Art Criticism

I reviewed the project "Soles with Soul." I chose this exhibit because I found the subject matter unique. I also enjoyed the various works. I found many of them quite striking and visually interesting. I immediately starting forming opinions when I went  through it.

The  biggest challenge was connecting all the ideas together. I really liked my opening in which I asked several questions. It was difficult for me to bring it together and make those points connect though.

I enjoyed critiquing my peer. It opened me up to artworks I had not seen before. I would like to see what others thought of my project.

I would rate my article a 9. I think I made it enjoyable to read while still being informative. However, I think I could have developed my ideas more.

I enjoyed looking at my peers work but I have never really enjoyed creative writing. Because of this, writing the article was difficult.

Video Reviews

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark
Writing about visual art is more difficult than writing about literature or music
There has always been main stream art but at times Greenberg's preferences did not fit the main stream
You need to stay receptive and open-art can come from anywhere
You can only discuss results
Best art is created for the "elite"
All you can ask of lower social classes is to accept art
Greenberg believes there is a crisis of taste
Relevance is a guideline
Greenberg believes in modern specialization-keep refining things down

Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark
Pollock became famous for his drip paintings but Greenberg knew he would be great before that
The demise of the easel painting was inevitable-the next big move would be towards murals
You don't ask anything of art except that it be good
Drip paintings eliminate the artist's body getting in the way of what they want to create-when they fail it's because they don't "sit."
Pollock's work was not thought to be "real painting" in the traditional sense-he was really an outsider

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance
Renaissance saw the rebirth of interest in art
Giorgio Vasari's "Lives of the Artists" still helps people today study art of the past
Art is continually changing and artists base their works on previous artists
Fall of Roman Empire meant much of Roman culture was lost
The cultural center moved to Byzantine Empire and Byzantine art-figures were marked by flatter figures
Giotto began the idea of perspective-one of the first artists to use this idea since the Romans. Brought back realism in art.
Craftsmen are artists as well-use similar skill sets
Donatello's "David" stands in contrapossto-the body still looks balanced even though the weight is shifted on one side
Masaccio brought shading, drama and intensity to his paintings
Piero della Francesco introduced chiaroscuro-light vs. dark
Botticelli was able to create works that celebrated the human form and had non-Christian subject matter
DaVinci believed the only way to recreate something realistically is by understanding how it works
Raffaefello is a master of composition-his works are always balanced and unified
Sistine Chapel took 4 years to complete-man's relationship to God

The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture
The view of French colonies in the 1900s were not coherent or consistent-some images show a high status and others evoke a more primitive view
Dahome culture was represented as barbaric in the 1900 World Fair. French wanted to make the world think that it was imperative that the French step in and save the "barbarians." Sought to justify colonialism
Dahome did have skills as craftsmen-redeeming quality
Arabic culture became characterized by belly dancing and promiscuity
African men and women were put in cages and put on display in the name of science
Physical features were used as a way to determine intellectual superiority
Westerners do not understand the original cultural meaning, they see it only as an art object

Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation
Pollock is a major modern art master
Clark-modern art was developed in opposition to bourgeoisie culture
Fried-modern art mattered because it was constantly renewing itself
Modernism-conflict between resources and condition
Difficult to agree on how to describe the character of Pollock's work so it is difficult to understand his intentions
Need to consider the importance of Pollock's work historically as well as pictorially

The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages
Those who cannot do, critique-many artists do not see the need for the critics and do not allow them to influence their work
Critics get the public to think
Critics goal is to take you from a neutral state to wanting to experience the work they are talking about
Giving new ideas or suggesting new ways to view things
Critics direct people to good works
Grading systems are easy for people to understand and are common tools for critics
Critics enjoy their craft
Critics can improve media and influence public opinion
Critics can keep artists on their toes and give some artists their big break
Duty of a critic often overlaps with the duties of a reporter
Objective critic-neutral, fair and bring different points of view
Subjective critic-can express opinion freely
Criticism looks at a wider view than a review does
Criticism makes an argument
Critical Thinking Skills: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation
Superior Criticism involves critical thinking, good writing, choosing the right material and makes connections
Criticism has been water-downed
Internet provides a whole new medium for critics to write and others to read it
Criticism has negative connotation-but it should really be seen as a way of describing and analyzing various arts

The videos relate to my art criticism project because they discuss the importance and techniques of art criticism. They explain how art should be evaluated and what good art criticism includes.

The films added to my understanding because I have a better idea of what I should include in my art criticism project. They helped me better understand how to think critically about art.

Art Curator Project Reflection

I began by thinking of themes that interest me. I thought about doing a play on senses by having a mixture of sight with sound, and sight with touch. However, this seemed like it would be difficult to put together. Then I thought Dante's Inferno and finding works that represent the seven levels of hell. This also seemed difficult so I simplified it to just the Seven Deadly Sins. The Seven Deadly Sins have always fascinated me for some reason.

Once I found my first piece, Seven Virtues and Seven Vices, I knew how I wanted to put it together. I found some pieces that incorporated all the sins and placed one at the beginning at one at the end. Then I found seven individual pieces that represented a different sin. Then found three artists that did separate pieces that collectively made up the Seven Deadly Sins.

I made the colors of the slides try to be symbolic of the sins. Red for lust and anger, yellow for pride, green for envy, black for sloth. The colors of the slides were used to group the works together, as if viewing each set in its own room.

The project as a whole was challenging but definitely fun.

Video Reviews

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.

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.

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.  

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. 

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.

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.

Drawing

1. Using my hands as a subject matter for a drawing  made me think of the old saying "Know it like the back of your hand." Hands are something we obviously see most of everyday but to look at them more closely to draw them was interesting. It was interesting to observe all the lines and shapes.
2. I chose pencil because I felt more comfortable using it and I could achieve thinner, sharper lines.
3. It felt very awkward drawing with my non-dominant hand. I did not feel like I had much control.
4. I feel my works are fairly successful. You can definitely tell they are hands but they do not look that similar. They look like they belong to two different people.
5. I was actually surprised that my non-dominant drawing came out as well as it did. However, I do not think I would use my non-dominant hand to create future work.

Renaissance Video Reviews

The Drawings of Michelangelo
I chose this video because I have always been impressed by Michelangelo's works, especially the Sistine Chapel.
Michelangelo would draw from the core of the body and then contour out
Born in 1475
Sketches were used to get rough idea of placement of figures and space and used cross-hatching to give figures mass
David-13 ft. The first colossal sculpture to be carved in Italy since antiquity. Political symbol-republic's resistance to return of Medici family
Details of life combined with abstract views-not entirely natural. Worked the body to try to achieve perfection
Began Sistine Chapel in 1508
Passionate about beauty of male form
Michelangelo was also deeply religious
Last Judgment is a reflection of Michelangelo's realization of his mortality

La Primavera
I chose this video because I have always admired the beauty of this work but I did not know what the figures represneted and I wanted to learn more about it.
Large scale-10 ft
9 Classical figures shown-Venus, Cupid, 3 graces, Mercury, Zephyr, Chloris, Flora-Chlorus becomes Flora after being raped by Zephyr. Zephyr'a guilt later makes him take Flora as his bride.
500 individual flowers
Botticelli born around 1444
depiction of movement in the female forms
idealized version of figures
Venus and Cupid are reinterpretations of the Virgin Mary and Jesus
use of egg tempera in paint helps create translucency
flowers are symbolic of love and marriage

Albrecht Durer
I chose this video because I did not know much about this artist and wanted to learn about him.
1471-1528
Introduced Germany to Renaissance art
gifted at portraits-represented people in real (not idealized) form-attention to the process of aging
First true landscape artist in Europe-grasped the mood of landscape
Narcissistic
Searched for perfect form
Learned many techniques in Italy
Many works inspired by Protestant Reformation

Velazquez
I chose this video because I did not know anything about this artist.
1599-1660
Private painter to King Phillip IV
Took mythological figures but portrayed them so it appeared as if it was just occuring
concerned with nature not order
Painted the truth but makes viewer see the hidden beauty in his subjects

3. The videos relate to the readings because they discuss Renaissance artists and the importance of the Renaissance in terms of artistic technique.

4. I found the videos very helpful in better understanding the terms of Humanism, Neo-Platoism and Idealism.

Video Review

More Human Than Human
Images of human body share the idea that they are unrealistic
Venus of Willendorf-25,000 BCE-May be symbol of fertility. No face and very small arms. Artist chose to exaggerate some features and virtually ignore others. Reason: Brain programmed to exaggerate most desired features because of their importance.
Ancestors were nomadic hunter/gatherers.
By the 5,000 BCE severe weather changes had occurred that made people gather by river banks
In opposition, ancient Egyptians chose to depict humans from clearest angle. Did not change for 3,000 years because the scientific technique used to create images were used to keep order and consistency-both important Egyptian values
Greeks-believed Gods took human form and had beautiful bodies. Thus, the more perfect your body then the better you were as a person. Artists created statues of gods because they wanted to them realistically. Greek artists used Egyptian masonry skills to create more realistic, life-size statues.
Kritios Boy is first example of artists creating statue to mimic distribution of weight
Too realistic made the image boring, so Greeks had to change to make more interesting
Polyclitis divided the body into 4 quadrants and moved each quadrant so the statue looked it was in motion-proportion and details are not realistic
Cultures' values dictate what will be exaggerated in works of art

I chose the three videos below because each is from a different period in history and each period is one that I enjoy learning about.

The Illuminated Manuscript
Monasteries were centers of knowledge. Monks created written works to spread the word of the Bible. However, most citizens were illiterate.
Each book was copied by hand and most  monasteries only had about 20 books
Monks wanted to preserve knowledge
The process of creating a book was very long and labor intensive
Scribes believed there was demon that made them make mistakes and these mistakes would be used against at their final judgement-however, copying just one letter was said to forgive a sin
Universities began to open and book trade flourished
Sign of wealth to have books copied and illuminated
Printing press replaced scribes

Cairo Museum
160,000 artifacts in museum but only half are on display
Valley of the Kings (40 mummies of kings) was discovered by a goat herder who sold many of its treasures at market
Conservation is important part of the discovery process and being able to put them on display and make recreations
There is still more to be discovered

The Greek Awakening
Greeks wanted humans to be represented more realistically then stylistically
3 million people visit the acropolis every year
"perfect symmetry"-looks perfect because made corrections to compensate for viewer's vision (a straight line will look bowed, therefore building it bowed makes it look straight)
Sections of the the frieze and pediment at the Parthenon are on display at the British museum-copies have been placed on the Parthenon
Greek comedy and tragedy began in the 5th century

The videos gave more detail about specific works discussed in the book. For example, the book talks about "Warrior A" and the video More Human Than Human explained this work fully.

The videos were very interesting, especially Cairo Museum because it mimicked what I love about ancient Egypt, which is its mystery.

Architecture Video Review

Prairie Style
Frank Lloyd Wright philosophy
-open, horizontal space
-reflect time, place, landscape
-series of horizontal bands-prairie style
-door not the focal point
-lower ceilings brings eye down and force to look out
-follow the sun-sun orientation
-organic-grew out of land not built upon it
-lasting legacy-respect for landscape, open spaces, relationship of interior and exterior

Architecture: The Science of Design
Steel structures that are riveted together
2 parts- superstructure (all that is above ground)  and substructure (underground)
Foundation-steel, wood or concrete piles driven into ground until reach solid rock can each depths of 60 meters or set on slab of re-enforced concrete
Wind large factor-create vortex that make buildings sway
Re-enforced concrete has steel bars put into it to make it stronger and so it can handle more stress

Classical Architecture
In England used characteristics of Roman architecture on new buildings
Palladio's I Quattro Libri defines English classical architecture in the 18th century
Greek Orders-all have pedestal, column and entablature
-Doric Style-plain
-Ionic Style-more curved and feminine
-Corinthian- more ornamental

Imperial Rome, Ostia, and Portus
Tiber River became lifeline-fertile land and access to the sea, as well as defensive advantages
Aqueducts part of complex water supply that allowed people to live in city. Doubled as defensive wall
Expanding city and population required a large port-Ostia
Ostia became one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire
Rome and Ostia were very densely populated
The piazza of the corporations-double columnated portico, black and white painted mosaics
grain warehouses had raised floors to protect the grain from dampness and pests-equally practical and beautiful-arches, vaults and mosaics
5 story buildings called insulae. Richer citizens lived closer to ground level which had a water supply. Higher floors housed poorer people
Public baths had terra cota ornamental spouts and pipes which were connected to lead pipes that were connected to the aqueducts
Imperial palaces were first monumental buildings to utilize concrete technology
Pantheon-made of brick and concrete and covered with stucco and marble-highly decorated-coffers used to decorate and make dome less heavy-concrete was laid less thick towards top-the oculus makes what would be the weakest point of the dome strong
Public baths were important social meeting areas and were elaborately adorned
Developed technology to improve quality of life-concrete, aqueducts, public baths

2. The videos went more in depth with the discussion of different types of architecture. The videos give more examples and better understanding of differences in architectural styles.

3. The films were helpful in understanding the concepts in the text further. Although, I felt a lot of the information did not pertain directly to the class.

4. I chose to watch Imperial Rome, Osita and Portus because I have always enjoyed learning about his period in history and I always marvel at the incredible feats of construction they accomplished.

Installation Art

Installation art is a work designed in 3D. It is meant to take up an entire space so that the viewer is forced to interact with the piece. It can permanent or non-permanent, indoors or outdoors and can utilize any material the artists wishes. Installation art gives the artist a lot of freedom. I really liked the Sprial Jetty installation.

I was really unsure of what I wanted to do for this project. I decided I wanted to do something outdoors, inspired by the Spiral Jetty. I was also inspired by the Pfeiffer's Caraytid work from the Albright-Knox. I decided to make a man's footprints and a woman's footprints walking alongside one another. I then left the shoes as the ghostly remains of the couple. The footprints after the shoes are unified. The left foot is the woman's and the right is the man's to show their unification.

Peer Review

1. http://lkrug92.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post.html
2. http://krolci07.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-post_25.html?showComment=1299288363605#c5241292405195812790
3. http://firsttimeartstudent.blogspot.com/2011/02/project.html
4. http://eyesonart-karen.blogspot.com/

2. I agreed with the elements and principles that my peers used for this project.

3. The only image that was the same for myself and my peer was for Pfeiffer's Caraytid. Most of the other works this peer chose were also works that I liked but chose not to write about. The second peer reviewed did not have the same images because they went to different gallery.

4. As I stated in my previous answer,many of the works my peer chose were pieces that I saw and enjoyed viewing but chose to not write about. My other peer did make me want to go to the gallery they went to.

5. I think this process is helpful. It helps me gauge how my work is comparing to others. I think it was helpful to review the gallery visit because I was able to read how someone interpreted the same works I saw.

6. The comments I had were not helpful from a technical perspective but I was happy that someone enjoyed my work.

Video Review

Through the Eyes of a Sculptor
Limestone is a sedimentary rock (formed at the bottom of ocean floor)
Restoration-the artist has the geometric shape but use feeling to give the work life again. Replace old stone with stone and make a duplicate.
Sculptor must consider: aesthetic, how fragile the stone the is, how much the stone can handle, the environment
Bridge attachments-uncarved pieced of marble to reinforce sculpture during transport
Steps of a sculpture: Draw, make model out of clay, make silicone mold of clay sculpture, make plaster cast of silicone impression. This plaster model will be used as reference to make the final statue. Make a life-size model that will be used to create the final statue.
Marble is made from limestone after it has been pressurized

Glass and Ceramics
Glass is made from sand
Glassmaker uses a mixture of silica and fluxes to create better fusion which is at around 1500 degrees Celsius
Molten glass is blown into shapes at will
Turning the rod continually shapes the glass
can continue to be cooled and re-heated until it reaches final shape
a propane torch can also be used to shape the glass
Stained glass-artist wants to modulate light
can tell entire stories
ceramics are made from clay base and fired
quality is determined by the quality of the materials used and what temperature it is fired at
dry pressing-fine particles of slip are compressed to form shape, then fired and covered with a glaze to make water resistant

Installation Art
The artwork takes over and defines the space
viewer is forced to interact with the art
video installation-one or several images projected in a large format, usually a darkened space

2. The videos gave more examples of the concepts explained in the text. I have a better understanding of crafts and installations after watching them.

3. The films definitely added to my understanding. They were more in depth of the process of sculpture and craft like ceramics and glass. The installation video gave more examples and helped me understand what constitutes an installation artwork.

Albright Knox

Which artworks make an impact or impression on me?
1. Jackson Pollack
Convergence, 1952. Oil on canvas. 95 1/4 x 157 1/8 inches

I was drawn to this work first by its scale. It dares you to look closer. The limited color palette makes the yellow, orange and blue stand out. It is well balanced and I was fascinated by its complexity.






2. Jim Hodges
Look and See, 2005. Enamel on stainless steel. 300 x 138 x 144 inches

This piece just seems so effortlessly graceful. It has this natural movement because of its shape and its reflective surface. Its use of space makes it hard to decipher where the work stops and its environment begins.






3. Norman Lewis
Street Music, 1950. Oil on canvas.

This is much smaller compared to the other two works. However, it made a strong impression on me. At first glance, the work just seems to be scribbles of simple shapes and lines. However, once I looked more closely the shapes and lines formed into people and music notes and instruments. It suddenly became a scene filled with life and energy.










Which artworks do I feel a connection with?
1. Sonja Brass
The Quiet Dissolution, Firestorm. 2008. Color print. Edition 8/8

I felt a connection with this artwork because I was immediately reminded of flying over a city a night. I flown into New York City, Buffalo and Las Vegas at night and the lights are breath-taking. This print has such a balance because of the fiery horizon that divides light of the city and the sky.









2. Paul Pfeiffer
Caryatid (Red, Yellow, Blue), 2008. Three-channel video and three monitors, 32 x 21 x 25 inches

I made a connection with this work because I love sports. The way Pfeiffer synchronized the three monitors and edited out the other players makes the players look like choreographed dancers.







3. Paul Pfeiffer
Caryatid, 2004. DVD with chromed mirror.

I connected with this piece also because of my love of sports, especially hockey. The Stanley Cup represents a life's dream for players and it gives so much pride for the team's city. Deleting the players that hold the trophy emphasizes this. It shows how much our culture glorifies sports. The chrome television also mimics the the finish of the Stanley Cup.







Which artworks would I like to know more about?

 1. Zhan Wang
Urban Landscape Buffalo, 2005–10. Stainless steel pots, pans, and kitchen utensils.

I want to know what inspired this work and the creative process. Why the choice to use kitchen wear and not just choose to make the forms? I also want to know how many individual pieces comprise the work? It's like looking at a model and it makes me wish I could walk around inside and look at everything more closely.







2.Marisol
Baby Girl, 1963. Wood and mixed media. Overall 74 x 35 x 47 inches

Th scale of this work and the use of various media just makes me want to know how she came up with this concept. There tremendous detail of the faces and bow. This makes me wonder why she chose to carve the base from wood and not just do a drawing?

3. Laurie Simmons

Magnum Opus II (the Bye-Bye), 1991. Gelatin Silver Print, edition 1/5. 54 x 95 in

The figures used in the print are just so bizarre in nature that it begs the question "why?"

I thought creating a logo for myself was a great way to understand the learning material. The most important discovery I made creating my logo was that it was harder than I thought it would be to come up with a concept. My first thought was creating something around a volleyball because I have been playing volleyball since 8th grade and most people know that the sport is very important to me. Then I decided I wanted to do something less obvious. I thought about my other qualities. Humans  in general are complex creatures with many layers. I thought of a flower and how the petals layer and overlap and blossom. I decided on a rose because it is an iconic image of romance and I am romantic person. However, I also like the rose because it is also tough with its thorns. I thought it was a deeper representation of myself.

The videos and other material were really helpful. It really took you through the steps and process. The most important thing I learned came from the video Graphic Design. It helped me realize that I should not be discouraged when it takes time to come up with the right concept. In the video they began with a image inspired by a firework and turned that into a design of  concentric circles, which was far from where they started.

Value and Color

I really enjoyed creating the value scale and color wheel. It was different art creation experience because it was more hands-on but it was also relatively simple so it made it fun to do. I enjoyed working with the acrylic paints more than the pencil I used to create the value scale. It reminded me of my art classes in when I was younger. After I was done making the color wheel, I found myself mixing the colors more and just making brush strokes to play with the paint.

The most important discovery from the creation of these studies was also the most important thing I learned from the videos, this being that the true primary colors are magenta, cyan and yellow. After I learned this, I thought of the colors from a color ink cartridge. The colors in it are not red, yellow and blue but magenta, cyan and yellow.

Photography

I began this project by looking around my home and finding objects that struck my attention. For instance, the picture of four circles came from a pillow in my home. When it caught my eye, I thought about why this object made me look at it rather than just glance over it. I realized it was the circles juxtaposes the square pillow, combined with the inverse colors that made me pay attention. I used this process for most of the other photos. When I say my piano, I immediately saw lines. When I saw the leaf with sunlight beaming through, I just wanted to touch it to feel the texture. I found my myself looking at things and connecting them to the elements and principles.

Then I began looking outside and as I walked around I began to notice things. The streetlight that was at an angle but somehow is still in proportion with the tree to left and right. Which I captured by using the black and white effect on my camera. Looking at the dead end sign at the end of my street I kept seeing a "V" form. The snow mounds and then the sign itself and then the branches of the trees.

This project made me stop and think about why a simple object catches my eye or just looks beautiful. My favorite photograph is the icicle picture. It is the harmony of it that compelled me to capture it.

See the slideshow here:

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z430/vball1220/?albumview=slideshow

Color and Emotion

Color can only occur because of light. Light allows for the reflection of color. There are three physical properties of color. Hue describes the specific wavelength of light that allows us to recognize a specific color. The intensity of color refers to the strength of the color, simply meaning the brightness or dullness of the color. Value is the lightness or darkness of the color. Mixing black will lower the value, while mixing white will raise the value. This will also effect the hue and intensity of the color.

Color can invoke and often represent emotions. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow make one think of fire, passion, love or anger. Cool colors like blue, purple and green can represent sadness and isolation.

The theory of color is fascinating. Color is dependent on light. We can see light but cannot touch it. Yet, it is what makes it possible for us to touch a physical object and see its color.

In the video Color, I was most intrigued by the making of lapis lazuli. extracting its pigment allowed for the creation of the most intense blue possible. By using it artists could create a stronger image.

In the video Feelings: Emotion and Art, I was intrigued by the explanation of the Oath of the Horatti, it brought to my attention the contrast of dark and light and how each of the three pillars frame each of the three groups of people. I had not realized this before.

Aesthetics Videos

Aesthetics: The Philosophy of Arts Video Concepts
The video discusses the various theories of aesthetics and how philosophers have tried to define the term for many centuries.
-Plato-one of the most important contributors to aesthetic theory. I also believe his theory to be the most important.  He argued that what attracted people to an object was what they were personally believed was most beautiful. It is an "erotic attraction." I believe this is most important because it provides the basis for evaluation of art and why the same artwork can be interpreted differently.
- Aristotle was Plato's student. He believed that art is imitation.
- Alexander Baumgarten was also important because he introduced the term aesthetic and helped define it.

-Immanuel Kant argued that it is our judgement that allows us to evaluate and experience beauty. 

CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics Concepts

Changeux

-The evolution of man meant larger brain capacity. This allowed for the discovery of tools, symmetry, symbolism, artistic composition. Also, evolution afforded man to create more advanced techniques through more complex thought processes

- Art: uses symbolic forms to communicate non-verbally in order to convey emotions

- Aesthetic efficacy is the access to consciousness

- Art is constantly changing and evolving

- Bottom-up processing of visual image to generate emotional response

- There is difference in conscious and non-conscious processing of art

- Rules for processing art:

Novelty: constant search of unanticipated

Concensus partium: universal search for harmony

Schematisation: top down abstraction vs bottom down realism

Artist conception of the world is important. It is a function of art to make us aware

Ramachandran

-The goal of art is to deliberately exaggerate and distort image to create pleasing affects in brain-(hyper stimulation)

- Aesthetics is what happens before object recognition

- Argues that there are artistic universals (laws of aesthetics)

-Brain’s response to art

1.       Grouping or binding-problem solving-brains circuitry-similar colors to be pleasing to eye

2.       Peak shift principles-amplify features

3.       Symmetry

4.       Isolation-focus on the critical and outline

5.       Perceptual problem solving

6.       Suspicious consequences

7.       Art as metaphor

8.       Contrast

Changeux and Ramachandran's conclusions of aesthetics make a lot of sense. Changeux approached the topic from more of a evolutionary standpoint by arguing that the increase in brain size allowed for the development of complex thought, which in turn allows for simultaneous conscious and  non-conscious evaluation. Ramachandran attempted to explain what it is specifically about a piece of art stimulates the brain into telling us it is beautiful. The pictures he showed as evidence really enhanced his ideas. The most interesting fact I learned came from Changeux and his evidence that the brain reacts non-consciously to a hidden image without us realizing. 

Both films were very interesting to watch. Watching them definitely enhanced my understanding of aesthetics, one on a philosophical level and the other on a realistic level. The videos expanded on the text. The CARTA video took the idea of what makes art aesthetically pleasing beyond the tools artists use.

My first blog

I was really glad the process for setting up my blog was easy. I already have a GMail account, so that saved me some steps in the process. It is really convenient that when I log into my email, I am already logged into Blogger. Actually setting up my blog was really simple as well, just input some personal information and pick a background and it was set up. I can see now why so many people have blogs. This is my first blog, so if I like it perhaps I will continue with it when my AED 200 class is over.

In this class, I expect to learn the basics of how art is created, and give me the tools I need to appreciate art more fully. 

I am comfortable taking an online course. I have previously taken two other online courses. The biggest challenge with online courses is keeping up with assignments and readings because it is tempting to be lax when you know you will not have to see the professor twice a week. However, the set up of this class definitely limits the ability to do that, which is a good thing because it is harder to catch up than keep up.