In this article, Frazer Ward observes conceptual art and performance during the 60’s and 70’s and comments on the perceived similarity of the two and argues that performance art – as art – must co-depend upon conceptual themes for legitimisation.
He begins by specifying the two key focuses:
“Conceptual art might be considered as work that emphasised the underlying conditions of aesthetic experience: Language was seen as foremost among the conditions. Material for and sensory perceptions were made secondary to analyses of their discursive and institutional themes. Performance art, on the other hand, seems relatively straight forward to define, ‘as a form of art that happens at a particular time in a particular place where the artist engages in some sort of activity, usually before an audience’. The main difference between performance art and other modes of visual art practice, such as painting, photography and sculpture, is that it is a temporal action.”
The focus of the argument centres around Acconci’s Step Piece and it is argued that while it is a performance action, the existing work is documentation of the execution of written instructions. Therefore what the work provides is subject to a prior conceptual scheme. As a result, Kosuth argues, the work inquires into the very foundations of the concept of art itself.
Showing posts with label Liam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liam. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
ART & SPIRITUALITY - Cornelia Parker
Cornelia Parker is a English sculptor and installation artist. her sculptures are visually captivating and explore humanities perilous relationship with the world through spirituality. her works are often suspended in animation, capturing the moment the object itself explodes. I found this work to be rather ammusing in concept and a great comment on the push and pull of the science versus religion debate, and also looks at faith, a foundation of spirituality.
Cornelia Parker's Mass (Colder Darker Matter) was originally featured in the 1997 Turner Prize Exhibition at the Tate Gallery. Parker's haunting installation was constructed from the charred remains of a Texas church that was struck by lightning. The Tate's Turner Prize brochure described the work as “chunks and splinters of charcoal…suspended from the ceiling to form the illusion of a cube, dense at the centre, thinning at the edges. It appears at once flat and three-dimensional, but never solid, almost disintegrating before our eyes.”
Deitch Projects' exhibition of Parker's Mass (Colder Darker Matter) was awarded the International Association of Art Critics Prize (US) for Best Show by an Emerging Artist in 1998.
Cornelia Parker's Mass (Colder Darker Matter) was originally featured in the 1997 Turner Prize Exhibition at the Tate Gallery. Parker's haunting installation was constructed from the charred remains of a Texas church that was struck by lightning. The Tate's Turner Prize brochure described the work as “chunks and splinters of charcoal…suspended from the ceiling to form the illusion of a cube, dense at the centre, thinning at the edges. It appears at once flat and three-dimensional, but never solid, almost disintegrating before our eyes.”
Deitch Projects' exhibition of Parker's Mass (Colder Darker Matter) was awarded the International Association of Art Critics Prize (US) for Best Show by an Emerging Artist in 1998.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Art and the Archive
The contemporary artist Jeremy Deller explores the relationships between the private and public spheres, to make politically charged performance and film works. This interesting approach to art and the Archive allows Deller to create engaging works like The Battle of Orgreave 2002.
The film is directed by Mike Figgis and re-enacts a miners’ strike that took place in 1984 under the Thatcher government. To undertake the project, Deller relied on archive footage of the actual event as well as collaborating with those that participated in the original event to recreate it with accuracy. The piece attempts to give us a greater insight to the event through multiple perspective thanks to the reference of Archival accounts.
The film is directed by Mike Figgis and re-enacts a miners’ strike that took place in 1984 under the Thatcher government. To undertake the project, Deller relied on archive footage of the actual event as well as collaborating with those that participated in the original event to recreate it with accuracy. The piece attempts to give us a greater insight to the event through multiple perspective thanks to the reference of Archival accounts.
Art & Polotics
The Swiss – American artist Mark Boulos works with documentary film primarily, to explore and convey his opinions on art and politics. The video piece All that is solid melts into air (2008) documents the corporate colonisation of Nigerian oil resources and investigates the clash of cultures and their ideologies as well as the materiality of colonial nations. The work is a 2 channel film that contrasts the two factions fighting over control of petrol resources. On one screen European investors speculate on the future of mining in the Nigerian Delta, while on the other screen guerrilla fighters have a bit of a dummy spit and run around with guns in the forest, with tea cosies on their heads.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
ART & ARCHITECTURE
Doug and Mark Starn are identical twins as well as collaborating artists in the USA. Doug and Mike Starn have been exploring the subject of Architecture in art for some time. Their preferred medium is the use of 30 – 40ft bamboo poles to create haphazard and chaotic architectural structures. As skilled rock climbers, they construct these structures from the ground up using pulleys and harnesses to attach the poles with nylon cord. Though these structures appear chaotic and random, they are informed by smaller models made from willow reeds, and are sturdy enough to support the weight of small tour groups (wheelchair access is still a problem).
Their work Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop is a site specific work they made for the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The structure is comprised of both structural and aesthetically placed poles and is at odds within the straight angles and ordered space of the museum space. Because of its exposure to the environment, the structure gets bleached by the sunlight and rejuvenated by rain, as well as casting complex shadows of line.
http://youtu.be/gMa4HGJjnmo
Their work Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop is a site specific work they made for the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The structure is comprised of both structural and aesthetically placed poles and is at odds within the straight angles and ordered space of the museum space. Because of its exposure to the environment, the structure gets bleached by the sunlight and rejuvenated by rain, as well as casting complex shadows of line.
http://youtu.be/gMa4HGJjnmo
Marley Dawson Heavy Industry/Light Commercial
Marley Dawson’s exhibition: Heavy Industry / Light Commercial is an engaging show that explores the manufacturing process and the balance of aesthetics and performance taken into consideration. The show is grouped into two concepts: the high speed counter-balance discs and the Endless loop tyres on parabolic rollers.
The overall show is strongly focused on kinetic sculpture, and the counter-balance discs allow audience participation allowing the audience to engage with the highly precise objects that seem to ignore the laws of inertia as they continually spin.
The Endless Loop tyres rotate perfectly in sync and each showcase the subtle markings of tyre tread and sidewall markings as a sort of unintentional aesthetic decoration
The overall show is strongly focused on kinetic sculpture, and the counter-balance discs allow audience participation allowing the audience to engage with the highly precise objects that seem to ignore the laws of inertia as they continually spin.
The Endless Loop tyres rotate perfectly in sync and each showcase the subtle markings of tyre tread and sidewall markings as a sort of unintentional aesthetic decoration
Vantage Point and Image Worlds
In Ron Burnett’s essay, he discusses our perception of images. He argues that the once humble image is no longer an object or sign, but in fact has evolved to become a “synthesis of language, discourse and viewing”. He explains that the constant stream of images we are exposed to on a daily basis becomes a coherent narrative of the international community all abbreviated down to one choice image that encapsulates the most grandiose of events. We then as individuals feel that we are injected into any given happening, and immediately involved regardless of disconnection from the story. All this is achieved through image.
With this blurring of boundaries, the audience has also begun to view the actual event and its depiction in image as one and the same. As Burnett explains, we as an audience naturally convert representation into visualisation thus the event is “internalised, personalised and then discussed as if the images approximate ‘being there’”
An interesting point Burnett brings up is the time origin of a photograph. He argues that it may be the time of its taking or perhaps the time of its interpretation.
With the introduction of technology into photography, this has a profound change on the vantage point of the image and how it is perceived. According to Burnett, this elevates pictures to a level of truth that does not need validation of truth.
With this blurring of boundaries, the audience has also begun to view the actual event and its depiction in image as one and the same. As Burnett explains, we as an audience naturally convert representation into visualisation thus the event is “internalised, personalised and then discussed as if the images approximate ‘being there’”
An interesting point Burnett brings up is the time origin of a photograph. He argues that it may be the time of its taking or perhaps the time of its interpretation.
With the introduction of technology into photography, this has a profound change on the vantage point of the image and how it is perceived. According to Burnett, this elevates pictures to a level of truth that does not need validation of truth.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
ART & GLOBALISM - YINKA SHONIBARE MBE
Yinka Shonibare MBE is a British artist of Nigerian descent. His practice is expansive and includes painting, film, photography and sculpture. In his works, he explores the issues of identity, social equality, colonisation and post-colonialism all within the context of globalism.
He is best known for his sculptural tableauxs that appropriate the scenes of iconic Rococo paintings from Europe during the mid to late 18th century. During this time, slave trade was at its height, and the frivolity and leisure pursuits depicted in the paintings are at odds with the social climate at the time.
Yinka Shonibare explains this facination of leisure activities in an interview:
"To be in a position to engage in leisure pursuits, you need a few bob. you cannot be a peasant and be off shooting for a day because you would have work to do. you need sparetime, and money buys you spare time. Whilst the leisure pursuit might look frivolous, my depiction of it is a way of engaging with that power. It is actually an expression of something much more profoundly serious insofar as the accumulation of wealth and power that is personified in leisure was no doubt a product of exploiting other people."
This portrayal of leisure activities can be seen in the works:
The Swing (after Fragonard) 2001
Reverend on ice, 2005
The first work; The Swing (after Fragonard) 2001 appropriated the iconic Jean-Honorore Fragonard painting of 1767 while the second work Reverend on Ice 2005 appropriates the Henry Raeburn painting Reverend Robert Walker skating on Duddungton Loch 1795. While the subject matter of these works comment on the injustices of a bygone era of history, Yinka Shonibare MBE deals with contemporary issues such as the American occupation in the Middle East. The work Scramble for Africa 2003 shows representations from various European nations fighting for land and resources in the newly settled African continent. this is frighteningly similar to Americas invasion of Iraq and the seizure of oil pipelines in the Gulf.
Scramble for Africa, 2003
Throughout Shonibare's works, he makes use of Dutch Wax Fabric in all his works. this motif gives his ecclectic body of work a cohesive and destinctive aspect. The reasons for use of this Afrocentric material are multiplicit as Shonibare explains the actual origins of it are European.
"When you realise they are designed and produced by people in Dutch and English factories, then that completely destroys the methodology of this seductive African thing. Therefore it is important I dont go to Africa to buy them, so that all African exotic implications remain fake. And I actually like that fakeness"
He is best known for his sculptural tableauxs that appropriate the scenes of iconic Rococo paintings from Europe during the mid to late 18th century. During this time, slave trade was at its height, and the frivolity and leisure pursuits depicted in the paintings are at odds with the social climate at the time.
Yinka Shonibare explains this facination of leisure activities in an interview:
"To be in a position to engage in leisure pursuits, you need a few bob. you cannot be a peasant and be off shooting for a day because you would have work to do. you need sparetime, and money buys you spare time. Whilst the leisure pursuit might look frivolous, my depiction of it is a way of engaging with that power. It is actually an expression of something much more profoundly serious insofar as the accumulation of wealth and power that is personified in leisure was no doubt a product of exploiting other people."
This portrayal of leisure activities can be seen in the works:
The Swing (after Fragonard) 2001
Reverend on ice, 2005
The first work; The Swing (after Fragonard) 2001 appropriated the iconic Jean-Honorore Fragonard painting of 1767 while the second work Reverend on Ice 2005 appropriates the Henry Raeburn painting Reverend Robert Walker skating on Duddungton Loch 1795. While the subject matter of these works comment on the injustices of a bygone era of history, Yinka Shonibare MBE deals with contemporary issues such as the American occupation in the Middle East. The work Scramble for Africa 2003 shows representations from various European nations fighting for land and resources in the newly settled African continent. this is frighteningly similar to Americas invasion of Iraq and the seizure of oil pipelines in the Gulf.
Scramble for Africa, 2003
Throughout Shonibare's works, he makes use of Dutch Wax Fabric in all his works. this motif gives his ecclectic body of work a cohesive and destinctive aspect. The reasons for use of this Afrocentric material are multiplicit as Shonibare explains the actual origins of it are European.
"When you realise they are designed and produced by people in Dutch and English factories, then that completely destroys the methodology of this seductive African thing. Therefore it is important I dont go to Africa to buy them, so that all African exotic implications remain fake. And I actually like that fakeness"
Friday, August 19, 2011
ART AND THE EXPANDED FIELD
In the reading “Sculpture in the expanded field”, Rosalind Krauss discusses the evolution of sculpture throughout Modernism (1850-1950). She methodically breaks down the term Sculpture and sub-categorizes it into various fields.
She made a diagram that encompass the new sculptures being created in the early 20th century to include the categories: site construction, axiomatic structures and marked sites.
Site construction – comprised of both landscape and architectural elements, the artwork is installed in a specific site (as opposed to a plinth) most often out in an environment. Robert Smithson often made works in this fashion i.e. Spiral Jetty
Axiomatic structures – being comprised of both architectural and non-architectural elements, the axiomatic structure alters the environment through “partial reconstructions” that compliment the existing environment. These works are often ephemeral. Axiomatic structures are often used by the likes of Christo with wrapped Reichstag and Serra with Sea Level
Marked sites – the marked site is made up of both land scape and non-landscape and is somewhat of an opposite to the Axiomatic structure in that a marked site subtracts from the site as opposed to adding new elements. Land art is regarded as marked sites and includes such practitioners as Heizer with Depressions and Oppenheim with Time lines
Krauss comments on the significance of the plinth in sculpture. She discusses its role as a “mediator” between the work and the site. This gives the sculptures the essence of monumentality thereby removing them from the notions of “homelessness” and “being devoid of integrity”
She made a diagram that encompass the new sculptures being created in the early 20th century to include the categories: site construction, axiomatic structures and marked sites.
Site construction – comprised of both landscape and architectural elements, the artwork is installed in a specific site (as opposed to a plinth) most often out in an environment. Robert Smithson often made works in this fashion i.e. Spiral Jetty
Axiomatic structures – being comprised of both architectural and non-architectural elements, the axiomatic structure alters the environment through “partial reconstructions” that compliment the existing environment. These works are often ephemeral. Axiomatic structures are often used by the likes of Christo with wrapped Reichstag and Serra with Sea Level
Marked sites – the marked site is made up of both land scape and non-landscape and is somewhat of an opposite to the Axiomatic structure in that a marked site subtracts from the site as opposed to adding new elements. Land art is regarded as marked sites and includes such practitioners as Heizer with Depressions and Oppenheim with Time lines
Krauss comments on the significance of the plinth in sculpture. She discusses its role as a “mediator” between the work and the site. This gives the sculptures the essence of monumentality thereby removing them from the notions of “homelessness” and “being devoid of integrity”
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Gallery Visit. (Anne Landa + ArtSpace)
The exhibition at artspace was surprisingly good to be honest! I loved the collection of works on show and I got this real sense of escapism on one hand and this obsession on the otherhand from those looking for missing loved ones. The artworks were very interesting in that they were built up from all this meticulous documentation.
The work that stood out for me was 'Okains Bay' by Brent Dyer and how a special rag tag team to conduct an esoteric investigation was assembled. Of particular interest were the art dealer that specialises in "the aesthetic of the recluse" and the drug addict on Dlemoxotine Hydrochloride which greatly increases awesomeness in the abstract processing part of the brain.(i'm sure theres potential for a future artwork there...)
Anne Landa was extremely engaging too! really liked Charlie Sofo's work 'Fields' (the one with video of him stalking cats, boulder and videos of him walking) my favourite bit was the bit with all the little bits of debris he collected from his shoe while on his journeys.
2 really interesting shows in one afternoon.
ps the computer game work titled 'outlands' by David Haines & Joyce Hinterding
no surprise..
The work that stood out for me was 'Okains Bay' by Brent Dyer and how a special rag tag team to conduct an esoteric investigation was assembled. Of particular interest were the art dealer that specialises in "the aesthetic of the recluse" and the drug addict on Dlemoxotine Hydrochloride which greatly increases awesomeness in the abstract processing part of the brain.(i'm sure theres potential for a future artwork there...)
Anne Landa was extremely engaging too! really liked Charlie Sofo's work 'Fields' (the one with video of him stalking cats, boulder and videos of him walking) my favourite bit was the bit with all the little bits of debris he collected from his shoe while on his journeys.
2 really interesting shows in one afternoon.
ps the computer game work titled 'outlands' by David Haines & Joyce Hinterding
no surprise..
Gallery Visits - Anna Schwartz and "the other one"
In all honesty, the second gallery we visited was extremely underwhelming. French text hanging on sheets of acetate doesnt move me in any way. Anna Schwartz was a bit of a hit and miss, howwever the hit was the artist who piggy backed the suit through sydney, dragged the log across town and the sawing of the plank she was sitting on. She made the afternoon worthwhile!!
Art & Identity
In relation to art and Identity, I chose Yinka Shonibare MBE. Hes a british artist with nigerian heritage and he explores the themes of colonialism, post - colonialism and globalisation.
His sculptures are tableaux vivants of figures appropriated from figures in Rococo paintings i.e The Swing (Fragonard) Skating Priest (Raeburn).
He uses a colourful fabric called Dutch wax fabric in all his artworks. It has strong connotations of African Identity - however it actually is produced in Europe. Shonibare explains the reasons for using it:
“When you realise they are designed and produced by people in Dutch and English factories, then that completely destroys the methodology of this seductive African thing. Therefore it is important I don’t go to Africa to by them, so that all African exotic implications remain fake. And I actually like that fakeness.”
He often portrays his headless European Mannequins in leisure activities because the activities come from the exploitment of the African colonies
(2nd Favourite artist of all time)
His sculptures are tableaux vivants of figures appropriated from figures in Rococo paintings i.e The Swing (Fragonard) Skating Priest (Raeburn).
He uses a colourful fabric called Dutch wax fabric in all his artworks. It has strong connotations of African Identity - however it actually is produced in Europe. Shonibare explains the reasons for using it:
“When you realise they are designed and produced by people in Dutch and English factories, then that completely destroys the methodology of this seductive African thing. Therefore it is important I don’t go to Africa to by them, so that all African exotic implications remain fake. And I actually like that fakeness.”
He often portrays his headless European Mannequins in leisure activities because the activities come from the exploitment of the African colonies
(2nd Favourite artist of all time)
Art & Environment
RICHARD SERRA'S TE TUHIRANGI CONTOUR
Going for almost 800ft and standing 20ft high, te tuhirangi contour is Richard Serra's Largest sculpture to date!!
It was commisioned in 1999 and is located near Auckland NZ.. Like all of Serra's Sculptures, his work immerses the body of the viewer through its sheer scale. It is interesting to see environmental works like this that arent ephemeral yet still have a sense of subtlty. Richard Serra compliments the existing beauty of the landscape through colour and line.
Going for almost 800ft and standing 20ft high, te tuhirangi contour is Richard Serra's Largest sculpture to date!!
It was commisioned in 1999 and is located near Auckland NZ.. Like all of Serra's Sculptures, his work immerses the body of the viewer through its sheer scale. It is interesting to see environmental works like this that arent ephemeral yet still have a sense of subtlty. Richard Serra compliments the existing beauty of the landscape through colour and line.
POP ART!
when it comes to Pop art in the contemporary artworld, japan has the spotlight. with artists like Takahashi Murakami and Yoshito Nara creating crazy Japanese Manga creations. there is also a big market for Japaneses pop art so the movement has been gaining a lot of movement in the last decade. The work is familiar: cartoonish in style, big heads and big eyes and is destinctively Japanese/
As far as Western Pop Art Kristen Morgin is great as well. She makes sculptures out of real Americana stuff in unfired clay then paints it. LOOks delapidated - a real poignant comment on disposable consumerism in America
As far as Western Pop Art Kristen Morgin is great as well. She makes sculptures out of real Americana stuff in unfired clay then paints it. LOOks delapidated - a real poignant comment on disposable consumerism in America
Participation Art (community based)
saw this article. pretty cool stuff!
Mel Chin refuses to be pinned down, hemmed in, or otherwise restricted from pursuing whatever concept fires his imagination—in whatever medium seems appropriate. The Houston-born artist began his career making sculptures based on research into ancient cultures, social issues, and geopolitical subterfuges. But after a 1989 solo show at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC, he appeared to jump track, abandoning object-making for the less familiar territory of conceptual art based on botany, ecology, and hands-on collaboration with scientists and government officials. In his redefining project Revival Field (1993), he attempted to reclaim 60 square feet of toxic soil in a St. Paul, Minnesota, landfill. To do this, Chin and his collaborator, Rufus Chaney, relied on plants called hyper-accumulators, which can draw heavy metals like zinc and cadmium out of the earth through their root systems. Though Chin has subsequently been tagged as an environmental artist, he has followed many divergent paths, also working in recent years with comic books, animated films, and even commercial television.
He is currently working on a new environmental reclamation effort. the fundred dollar bill project / OPERation Paydirt cosists of equal parts conceptual art gesture, school lesson plan, and exercise in magical thinking. Chin is asking children across the country to draw fake $100 dollar bills - Fundreds - and submit them to volunteer led collection sites in public schools. Once three million of these Fundreds have been generated, an armoured car equipped to run on recycled vegetable oil will visit each collection point, pick up the childrens artwork, and eventually deliver all 3 million fundreds to congress. the goal is to make a one to one exchange with legislators, securing 300 million actual US dollars to clean lead contaminated soil in New Orleans following a protocol developed with Howard Mielke of the Tulane/Xavier Centre for biomedical research. Through the project, Chin hopes to highlight problems with lead poisoning that have plagued New Orleans poorest neighbourhoods since well before Hurricane Katrina.
here is the website http://fundred.org/
Mel Chin refuses to be pinned down, hemmed in, or otherwise restricted from pursuing whatever concept fires his imagination—in whatever medium seems appropriate. The Houston-born artist began his career making sculptures based on research into ancient cultures, social issues, and geopolitical subterfuges. But after a 1989 solo show at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC, he appeared to jump track, abandoning object-making for the less familiar territory of conceptual art based on botany, ecology, and hands-on collaboration with scientists and government officials. In his redefining project Revival Field (1993), he attempted to reclaim 60 square feet of toxic soil in a St. Paul, Minnesota, landfill. To do this, Chin and his collaborator, Rufus Chaney, relied on plants called hyper-accumulators, which can draw heavy metals like zinc and cadmium out of the earth through their root systems. Though Chin has subsequently been tagged as an environmental artist, he has followed many divergent paths, also working in recent years with comic books, animated films, and even commercial television.
He is currently working on a new environmental reclamation effort. the fundred dollar bill project / OPERation Paydirt cosists of equal parts conceptual art gesture, school lesson plan, and exercise in magical thinking. Chin is asking children across the country to draw fake $100 dollar bills - Fundreds - and submit them to volunteer led collection sites in public schools. Once three million of these Fundreds have been generated, an armoured car equipped to run on recycled vegetable oil will visit each collection point, pick up the childrens artwork, and eventually deliver all 3 million fundreds to congress. the goal is to make a one to one exchange with legislators, securing 300 million actual US dollars to clean lead contaminated soil in New Orleans following a protocol developed with Howard Mielke of the Tulane/Xavier Centre for biomedical research. Through the project, Chin hopes to highlight problems with lead poisoning that have plagued New Orleans poorest neighbourhoods since well before Hurricane Katrina.
here is the website http://fundred.org/
MINIMALISM & MATERIALITY (abstraction)
Looking back through my sculpture journals I came across Nathan Slate Joseph. this guys sculptures really embody minimalism and materiality without being some boring boulder dumped in a paddock. When you think of sculpture traditionally its usually monochrome but Joseph etches his metal constructs with pure mineral pigment to get these beautiful organic shapes with intense colour. It is really obscure to see this technique used, as pigment doesnt play an important role in sculpture unlike printmaking and painting.
When the artist brings up the history of colour in sculpture, he brings up the amusing story of Picasso's painted bronzes (glass of absinthe 1914)
"in order to mask the precious metal and its venerable artistic history, thereby attacking the materials supposed integrity and offending the bourgeoisie" (and me)
When the artist brings up the history of colour in sculpture, he brings up the amusing story of Picasso's painted bronzes (glass of absinthe 1914)
"in order to mask the precious metal and its venerable artistic history, thereby attacking the materials supposed integrity and offending the bourgeoisie" (and me)
Annotated Bibliography (Folkert de Jong)
Demos, T.J., “Kutluğ Ataman: the art of storytelling”.
In this reading, Demos reviews select works by Ataman as well as looking at the relevance and evolution of narrative art in the postmodern art world. In the text, Demos references Ataman himself from several interviews with other sources as well as using Jacques Rancière’s research into the transformation of storytelling in art.
While Ataman’s work is substantially different from de Jong’s, Demos’ discussion into the complexities of narrative art are thorough and provide insightful ways to approach de Jong’s artworks. Furthermore, the reading lead me to Rancière’s writings, which proved most helpful in my research.
The main limitation of this article was that the body of it focused on describing Ataman’s works and didn’t elaborate on parallel studies from other sources. In all though, this reading revealed that there is a diverse range of conveying “narrative” in art. This reading gave me a significant amount of knowledge to help further conduct my research into de Jong.
Amy, Michael. “Confronting the grotesque: a conversation with Folkert de Jong”. Sculpture, June (2008): 24 – 33
In this journal article, Michael Amy briefly assesses the art practice and themes that Folkert de Jong explores, as well as the artists history itself. Following this introduction, Amy begins an informal interview with de Jong. In the interview that ensues between Amy and the artist, the conversation begins with Amy enquiring about de Jong’s “unusual choice of materials” and the artist reveals the materials source also produces materials for application in warfare. From this line of questioning, the conversation moves to de Jongs cultural history and the themes he explores in his instillations.
I found that this journal article was very helpful to me, as there is very little written on Folkert de Jong and it was intrinsic to my research. It was made more valuable because the artist himself reveals his use of historic, cultural and industrial imagery and themes that gave me an insight into the narratives he portrays. Although Amy didn’t focus on de Jong’s narratives, a substantial amount of information could be gleaned from this text.
Coughlan, Robert. The world of Michelangelo. Barcelona: industria gráfica sa, 1980
This book includes a good source of information on the history of narrative art as well as thoroughly documenting its relevance in the Western world (in particular Europe) during arts “classical era”.
While the majority of this book focuses on Michelangelo’s life, he was the “iconic narrative artist” of the classical era. Thus it gives insight into the function and role of narrative art in those times and in some regards works well in conjunction with de Jong as another European artist.
Although very little information was used from this book in my final presentation, it was crucial nonetheless, in order for me to gain broader understanding of European narrative art. It did however reveal similarities in Michelangelo’s works to the tableaux’s of de Jong.
In this reading, Demos reviews select works by Ataman as well as looking at the relevance and evolution of narrative art in the postmodern art world. In the text, Demos references Ataman himself from several interviews with other sources as well as using Jacques Rancière’s research into the transformation of storytelling in art.
While Ataman’s work is substantially different from de Jong’s, Demos’ discussion into the complexities of narrative art are thorough and provide insightful ways to approach de Jong’s artworks. Furthermore, the reading lead me to Rancière’s writings, which proved most helpful in my research.
The main limitation of this article was that the body of it focused on describing Ataman’s works and didn’t elaborate on parallel studies from other sources. In all though, this reading revealed that there is a diverse range of conveying “narrative” in art. This reading gave me a significant amount of knowledge to help further conduct my research into de Jong.
Amy, Michael. “Confronting the grotesque: a conversation with Folkert de Jong”. Sculpture, June (2008): 24 – 33
In this journal article, Michael Amy briefly assesses the art practice and themes that Folkert de Jong explores, as well as the artists history itself. Following this introduction, Amy begins an informal interview with de Jong. In the interview that ensues between Amy and the artist, the conversation begins with Amy enquiring about de Jong’s “unusual choice of materials” and the artist reveals the materials source also produces materials for application in warfare. From this line of questioning, the conversation moves to de Jongs cultural history and the themes he explores in his instillations.
I found that this journal article was very helpful to me, as there is very little written on Folkert de Jong and it was intrinsic to my research. It was made more valuable because the artist himself reveals his use of historic, cultural and industrial imagery and themes that gave me an insight into the narratives he portrays. Although Amy didn’t focus on de Jong’s narratives, a substantial amount of information could be gleaned from this text.
Coughlan, Robert. The world of Michelangelo. Barcelona: industria gráfica sa, 1980
This book includes a good source of information on the history of narrative art as well as thoroughly documenting its relevance in the Western world (in particular Europe) during arts “classical era”.
While the majority of this book focuses on Michelangelo’s life, he was the “iconic narrative artist” of the classical era. Thus it gives insight into the function and role of narrative art in those times and in some regards works well in conjunction with de Jong as another European artist.
Although very little information was used from this book in my final presentation, it was crucial nonetheless, in order for me to gain broader understanding of European narrative art. It did however reveal similarities in Michelangelo’s works to the tableaux’s of de Jong.
Monday, March 7, 2011
summary-unmonumentalism
UNMONUMENTAL: the Summary
Liam Crowley
In Laura Hoptman’s overview of the “resurgence” of Dada-inspired assemblages in the 21st century, she takes an in – depth look at the precursors of this phenomenon: the Dadaists of the 1910’s and the Neo – Avant Gardests of the 50’s and 60’s. As well as exploring the terms assemblage and unmonumentality.
The technique of assemblage traces its roots back to the “ready-mades” of Duchamp using found objects and pre-formed materials. This movement was a direct reaction of post-war society and was intended as a counter-culture; as Richard Huelsenbeck observes (p138)
“Fracture works against the notion of hierarchy.”
The second-coming of assemblage was heralded in with an exhibition in 1961 that showcased new talents inspired by the fallout of WWII, as well as paying homage to their predecessors. William Seitz’ objective was to concrete Dada as an ongoing anti – art movement, when he should have split off from the past and legitimised the art being created in the 50’s and 60’s as a standalone movement. Seitz got caught up in the romantic notion of assemblages being a by-product of socially deficient culture, while his contemporaries acknowledged that their work wasn’t spawned from a war – torn environment, like that of the Europeans in the 1910’s, as Raucshenberg remarks (p132)
“[is] less a representation of a world filled with a chaos of information, than an actual piece of it. No metaphor, no allegory could compete with a shard of actual evidence of an irrevocably shattered society”
This remark leads into 21st century assemblages having adopted the term unmonumentalism as a direct response to the war in Iraq, and the unprecedented amount of media coverage on a war. This has therefore caused the vast majority of society to be openly resentful to authority/government figures allowing the resurgence of assemblages to lose their counter-culture legitimacy. Hence the adoption of unmonumentalism.
Liam Crowley
In Laura Hoptman’s overview of the “resurgence” of Dada-inspired assemblages in the 21st century, she takes an in – depth look at the precursors of this phenomenon: the Dadaists of the 1910’s and the Neo – Avant Gardests of the 50’s and 60’s. As well as exploring the terms assemblage and unmonumentality.
The technique of assemblage traces its roots back to the “ready-mades” of Duchamp using found objects and pre-formed materials. This movement was a direct reaction of post-war society and was intended as a counter-culture; as Richard Huelsenbeck observes (p138)
“Fracture works against the notion of hierarchy.”
The second-coming of assemblage was heralded in with an exhibition in 1961 that showcased new talents inspired by the fallout of WWII, as well as paying homage to their predecessors. William Seitz’ objective was to concrete Dada as an ongoing anti – art movement, when he should have split off from the past and legitimised the art being created in the 50’s and 60’s as a standalone movement. Seitz got caught up in the romantic notion of assemblages being a by-product of socially deficient culture, while his contemporaries acknowledged that their work wasn’t spawned from a war – torn environment, like that of the Europeans in the 1910’s, as Raucshenberg remarks (p132)
“[is] less a representation of a world filled with a chaos of information, than an actual piece of it. No metaphor, no allegory could compete with a shard of actual evidence of an irrevocably shattered society”
This remark leads into 21st century assemblages having adopted the term unmonumentalism as a direct response to the war in Iraq, and the unprecedented amount of media coverage on a war. This has therefore caused the vast majority of society to be openly resentful to authority/government figures allowing the resurgence of assemblages to lose their counter-culture legitimacy. Hence the adoption of unmonumentalism.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)