Module 10 Video Review

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose to watch African Art: Legacy of Oppression because I was very interested in learning exactly what was being oppressed.  Was it the art itself due to lack of materials?  Women in art?  African Art as opposed to other styles of art? I wanted to know which it was, so I chose to watch the video and find out for myself. 

I chose to watch the Buddhism video because I’ve always been very interested in the ideas and beliefs of Buddhism.  Though I am not a religious person, I always thought that Buddhism had some intriguing morals and practices.  The system of rebirth always made sense to me for some reason; the idea of trying and trying again until you were a good enough person to move forward.  Therefore, I decided to watch this video to learn more about this religion that fascinates me.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I learned that in African culture, priests wear masks to connect with spirits of the dead, and the masks are painted white, so as to be the same color as the spirits.  African art helped Modernists in other cultures to give a psychological presence to the human form; it helped to simplify this form of art. Interestingly, I learned that African art may look primitive, but it is actually an advanced form of symbols and gives off specific meanings.  Some artistic figures were actually employed as magical objects to store potions or frighten/make people aware of something (usually in the form of a mask).  The Africans used masks to scare people off, but soon found that they were no match for Western bullets.  All of this African art seems to be made with the purpose of making its audience feel something specific.  Unfortunately, this art was oppressed and not able to be seen by most of the world until more modern times, because Western civilization had the means and technology to be able to dominate the art world. 

In the Buddhism video, I learned that Siddhartha Gautama was a rich prince who had a perfect world that was shattered when he stepped out into the world and was exposed to the suffering, sickness, and despair found there.  This inspired him to find a new path, Buddhism.  I learned that Buddha was a rebel in his day and spoke out simply but firmly against authority, asking the people to, “find their own way.”  Buddha’s main focus was love and healing.  Even though Buddha preached finding one’s own way, he helped mentor the monks who wanted to follow his path to enlightenment and nirvana.  The Great Stuppa in India is a wonderful example of Buddhist art, in that every stone has a story to tell.  Also, a lotus-shaped Buddhist shrine that was uncovered after being buried by a volcano holds 432 carved Buddha statue art on the top of the temple.  Buddhist art focused mainly on creating elegant, intricate statues, reliefs, and architecture.        

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

I believe that the African Art video relates to the readings in the text because most of the videos content was the same as the book.  Both touched on the importance of masks, positioning of statues, the magical qualities of the art, etc. and some of the art itself could be found in both the book and the video.  

I also believe that the Buddhism video relates to the readings in the text because there was a whole section in the text devoted to describing what Buddhism is, how it affects and inspired art, and what art resulted.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I like to watch these films for class because I feel as though they give me an inside look into the cultures that produce these varying forms and styles of art.  I enjoy that watching the videos is simultaneously an art and history lesson.  The videos allow students to gain a deeper understanding of what is was like to live in the times and what might have inspired someone to make that specific piece of art, or composes in a specific style of art.  

Hands!

I really enjoyed creating the Exploration Drawings assignment.  I can draw decently if I have something (an object or model) to look at, but if I have to come up with something form my head, it takes a lot longer.  Therefore, I loved using my hands as subjects for drawing.  I was able to trace my hands for a rough outline, and go from there to add in shape, line, contour, etc.  It was truly fun!  I selected pencil rather than charcoal because I find charcoal to be slightly messy and it smudges easily.  As I was drawing in the daylight, I did not have a great need for shadow, and therefore chose not to utilize charcoal.  It was challenging to create a drawing with my non-dominant hand, but it was actually far easier to do than I had originally thought.  I outlined my dominant hand with my non-dominant hand and then tried to make little markings everywhere to give it the same effects as the dominant hand would create.  It took longer to create, but I have to say, it didn't look half bad!  I think that my dominant hand is obviously better to draw with as I have much more control and support from muscles that have formed specifically to aid in drawing/writing.  However, I do believe that I was able to create two successful studies of my hands, as they are both actually recognizable as hands (Yay!), and both have semi-realistic detailing.  I would most certainly consider using my non-dominant hand for drawing in the future because it allows you to create different effects than you could normally create, and allows for a little more flexibility, and allows you to reach different angles than you could with just your dominant hand.

  

Module 9 Video Reviews

I chose to view the Albrecht Durer video because I was not very familiar with his work.  I was curious and wanted to learn more.  I chose the Leonardo da Vinci video, because I find da Vinci to be fascinating and brilliant.  This made me want to learn even more about him, and his artwork.  I learned a great deal from the Albrecht Durer video.  Durer was a portrait artist that was extremely interested in the process of aging.  He would paint almost exact replicas of his muses, showing their age ruthlessly.  When traveling through Italy, Durer became fascinated with the idea of landscape.  He was, in fact, the first landscape artist there.  Durer was commissioned by German’s to make murals for their church.  His painting was an enormous success.  He painted with fresh, bright colors, and even included himself in the background.  Durer used wood cuts to explore how to construct the perfect form.  I also learned a great deal from the interesting Leonardo da Vinci video.  Leonardo apprenticed at an adolescent age under Andrea del Verocchio.  Da Vinci’s earlier work and musings focused around the exploration of what was true.  For example, he centered mainly on the physiology of man and animals.  Leonardo was a brilliant man and with these very technical drawings, came philosophical musings/ predictions about life, shape, proportion, nature, and beauty.  Da Vinci was truly a Renaissance man.  He was a brilliant painter, architect, thinker, drawer, engineer, and much more.  His talent was otherworldly, as was the nature of his work.The videos about Leonardo and Durer relate to the readings in the text for Chapter 16.  Both videos explore the artistic period/style called the High Renaissance, as this is the time in which both men were popular.  The videos showed how, especially for Leonardo, this was a time where theological thought triumphed over realism, and where there was a shift back to vibrant colors, contrasting light, and heavenly/dream-like paintings.  Durer’s video explores the development of the landscape painting, as the text did.   These videos add depth and understanding to the readings because they allowed you to really get to know the artists.  The videos let you see inside their heads, get to know what kind of people they were, see where their interests lied, and discover how their personal lives affected their work, etc.

    

Module 8 Video Reviews

This week for class we were given several movies to choose from to watch and discuss.  The three movies I watched were entitled, "More Human than Human," "Cataclysm:  The Black Death Visits Tuscany," and, "Cairo Museum."  I selected the video on the Black Death because I love to explore and study that period of time.  The Middle Ages intrigue me, and the idea of the Black Death and its consequences especially enthrall me.  I've even written several papers on the Plague before.  I selected the Cairo Museum video because everything about Egypt and ancient Egyptian culture fascinates me.  I think the intrigue stemmed from my grandmother's own fascination with all things Egypt.  Therefore, I had to watch the video to learn more about the Cairo Museum.  
I learned a great deal of information from each of these movies that I had not known before and found very interesting.  In "More Human than Human," I learned that Egyptians used grids to make all of their paintings of people the same size, all over the country.  Also, it is believed that all images of the human form are dictated by certain aspects of culture and that humans have a  hardwired instinct to exaggerate that form.  For example in ancient Greece, it was believed that gods took human form, so the more fit or beautiful your body was, the more godlike you were.  At one point in history, the Greeks mastered the creation of uncannily realistic statues, but stopped quickly because it was too realistic and therefore boring.  So, they began to create more exaggerated and defined statues to suit that basic human instinct.  In the "Cataclysm" video I learned that a proper burial was extremely important during the time leading up to the Black Death, but unfortunately so many people were dying and contagious, that a proper burial was not possible.  Another interesting fact I learned was that Antisemitism was at large and Jews were blamed for supposedly poisoning wells in order to kill Christians.  As for art, images started to be darker, and to depict God as the terrifying, Old-Testament version of himself.  Art was completely different when it began to re-emerge after the Black Death.  Bodies were flatter, artists were more interested in the celestial realm, Doubting Thomas emerged, there was a focus on human flesh and pain, etc.  Some works were lighter, an escape, as they moved away from naturalism and realism.  During the time, mathematical perspective was developed, painting techniques still used today were created, gold leaf was popular, the rise of universities and the modern city impacted the culture, etc.  In the "Cairo Museum" video, I learned that a man who had lost his goat stumbled upon a hidden cachet, which had stored various royal treasures.  He wanted to get rich so he sold all of these items on the black market.  In the cachet, there were a total of 40 mummies as well as many royal objects that were stored there over 3,000 years before by priests protecting them from tomb raiders.  Objects like these  were brought to the Cairo Museum from all over to be put into an exhibition of long-lost, never-before-seen forgotten objects.  The video showed how careful and meticulous museum curators need to be when cleaning, restoring, and showing these ancient artifacts.       
I thought that the "More Human than Human" video related to the text very well, especially chapter 14, as it took us through time, through many different civilizations to figure out why we make the human form look the ways we do.  It was very historical as the book had been, and even studied some of the same works of art such as the Venus of Willendorf.  The "Cataclysm" video also related to the text, especially chapter 15, as it discussed what art was like in the Middle Ages, as the text had.  However, I do not think that the two were extremely close in information, as the book focused on the art of the time period, and the video focused on the Black Death, and much less on the art of the period.  The "Cairo Museum" video related wonderfully to the book, chapter 14, as both focused on the beauty, technique, and mystery behind ancient Egypt's artworks.  
I beleive that the films we watch for this class add much depth and understanding to what we are learning.  As I usually state in my blogs, most of the video as just expansion of what is said in the text.  The videos are more exploratory and specific than the text, and so affects our level of comprehension.  My belief is no different for these three videos.  I believe that the "More Human than Human" video gave us a great look into the mind of human beings and what is behind our urge to exaggerate and accentuate.  The "Cataclysm" video gave us some great historical background and let us better understand what the feelings behind the art of the time were.  Finally, the "Cairo Museum" allowed us to see what goes into uncovering lost artifacts and creating/caring for an enormous and important museum exhibit.   

Architecture Video Reviews

VIDEO 1: Frank Lloyd Wright (Prairie Style)

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The Frank Lloyd Wright video taught me that Wright believed in rooting a house intimately to the landscape, and had an enormous focus on the place/site in which a home was designed.  The focus of all of Wright’s works was on creating buildings that were one with nature.  He vehemently believed that there had to be a relationship between a home and the environment surrounding it.  I also thought it was interesting and funny to learn that Wright had a huge ego.  He believed himself to be the greatest American architect who ever lived, though, he was accurate.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

I really related this video to the section of our text devoted to green architecture.  Frank Lloyd Wright, in his own way, pioneered the idea of homes being one with nature, not destroying nature.  He also designed houses that were somewhat energy efficient, by placing windows where the sun could heat the house, before the idea was popular and “green.”

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I always love to learn about a work of art’s creator, because I think it adds whimsy and a deeper understanding to the piece.  Therefore, I really enjoyed the Wright video because it gave me a deeper understanding of who this infamous architect and artist was, what he believed in, and why he created what he created.  The video picked up where the book left off and gave a much more expansive view of a particular style of architecture.       

4. From the group of four that you had a choice: Why did you choose that film?

I chose to view the Frank Lloyd Wright video because I love his work and the homes he designed are beautiful!  I think it is very cool and interesting that he had such an influence in Western New York.  Also, many people around where I live refer to my house as “the Frank Lloyd Wright house,” due to its enormous windows, angular architecture, and prairie home style.        

VIDEO 2: Science of Design

1.    For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I found this video to be rather amusing, from the big hair and yellow pantsuit to the horribly outdated computer and the idea that we would all be living in smart houses in the near future.  I digress; the video focused on the architectural components of skyscrapers, concrete, technology, etc.  Most importantly, I learned a great deal about how skyscrapers handle the elements, the many uses of concrete, and the convenience of technology combined with architecture.      

2.    How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

Science of design related to the text because it spoke about concrete and discussed how concrete was first used by the Romans, just as the book had.  The movie went on to discuss how concrete was made and used and how water could affect its expansion or contraction.  The video also highlighted the architecture of skyscrapers and modern-day architecture, picking up where the book left off and going more in depth and adding more detail.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I thought that this film was amusing, yet informative.  I learned a great deal about the architecture of skyscrapers from the video.  Skyscrapers are made of 2 distinct parts: the super structure, or everything above ground, and the substructure, everything underground.  Dead weight, an empty building, and living weight, the added furniture and people, need to be calculated so that the structure can be secure and hold both without issue.  The video had a segment in which it discussed how wind affects these tall buildings.  I found it extremely interesting that wind blowing around top of a 100 story building will be 4X’s as strong as around a 50 story building!  In fact, buildings can sway a full meter in the wind, but thankfully the sway should be absorbed by the building’s joints.  Also, buildings with flat surfaces and right angles reacts badly to wind as opposed to buildings with rounder edges and varying surfaces.

4. From the group of four that you had a choice: Why did you choose that film?

I chose to view the Science of Design video because I am an individual with a broad range of interests and a thirst to know how things work.  Therefore, I was immediately drawn to the idea of learning about the science behind architecture.

Installation Art: Sleepy Hallow Correctional Facility

What is installation art?

In installation art, an artist modifies a space in some way, and then invites us to enter, explore, and experience it.  They key to installation art is that it must be 3-dimensional and transform the perception of space in an area.

What materials are used in installation art?

Everyday, natural elements are used to create installation art, but new media such as internet and video may also be used.  Basically anything can be used to create this form of art.

Why make installation art?

Artists create installation art to make an impact, a statement, to create controversy, to make the audience think, etc.  Installation art is meant to be extremely conceptual and challenges what we perceive to be normal.

Which illustration/artist did I find most interesting?

I found Louise Bourgeois' Red Room (Child), made of wood, metal, thread, and glass to be extremely interesting.  I liked the idea that Bourgeois wanted to close off the room, making the audience feel as though they're looking into a private place, like reading someone else's diary.

Is there an inspiration piece that I feel a connection with?

I did not have an inspiration piece for my artwork, but I did have inspiration in general.  my inspiration came from decorating our house for Halloween.  We love to go all out for Halloween, so I decided to use some leftover pumpkin candy carriers and my two puppies' kennel cage.  I wanted to transform how my audience would perceive a dog kennel, and see what other things it could resemble.

What theme do I want to explore in my installation? 

I wanted to explore the theme of Politics and the Social Order in my installation.  My installation represents the stereotypical image of what goes on behind closed doors in a prison.

What materials will I use?

For my installation, I used plastic pumpkin candy carriers, construction paper, handy tack, tape, plastic knife,  fake hair, earrings, watercolor paper, sharpie markers, crayons, and pencil.

Where will this installation be located and why?

This installation is located in the corner of my living room, inside/around a dog kennel.  The installation is inside/around the dog kennel, because I wanted to challenge and question the way in which my audience viewed the space.  I wanted to call attention to the idea that dog kennels can be similar to prisons for humans (although necessary for rowdy puppies).  Also, it seemed like a really fun idea.

Describe your installation:

My installation transforms the corner of my living room from the space where our dog kennel is located, to a prison setting for pumpkin Halloween candy carriers.  Outside of the "cell" (dog kennel) there is a pumpkin standing guard.  Inside we find several stereotypical prison-types such as the crazy-eyed psych ward patient, the punk trying to escape from the cell, the biker flipping the guards off and using the toilet publicly, the manipulative gang boss and his "bitch," and finally, the dead snitch that got shanked.

Analyze your installation:

The installation heavily features the element of color, as the pumpkins are all bright orange, the prison sign is vibrant, and the hair of one pumpkin is fire-engine red.  There are many implied lines and direction and movement dominate the piece.  Implied diagonal lines created by the placement of each pumpkin move the viewer around the piece, wondering where each pumpkin is looking and what they are doing.  Shape is also present in the installation, as the kennel itself has a hexagonal shape, and the pumpkins are very curvy and plump.

What are your thoughts on the planning and creation of a site-specific installation? 

I think that planning and creating the site-specific installation was a blast.  Originally, I was going to do something more traditional and expected, but then I saw the pumpkins and was inspired.  The prison setting idea came from hearing my puppies crying and clawing to get out of the kennel while I was pouring their food.  Brainstorming ideas for the stereotypes of each 'inmate" was the most interesting and fun part of the process, as my family all had their own specific amusing inputs as to how I should construct the work.  If I had had more time, I might have done something more artistically inclined, such as something coming out of the wall/ground, but I was unexpectedly satisfied with the product of my time constraints.  All in all, creating installation art was very fun and I truly enjoyed it!

Video Review

The video Through the Eyes of a Sculptor, presented some very interesting ideas and knowledge about sculpture that I was not aware of. One thing that I found the most interesting was how many steps it took to create marble sculptures, and how time consuming it is. I had assumed previously, that sculpting took a lot of time, but I was not able to truly conceptualize exactly how much time and delicacy and dedication it took before watching the videos. The other part of the video that I found most interesting, answered a question for me that I've had for a very long time. Marble is heavy, yet also extremely delicate…how does it get moved? The video taught me that cranes are used to lift and position and place heavy sculptures, and that bridges made of marble are left between delicate parts of the work during transportation, to make sure that everything stays together.

The Glass and Ceramics video was my favorite because I find blown glass and stained glass to be gorgeous, and I love to paint ceramics myself. I had no idea that there were so many different ways in which to make blown glass, and that there were so many different types of tools used to shape it to perfection. Something else that was new to me was the way in which stained glass masterpieces were created. The video taught me that artists create a comic-like drawing, number the pieces of the design, cut those pieces out, and then use them as a type of stencil to cut out the corresponding glass pieces. As for ceramics, I knew that they had to be cast into a plaster mold and heated in a kiln, but I did not know that clay was mixed with quartz and water to create the mixture called slip. The video amazed me with the number of uses for ceramics that it displayed. I learned that ceramics are not just for plates and pots and decoration, but can also be used to create hip prostheses, teeth, knives, mufflers, etc.

I have to admit that I am one of those more traditional people who think installation art is just weird. However, the video on installation art was very interesting and taught me new things about this form of “art.” The video confirmed my suspicions that installation art is meant to be all around us and has an attitude to it because it is the new and trendy thing to do, or so someone said in the video. I learned that installation art was a very conceptual and controversial form of art and that its purpose was to create an experience. I also learned that both pop art and video art preceded and inspired installation art during the 70s.

All of these videos related well to the text, as they focused on art forms that were introduced in the text. The videos seemed to pick up where the text left off, going further in depth into describing specific aspects of the art mediums that fall in the categories of sculpture, installation, and craft. Where the films gave an introductory view of glass blowing, ceramics, marble sculpting, and installation art, the videos delved deep into what goes into making this art. I thought that the films were a great tool to help my comprehension of what craft, sculpture, and installation art really are, and to see the effort and time and steps that go into the creative process. It was as though I was able to catch a first-hand glimpse of what it’s like to be a sculptor, craftsman, or installation artist.

Peer Review

Chelsey's Blog http://artworlding.blogspot.com/2012/09/creative-process.html?showComment=1349385791327#c8515888295111110620 Odalis' Blog http://norales01.blogspot.com/ For Project 1, Elements ans Principles of Design, I feel that Chelsey did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of each element or principle. Specifically, I enjoyed her photos for movement, emphasis, and rhythm the most. For Odalis' project, however, it was very hard for me to determine if I agreed with the photos used for each element, because there were no pictures visible, just a description of each picture. I believe that art is very interconnected, and that certainly one would be able to see more than one element or principle of design in a photograph. This is especially true for Chelsey's work, as her movement and emphasis photos could also show color, her repetition photo could also show texture, her balance photo could show movement, etc. For Project 2, Art Gallery Visit, Chelsey and I had only one picture in common, and Odalis and I had no pictures in common. Chelsey and I both picked Toccata and Fugue by Arman Fernandez because of our love of music. It was also interesting to find that we both felt as though we could still here music through the piece, even though it was silent. It astounded me that all 3 of us could go to an art gallery and only have one picture in common! Chelsey and Odalis took some photos that really piqued my interest. I really enjoyed Chelsey's photos of Braque's La Danse, and Soleil, Tour Aeroplane. For La Danse, I loved the movement of the piece, as well as the shading and balance of it. I wanted to know how Braque captured the dance so beautifully, and why he did it. For Aeroplane, i loved the color and shape of the work, and wanted to know what the medium was and how the artist got the colors to blend together so well. Odalis had a photograph of a bed that had writings all over it in her project that I found really beautiful and mysterious. I wanted to know the story behind it. I thought that looking at my peers work was really beneficial because I was able to compare my amount of work and effort with theirs to see if I was on track. I also enjoyed it because my peers had some very interesting insights and views and comments that helped me to think deeper and analyze further. I also enjoyed reading my peers' thoughts on my work, as they were all very encouraging and gave very sweet, nice praise.