirit
Mamapallarum-where the Ganges turns to stone and reliefs are carved that tell stories
Panch Rathas-temples carved out of a single piece of stone-some with domes and multiple levels
Sex represents the creative life of Brahma (who gave life to everyone)
There are many ways to Brahma
The videos related to the text in several ways. It discussed many of the many concepts of African art that were in the text. They also discussed art in India, which was covered in the text.
The videos aided my understanding because they were more in depth than the text. Also, the videos were able to show multiple examples of works from various cultures, which helps distinguish differences between the cultures.
African Art: Legacy of Oppression
The color white represents the Spirits of Dead
exaggerations and simplified African images inspired modern artists
Congo cultures glorified chiefs and mothers in art
Valued everyday objects- believed the objects had magical powers
Used masks used to frighten people
King Leopold II conquered the Congo and severely abused natives-kidnapping villagers for slave labor, raping women and forcing natives to bring back rubber so Leopold could profit from it.
I chose this video also because I do not know much about African art and I hoped to gain a better understanding of their stylized form.
African Art
The making of everyday objects, decoration of homes and dress shows the importance of art in Africa
Most objects made of wood and straw-deteriorate quickly
Drawings on stone of animals are the oldest examples of African art
Egyptian art and lifestyle spread to southern Africa
Bronze statues also survive
Glorified rulers-believed them to be divine
Most 20th century artists viewed African art as primitive and child-like
Perceptual art-artists observation of the world
Conceptual art-flows from artists imagination
African art is more conceptual-Symbolism is important
Was better to make the same thing as someone else but better, than to make a unique object-this perpetuated the same things being created so it helps us to better understand the culture because these objects would otherwise be lost
Masks and sculptures were not mean to represent a person but to conjure spirits
Rigid frontal images are common
Masks are just one aspect of costume used for masquerades
Masks could represent many things
I chose this video because I admire the dedication of the monks in Buddhism and the religion always seemed mystical; which interests me.
Buddhism
Began in India
Siddhartha Gautama born in 563 BCE
Meditated and when he opened his eyes he was "awakened" and enlightened and Buddhism was born
Bodh Gaya-sacred city for Buddhism
Tanha-extinguish all desires and anything that feeds the ego that obstruct enlightenment
Freedom from these meant one could in the world but not a part of it- "middle way"
Buddha wanted to share his enlightenment so founded the religion
Buddhism split into two groups after Buddha's death
hinyana-individuals who wanted to cross to nirvana in a boat they built and rowed them self
manyana-those who wanted to seek companions and wait for ferry to cross to nirvana
Great Stupa tells the story and teachings of Buddha in relief sculptures
Borobudur Temple-stepped pyramid with 3 circular levels on top-made shape of a lotus flower
took 100 years to build
contains 432 carved buddhas
was buried by a volcanic eruption but uncovered in 1815 and restored
Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York-11.5 meter high statue of Buddha, largest in Western hemisphere and took 8 years to build. 10,000 smaller Buddha statues surround it. Building was erected around the statue
I chose this video in hopes of better understanding the difference between Hinduism and Buddhism.
Hinduism
Varanasi-holy city in India
Ganges river-strong symbol in Hinduism-represents reincarnation
Many pilgrims hope to die in Vernasi because they believe they will escape the cycle of reincarnation and go straight to heaven
Believe cremation liberates the spirit
Mamapallarum-where the Ganges turns to stone and reliefs are carved that tell stories
Panch Rathas-temples carved out of a single piece of stone-some with domes and multiple levels
Sex represents the creative life of Brahma (who gave life to everyone)
There are many ways to Brahma
The videos related to the text in several ways. It discussed many of the many concepts of African art that were in the text. They also discussed art in India, which was covered in the text.
The videos aided my understanding because they were more in depth than the text. Also, the videos were able to show multiple examples of works from various cultures, which helps distinguish differences between the cultures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)