Week 3- 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 Afterwords and Burka fashion, or are they art? What is the difference?

Not all clothing is fashion, so what makes fashion fashion?

In my opinion, Chalayan’s work in clothing are quite interesting, specially the “Afterwords”, where he uses the idea of a table and turn it into a skirt design, this is a pretty weird but also interesting idea. But in his work “Burka”, mainly about veil, which are designed to cover woman’s face, I am not too interested in this area, specially some images contains nudity with only the face veil, which I find it personally disturbing.

Afterwords and Burka fashion are quite different in my opinion. Mostly is because of the expose of nudity and facial expose due to religious concern. Not everyone can accept Burka fashion, since it is more of a sensitive fashion towards the society now. Afterwords fashion is more of a dramatic /  inhuman style, I mean, who would have thought of wearing a “table” out at the streets, I find this really interesting.

According to Fashion Forever (2000),

 

Fashion is a term commonly used to describe a style of clothing worn by most of people of a country. A fashion usually remains popular for about 1-3 years and then is replaced by yet another fashion. Even though there are a lot of changes in fashion, most people do not easily except the changes.

 nowadays everybody out at the streets are wearing art as they walk around, by having the latest trend fashion sense with unique clothing combinations, which in result brings confidence to people who are wearing them.

Hussein Chalayan, Burka, 1996

 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?

According to Art tattler,

Motivated by ideas and disciplines not readily associated with fashion, Hussein Chalayan’s pioneering work crosses between architecture, design, philosophy, anthropology, science and technology.

Nowadays, many artist uses varieties of methods to create products which has elements of art in it, this is the change of art, but it is just changed as to make it more attractive for the buyers.

Chalayn is just trying out cross over between art and all sorts of technology methods, to create a new experience for people, and try to explode the art industry. So it is still consider as art, as since both of these products such as crystals and vodka bottles which brings beauty and uniqueness towards viewers.

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?

I think that post modern would be one of the art movement, this is because he uses modern technology to experiment with art, by having the help of a biologist extracted cells to examine their DNA sequences, this shows that he has been influenced with what he has been approach with the current period.

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) and Before 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?

Personally made artwork are often the best, the reason why i am saying this is because only the artist who did their own work can express it to the others the clearest, with how and what they were thinking while creating this artwork.

Fashion is more of a lower class artwork in my opinion comparing with other art work such as painting or music pieces, and having an assistant to help out creating an garment are often not as important as personal artwork.

Creating art work is something which needs to be done personally, unless creating work such as animation which will, of course, a team is required to do it, since it has a very large amount of work load.

http://www.husseinchalayan.com/#/home/
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/chalayan.html
http://www.husseinchalayan.com/blog/

Reference:

http://arttattler.com/designhusseinchalayan.html

http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/chalayan.html

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/read.php?

CATEGORY_PK=&TOPIC_PK=2858

http://arttattler.com/designhusseinchalayan.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002932/What%20is%20Fashion.html

Post-Modernism, Ai Weiwei 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.

• ·         After the modern period

-“postmodernism” is of course composed by two parts “post” and “modern”. “Post” is latin for “after”, and “modernism” refers to modern period.

• ·         Postmodernism is a philosophical movement away from the viewpoint of modernism.

• ·         It is used in philosophy, literature, social science and architecture.

• ·         There is no way of knowing whether postmodernism will assume a nihilistic, potentially anarchic, anti–modernist form, or become a desirable variant of modernism with a spiritually heightened and self–conscious awareness and sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, and human conditions and experiences. It may be neither.

• ·         The period in which we now live is often called postmodernism.

• ·         Postmodernism in the Anglo-American world started sometime around 1950.

• ·         Postmodernism is associated with relativism

• ·         For some it means anti-modern

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

Post-modern artists are always aware of cultural, and self experiences.
According to Witcombe (2000): 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, "demasking" pretensions, becoming aware of his/her culture self in history, and accelerating the process of self-consciousness.

3. Use the grid on pages 42 and 43 to summarize the list of the features of Post-
Modernity.

Post modernity features having hyper-reality images, something which people in the society are starting to accept and to look forward to; it has a significance of effect towards people nowadays, to grab viewer’s attentions by having beyond real images which will seem much more powerful than real images.


5. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work are Post-Modern.
Ai Weiwei (born 18 May 1957) is a Chinese artist and political activist, who is also active in architecture, curating, photography, film, and social and cultural criticism.

In this artefact, the pot with the coca-cola logo on it, this shows how he crossed over with an old artefact with a post modern logo; such an old pot, would not give us any attractions, even thou this is a 2000 year old dynasty urn. But with the logo adding to it, this brings the idea of post modern, and pluralism, such popular logo, a world recognise logo, will dominate this very old appearance pot. He also tries dropping it onto the ground which represent he wants to show others he wants to destroy the old traditional culture of china. One culture is very playful by the coca cola logo, and the other which is pretty much very ancient, this will interest people by how he used both ideas together to make a good contrast towards people.

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

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

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 point 6.)

Banksy’s art work are very interesting, seems like he wants to show humor it also has an irony to it.

The flower riot work by Bansky shows that the person has the intention of throwing something out to harm people, but instead of assuming it is to harm people, the flower was drawn on the characters hand, which shows he wants to bring peaceful towards what the character is aiming at.

The second image “Los Angeles”, i was actually laughing when i was scanning through this image, an stone age human holding fast food on his hand, this gives me the idea of post modern, showing the revolution changes combining with our current food.

'Flower Riot', Banksy

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

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

Reference :

Banksy (2005) Wall And Piece. United Kingdom : Century

AUT University (2011).  Acadamic Literacies in Visual Communication 2: Resource Book.  Auckland, New Zealand: Lyceum Press

http://arthistoryresources.net/modernism/modpostmod.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ai_Weiwei

http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm

WEEK 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'. 

Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg's intricately constructed claymation films are both terrifyingly
disturbing and artlessly sweet.

The new works created for the Venice Biennale explore a surrealistic Garden of Eden in which all that is natural goes awry.

She exposes the innate fear of what is not understood and confronts viewers with the complexity of emotions.

Nathalie Djurberg was awarded the silver lion for a promising young artist at the Venice
Art Biennale 09.

(http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg)

Research Djurberg's work in order to answer the following questions;

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

The word claymation to me, is basically combined clay with animation. it is a form of animation which are created by taking many shots of images of the sculpture made out of clay, or other mouldable materials. This way, it makes the animation film becomes a much more "real-life" like comparing to computer graphics animations.

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

The term surrealistic means things which are unnatural, mysterious and dreamlike, which these points are things which cannot be seen in reality. Garden of Eden, is a once perfect place which when Adam and Eve was first created by God according to the bible; with the term surrealistic added on to the garden of eden, it becomes, a mysterious, terrifying garden.

"all that is nature goes awry", I think it means that people look at surrealistic artwork which look natural at first, but when we think deeply, and explore this artwork, there is more than it looks, things are not always natural, and time to time, nature will change itself, and becomes things we don't expect them to be.

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

Djurberg wants audience to have a range of emotions such as curiosity, fear, and disgust. In her claymation artwork, disturbing scenes were shown with her clay sculptures, things we do not see in the society now, which we think these actions shown by clay figures are wrong.

one of the example whichi think Djurberg showed in one of his clay sculpture are work are this flower, with blood leaking from it and spilling over the floor.

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

An example of her films, it has ideas of traditional fairytale ideas towards children, animal as characters as such which knows how to speak, human flying, trees walking, as in tales strange and magical things will happen.

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?

I think these designers are trying to create something what they call " new ", something we don't see every day, such as turning an innocent piece of artwork, into a violent erotic piece of work. We will often first think it is disturbing, and that's what the designer wanted us to think, but later on, we will start to think deeper and start to think it is actually pretty interesting. In my thought towards this idea, i do find it quite fascinating, but I'm not really into this kind of idea.

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?

i think one of the main reason why Djurberg's work was chosen is because of the extraordinary idea he has towards this artwork; an idea of making disturbing artwork which will not only catch viewers first impression, but also will it will make it last.

Having artwork which cannot be seen oftenly in the reality are always the most interesting ones, and also will be able to make audience think why is Djurberg creating these kind of artwork.

7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of claymation, specially with her disturbing, disgusting work.

But as I was researching about her and looking through her work, I do find it fascinating that there are people like her which can create something like this, thinking out of the circle, and surprise and influence the world, Especially with the amount of time she put in, the claymation.

Reference :

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-claymation.htm

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_of_Eden

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg-experiment-at-venice-art-biennale-09.html

Week 8-Industrialisation, Modernism and architecture

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (1997) Frank Gehry

Eiffel Tower (1889) Gustave Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower and the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao have both been described as significant 

architectural constructions of their time. The Eiffel Tower has been described as; 

'a symbol of technological prowess' (www.tour- eiffel.com/) 

and the Guggenheim museum has been 'hailed as the most important structure of its time' 

( www. guggenheim.org/bilbao ) 

Research both architectural structures in order to comment on;

-the importance of the design and construction

-significance of the materials

-significance of the designer

-function for which each was built

-function now-has it changed?

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

Eiffel Tower

According to the resource I have researched,
" The Eiffel Tower was built for the World Exhibition in 1889, held in celebration of the French Revolution in 1789." (http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/eiffeltower.htm )

" it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world." "Today, there is no such aversion anymore among the Parisians, and one could not imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, in fact it has become the symbol of the City of Light" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower)

Eiffel tower was the tallest building in the world from 1889 to 1930, but yet, it is still the tallest building in Paris and the most visited paid monument in the world.

This structure had three hundred workers working together with 18,038 pieces of puddled iron , using two and a half million of rivets, in a structural design by Maurice Koechlin to create this beautiful structure which we all recognize today around the world.

" The pig iron structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately 10,000 tonnes. As a demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7,300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 metre square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming the density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic metre. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7.1 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun."  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower)

The French designer of this amazing structure is Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, he was well known after he designed the world famou eiffel tower for the 1889 universal exposition in paris ; and the name eiffel tower was named after him, which made became very well known throughout the globe.

According to (http://www.drloriv.com/lectures/tower.htm) ; When the eiffel tower was first build, it has no practical functions and was simply constructed as an attraction for Pairs; But today, from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower), using the eiffel tower as an antenna, both radio and television stations broadcast their signals from the top of the eiffel tower.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

According to (http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/el_museo/el_edificio.php?idioma=en)

This structure is a magnificent most groundbreaking architecture to have come out of the 20th century. the creator of this architecture is a American architect Frank O. Gehry, with his design to this museum, it is clearly recognisable for its twisted, curing lines and series of interconnecting volumes, most of it is made out of a more organic volumetry are clad in a metallic titanium skin, and some are made from limestone-coated orthogonal shapes, all of these volumes are linked by glass curtain walls, with this installed, Frank wants to show the remarkable transparency throughout the whole building.

With the advance technology that we have today in the 20th century, the construction of this architect can expand a much further of material used compared to other buildings we see in this world; things such as the glass walls, it is mounted on complex metal structures, the making of this successfully was all thanks to the technological advances.

"The glass used in the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is treated to protect the interior against heat and radiation while letting light stream into the entire building; The titanium panels hugging large part of the building like "fish scales" are half-a-millimetre thick. The attractive rough finish is an effect sought by the architect for a more tactile, beautiful aspect."

" The true heart of the museum is the atrium, measuring over 50 metres in height, flooded with light thanks to its enormous windows, and serving as a place of arrival, orientation and relaxation for the visitors. "

Frank O.Gehry, is considered to be one of the most important and influential architects from 1970s till today, he is internationally recognised for his unmistakeable architecture based on using new forms and materials, such as copper, stainless steel, zinc or titanium.

His work also includes houses, museums, libraries, shops, auditoriums, and more, all of his projects are spreaded over world such as in Europe, Japan and the USA.

Now with this well known museum, it became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors around the globe; it is not just a museum, but it also has an auditorium which can fit approximately 300 people, resturants, cafes, bookshop and stores, this brings to the people the function as an active part of city life within this architecture.

Both of these architecture, the Eiffel tower, and the Guggenheim museum, are very well known throughout the world, something which cannot be miss.

Eiffel towers structure are base on accurate sharp measurement design, but on the other hand, with the Guggenheim museum, it contains random curves, huge see through glass walls which brings curious perspective towards viewers.

Today, these two successful architectures popularity still stands firm within the 20th century, and this brings a great influence towards people around the world's economy, and the way how artist nowadays design their artwork.

Week 6-Landscape and the Sublime

 'Wanderer in the mists' (1818) Caspar David Friedrich

 'Untitled #2" (2002) Richard Misrach

 'Untitled # 394-03' (2003) Richard Misrach

Richard Misrach's photography reflects the concept of the Sublime, from the Enlightenment.

Research Misrach's work by reading about his intentions, and also by looking at the work. Then answer the following questions;

1. What and when was the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment is the era in western philosophy, intellectual, scientific and cultural life, centred upon the 18th century, in which reason was advocated as the primary source for legitimacy and authority. Some scholars simply use the beginning of the 18th century or the middle of the 18th century as a default date

2. Define the concept of the Sublime.

The concept of the sublime is defined as the quality of greatness, whether is physical, moral intellectual, or spiritual. It is used to refers to things which nothing else can be compared with because of its greatness.
3. How did the concept of the Sublime come out of the Enlightenment thought?

The Enlightenment is held to be the source of critical ideas, such as the centrality of freedom, democracy, and reason as primary values of society. Which this starts to create the concept of sublime, people in the society starts to think things such as appeal and freedom is very important to them, so therefore the way how people think start to develop, and becomes sensitive to what they want, and their status.

4. Discuss the subject matter, and aesthetic (look) of Misrach's work to identify the Sublime in his work. Add some more images of his work.

Misrach’s work has a very unique way of taking photos; specially some of his photos are taken in a wide perspective and from a great height. His art work gives a very calm and still feeling towards viewers, making the image is very approachable to everyone.

 

 

Richard Misrach
Untitled 1132-04 [Flippers], 2004
chromogenic print

When I saw this artwork, it gives me the feeling which refers back the concept of sublime, making myself to blend into the image as being superior lifted up high as I was looking down on to the ground from a great height, making objects/humans in the photo looks tiny.

 

Pyramid Lake (at night), (2004) Richard Misrach

 

5. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists.

 

Somewhere in My Surreal Dreams : A Sus Pies, 2009

By: Luis Beltran

Luis Beltran is a Spanish digital photographer artist, he’s not only a photographer, but also a video artist; he created this artwork captured my attention once I had a glance on this image. This image gives a fantasy and a dream world feeling when I saw it, and also the idea of sublime as well, being on top of the city with the feeling of freedom. Especially the glowing flare in the middle of the girl, which gives me the idea of the girl, is the king/ the ruler of the world.

6. How does Misrach's photography make you feel? Does it appeal to your imagination?

His photography expresses to me as there are no end towards nature with his wide perspective photo images, just like referring to imagination, tells me that imagination are limitless,

7. Add a Sublime image of your choice to your blog, which can be Art or just a Sublime photograph.

8. Reference your sources (books and websites).

http://www.amerindianarts.us/articles/concept_of_the_sublime_as_an_aesthetic_quality.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublime_%28philosophy%29

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/misrach/misrachinfo_fs.shtm

http://www.edelmangallery.com/misrach.htm

http://iconolo.gy/archive/somewhere-my-surreal-dreams-luis-beltr%C3%A1n/1411

http://luisbeltran.megashot.net/photostream/p/0#photo_1705

Week 4- The social status of the artist.

Self Portrait in Fur Coat (1500)

Albrecht Durer

Knob (1997) Gavin Turk

Damien Hirst and Maia Norman (1995)

Albrecht Durer's 'Self-Portrait in Fur Coat' (1500) shows a significant change in the way that the artist views and portrays himself.Research the paintings by Albrecht Durer, Gavin Turk and Damien Hirst in order to answer

the following questions;

1. Identify aspects of Durer's self portrait that show a changing view of the artist's view of himself as an individual.

Durer is the first artist who is as the first to make self-portraiture a major part of his work. and in this self portrait painting, it has an idea combining of christ-like pose, and himself in the age of 28.

2. Explain how the artist's social status increased during the Renaissance period. Briefly explain why this happened.

He is not just a painter, but he also made numerous of other work with other media such as copper engraving and woodcuts. when he's in his twenties, his art work established his reputation over across Europe, and became the greatest artist of the northern renaissance ever since.

3. Comment on Gavin Turk's work in relation to individualism, status of the artist and egotism.

Gavin Turk created success during the 1990s, he became as one of britian’s infamous “ young British Artist “ and was included in the influential sensation exhibition in 1997.

During the period of 1990, he uses his signature and turns it into an artwork, which this idea has relation with individualism and egotism. I think that he uses his own signature has shown he has a really strong sense within himself, which makes him using his personal belonging as an artwork.

4. Comment on Damien Hirst's use of his work and the media for self promotion.

DamientHirst uses varieties of media in his artwork, one of them are by using dead animals as artwork which brings him to be recognized and became famous during the 1990s.

Since he has a really successful career in the art industry, he became really wealthy; during June 2007,

He made a very expensive piece of art work titled “for the love of god“, which was a human skull recreated in platinum and adorned with many diamonds. This brings a self-promotion by just having this artwork to be sold.

5. Find 2 images of work by artists or designers that reflects some of the ideas of individualism,self-promotion or egotism that have been discussed on this blog. Upload images to your blog, title and date the work, identify the artist/designer and comment on the work in relation to the question.

 Kenith Arnatt, 1972

I’M A REAL ARTIST

I think this black and white photograph has a very straight forward message towards viewers, it also has the ideas of egotism within this image; this is because the sandwich board which he is holding with the bold text " I'm a real artist " shows a very important part within himself, and also the word pronoun "I'm" is a really effective word to use to affect viewers and catches their attention.

self-portrait by Andy Warhol (1967)

This art work is a self portrait of Andy Warhol is a red and white silkscreen ink on canvas, it shows his hands holding near his chin, which gives a iconic image of the success towards viewers.

this image was created during 1967, which was at the height of Andy's career as the most important figure in American pop art. I think that this image shows Andy's individualism, this is because the whole images idea is base on himself, this artwork also shows self promotion with his face emotion in a simple and clean red and white colour gradient.

6. How do you think artists and designers are viewed in Western society today?

The designers and artist now are very individual in my opinion within the western society, what they tend to design now is to add in their own elements into the design which express egotism within their artwork.

Rather than to think what the world actually really need, individual design as such could only be just kept on changing the world, than to think back what the world use to look like.

Designer’s social status still plays a huge role in today’s world, I think the majority of people buying artwork would put the popularity of the artist in the front, art work comes second.

Nowadays artist doesn’t show much story towards each painting they paint, most of them are more into the visual art category in my point of view, not like the renaissance period where the artist shows a very depth story behind each painting.

Reference : 

Albrecht Durer : http://www.albrecht-durer.org/

Gavin Turk : http://gavinturk.com/biography/

Keith Arnatt : http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-177831123.html

http://radicalart.info/ego/statements/index.html

Andy Warhol : http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_new=45033&int_sec=2