Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture

Cloud Gate (2004), Millennium Park, Chicago

Celebrated for his gigantic, stainless steel Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Anish Kapoor is changing the cultural environment with his public works.

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss whether it is conceptual art or not. Explain your answer, using a definition of conceptual art.

The most important aspect in conceptual art is the idea and the concept, when an artist is using the conceptual form in their art, it basically means that the artist has already planned and structured beforehand. Most of Kapoor's installation art is mostly used by mirror to give the effect of reflection. 

2. Research 3 quite different works by Kapoor from countries outside New Zealand to discuss the ideas behind the work. Include images of each work on your blog.

Tall Tree & the Eye, 2009

 Tall Tree and the Eye (2009),a monumental tower of 76 spheres reflected in stainless steel presented on a large scale, in a twisted structure with multiplied Palladian architecture by the surrounded buildings. Each sphere reflects to the building faced opposite to it and creates a mirror effect. The reflection transferred to each of the sphere builds up and by the reach to the top of the reflected tower, it is titled 'the eye.'  

                                 

                                                                Yellow, 1999 

Yellow (1999), this piece is a 6 squared metre, bold and vibrant coloured installation that draws the attraction to the audience to analyze the perspective and the idea of this piece. Fibreglass, pigment and other confused materials are used in this piece to give a unique way of gaining the audience attention. In Yellow, Kapoor has produced a hybrid between painting and sculpture; it lies in between the two worlds of each art form. 

                       

'The Farm'

(2003-2008) 

 The Farm (2003-2008), a 84 metres long, red polyester fabric with steel to hold its material with a twisted cone shape is far one of the amazing piece of Kapoor's work. Its placed in between the two hills like a celestial megaphone. This piece is also placed in New Zealand at Kaipara Bay (the north side of Auckland), its meant to show the audience the idea of twisting the image of the surrounded landscape in New Zealand.

3.Discuss the large scale 'site specific' work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

The Farm (2003-2008), is a large scaled piece of work that is reflecting the nature around society.This piece is located in New Zealand at the Kaipara Bay. 

4. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

The work is located in North Auckland of New Zealand at Kaipara Bay, and the materials used for this piece is Fibreglass, pigment and steel to hold its fabric together. The ideas behind this piece of art is the relationship between the nature and society, it also views the space and reality of the nowadays. 

5. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favourite, and explain why. Are you personally attracted more by the ideas or the aesthetics of the work?

Kapoors works did caught my attention the way it looked some like Clase Oldsenburg's works. The big sculptures displayed on landscape or in the middle of town that catch the audience attention did seem more like Oldsenburg's work. 

My most favourite piece from Kapoors work is the tall tree and the eye pice with a tower of spheres that reflects all the buildings around that gives a mirror effect was fascinating. 

Youtube has some excellent footage on Kapoor-take a look at Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy.

Dismemberment of Jeanne d’Arc- 

Old Municipal Market Building Brighton

www.royalacademy.org.uk › 

http://www.billslater.com/cloudgate/ 

www.royalacademy.org.uk › 
http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/thefarm.htm
http://www.billslater.com/cloudgate/ 

http://www.anishkapoor.com/322/Cloud-Gate.html

http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0110_sk_sculpture.html

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/12/18/anish-kapoor-at-the-royal-academy-a-conversation-with-dr-adrian-locke/

http://www.flavorwire.com/49064/daily-dose-pick-anish-kapoor

http://static.royalacademy.org.uk/files/anish-kapoor-education-guide-558.pdf

Week 5- Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

In teaching week 5 you will discuss pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi in your tutorials.

Use this discussion, the notes in your ALVC book and the internet to respond to the following

questions;

1. Define the term 'pluralism' using APA referencing.

"Pluralism in art refers to the nature of art forms and artists as diverse. The cultural context of art is all encompassing in it respect of the art of the worlds cultures. Inclusion of individuals of differing ethnicities, genders, ideologies, abilities, ages, religions, economic status and educational levels is valued. Pluralism honours difference within and equitable groups while seeing their commonalities." Caldwell, (1999)

2. How would you describe New Zealand's current dominant culture?

New Zealand would be described as a certainly a cultural diverse society, and also a dominant culture. As a dominant culture New Zealand has a mixture of the western and the Maori culture. 

3. Before 1840, what was New Zealand's dominant culture?

Before 1840, Maori was the dominant culture of New Zealand. Around the time before the 1300, the Maori landed on to this island New Zealand and after 200 years, the Europeans started to land on New Zealand. 

4. How does the Treaty of Waitangi relate to us all as artists and designers working

in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, Maori is known as the ones that has first discovered New Zealand. Treaty of Waitangi relates to all artists because the Maori people painted their history instead of writing about them. So for example a painting of a leader of the treaty would mean alot to them because of how long its been treasured, and it wasn't too important of who painted the painting. New Zealand/ Maori culture is our reputation and can be seen how it can be a process of creativity because its merging the Europeans and the Maori as one and to hold the two cultures together is the treaty.This also can be seen as the post-modernism or pluralism. I think the artist Kehinde Wiley uses the same idea as the maori painters. 

5. How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on 'regional diversity' that leads to a 'homogenized world culture' in New Zealand in particular? (ALVC2 handbook page 52, http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/globalization)

'Globalization is the tendency of business, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen.' (A.L.V.C2 2012) 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is defined as “the act or process of globalizing : the state of being globalized; especially : the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labour markets”. 

In New Zealand Globalization can be seen very negatively because of its size, how small the country is. Since little bits of different cultures to New Zealand, New Zealand its self is loosing its native culture which is a problem to the local tradition to New Zealand. This can be seen as a negative effect on the regional diversity. 

6. Shane Cotton's paintings are said to examine the cultural landscape. Research Cotton's work 'Welcome'(2004) and 'Three quarter view ' (2005) to analyze what he is saying about colonialization and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Cotton's work 'Welcome' shows the meet between two cultures. This painting explains the treaty of Waitangi and by that Cotton's used the Maori as the main iconography to the painting. The top figure that has a band around the head is represented as Jesus which can be symbolized as the British and the bottom figure that is represented as a Maori. The Fantail on the left which is lightly coloured to the right is symboled as good and the other as evil, which brings this painting as a unity of the Maori and Pakeha.

 

'Welcome' (2004) Shane Cotton 

http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/catalogues/work/52293/shane-cotton-welcome.aspx

  

'Three Quarter view'(2005) Shane Cotton

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=149998 

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-cotton-paintings-examine-cultural-landscape-126412

7. Tony Albert's installation 'Sorry' (2008) reflect the effects of colonization on the aboriginal people of Australia. Research the work and comment on what Albert is communicating through his work, and what he is referring to. Describe the materials that Albert uses on this installation and say what he hopes his work can achieve.

Kitsch objects applied to vinyl letters has been used for Tony Albert's installation 'Sorry', and in his work he reflects of the faces in emotions which presents different essence of cultures within the society. This is a piece that shows an apology of Australia's past president to the Australians citizens that has been treated badly by the Australian government. Albert's works acknowledge the history. Throughout this work he wanted the audience to notice the cynical part to his work and to catch those emotions that the audience was giving while looking at the work. 

8. Define the term 'kitsch'.

Whether its shown as a poor or good art, its called Kitsch. According to the dictionary,its defined as a art, objects, or design considered to be in poor taste because of normal garishness but appreciated in an ironic way. 

9. Explain how the work of both artists relates to pluralism.

To relate to the idea pluralism, both the artists reflects back to the cultures past and also the process of uniting in to a country with two nations. This also shows us how to forget the negative side of the past and look forward to the future as a one nation. As a one nation, people shouldn't be judged by each other by the look of their skin colour, they all should be treated equally.

                                       Tony Albert | Australia b.1981 | Girramay people | Sorry 2008 |

                                               Found kitsch objects applied  to vinyl letters | 99 objects :    

                                               200 x 510 x 10cm (installed) | The James C Sourris Collection.

                                               Purchased 2008 with funds from James C Sourris through the 

                                               Queensland Art Gallery Foundation | Collection: Queensland Art Gallery

                              

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6afMy0rlqq8

http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/indigenous_australian_art/tony_albert
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/tags/pre-1840-contact
http://pluralism.org/pages/pluralism/what_is_pluralism
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluralism
http://artforum.com/picks/id=21935&view=print 

Week 4- Inter-textuality

Kehinde Wiley

1. Untitled (2009)

2. Untitled(2009)

3. Kehinde Wiley Count Potocki, 2008 oil on canvas, 274.3 x 274.3cm

4. Kehinde Wiley Support Army and Look after People, 2007 oil on canvas, 258.4 x 227.3cm

Kehinde Wiley is a Gay American based painter born in Los Angeles, who has an international reputation. Wiley lives and practices between Beijing and Brooklyn.

This weeks ALVC class focuses on the Postmodern theme "INTERTEXTUALITY", re-read Extract 1 The death of the author on page 44 of your ALVC books and respond to the oil paintings of Kehinde Wiley. 

1. Find a clear definition of Intertextuality and quote it accurately on your blog using the APA referencing system. Use your own words to explain the definition more thoroughly. 

"Intertextuality, the condition of any whatsoever, cannot, of course, be reduced to a problem of sources of influences; the intertext is a general field of formulae whose origin can scarcely ever be located; of unconscious or automatic quotations, given quotation marks" (Barthes,1981). 

2. Research Wiley's work and write a paragraph that analyzes how we might make sense of his work. Identify intertextuality in Wiley's work.

Wiley's works are presented very colourful and also decoratively. To reflect his work to intertextuality, he has used the African culture and the American hip-hop culture. In the work above he's trying to present how the African culture can give a good mix to the Western culture, also it can be seen how he put the modern style and the Renaissance together to give a reflection of the nowadays. 

3. Wiley's work relates to next weeks Postmodern theme "PLURALISM" . Read page 51 and discuss how the work relates to this theme.

"According to Caldwell (1999):

To explain the pluralism he has worked with the idea of using the men in an African setting of background into his work. His works gives an combination of the Renaissance and the contemporary culture, black Americans with their hip hop.

He also puts as the Black/Brown to the main figure to his paintings which gives an obvious where and who's he's standing for. In my opinion Wiley is reflecting the past and the present because of how in the past the black/brown were divided to the whites because of how un wealthy they were and how the White have always been the wealthy upper class people. But through his painting it lets the viewers know how in nowadays its alot different to the past, it's not the White that is more stronger than any other cultures such as the Africans. Also this painting personally showed me how everyone can be mixed in different cultures. 

4. Comment on how Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies , colonisation, globalisation, stereotypes and the politics which govern a western worldview. 

Most of Wiley's works can be seen very successfully because of how he has presented the peace in cultures but in somewhat it can be questioned around social/cultural hierarchies,globalization, etc because of the way he's presented the black men in to a portrait with traditionally decorated background, that was when he pushed himself over the limit and challenged himself to a different stage, which visually attracted the viewers.

5. Add some reflective comments of your own, which may add more information that you have read during your research.

In my opinion, in most of Wiley's works it might have gave an impact to some people that is still struggling of racism, and I mostly agree with his works of how he's put two different cultures into his works and made them meaningful to the link between the past and the present. 

http://www.cretique.com/archives/4012

http://www.deitch.com/artists/sub.php?artistId=11

http://www.thinkcontra.com/kehinde-wiley-on-current/

http://www.skny.com/artists/kehinde-wiley/

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html

Week 3- Post modern fashion

Hussein Chalayan

Chalayan is an artist and designer, working in film, dress and installation art. Research Chalayan’s work, and then consider these questions in some thoughtful reflective writing.

1. Chalayan’s works in clothing, like Afterwords (2000) and Burka (1996) , are often challenging to both the viewer and the wearer. What are your personal responses to these works? Are Afterwordsand Burka fashion, or are they art? What is the difference?

Not all clothing is fashion, so what makes fashion fashion? (Research some definitions  for these terms.)

In my opinion Chalayan's works are most likely to be displayed for artworks rather than wearing them in public. The 'Burka' piece of work is for Muslim to cover their identity and is part of their religion. In their culture exposure is not acceptable and women had to cover their whole body. 

'Afterwards' the clothes might be uncomfortable too but its very handy in a way like the skirt is used for a table when you leave it on the ground but when you wear it, its kinda heavy because it has a very flat surface.

"Fashion is what seems beautiful now but looks ugly later, art can be ugly at first but it becomes beautiful after"---Mona Simpson.  

which means that fashion is rotating its time and will never run out in style. 

Hussein Chalayan, Burka (1996) (99

6

                                                                 Hussein Chalayan, Afterwords, 2000

2. Chalayan has strong links to industry. Pieces like The Level Tunnel (2006) and Repose (2006) are made in collaboration with, and paid for by, commercial business; in these cases, a vodka company and a crystal manufacturer. How does this impact on the nature of Chalayan’s work? Does the meaning of art change when it is used to sell products? Is it still art?
                                                 The Level Tunnel ( 2006)

Repose (2006)

In my opinion art can be either be a poduct that can be advertised/ to sell or something exhibited for people to see because it doesn't mean a piece of work is no longer art, for the reason that its sold. His works do relate to nature, from the viewers perspective 'the level tunnel' piece of work gives a message of peace around in the woods and 'repose' gives viewpoint that you're in a plane up high through the clouds. Art has no limitation that makes artists reach any standard they want. Anything that is visually presented is known as art and Chalayan's ideas are mostly performed in that way which makes him unique in that way.

3. Chalayan’s film Absent Presence screened at the 2005 Venice Biennale. It features the process of caring for worn clothes, and retrieving and analysing the traces of the wearer, in the form of DNA. This work has been influenced by many different art movements; can you think of some, and in what ways they might have inspired Chalayan’s approach?

The idea behind this media installation is on identity,geography, genetics, biology and anthropology. Also by the looks of this installation, its theme is based on humanism because of the explanation that is showing the viewers is how people get to find their true identity from a new environment. 
I think the artist Chalayan might be part of inspiration to his works because his films shows what attracts the interest in modern technology and post modern in the society which also seen.

Hussein Chalayan, still from Absent Presence, 2005 (motion picture)

4. Many of Chalayan’s pieces are physically designed and constructed by someone else; for example, sculptor Lone Sigurdsson made some works from Chalayan’s Echoform (1999) andBefore Minus Now (2000) fashion ranges. In fashion design this is standard practice, but in art it remains unexpected. Work by artists such as Jackson Pollock hold their value in the fact that he personally made the painting. Contrastingly, Andy Warhol’s pop art was largely produced in a New York collective called The Factory, and many of his silk-screened works were produced by assistants. Contemporarily, Damien Hirst doesn’t personally build his vitrines or preserve the sharks himself. So when and why is it important that the artist personally made the piece?

In my opinion, I personally think how expressing personal emotional expressions are important in every artists works because perhaps shows the artists timeline of lifestyle. For example authors write about their personal experiences and in times they write about their own personal stories but artists express them visually, sometimes it might not be recogniseable but it has a deep story to the piece of work that the artist surely wants the viewers to feel the same way. In one of Jackson Pollocks work 'Lavender mist' it has his boot print, a cigarette, keys ets in to his painting which is connecting himself and the painting to one so when people view his work they can straightly know who and Pollock's personality. 

http://www.husseinchalayan.com/#/home/

http://www.husseinchalayan.com/blog/ 

http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/chalayan.html
http://www.husseinchalayan.com/#/home/
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2012/ready-to-wear/hussein-chalayan
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fashion 
http://exn.tumblr.com/post/491987881/what-makes-fashion-fashion-pt-1 
http://ilikecatsmorethanpeople.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/hussein-chalayan-burka-1996.htm  
http://www.behance.net/gallery/The-LEVEL-Tunnel-(Absolut-Vodka-Hussein-Chalayan)/701114

Week 2- Post Modernism

Ai Wei wei and banksy

This week's ALVC tutorial covers Post-Modernism. Use the ALVC texts and definitions from the internet to define the term and answer the following questions;

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

• Reflexivity 
• Relativism
• Rejection of post modernism thinking
• Pluraist 
• Non-universal thinking
• Irony
• Deconstructive
• Linguistic

The term 'Post-modern' means after the modern period which was used for philosophy, literature, social science, and architecture.There are a range of postmodern thinkers, they may have different opinions and people from different fields have different definition of post-moderism. 
"Most importantly we see the dissolution of distinctions, the merging of subject and object, self and other."-John Wayne
Postmodern is different to any other art and is defined very widely that it is hard to define as one. 

"Postmodernism was a movement in architecture that rejected the modernist, avant garde, passion for the new." -James Morely 

Modernism was clearly understood in art and also within architecture even though it hasnt been assigned to a definition.

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)

The post modern artist is 'reflexive' in that he/she is self-aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive manner.

3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.
The features of Post-modernity are Social and cultural purism and disunity and is mainly focused on surface and texture rather than depth. Culture adapting, hyper-reality, image saturation. Because of how the media and and reality has been torn apart, a new artefact has been influenced by the ones previous to it.

Use this summary to answer the next two questions.

4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)

in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

The 'Coca-Cola' work done by Ai WeiWei  was a piece that was installed in an exhibition which was the most shocking piece of work because of how simple it was. This work symbolizes appropriation, globalization and attracts this piece from the viewers because more of the brand rather than the object that is displayed. This reminds me of ' Fountain - R Mutt' originally and secretly that was done by Marcel Duchamp, how everyone thought it was a piece of rubbish done by a fool named 'R Mutt' later they found out that the piece was done byMarcel Duchamp. Ironically Ai weiwei's piece was the highly treasured artefact and was also became more increasingly valued after being noted as postmodern art.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist

to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)

'Flower Riot', Banksy

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

Banksy is a very famous graffiti artist who uses stencils for his work. His works are mostly symbolized as a mockery of the society that is surrounded to him. The way Banksy     lays out his works and how he relates reality and fantasy together is very smart of him which he is clearly can be labelled as a postmodern artist. Both of the works above can be noted as post modern because the flowers are symbolized as peace and love and the 'Los Angles' explains how back in the days stone age did not have fast food and also points out the timeline of present and the past.

http://theworldsbestever.com/2008/02/new_banksy_pieces_surface_in_l.php

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/03/11/how-china-conquered-the-art-world.html

http://artasiapacific.com/Magazine/78/DevastatingHistory

http://www.architectural-review.com/delight/ai-weiweis-colored-vases/8615365.article

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0242.html

Witcombe, C (2000) Modernism & Post Modernism. Retrieved 29 January, 2004 from http://witcombe.sbc.edu?modernism/modpostmod.html
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