Tang Teaching Museum Visit

For our final entry we will be discussing our trip to the Fred Tomaselli exhibit at the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College. The particular exhibit we saw displayed work from early on in his career and also recent paintings and prints. Unfortunately, we do not have any pictures of our own, but we were able to find some pictures of his works on the Museum’s website.

Tomaselli creates his artwork by using literal objects such as pills and plants along with a range of images including flowers, birds, and anatomical illustrations that are carefully cut. His work is incredible to see in person because when you look at via the Internet you cannot really tell that he is using actual objects. When we saw his work the three of us were really mesmerized by the incredible details and the patterns he creates are very eye catching. With further research we found that Tomaselli collages these real materials, photographs, and paint and then uses a clear epoxy resin to hold the differing layers and objects together on top of wood paneling. The three of us particularly liked his Untitled piece below.

The leaves that are placed at the bottom of the wood paneling are real along with the flowers and there were also mushrooms used. It also incorporated photo collage and the two anatomical cutouts. Overall, our museum trip was really enjoyable and the three of us have a lot of respect for the immense amount of detail and hard work Tomaselli puts into his work. We also learned that seeing artwork in person is extremely different and a lot more rewarding than merely looking at pictures on line.

"Jack the Dripper" - Ashley Caputo

"Jack the Dripper", also known as Jackson Pollack is a very recognizable name when it comes to abstract expressionism. He seems to be most famous for his paintings that showcase his "Drip Technique". After looking through a lot of his pieces the one that jumped out to me the most was entitled No.5, 1948. I really enjoy the painting because of the color and organized fashion that it presents, even though it seems to be all over the place. It looks like a painting that someone without such artistic talent could attempt to replicate, however I think would fail miserably because people don't understand the time and effort that goes into these "drips".

Apparently it was very popular with many other people and was was sold to an anonymous buyer for a record breaking US $140 million.

20 x 200 - Ashley Caputo

After looking through a decent amount of the artwork listed on the website 20 x 200, I found a handful of them interesting. However, I don't think I could see myself purchasing prints for over $20. I did find a few prints that I would purchase. The one that jumped at me the most was one entitled Super Rally, So Help Me . I don't really agree or understand the explanation of the picture but the perception I initially got from it reminded me of high school . I really enjoyed high school and spirit week and sporting events were some of my favorite moments. My high school colors were of those in the picture, red, blue and white.

Marcus Coates-Erin Hepper

On Tuesday we watched a very interesting video on artist Marcus Coates, who consults a non conscious world of animals and birds to seek relevant information for clients. His work includes film pieces, sculpture, sound, costumes, photography, and revolves around human relationships with animals. As we saw in the video, Coates often times assumes the identity of a particular animal by imitating its appearance through costume, enacting its habits, and use of the animals perceived language. Through his many performances he has addressed many issues including: prostitution, regeneration, and swine-flu. Coates has said that, "I feel that my imagination can be put to good use socially, even politically."

I think Coates' method of expressing issues is extremely odd and definitely out of the ordinary, but I still respect his effort in trying to address important world issues. I don't plan on seeing any of Coates' work any time soon, but watching the video and finding out more information about him was an eye opening experience and a whole new aspect of contemporary art I am now aware of.

79 Moons - $20 Art I Would Buy

This piece is called 79 Moons, and is by Penelope Umbrico. It is part of a series called Suns from Flickr. Of all the artwork that I browsed on the 20x200 site, this is the one that I would most likely buy for my own house. I like that it is a mystical piece, and is not just an image of a chair or face or something boring like that. The moons here are all different sizes and colors, and make me think of being outdoors in the warm months. I also like the shinyness and brightness of the piece. Overall, I definately feel that this is a great piece of artwork that I would totally purchase!

Pierre Huyghe-Erin Hepper

Today in class we got to learn more about French artist Pierre Huyghe. I was intrigued by his work so I just looked up some more information on him and wanted to view more of his work. I found a lot of information on one of his particular works entitled "Third Memory." This was created in 1999 and takes clips from the 1975 film "Dog Day Afternoon," starring Al Pacino, which is based on the true story of a bank robbery in Brookyln committed by John Woytowicz. Huyghe's work is a two channel video projection showing clips from the film and then clips showing images of the real account. The idea is that the "first memory" is that of the original crime, the "second memory" is that of the film based on the crime, and the "third memory" is a blurring of the documented and the imagined. After researching this particular piece I had a lot more respect for Huyghe because of the fact that the purpose and message behind his work is actually really interesting and significant. I also have a lot of respect for him because the message his work conveys isn't really hard to decipher or a far stretch of the imagination. Its fairly obvious but is displayed in a really unique way. The "third memory," the meshing of reality, history, memory, and fiction, is something that happens SO incredibly often, especially in today's society that is full of media coverage and distortion. I think Huyghe's piece opens viewers eyes up to the fact that we must be aware that there are different perspectives and "memories"for each story

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"Spencer Tunick"-Erin Hepper

During todays class I was very taken back by the work of Spencer Tunick. At first I was somewhat grossed out by his unconventional method of creating art, but upon visiting his own website I found some more pieces that were really interesting to look at. I could definitely see how people could find Tunick's work offensive, but I would really encourage them to take a second look at his pieces. At first all I could see was nudity, but once I looked past that I really began to grow an appreciation for his unique work. The piece below really caught my attention because of the surroudnings. Most of his other works seem to take place in more urban environments and I really loved how this piece was in a natural setting. I also really liked how after I looked at the image for a while the people almost disappeared and seemed like they just fit in the with the mountain range. Furthermore, on Tunick's website he had a much smaller section that had images of individuals as opposed to large groups. I found these to have less of an impact, but I still have a great appreciation for the creativity and unique concepts Tunick uses.

Michael Craig-Martin- Erin

Last class we saw some work by contemporary artist Michael Craig-Martin. I found his work to be extremely eye catching because of the bright colors and unique concepts he uses. Upon visiting his own web site I viewed some of his current works, installations, paintings, and prints. Although all of these pieces were different they still followed a similar theme of bright colors and very cartoon-ish drawings of various different everyday items. While some may question Craig-Martin’s credibility as his artist due to the simplicity of his work, I disagree strongly. It takes a great deal of creative genius to even come up with the idea to make art inspired by unadorned items such as sunglasses, fire extinguishers, and headphones.

The installation that I found to be most fascinating was created in 2000 in Valencia, Spain. I really loved how his contemporary work was showcased in what seems to be a very traditionally designed space. The marble arches, ornate moldings, and beautiful columns scream tradition and are almost brought to life by the bright colors used by the artist. The juxtaposition of his contemporary work to the classical architecture is quite the duo. Also, I found it to be very creative of Craig-Martin to paint his own windows into the windowless space. Lastly, the bright green, purples, yellows, and numerous other colors used are probably my favorite part. He clearly has no fear when it comes to using color and it really brightens up the space, which is very exciting for any viewer’s eye. Overall, I have a great deal of respect for Michael Craig-Martin’s style. He keeps things interesting while showcasing simple items, which is not an easy task in my opinion.

Jeff Koons - Basketball - Ashley

I found this work to be very interesting, done by Jeff Koons. It is three basketballs enclosed in this class, watery like atmosphere that almost seems unattainable. This may seen to some people as a representation of nostalgia or even ambition, yet both are out of reach. I also found it interesting that after 6 months the balls have to be reset because after that period of time they will sink to the bottom of the tank. This might represent uncertainty or the change in one's meaning.

Koons response if he would be interested in doing ads for lets say spalding or nike:

Koons: I would be extremely interested. I’m not interested in corporations having my work. Some corpora-tions collect my work, that’s fine. But let’s say I use a specific product, like a Spalding basketball. I don’t want Spalding to have my basketball. I don’t do it for that reason. But if Spalding came to me and asked if I would like to work on an ad cam-paign, I’d love to do that.

After doing a little more research I also found it extremely interesting that Koons is simply the 'idea person', which he openly admits. He has no hands on experience in the creation of any of his works. He simply has the idea in his head and he goes to the 'top people' that have the capabilities of carrying out what he wants. I found this interesting considering he gets all the credit, yet puts in no physical labor. I feel as if there should be some credit given to the people who are actually creating this, whether it be their idea or not.

Damien Hirst - $100 Million for a Skull?! Nicole

Damien Hirst is an artist that is well-known all over the world for his work. He is supposedly the richest artist ever. Death is an important theme in his work, and his art ususally ties back to this. The above is entitled "For the Love of God", and has over 8,00 diamonds throughout the skull. It is said to be worth $100 million. That is a LOT of money; is it possible that a skull could be worth so much?? It is true that it is marvelous to look at; your eyes are automatically drawn to it. But how can a piece of art be worth so much? It is interesting to see something like this sell for so much money when there are so many lesser known and up and coming artists who receive no attention or appreciation whatso ever.

What is Dadaism? - Ashley

What is Dadaism? After discussing Dadaism in class I was curious to learn more about it. Dadaism or Dada was said to be more of a cultural movement in visual arts, that came about after World War I. It also had influence on some theatre, graphic design and literature, but mostly poetry. The movement was described to be a protest against the inhumane acts of the war. The artists, called Dadaists believed that it was an 'oppressive intellectual rigidity in both art and everyday society; its works were characterized by a deliberate irrationality and the rejection of the prevailing standards of art.' It later had influence in the movement of surrealism. Although it didn't originate in New York, there were many active dadaists found there. These included Marcel Duchamp and Beatrice Wood. Around this time there were movements of dadaism all around the world such as, Berlin, Cologne and Paris. Dada's influence reached out in to sound and music: Kurt Schwitters developed what he called "sound poems" and composers such as Erwin Schulhoff, Hans Heusser and Albert Savinio began writing "dada music", while members of Les Six collaborated with dada movement members and had pieces played at dada gatherings. Dada then began to die with the onset of World War II, and moved on to influence other art movements. The picture of the fountain above was one of Duchamp's most popular works. People, myself included, might look at that and wonder why that is art to some people because to us it could simply be explained as a urinal, however the artist takes it and makes it a work of its own in this time of dadaism where everything is "readymade".

Marcel Duchamp - A urinal is supposed to be art? Nicole (2)

The above is by Marcel Duchamp, and is entitled "Fountain". But it is not a fountain, it is a urinal!!! How do those two things get mixed up? I have a difficult time with this. Can it really be considered artwork? Could I take a picture of the sink in my apartment and call it "spring" and have it be a world renowned piece of work?!
"Fountain" was created during the Dataist movement in the early 20th century. The members of this group were trying to create "anti-art" to challenge what art really is. After learning this, I could understand Fountain a bit better, because it doesn't really seem like art to me! Like the balloon dogs I commented on before this, they do not fit into the idea of a beautiful piece of art. When I think of art, I see a beautiful scene that was drawn or a painting of a beautiful person. Not a blow-up dog or a urinal!!!

Jeff Koonz - Interesting "Balloons"

After discussing the work of Jeff Koonz in class recently, I decided to look a little closer at some of his art. When searching for his work, there were many of his balloon-like artwork of dogs in different colors like the one seen above. A lot of his art is similar to this; it is sometimes called "Neopop" or "Post-Pop", because of its classification as pop art. Koonz's work is sold for very high amounts of money; he has even set a record for most expensive piece of art sold. Usually it seems that artists have all sorts of hidden meanings or reasonings as to why they draw, paint or mold certain things. What is so interesting about Koonz is that he dismisses the possibility of hidden meaning completely. "A viewer might at first see irony in my work... but I see none at all. Irony causes too much critical contemplation." Koon's crucial point is to reject any hidden meaning in his artwork. "The meaning is only what one perceives at first glance; there is no gap between what the work is in itself and what is perceived." So does that mean when he is designing a big pink dog, he in fact is thinking of just that, and nothing else?

Fred Tomaselli - Nicole

During class on Tuesday, we discussed the Tang Teaching Museum in Saratoga, NY, and the artist it highlighted, Fred Tomaselli. I thought his artwork looked interesting at first glance, so I decided to take a second look. The artwork above caught my eye the most. The level of detail that he puts into his work is amazing. It looks like it was done with oil, but it is actually a collection of cutouts and paints. It is amazing how he fits all of these things into the painting. It was done for the cover of Artkrush and is called Glassy. Tomaselli uses objects like marijuana, mushrooms, and pills to portray a sort of psychedellic haze that his subject is in, hence the title "glassy". The blood on the persons hands is interesting, as well as the number of eyes that are present on the forehead.

An interesting quote from Tomaselli himself: "I want people to get lost in the work. I want to seduce people into it and I want people to escape inside the world of the work. In that way the work is pre-Modernist. I throw all of my obsessions and loves into the work, and I try not to be too embarrassed about any of it. I love nature, I love gardening, I love watching birds, and all of that gets into the work. I just try to be true to who I am and make the work I want to see. I don’t have a radical agenda." Tomaselli wants the viewer to see all of his loves and who he is through his paintings. Is he showing us through Glassy his love of drugs????

Martin Puryear's "Ladder for Booker T. Washington"

Erin Hepper- Entry #2

Today in class we watched a mini documentary on the work of Martin Puryear. I found Puryear’s work to be very intriguing and I had a lot of respect for his creations. In particular, his “Ladder for Booker T. Washington” immediately caught my eye since I had never seen anything like it before. The historical title relates to Booker T. Washington’s struggle in making progress for the African American race, and the notion that “where you start and where you want to get to and how far away it really is. And if it's possible to get there given the circumstances that you're operating within.” After reading an interview with Puryear, it is quite clear that his piece is all about perspective.

Upon further research, I was also surprised to find that Puryear titled his piece after it was finished. His main focus was creating a perspective that was exaggerated and wanted to make the ladder appear as though it was receding into space. He also stated that he enjoyed creating this piece and the way it turned out, despite the fact that it was difficult to construct. The piece is thirty-six feet long (four stories) and constructed out of an ash sapling. I found the curvature in the wooden ladder and the narrowing towards the top to somewhat play on the theme of perspective. Literally, upon viewing it I am sure that it appears as though the ladder really does recede up into space, but it also deals with perspective in a more figurative sense. It is quite possible that Puryear’s narrowing ladder is symbolic of the narrowing opportunity for hope and equality that Booker T. Washington and other African American’s experienced. Overall, I have a lot of respect for Puryear's work and how it is not only visually appealing, but also extremely though provoking.

"Beauty"

Erin Hepper- Entry #1

Upon looking through the Museum of Contemporary Art’s website, I came across several different images and descriptions of current exhibitions being displayed. Artist Olafur Eliasson created the exhibit I found most interesting. It featured photographs, but it also included environments that he had created through the use of mirrors, lights, and projections. This particular type of art intrigued me because it never crossed my mind that this in fact could be considered art. In the past when I thought of art, paintings and sculptures came to mind, not meticulously created atmospheres. I took further interest in Eliasson and located his own personal website on the internet where he had many more images of his work.

An exhibit entitled “Take Your Time” was one that I found particularly intriguing and included many more of these set up environments. Specifically, one entitled “Beauty” was one that confused me. As seen above, the room is composed of what appears to be a grey slate floor, black painted walls, and a projected image of a rainbow like pattern onto the main wall. I was baffled by the mere fact that this piece was entitled beauty. I immediately thought that this was anything but what its title had hinted at. The dark floors seemed very cold and uninviting to me, while the black painted walls practically screamed despair. At first glance I did actually find the rainbow to be quite beautiful, but questioned if it was beautiful enough to be considered art.

Upon more research into this particular piece, I found that Eliasson was inspired when he witnessed running water flowing through a dirty, dry street in Johannesburg. When I found this out, the title and the artwork now seemed to make a lot more sense to me. Whenever there is a dry environment or more generally speaking an environment lacking something, when it becomes present it really catches one’s eye and can most definitely be perceived as a thing of beauty. For instance, in a field of seemingly dead crops a lone flower thriving is a thing of beauty. Elliason’s artificial rainbow that is projected onto the black wall has that same effect. The room is dreary, gloomy, and almost sad at first glance, but upon noticing the beautiful colors of the rainbow and how it gradually fades into the black along its edges turns around the mood of the once sad room.

At first glance I was almost confused as how such a simple set up could be considered art, but once I discovered Elliason’s simple, yet profound inspiration I began to have a much greater appreciation and understanding of the artists’ work. I quickly learned the valuable lesson that art cannot be judged, perceived, or understood at just one quick glance. It takes time, consideration, and maybe even a little background information on the artists’ inspiration to have a more complete understanding and respect towards the piece.

Holy Virgin Mary

“Holy Virgin Mary”



The above image is a painting entitled “Holy Virgin Mary” and was painted by Chris Ofili. It was on display at the city-funded Brooklyn Museum of Art. It was the center of controversy in 1999 when both the Catholic Church and Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Spoke out against the museum and threatened to cut off funding. The church and mayor alleged that the painting was morally offensive and should not be displayed as artwork. The city did in fact cut off funding to the museum in the form of one month’s rent to prove that they were serious about the offensiveness of the painting. The museum then countersued claiming violation of the first amendment rights. They won the suit, and Giuliani and the city of New York were forced to resume the museum’s funding.
When first examining this “work of art”, I was unsure of what it even was. It looks to me like a bunch of dots surrounding a brown animal with complex shapes making up its body, and a knob on the chest part of its body. I was unaware that it was supposed to be of the Virgin Mary, but I couldn’t see it. She is covered in elephant dung, and sexually explicit cutouts make up her body (although I do not necessarily see either of these). Who would paint such an important religious icon in such an offensive way?
Upon further research of Chris Ofili I found out more of what the painting represented. What I had first thought to be “little dots” surrounding the woman are actually cutouts of female genitalia and other body parts. He paints in a loopy, cartoonish, semiabstract style – part decoration, part dream, and part parody. Ofili is in fact a serious painter, but he uses humor and satire in his paintings. Although he may have been trying to be slightly offensive with this painting, he is also trying to look at the Virgin Mary in a different way. He is showing Mary in a different light. She is almost always painted as a white woman, and he is trying to show her in a different light. Although this painting sparked a lot of controversy, it also got Ofili’s name out. It is still seen today and therefore surpassed all of the initial hatred that it received. Overall, I would consider this a work of art, although it is not one I would hang up in my house!