Anish Kapoor Sculpture

What is Conceptual art?

Conceptual art is art that is concerned with/ demonstrates the definitions or relations of concepts rather than the facts. Kapoor’s work is definitely conceptual as his work doesn’t represent or reference something in particular but rather discusses concepts of light, form, reflection etc. The sculptures he creates are representative of his perspective therefore his own conceptual ideas.

Kapoor’s work “Svayambh” (2007), which is Sanskrit for “self-generated” is a mixture of paint, wax and Vaseline forming a deep red block which moves through five rooms at a gallery in central London. The block moves like a carriage on train tracks, slowly. As the block is larger than the doorways it has to squeeze through, therefore leaving a residue outlining each door way, Kapoor describes "It's as if it's skinning itself as it goes through the doors," Kapoor has allowed the architecture of the gallery space to shape the art and be “affected by the contours of space”.

                                               “Svayambh” (2007),

“Double mirror” (1998) looks at reflection and “making emptiness”. Two concave mirrors face each other on opposite walls creating “an apparent lack of reflection”. When standing inside the double mirror the visual range is bounced off each mirror and away from the viewer leaving the viewer with nothing. “The curious thing about double mirrors, concave mirrors, when you put them together, is that they don’t give you an infinite repeatability”

                                            “Double mirror” (1998)

“I’m very interested in the way that they seem to reverse, affirm and then negate…to place the viewer with these blinding mirrors in this narrow passage…where time and space are seemingly absent, at a standstill.” Kapoor thinks about how we as the viewer can engage with his sculptures so that we are able to understand his point of view.

 

“When I am pregnant”(1992) consists of a convex form pushing out of the wall “This "push" of the artwork from the other side of the wall becomes the image of the spiritual force that brings matter to life, a metaphor for the living.” The form can only be noticed from its profile as it appears as just a white wall front on. Kapoor is obsessed with the idea of space and the qualities it can present us with "The idea that if I empty out all the content and just make something that is an empty form, I don't empty out the content at all. The content is there in a way that is more surprising than if I tried to make a content."

                                           “When I am pregnant”(1992)

  The work "Dismemberment: Site 1" is situated in Kaipara Bay, New Zealand on “Gibbs Farm”. The work spans 85m across the 1000 acre farm. Alan Gibbs contacted Kapoor “to devise a form that was both freestanding and capable of surviving a constant arm-wrestle with the sky and the mercurial weather conditions.”

The structure consists of a PVC skin stretched between two steel ellipses Kapoor describes it as “rather like a flayed skin”.

                                           "Dismemberment: Site 1"

 I am in love with the New Zealand situated work Dismemberment: Site 1. The bold red stands out incredibly against the green landscape. I like the idea that you could almost climb inside it and thinking about what it would feel like to be inside such an unusual form. The structure reminds me of a stretched elastic band, the way the PVC is stretched so tightly between the two ellipses. Personally I am more attracted to the aesthetics of something as I think if you are creating art why can’t you have something that is both aesthetically excellent AND has a great idea behind it as oppose to a work having a really innovative idea but looking like crap. Art to me is all about the aesthetics so if I see something that looks bold and interesting then that is what engages me to want to know more about it.

Reference list:

http://jfkwalks.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/anish-kapoor-perception-and-deception/

http://www.sculpture.net/community/showthread.php?t=6790

http://ambush.wordpress.com/2007/11/28/svayambh-anish-kapoor/

http://urc.kon.org/2011/06/updated_finding_everything_in.html

http://www.monumenta.com/en/2011/medias/view/17/when-i-am-pregnant-1992

http://www.gibbsfarm.org.nz/kapoor.php

Bhabha, H K& Tazzi, P L (14/6/98) “Anish Kapoor,” London, Hayward Gallery.

Pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi

According to “answers.com” Pluralism is defined as a condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society.

New Zealand’s dominant culture would probably be European/ Pakeha (western) with a huge influence of the Maori and pacific traditions.

By 1840 there were approximately 2000 Europeans living in new Zealand, mostly in Russell as that was the first capital. The indigenous Maori culture was definitely the dominant culture but with the Europeans came diseases so the Maori population started decreasing, also the introduction of guns by the Pakeha contributed to the fast decline.

The treaty of Waitangi has had a huge influence on designers and artists in New Zealand as many Maori or Pacific artists use our indigenous culture to reference their work. Many artists use Maori symbols and language to create a sense of culture in their work.

How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on regional diversity in New Zealand in particular?

With globalization comes the decrease of our indigenous culture. The western culture has increased drastically which can overpower the indigenous culture of new Zealand.

 Shane Cotton's 'Welcome'(2004) consists of two heads and two birds positioned in the form of a cross. The top head is Jesus which represents the Christian Europeans and the bottom head is of a “Mokomokai” which are “preserved heads of Māori…where the faces have been decorated by tā moko tattooing. They became valuable trade items during the Musket Wars of the early 19th century.” (wikipedia.com). Cotton’s work represents two colonies being brought together by land, which could be suggested by the native fantails.

 'Forked Tongue' (2011) examines the physical, historical and spiritual landscape of New Zealand with the subjects being a cliff face, a fantail and Maori designs.

Tony Albert’s work “Sorry” (2008) was inspired by Kevin Rudd’s (Australian primeminister) formal apology to the aboriginal people of Australia for " the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians… for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.” Albert used “kitsch” objects applied to vinyl letters to form his “Sorry” piece, Kitsch is something “created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste”. It’s obvious why he used such objects when an event of resolved discrimination has currently taken place. The work is a collaboration of faces to represent those stolen from their people.

Both artists have looked at colonization and how it has affected the indigenous people of the land either negatively or positively. They have taken both the European and indigenous cultures into consideration.

 Reference:

http://www.answers.com/topic/pluralism#ixzz1W5tDNrPN

http://www.newzealand.com/int/article/colonisation/

http://www.news.com.au/national/pm-moves-to-heal-the-nation/story-e6frfkw9-1111115539560#ixzz1WH5u713l

Kehinde Wiley and Inter- textuality

According to Chandler “Intertextuality refers to the way that any one text (written or visual) is influenced…as a result, the notion of intertextuality suggests that whenever we try to make sense of a text we are constantly referring back to our understanding of its influences to help us understand it”
When we observe something we automatically conjure up memories and ideas that could be related to or look like what we are seeing. An obvious example would be Wiley’s work, when we look at it we quickly start comparing his work to renaissance painters with the realistic rendering and portraiture style.
 

Wiley’s work is all about creating an atmosphere of power through portraiture. He takes urban black and brown men and positions them in poses that suggest supremacy and glorification.

The theatrical poses, patterns and objects found in the images with the men are drawn from well- known images of the 17^th through to the 19^th century. The intertextuality within Wiley’s work is identified through the way he combines an old traditional style with new subject matter and techniques.

"Officer of the Hussars" (2007)

Pluralism is “a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle”. Pluralism is evident in Wiley’s work as he stresses the idea of a black hierarchy rather than the European culture being the privileged culture. He shows this as he uses the classic European portraiture style and replaces the white figures with young African- American men in very heroic poses.

 
Wiley’s work contradicts the social/ cultural hierarchy’s of the western world. He almost makes a mockery of the classic European portraiture when he colourfully renders African American men in a bold and controversial manner. Wiley puts a very postmodern spin into his work, as classic portrait painters would focus on portraying their subject in a particular gentlemanly way using subtle toning’s, not wanting to distract the viewer from the main part (the person), Wiley’s work is just as much about the subject as it is the aesthetic. His use of vivid and detailed patterns is what engages the viewer then he keeps your attention as you begin to understand what his work is all about.

"Dee and Ricky"

Wiley’s work confronts us with general stereotypes concerned with the European and male hierarchy. In the western world we are not use to seeing African American men portrayed in this way as it is usually white- European dominant. His work is very forward and challenge’s us to think of how we have formed such degrading stereotypes of different ethnicities.

 References

Chandler, D (2003) Intertextuality. Retrieved 16^th Aug, 2011

From http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/documents/S4B/sem09.html

www.kehindewiley.com/

http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/kehinde-wiley/

Hussein Chalayan

 “Afterword’s” is a very innovative concept as it takes functionalism to another level. The idea is not exactly practical but Hussein uses fashion as his form of communication, as a surface for exploring and challenging new futuristic notions “Chalayan challenges preconceived notions of what clothing can mean, rather than as garments with only functionality in mind.” (arttattler.com).

                                           "Afterwords" (2000)

  “Burka” sends a serious message about identity and femininity. Chalayan showed women wearing burkas with nothing on underneath some of the women were completely naked with just a mask. The way he has presented his work suggests how covering a women’s entire body takes away her identity and how they become almost clone like when you can see nothing but the eyes. The sexuality of a woman is reduced when you cannot see the face even if she is completely naked. The face is the part of the body which attracts and draws the attention.

                                           "Burka" (1996)

Both works are very strong and present completely different concepts. “Aferword’s” is about innovation and progressing into the future whereas “Burka” is very much about now and about an issue that is relevant  today, it carries a very sensitive yet provocative message

 “Afterwords” and “Burka” are both fashion AND art. Fashion is one of the most powerful forms of art as everyone can relate to it in some way, almost everyone in the world wears clothes. Fashion/ clothing is such a strong canvas for artists as it is for people to physically wear on their bodies. We use fashion to express ourselves, our emotions, our thoughts, our religion, so how could fashion not be a strong form of innovation and progression? It is used to communicate the future yet it is more interesting than say an architectural model or object as it is personal to us and we acknowledge it so closely. Both art and fashion are forms of expression, but can be presented in completely different ways.
 

Fashion can be defined as a conventional usage in dress, manners, etc… to accommodate; adjust; adapt (dictionary.com). Fashion is a form of progress, what is fashionable one year may not be the year after. Fashion “adjusts” and “adapts” to the season but is constantly changing. Some say fashion comes in cycles for example leather and tie- dye has all come back over the last few years. But although these styles have been repeated they have been enhanced and modernised to suit this day.

Chalayan’s strong links to industry, like with the pieces “the level tunnel” and “repose” which were commissioned by level vodka and Swarovski would probably impact on the nature of his work in a positive way as it shows his versatility and how broad his knowledge and innovative skills extend.

                                           "The Level Tunnel" (2006)

"Repose" (2006)

Does the meaning of art change when it is used to sell products? Is it still art?

I think sometimes it can. In this case, with Chalayan teaming up with Level Vodka, his installation is definitely still seen as art because of who it was created by. If this installation was made by a less well- known artist then it may not be acknowledged as much as it should be as the attention will be more on Level Vodka. Using art to sell products can be good for both parties as it is good advertising for the artist and it can take the company’s product to a new level and make more appealing for a wider audience.


When and why is it important that the artist personally made the piece?
When an artist doesn’t make their work personally it may be because for that particular piece the craftsmanship is not as important as the idea behind it. The work may hold more value in the exploration and reason so the artist would have put all his effort into coming up with the idea and then just gets someone to create it. It is important for the artist to make their work when the focus is on the object or piece itself, When the technique and process is relevant.

 References:

http://arttattler.com/designhusseinchalayan.html

http://www.ecue.com/references/themed-entertainment/level-tunnel.html

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/read.php?CATEGORY_PK=&TOPIC_PK=2858

Post- Modernism, Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

Definition of post- modernism

·         Post modernism came after the modernist period (late 20^th century)

·         Moving the focus from functionalism onto the aesthetics and social context of the design “the ideology of post- modern design is one of decoration and variety”(Crouch, c)

·         Post- modernist’s Use a contemporary style throughout designs, a playful characteristic “instead of the reductive, minimalist style of modernism, postmodernist architecture is noticeable by its mixture of styles” (Crouch, C)

·         Post- modernism consists of a number of characteristics, one being “relativism.” Relativism is the belief in one’s own perspective over the absolute truth “There are no eternal fix- points in life.” (Saugstad,A) Even out ruling logic.

·         Although relativism can hold a strong point regarding personal perception, no one can hold a completely relative perspective as scientific evidence will always overthrow an opposing point of view.

·         Post- modernism introduced the idea of having no grand narrative. People began forming new stories about evolution leaving the belief of one absolute truth behind i.e. a majority of the population believed in god but post- modernism encouraged pluralism “a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle.”(Dictionary.com)

·         Social- constructivism is another principle relative to the post- modernist; it’s the idea that groups of people create their own knowledge and principles, forming a culture. These groups evolve around this shared knowledge and cultural meanings.

·         Constructive post- modernism is a form of post- modernism that proposes a “positive alternative to the modern world”( religion-online.org) as oppose to deconstructive post modernism where all “values are seen as baseless… life itself is meaningless”(Witcombe, C)

 
“Modernism seeks closure in form and is concerned with conclusions; post- modernism is open, unbounded and concerned with process and “becoming” (Witcombe, C)

“The post- modernist 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” (Witcombe, C)

Post- modernism, when relating to art, focuses on what we see on the surface of an artefact or piece having the meaning evident as oppose to needing a deep understanding. Taking attention off the art work as being unique and finished and having a wider interest in the process, performance, production and intertextuality. A dominance of popular culture over high culture is evident with a more flippant approach to making art considering more playful methods and materials to work with. Post- modern artists are generally looking to make a statement through their work whether it be positive, negative, political or social.

Ai Weiwei is one of Chinas most influential artist’s. Weiwei has “continued to create provocative and subversive photographs, installations and sculptures using found objects and ancient relics” With an Avant Garde approach. His “Han Dynasty Urn with Coca- Cola logo” is an example of how he works in a post- modern style. The ancient urn with the modern logo painted on it shows a contrast of cultures. Weiwei has used a post- modern perspective with this work as the logo has a playful aspect with attention on the media and popular culture. By painting “Coca- Cola” over the Urn Weiwei is affirming the dominance of pop- culture over high culture.

Banksy’s  “Flower Riot” has features which are clearly post- modern.  He has replaced what would probably be a harmful weapon in the man’s hand with a bunch of flower’s. By doing this Banksy has made a serious image humorous and light hearted. The insensitivity of it sends an opposing message to what it should be.

Another of Banksy’s work “Los Angeles” has post- modern aspects. A Neanderthal man holds a tray of what looks like some type of fast food, could be McDonalds and with a bone in the other hand. This image may be about the ancient and modern like the previous two works discussed coming together. Comparing how the Neanderthal spent his life constantly hunting and searching for food to live whereas now in this day we have fantastic “fast- food” which takes only minutes to prepare once you have placed your order. Banksy is constantly playing around with irony and humour in his work resulting in very controversial topics.

 References

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2220

http://thesaurus.com/browse/issues

http://www.artzinechina.com/display_vol_aid109_en.html

WEEK 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

1. What do you understand by the word 'Claymation'?

Claymation is a form of animation where the artist uses clay as their medium to create settings, characters and scenes.

 2. What is meant by the term 'Surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?

The Garden of Eden was created by “God” supposedly for Adam and Eve, the first man and women in Christian theology. The term “surrealistic garden of Eden” implies a fantastical and bizarre idea meaning they have taken the natural state of the garden and turned it into something whimsical and unusual. The word “Awry,” meaning “away from the expected or proper direction” is used to describe the garden. The term suggests that nature has turned a wrong way or out of control.

 3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?

Djurberg’s work plays with emotions in a way that causes discomfort to the viewer. Her work has layers that each trigger different thoughts. The innocent and childlike aesthetics are what we notice first which then take us on a journey deeper where we experience the actual intended story she is wanting us to see.

 4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?

Claymation is generally associated with children’s animations therefore having a disturbing impact on the audience when the scene takes an unsettling turn. The innocence in her work is often depicted at the beginnings then spinning off into a vulgar ending “Her videos and sculptures dramatize difficult social and political issues with unsettling directness”

 5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?

Artists/designers are always trying to find new ways to make a statement or evoke emotions about social, political, environmental, global and religious issues etc. So using an innocent situation really helps to exaggerate the artist’s idea and definitely shock the audience as the feelings of the viewer dramatically change for example watching one of Djurberg’s videos we experience a mixture of amazement/wonder and then repulsive/disturbing feelings proving her work really engages with the audience.

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?
Personally the work is too crass for me but I think the detail and depth in Djurberg’s work is amazing! The ability to create entire settings out of clay that trigger particular emotions which wouldn’t usually be experienced together in such little time is incredible. So the fact that her work has an unusual impact on the audience would have contributed to the Venice Biennale’s choice.

Djurberg’s work involves a lot of dark humour with a sinister edge to it. Her work is very forward and reveals a dark side to human behaviour.

Another Claymation film that has a similar look to Djurberg’s work is “The nightmare before christmas” by Tim Burton.

“James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl.

Reference:
http://thesaurus.com

http://www.wexarts.org/ex/?eventid=5289

http://www.labiennale.org/en/search/searchresults.html?PAGEN=0&BACK=false&PREVIEW=false&CONTENTVERSION=1

http://www.modernamuseet.se/en/Stockholm/Exhibitions/2008/Eclipse---Art-in-a-Dark-Age/Artists-biograhpies/Nathalie-Djurberg/

Industrialisation, Modernism and architecture.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel tower was built in 1889 for the international exhibition of Paris. It was built in celebration of the French revolution. The design was chosen from a competition where 700 proposals were entered in which Gustave Eiffel’s tower was the chosen design. Gustave Eiffel was a French engineer and entrepreneur; he was 57 years old when the tower was built.

The competition was launched to “study the possibility of erecting an iron tower on the Champ-de-Mars. No one understood that just bare iron could be attractive on a building as all the most beautiful palaces and cathedrals were built from stone, “to leave it exposed was just poor taste. It was like showing your dirty laundry”. From a distance the tower looks lacy and elegant but the closer you look the more structural and hard it gets.

The Eiffel tower has been painted a number of colours over time but today remains beige, which at different levels lighter shades are used to accentuate the height of the tower. When the tower was built Gustave Eiffel encouraged a number of scientific experiments and also used it as an observation tower to measure the speed of wind. The tower these days is one of Paris’s major tourist attractions and is used for radio transmissions and observatory purposes.

The Guggenheim Museum

The Guggenheim museum which opened in 1997, was designed by Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry and is home to contemporary art. The museum was opened as part of a revival effort for the city of Bilbao (Spain) and for the Basque Country. An architectural competition was held from which O.Gehry’s design was chosen. It became a significant tourist attraction in Bilbao.The structure was made from titanium, glass, and limestone. Using these materials was made possible by the use of a 3D design computer programme called “Catia.”

Frank O. Gehry is world renown for his explorative research into new forms and materials and how he pays very close attention to the surrounding environments of his structure’s which was particularly important for the development of the Guggenheim museum.

The museum is still used for the same purpose as when it was first built although it has had a great impact on the city itself bringing in a forever increasing amount of tourism, “the Guggenheim Museum has put us on the map, and – like every other city – we’ve experienced substantial inward migration that impacts on us all.”

Compare the two architectural structures, by noting their similarities and differences:

The two structure’s discussed have certain similarities in design and their functions. Both designs were chosen from an architectural competition and have both been hugely successful in bringing in tourists from all over the world. They both act as major landmarks in the cities Paris and Bilbao. The design of each share a common concept in creating fluid shapes and forms while using unique materials to construct them from. The Eiffel Tower was a revolutionary design for its time measuring in as the tallest man- made structure in the world. The Guggenheim also shares this podium as it was named “the greatest building of our time” due to the organic and twisted shapes created by titanium and limestone.

References

http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Landmarks/eiffel-history.htm

http://paris.eiffel-tower-faq.com/construction/

http://www.jssgallery.org/essay/worlds_fairs/paris_exposition_1889/eiffel_tower.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Eiffel_Tower_used_for

http://opencities.britishcouncil.org/web/index.php?photo_bilbao_en