Emilys homework Assignments

response to vernacular of beauty: This reading really made me think about what beautiful is. After reading it I felt a strong sense of whether or not anything was truly beautiful. Who is anyone to say something is or isn't beautiful? I do agree that beauty is a visual pleasure. But what is beauty other then just a word. This reading was a little confusing but it really got me thinking.

Postproduction art: After reading this article and being confused about it. I understood what the author was trying to get across I just could not grasp all of the concepts. I like how he saw music as art and DJ's as artists. I also found the section of the reading about the use of objects to be interesting. He says a product only becomes a real product in consumption. This made me think about the products i have encountered and it made a lot of sense.

Big Bamboo

For my exhibit I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I saw the Big Bamboo exhibit but i was too afraid to walk through it. It did not look very sturdy. It was an interesting piece. There were SO many piece of bamboo all intertwined together. The exhibit is constantly changing. More bamboo is added throughout the time the exhibit is up. It is such a cool concept.

When I was in the MET I couldn't help but look at the more classic works around the museum. There was an a european sculpture section with marble sculptures of people draped in cloth and the detail was unreal. I was the most impressed with the workmanship and talent it took to make such works.

I also did a project on Claude Monet and many of his original works were displayed there, so I couldn't help but look. The feeling I got when I saw the paintings was un like any other. It took my breath away. The history behind the paintings, knowing Monet himself painted them. It was unreal.

Marcus Coates

By far the most disturbing, odd, abstract, and different type of performance art I have ever seen. I do not necessarily understand it but it seemed too weird for me. He wore animal pelts and acted like the animal he wore. It was very odd, but people enjoy his work and who is anyone to say that what he does is not art. 

No Pants Subway Ride

The no pants subway ride appealed to me because of the comical aspect of it all. The concept of wearing no pants in the winter on a subway is funny. The shock of the people, as you can see with the little girl in the purple. I think its so funny and creative. Its a great idea to just go against all the norms of society and stick it to the man. 

Banksy

I found Banksy's art to be the most entertaining. He is very witty about what he creates and there is always a message behind it. His works are very political and thought provoking. Some are funny while others are disturbing. There are many hidden messages in his works which make the viewer really think about what Banksy is trying to say. The fact that the artist is anonymous and secretive also adds to the charm of the artwork. 

Gillian Wearing and Spencer Tunick

Gillian Wearing had an interesting concept behind her artwork. A lot of the people who wrote on the cards had ironic sayings. For a man dressed like this to have his card say he is desperate is ironic. I do not know if I consider this artwork, but I do find it extremely creative and interesting.

I enjoyed Spencer Tunicks work mainly for its shock value and message. I liked his campaign against the rising climate and melting icecaps. I find it interesting that he thought up this idea of hundreds of naked people in places where people are usually clothed. He captures the beauty and vulnerability of the human body and turns it into something more.

curse of the mona lisa

After watching the series on the curse of the mona lisa it was obvious that art did not have the same meaning it once did. It is now looked at as a source of money, not a piece of artwork. A piece of art is only as beautiful as its price tag these days. The whole purpose of art is expression, but that is lost because of the involvement of money. Art has become an industry and does not mean what it used to.

Fox Games

Fox Games by Sandy Skoglund

This was a piece that I viewed at the Denver Art Museum over Thanksgiving break. I was interested in this the most because I was able to walk through the artwork and look on both sides. There were sculptures of foxes running, jumping, and wrestling all over a formal setting with nice tables and chairs. Everything was red (except the foxes) even down to the silverware that was on the tables. It was a unique piece to look at and is what stuck out in the museum to me most.

Denver Art Museum

Over Thanksgiving break I went to the Denver Art Museum. The museum contained mostly contemporary and modern art. I was interested in how they immediately instructed me and my mom a specific way to walk through the museum. The people that worked there told us to start on the 6th floor and work our way down to the 1st floor. It was interesting going through the building and observing the different artwork. One that stood out to me most was a disturbing porcelain doll sculpture in a crib that looked evil and had ripped up toys surrounding it. It was supposed to demonstrate how it was tough and had steel wool hair, yet it was fragile due to it being porcelain. The other pieces were very odd, but interesting to look at. They made me stand there for periods of time just trying to figure what they were about. I enjoyed my visit to the Denver Art Museum because it gave me an up close and personal view of contemporary and modern art that we have been learning about this semester.

Herb and Dorothy are a married couple who collected artwork. As they got older their art collection became more and more valuable. They only bought artwork that they could afford, and that they personally liked regardless of the artist. They now have a movie about their lives. Watching the online video on them was a lot of fun. I thought they were so cute. It was also very interesting that they did not cash in on any of their art pieces. they will donate 2,500 works to 50 institutions across the 50 states.

Fred Wilson arranges things to create art. Some of his pieces I can see as artwork and others I am not so sure about. The Drip Drop piece was the most interesting to me because it meant so much to him. He really works hard to arrange all his pieces perfectly. He is not one of my favorite artists but he does do interesting work.

This piece of installation art is a crack in the floor of the Tate Modern museum. It was created by Doris Salcedo and I found it extremely emotional. It can mean so many things to so many different people, that is why I like it so much. It is up for interpretation even tho Doris has her own view on her piece. I also liked the fact that the scar of the crack will always be on the floor of Turbine Hall, because even when its gone it still has artistic significance.

I went to see the gates in central park when they were installed. I was in middle school, so I was still young, but it didnt change the effect it had on me. I thought it was so beautiful and breath taking. When I went the park was very quiet and the wind was blowing and there was a tranquility about the whole area. Walking through the park was a completely different experience with the gates, and I loved it.

Song Dong's art installation "Waste not" was one of my favorites of the installation art I saw. Hearing the back story of what this piece meant to him made it that much more special to me. The way everything is positioned makes the piece speak so loudly. It is amazing that all of the objects placed around the room fit in that little hut.

Another instillation piece I found really beautiful was the Sun in the Tate Modern museum. This piece was done by Olafur Eliason. The illusion of the sun look so real. I found it very calming and soothing. 

Matthew Barney is a performance artist. He creates live pieces of moving artwork. His work is very eccentric and hard to understand. He is very passionate about his work as well. His pieces are disturbing, intriguing, crazy, colorful, and difficult to understand. He has such original ideas that are so important to him. I do not particularly enjoy his work but i can understand why people do. 

Michael Craig-Martin makes colorful huge pieces of art that amaze the viewers. It shocked me when I saw the amount of space his works took up. Also they are happy but puzzling and somewhat solemn at the same time. His works of art are very intriguing.

Cory Archangel is a media artist. His work does not inspire me as much as other artists do. It is still interesting and creative but it is hard for me to find the meaning in his works.

Lady Gaga

“I always loved rock and pop and theater. When I discovered Queen and David Bowie is when it really came together for me and I realized I could do all three.”-Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga is a performance artist. Her work entertains people but it is also considered art. I personally think that what she does is unlike any other artists. Her work is original and that is hard to come by in the industry she is in. “My goal as an artist is to funnel a pop record to a world in a very interesting way,”-Lady Gaga

Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois work is very interesting and captures my interest. She had a rough childhood and expresses some of her feelings through her work. For example, "She-Fox" is a sculpture without a head because she thought her mother could never love her. I think there is great creativity and meaning behind her pieces and that's what makes them so unique.



She-Fox (1985)

Vija Clemins, Strata, 1982

Vija Clemins, Strata, 1982

This piece is interesting to look at because it looks like the stars are actually twinkling and shining. The artist spent time and effort to create such a beautiful painting. It looks as if it is a photograph of the night sky.

Marina Abramovic

Marina's art doesn't consist of beautiful paintings, elaborate drawings, or interesting structures. Her specialty is performance art. She doesn't fake the performances she puts on, they are 100% real and extremely intense. She performs both physical and psychological acts that have included getting set on fire, stabbed, and sitting in the same state for hours. Personally, I feel that her art is very bold and outgoing, but she is doing it at a high cost. She puts her life in danger in order to do her performance art. Some of the things she does seem outrageous, and that's because they are! I couldn't imagine seeing someone slicing their own skin with razor blades or stabbing themselves in the hand. Art is not solemnly paintings and structures, this is form of art proves that to be true.

Lady Sowager

"Lady Sowager"

Artist:  Kevin Cornell

When first looking at the artwork I didn't seem to understand what he was trying to get across. All I noticed was a pig growing out from the ladies arms. When doing research I discovered that the point of the painting is to show how people tend to not compliment a person by resembleing them to a pig. (Even if she has a pig on her shoulders) Instead, people let her think she has a more beautifiul, attractive animail on her shoulders to her face, yet when you're away you can talk about the pig as much as you want.

Vija Clemins

Vija Clemins is a close second in pieces of work shown in the class. Her paintings look like photographs.  The paintings are spot on to the subject being painted.  I was so impressed that she puts so much time and effort into her works of art. Its inspiring and unfathomable to me. The amount of time she spends doing this kind of work is outrageous. I am very attracted to extreme detail and Vija is a perfect example of an extremly detailed artist.

Alison Watt

Alison Watt's work has impressed me the most. The detail and the way everything is perfectly blended is astonishing. Her pieces took my breath away. Her works are so calming and flowing. Alison makes the fabric look like its coming off the canvas. There is amazing portrayal of light and shading as well. The canvas's she used were enormous and she engulfed herself in her work for a year. The result was amazing. I cant imagine the concentration, effort, and dedication it must have taken her to complete these works. 

Bruce Nauman creates different types of artwork as shown. He experiments with different subjects and materials. His works are risky but make the viewer think.  He works with neon signs and creates figures and shapes that result in his artwork.  Some of his pieces are somewhat disturbing and others are somewhat comforting.  My personal favorite was his sculpture of the hands.

Judith Beheading Holofernes by Caravaggio

Disregarding how disturbing this image is the detail is incredible.  It looks like a photograph. the detail of cloth and the lighting on the faces is flawless. The colors also evoke a lot of emotion. It is a mix between beauty and gore.  One cant seem to know what to look at first, the scene the art portrays or the detail and perfection of the lighting, people, and the surroundings.

John Baldessari has a way with mixing photos with witty and creative solid images.  He plays with color, shapes, and other photos to create artwork that makes you think, laugh, and feel.  This piece of artwork is a great example of his photography mixed with a witty yet unsettling image.

Enter the Dragon: On the Vernacular of Beauty

"Beauty is not a thing" this was my favorite quote that Dave Hickey stated in his piece. He discussed how poetry is also considered beautiful and a form of art. He describes about what makes things beautiful in poetry about different subjects.

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Magenta)

Jeff Koons was born in York, Pennsylvania, 1955. He is mostly known for his sculptures. I found most of his work very interesting. The Balloon Dog was my favorite piece by Jeff Koons. His artwork seems to be out of the ordinary and be very bright. It captures the viewers attention to make them take a second glance at his work. It has a familiar look, yet it is made his own. When I looked through his different pieces they were very fun to look at and they were common items that were made his own style.  

Absinthe Paintings

Top: The Absinth Drinker 1901 Pablo Picasso Bottom: The Absinthe Drinker (1876) Edgar Degas

Absinthe paintings: Absinthe is an alcoholic drink that's banned in various countries. It is mostly pure alcohol and people can drink themselves to death by consuming it.
It was made famous due to the artists in Paris that painted it in their work and drank it themselves.  I think that the paintings potray depression in their facial expressions. The people in the artwork look well dressed and as if they are high class, yet they are unhappy. The paintings seem to show that money doesn't buy happiness and that the people are drinking their problems away.

                                                                

                                 

Francisco Goya y Lucientes

The image above is titled "Saturn Devouring His Son"

The artist  Francisco Goya y Lucientes was an artist that created paintings that were extremely controversial and harsh. All of his work was related by the similar theme of darkness. His work is very dark and has a mournful message throughout his paintings. Although they are disturbing to look at I can’t help but stare at his artwork. It captures the interest of viewers and forces them to contemplate on what is going on and the harsh reality of what it being portrayed.

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was an extremely influential artist of his time. his use of vibrant colors and subjects of every day, normal things  are extremely inspiring and interesting.

I find Robert Morris's work extremely disturbing but original. He manages to capture the helplessness and pain in the death of these animals. They seem pathetic and you cant help but be upset and feel sorry for them. The preserved shark was the most uncomfortable piece for me to see only because a shark is usually so powerful and majestic but as his artwork, its helpless, limp and dead, yet terrifying at the same time. His works of art truly make you think and feel. I believe this to be true because he uses species that once lived.

 Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain"

this piece was a very controversial piece of art. Whether Duchamp's reason for this was meaningless or extremely  emotional and filled with reason, this piece stirred up a lot of discussion and debate. He made the audience really think about what this urinal really meant. there are a lot of other controversial works Duchamp created. such as

Bicycle Wheel: