Second Art Gallery Visit

This time I went to the Art League of Long Island where there was an exhibition called Partial Portrait. It was a joint exhibition of the artists Lance Corey, Malcolm Blair, and jeweler Deborah Dudley Max. The theme is hard to pin down. It's basically the thoughts and feelings of the artists as well as inspired pieces from Pollock, Picasso, Matisse, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism.
            website for the venue: http://artleagueli.org/ 
            full story of the exhibit: http://artleagueli.org/node/591


THE GALLERY
The gallery is two floors and is relatively spacious. The design is a square; simple to navigate. The second floor is open in the center so that way viewers can look down to the first floor, and there are a lot of windows which makes the space appear a slightly larger as well. The walls were a plain white, and the first floor was decently lit, while the second floor was a bit dim. There is a glass barrier around the open center of the top floor so that way visitors don't fall, but can still see through to the floor beneath.

Pictures of Gallery

Lower Level

Each of the pieces were very unique. There were some done out of wood, some were Pop Art inspired, while others were painted. There was a mix of abstract art as well as expressionism as well. The pieces were spaced sort of close to each other but it wasn't over crowded or awkward to look at. They all seemed to go together though in a way that you really can't accurately put into words. The labels were simple. The name of the artist on, with the name of the piece under it which was usually no more than 2-3 words which I found interesting.
    This is titled Senior Woes, and it is a piece by Lance Corey. It is a wood work and paint piece. It depicts what looks like two people in conversation with eachother. This picture is very simple yet also very powerful, There is balance between the light spaces and the dark spaces, and the attention is almost instantly drawn to the figure on the left's  face. I can feel the stress and emotion coming from the figures and it makes me want to know what they are discussing. I think that the artist wanted us to feel passion for the elderly and to not be so quick as to think that everyone's life is perfect.

    The piece, also by Lance Corey, is the Prisoner. It is paint that has been heavy handedly smeared in different colors in a certain way on a large canvas. The drama of the red and blue is lightened up by the strip of white. It is a vert abstract piece but the name makes you start to think. When I first saw it I immediately thought of the flag because of the red, white, and blue, and then after reading the name thought that maybe the artist is saying we are prisoner's of our own country and thoughts of patriotism. We should be more accepting of other countries, and cultures.                                              
    This last piece also Lance Corey is called Lullabye. It is a long rectangluar wood work that has lighly painted floral designs in pastel colors. The lines are smooth and gentle, and the eye travels up and down the piece. The darkest spot in the center draws the most attention since all the colors are muted. There isn't much variety but it doesn't need it. The piece made me feel calm and peaceful, and I thought that the name for it was perfect. It reminded me of flowers and dreams and peacefulness, which i think was the artist's goal.

                                                      

 I liked having to look at all the components of a gallery. The space is just as important as the exhibition itself. I really like having to go to galleries. It's forcing us to be more involved in the community and to open our minds to other ideas. It also allows us to put what we have been learning into practice.

Here's Another Review!

1.) I chose to watch "Uncertainty" because it was the first name on the list that jumped out at me so I went with my gut reaction in that particular selection. The second video I watched was the "Sculpture of Spaces". I don't have a particular reason as to why I chose this one, I just thought that the name was intriguing enough so I figured I'd give it a try.

2.) Videos:
Uncertainty: Modernity and art
         Key Points: Modern art keeps responding to modern life.
                           : Modern art is the break of traditional art of the past.
                           : Reality is the balance of many different view points, and challenging feelings of doubt of life, and who we are.
                           : Cubism says there' a different way to approach truth that isn't perfectly smooth and rounded. The world is "fractured".
                           : Abstract art asks questions and creates experiments, but is open-ended and doesn't solve any of the questions that it asks.
                           : Pop art represents a change in thinking from the 50's to the 60's. We can look at things ironically and not everything has to be moral. Art can in fact be random and still be meaningful.
                           : Art now mirrors what we are, at the level that we are already at. In the past it reflected aspirations, and images of idealized society and self.

Isamu Noguchi: Sculpture of Spaces
           Key Points: Noguchi creates sculpture gardens in order to humanize space and sculpture and time. 
                               :  He's committed to creating something useful for people with his art.  
                                : Nothing in nature is perfect, but it is perfect in its imperfections.

3.) The first video was really helpful with understanding the way modern art grew into what it is, and exploring some of the trends and concepts. The second one didn't really have much to do with anything in particular with the chapter discussions, but it did show modernity in sculpture of the one artist's creation.  

4.) "Uncertainty" was a very good video. The sound quality was well done, and the speaker was entertaining to listen to and kept my attention. I really liked the subject matter as well. The "Sculpture" video was very slow moving with many awkward pauses and transitions. It was more about the man's life than particular trends or sculptures.

Video Reviews!! Video Reviews!!

1.) I chose to watch the videos "Dada and Surrealism" and "Expressionism". I personally really liked surrealism when I read about it in the book because of it's influences by Freud. I have a love and respect for all things psychology and Sigmund Freud's theories are the start of it all so I wanted to learn more about it. The fact that Dada is in it as well wasn't really what drew me into it, but I figured it would be interesting as well. I chose the Expressionism video because the first artist mentioned in the description is Edvard Munch, who is one of my favorite artists so I wanted to watch the video to see what they had to say on his works.

2.) Videos:
Dada and Surrealism
             Key Points:  Dada is the art of nonsense, absurdity, creativity, silliness, and spontaneity. It's anti-art, anti-society, anti-class structure, anti-everything. A state of mind.
                               : Kurt Schwitters, German artist, used collage. He took scraps from the wreckages of WWI and refused to be defined as Dada or any particular type of artist. He encouraged modernity. 
                               : Hanna Höch was the only woman in the Dada Berlin group. She used art to attack society. 
                               : George Grosz chose to paint the collective mechanical concept he felt that mankind had become. He painted a wide range of social structures. His works were burned by the Nazi's when he left Berlin in 1933. 
                                :  Joan Miro's paintings offer viewers different ways of looking at the world, and at the painting itself. Played an important role in Surrealist ideas. 
                                : Salvador Dali tries to explore the darkest regions of the human subconscious. 
                                : Man Ray paints a collection of familar objects in an unfamiliar way, and challenges our views on reality in juxtaposition with eachother.
Expressionism
             Key Points: Edvard Munch's images tend to follow the theme of the problematic relationship between man and woman and sexuality. He uses colors to further create the emotion and expressions in the images.He painted extreme states of mind, and often pessimistic.
                              : Franz Marc used color to exaggerate emotion, not to simply describe a scene. He chose animals to paint because he hated the way man was depicted as the conqueror of all things and is above nature. Cubism is used as a way to heighten realism and sentiment.
                              : The other artists discussed alter their styles of art as the course of WWI takes place. Many are cryptic, and it's not easy to decipher what the meanings are behind each image. WWII stirrings also lead to dark images of impending war.

3.) The videos were useful in that they explored the artistic movements through specific art works and artists of the time.

4.) The Dada and Surrealism video wasn't bad, but the speaker's voice was very dull and unengaging. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be at all either, I had high expectations and was rather let down by what was actually discussed. The Expressionism video also had the same boring dull speaker, and followed the same general concept as the first video.

Masks

Inspiration pieces:

Description: Plain white mask with black spirals. 

Analysis: The size and placement of the spirals balance each other creating a harmonious and simple design.

 Description: Three similarly designed masks with different base colors and colored feathers on top. 
Analysis: The filigree is symmetrical on all the pieces creating balance while the feathers on top draw the eyes upward. The contrasts of color and sparkle make the masks 'pop' and are more interesting to look at. 

Description: White and silver mask with intricate filigree topped with a large plume of white feathers. 
Analysis: Most of the attention is drawn to the top of the mask due to the largeness of the feathers. This is balanced by the intricacy of the designs and also the wideness of the mask itself.  

Sketches: 

Outcome: 

There is balance with the colors of black and red and white. The spirals keep bringing the eye around the entire mask while the white feather makes the eyes jump to the upper left side. 

I wanted to keep the mask simple and still interesting. I love the use of reds and blacks together, but I didn't want it to take on a dark or creepy tone so I left the background white and added the white feather in order to keep it light. I wasn't sure if I would have enough space to paint the spirals to that's why I didn't cut the mask into any particular shape. I wanted to be sure I could decorate it how I wanted it to. Now that it's done, I would have cut it, and maybe added some sparkles around it as well but overall I like it.

Hand Drawings

1.) Having to use my hand as subject matter was a bit like being back in elementary school. I remember doing this exact project of drawing each hand with the opposite hand back when I was a little girl. It was nice to not have to think about a project all that much since it was very straightforward. 

2.) I chose pencil because I can erase with it, which I knew I'd need to do. 

3.) It was kind of uncomfortable drawing with my left hand (I'm right handed) and my hand was really shaky while holding the pencil. It's weird though because I do use my left hand a bit in everyday life but not in small motor skills which drawing most definitely is.

4.) I cheated a bit with the left handed drawing because I knew that I would have trouble, so I traced the outline of my hand first instead of free handed drawing like I did with my dominant hand. So the picture with my dominant hand actually looks worse than the other one, but more attention and time was given to it which might have been why it looks worse in retrospect haha

5.) I didn't mind using my left hand for this particular project because it was simple, and I would consider using it for other projects too in the future as long as they didn't require a lot of detail and carefully done work. 

My Left Hand.. as Drawn by my Right Hand

My Right Hand.. as Drawn by my Left Hand

MORE Reviews...this time about African and Buddhist Art!!

1.) I chose the videos on African art and Buddhism because they seemed the most interesting to me from the list. I had already watched two videos about specific pieces of art so I wanted to watch something that was broader, but more focused on a certain region or concept.

2.) Videos: 

African Art

            Key Points: Art is still an important part of daily life in sub-Saharan African villages, especially in rituals and ceremonies.

                              : Masks and costumes are highly stylized and embellished for ceremonies. The oldest of African art is found in dry regions on the rock walls of caves. 

                              : Most African art is conceptual, and flows from the mind of the artist freely.

Buddhism

            Key Points: The key to Buddhist teachings is to learn to let go of all desires that feed the ego and obstruct enlightenment. 

                              : The monks would look to Buddha as a saint. The rest of the followers saw him as a savior. 

                              :  The ornate carvings of the teachings of Buddha slowly started to stop showing the Buddha himself, but having him shown as symbols of trees which makes him more of a spiritual being.

3.) The chapter discussed many different beliefs and cultures so it was nice to have a more focused look at a few of them by watching the videos.

4.) The videos were short which was nice for a change, but the sound quality was not quite as good as some of the other videos I've seen, and they progressed along rather slowly and it was difficult to hold complete interest in the videos despite them being short.

Oh Man... Video Reviews Again!

1.) I chose the videos on the Primavera and Night Watch because they were the first two names that jumped out at me, so I figured those would be what I would review.

2.) Videos: 

     La Primavera 

            Key Points: There are many interpretations of the famous painting by Botticelli

                              : All the figures in the painting are from classical mythology. 

                              : The painting pleases the mind and eye in aesthetic and intellectual ways. It's large size contributes to its grandeur. 

                              : It was commissioned as a wedding gift to a young couple who had an arranged "loveless" marriage. It was placed in their chamber room.

                              : Even though the painting is presided over by Venus, goddess of love, there is the representation of rape and sexual violence from the wind god to the goddess of flora.

      

       Night Watch

            Key Points: The painting has been slashed with a knife, had acid thrown on it, and drenched in water. It has become a sort of pilgrimage for the Dutch people. 

                             : It's over 11 feet high and 14 feet wide. 

                             : The militia guild, "musketeers" commissioned many portraits during this time, and were more ceremonial in purpose. Remembrant decided to paint them with more drama, and in a "revolutionary' feel. He wanted action not posing, and the front men appear to be walking right off the canvas.

 

3.)  The videos opened up the world of the Renaissance further than in just reading it in the text, but through the eyes of the painters. It's really beneficial to see the many sides of the topics.

4.) The films were both really interesting. They went into detail on two very different, and famous paintings, and I liked seeing the many perspectives and themes and ideas that were portrayed in each one.

And Yet Another Video Review

1.)  I chose to watch the Greek Art video because I really like Greek mythology, and the temples and statues are very intriguing and beautiful that are dedicated to the gods and goddesses. I was curious to learn more about the beauty ideal and change in culture of the ancient Greeks. The second video I chose was about the Plague in Tuscany. I decided that it seemed very unlike all of the other videos and focused more on the incompleteness of pieces rather than the finished product. I also thought it was interesting because it was a darker and sadder time, while the other videos talked about times of prosperity.

2.) Videos:

More Human than Human 

        Key Points:  People are obsessed with the human form, but none of the forms that we are exposed to everyday (ads, sculpture, paintings, models, magazines etc) are what "real" human beings look like. Exaggeration, and unrealistic features.

                        : Instinct to exaggerate the human form. But "culture is king", and dictates how we depict the body. As culture changes, what artists choose to exaggerate also changes. 

                        : Egyptians suppressed the instinct in order to maintain the firm belief in consistency, stability, and order. So their style of art didn't change for centuries.  

                        : Although Greeks strove for realistic figures, these were too "boring" so exaggerated body movements and muscle tone, as well as the look of a relaxed athlete that's ready for action were used in the sculptures. 

The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure

          Key Points: Ancient Greeks were obsessed with the human body, and the ability to create a sense of movement in their art, as well as portraying human emotion.

                           : There were no records of Greek paintings, it was found on their pottery.

                           : They were able to capture the most natural stance of the human body. Leg bent, shoulders slumped slightly, hip raised, other leg straight. 

                           : Portrayed ideal beauty through realism that was also exaggerated to show divine power of gods/goddesses.

Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany

          Key Points: Early 1300's there was an outbreak of bubonic plague in China. It spread along the trade routes to Europe by flea infected rats.

                          : In Tuscany, there was an environmental, economic, demographic, and agricultural crisis. (banks collapsed, famine, rapid population growth). The plague hit harder for them because they were already in a weakened state. 

                          : Between 1/2 and a 1/3 of the population in Europe died.

                         : Blame was placed on the Jews for "poisoning the "Christians". 

                         : In art.. images were darker and showed Hell, people were made flatter, and lots of emotion is used to show doubt, sadness and fear, and pain. There is also escapism in order to try show hope.

3.) The videos relate to the readings because this week we learned about ancient civilizations and their impact on art, as well as the rise of Christianity, and the videos were all a sub-section of these topics. 

4.) I have to say that I actually really liked all of the videos that I watched this week. Normally I'm not the biggest fan of at least one of them, but all of them were interesting, speakers were well-spoken and informative, and the subjects were engaging. I think that they really help with understanding the way art has been evolving since the time of the ancients. 

Architecture Video Reviews

1.) Prairie Style Video:

       Key Points: Frank Lloyd Wright developed wide, open, horizontal floor plans for housing that emphasized the harmony between client, architecture, and the environment.

                        : Homes should be part of the landscape, and reflect the time, and place, and landscape of the area. 

Architecture: Science and Design Video:

       Key Points: Very tall skyscrapers can sway up to 3 meters in a strong wind. 

                         :  Smart houses, are still very expensive, but are becoming more attainable for the elderly, and sick. 

                         : Concrete is found in all forms of architecture. 

                         : Reinforced concrete allows for it to be made into almost any structure.  

Classical Architecture Video: 

       Key Points: Indigo Jones was the architect that brought the Classical Style to England. 

                         : It's not limited to just important government buildings, but residential buildings are also being designed with the classical style. (English Terrace)

                         : Post-Modern style combines classical with modern architecture. 

Sustainable Development and Architecture Video: 

      Key Points: It's important to think of ourselves as part of a bigger picture in order to not use resources absentmindedly.

                       : Buildings can be designed to work more efficiently with less energy consumption and waste production. 

                       : Integrated systems that use sunlight, gardens, fresh air, underfloor heating and cooling, and renewable resources are some of the ways sustainable living is achieved. 

                       : Most of the carbon emissions come from cities, so city life as we know it might not be a practical way to live for the future. Buildings need to adapt to have more than one purpose.

2.) The videos expand on the different sections of the text. This helps because then we can see and hear the information, and not just simply read it which might not make as lasting of an impression as watching a video does.

3.) I liked the prairie style video because it was something I hadn't heard of directly and was light-hearted and a bit more faster in pace. The Design video was very informative, though very apparent in it being old which makes me wonder if it's almost outdated. The architecture video was sort of a medium between the first two. It was informative but in a way that was more engaging to listen to and watch. The Sustainable video was really interesting and I thought that it talked about a lot of great aspects about 'green living', but the subtitles were very distracting because of all the foreign speakers on the video.

4.) I chose the Sustainable Architecture video because I am very interested in the preservation of the planet. I think that it is extremely important to take care of the Earth in order to ensure that future generations will get to have the same chances and opportunities (if not more) than we did. I took an Environmental Science class back in high school and loved it. We had done a section on sustainable living that I found really interesting, and I though that the video could teach more more about the subject.