To present the activist art pieces I chose in a creative way, I made recipes for them.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
TICU & Poster Boy recipes
To present the activist art pieces I chose in a creative way, I made recipes for them.
Sketch 1 (#2/2)
Poster Boy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26296445@N05/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26296445@N05/
Deconstruct/dissect these works in terms of their components
ART - His work is a mixture of vandalism, graffiti and collage using only a razor blade, he slices up posters, billboards and advertisements hence, re-contextualizing the posters found in New York’s subway stations.
ACTIVISM - The subway stations turn into his own art galleries filled with pieces that criticize politics, news media, popular culture and current events.
TECHNOLOGY - His Flickr account includes his work. Visitors who cannot not see these works where they are, can visit his website and comment on the individual pieces. He also uses his Flickr account to encourage others to take up the movement.
How do they influence/contextualize each other?
First, the posters can be seen as works of art and the subway stations as art galleries. Second, the context in which he chooses to rearrange these pieces takes on a message. Third, the use of photography and the internet makes his work accessible to the world – at least those with access to the internet.
Are some of these parameters mute (transparent), while the others are emphasized? Are all three present equally?
For the people of New York City who get the access the art first hand by seeing it on the subway, the posters as activist and political art are emphasized over the technology part. Poster Boy encourages other people to take up the act and to use the name “Poster Boy.”
Is technology considered critically or does it function as a tool for getting the job done?
Technology is used as a tool to network and get the message across. Anyone with access to the internet, can access Poster Boy’s Flickr account which increases the distribution of the message.
Sketch 1 (#1/2)
Tactical Ice Cream Unit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOercTxx1o
http://www.tacticalmagic.org/CTM/project%20pages/TICU.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOercTxx1o
http://www.tacticalmagic.org/CTM/project%20pages/TICU.htm
Deconstruct/dissect these works in terms of their components
Art
Art in the physical sense – the ice cream van is canvas for activist art. Their symbol is painted on the side of the truck.
Activism
The goal of the TICU is to “empower the public on personal, communal and transitional fronts.”
Two Menus:
Ice cream flavour and “Food for Thought”
Example: strawberry ice cream and mass media
Technology
The ice cream van is equipped with a 12-camera video surveillance system, acoustic amplifiers, GPS, satellite internet, a media transmission studio capable of disseminating live audio/video.
Additionally, the various surveillance technologies are used to accumulate recordings which will provide a unique audio/video account of the local geography.
The vehicle's GPS unit helps determine the routes taken as the Tactical Ice Cream Unit maps out the urban landscape through its daily tour of duty.
How do they influence/contextualize each other?
Using the “Food-for-thought” method, the TICU hands out treats but also information from local progressive groups.
The TICU is described as a “nexus” or link for community activities while providing treats and food-for-thought. These components contextualize each other by, first acting as an ice cream truck but also delivering information and, with a closer look, a surveillance system for community activities.
Are some of these parameters mute (transparent), while the others are emphasized? Are all three present equally?
Upon first glance, the most obvious variable is the “food-for-thought” or activist part. In the quick exchange of food and information, the technological part is often overlooked by visitors. The surveillance is inside the van and at, various times, the TICU will invite visitors to explore the interior.
Is technology considered critically or does it function as a tool for getting the job done?
The technology investigates the rhetoric of the “Big Brother” system by acting as security unit for the people. The surveillance inside monitors the local authorities to make sure that there is no abuse of power nor that there is an abuse of power of people’s rights.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Kaprow and CAE readings
The one thing that struck me from the CAE reading is that the idea of how our identity can be deleted in the physical world and erase our presence in the physical world with deleting our data information. It ties in with Kaprow reading because the art is becoming obselete and the artist is trying to come up with new ways of inventing art but yet it seems it is only making a copy or imitation of something else, it is not unique.
The other relation is that the art is becoming something else and that it combines more than one media or mediums such as in the Fluxus works and focus more on the aspect of the everyday life and the changes we experience. This made me think of how the CAE emphasized that we need a space to critique and protest in the cyberworld to exercise our free will but to not let it be mistaken for terrorism.
I think that the idea of art and the artist is more about collaboration to fit and work with more mediums to have an interdisciplinary work that engages us or to comment on the everyday experience such as the work called Body Worlds. The body being explored from teh inside out and also showing how our body looks and positioned in things we do everyday such as skateboarding. Again the body is being shown in a different way than from the past such as the nude body. I think that art is to be more of a critique and talking about a message to the viewer than being an aesthestic value and trying to explore how our world works and in this engages the viewer more as they can relate to the everyday. But again making art work for the institutions such as an art gallery, it depends really on what and how they define art and what is considered art. So I feel that in some ways, the artist will always have to deal with that context of the value and definition of art when they are making art work.
The other relation is that the art is becoming something else and that it combines more than one media or mediums such as in the Fluxus works and focus more on the aspect of the everyday life and the changes we experience. This made me think of how the CAE emphasized that we need a space to critique and protest in the cyberworld to exercise our free will but to not let it be mistaken for terrorism.
I think that the idea of art and the artist is more about collaboration to fit and work with more mediums to have an interdisciplinary work that engages us or to comment on the everyday experience such as the work called Body Worlds. The body being explored from teh inside out and also showing how our body looks and positioned in things we do everyday such as skateboarding. Again the body is being shown in a different way than from the past such as the nude body. I think that art is to be more of a critique and talking about a message to the viewer than being an aesthestic value and trying to explore how our world works and in this engages the viewer more as they can relate to the everyday. But again making art work for the institutions such as an art gallery, it depends really on what and how they define art and what is considered art. So I feel that in some ways, the artist will always have to deal with that context of the value and definition of art when they are making art work.
Both works, the culturejammers.org image of a silhouette man spray painting and American flag comprising of commercial logos rather than stars and the photo of Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk burning himself, demonstrates an activist movement against government investing in other interests. Although both acts provide different consequences: on one extreme a man died and on the other the activist movement used commercial tactics against corporations. The difference between the two movements is associated with the severity of each action. The Buddhist committing suicide to act out against the direct oppression of Buddhist in South Korea and the culture jammers use of advertising to act out against indirect oppressive regime in the United States. The Buddhist monk setting himself on fire happened in 1963, which was an extraordinary event at the time.
Not because a man committed suicide in protest but because the footage was broadcast over the entire world – something that was only recently capable do to the invention of the T.V. Although not as extreme, culture jammers’ campaign to fight commercial advertising with advertisements is just as remarkably innovative in how technology played a key role in the demonstration of activism. In terms of activism, there are different extremities that groups make take, depending on the form of oppression and the severity of the situation, but would it be as significant if those forms of protest were reversed. If culture jammers lit themselves on fire to protest the corporatization of America or the Buddhist monks putting up advertisements, if they could, to rebel against a oppressive government. Each act is measured by what is needed to change an establish way of thinking and, consequently, needs the appropriate action to do so.
Sketch #1
Futurefarmers
"Futurefarmers are well known as innovators within the new media art and design contexts. They have exhibited internationally at numerous galleries and museums, including the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York Museum of Modern Art, the ZKM in Germany and at America's most prestigious art exhibition, The Whitney Biennale.Futurefarmers employ a fertile approach to every project; Web design, Interactive Installations, Print, Illustration, Exhibition Design, Animation, 3d Character Development, Packaging, Book Design, Database Development, Flash, PHP, C++, MSQL They have received numerous awards including the Webby Award and the Transmediale award among others." -ZKM, Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany, www.futurefarmers.com
Victory Gardens
"Victory Gardens is an ongoing project being developed with the City of San Francisco. It is a project that supports the transition of backyard, front yard, window boxes, rooftops and unused land into food production areas. It consists of growing, distributing and supporting home gardens, educating through lessons, exhibitions and web sites and planting demonstration gardens in public areas." - Futurefarmers
Civic Cycle
"Futurefarmers collaborated with Southern Exposure and Sabrina Merlo, Regional Advocacy Director, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition to create Civic Cycle. Civic Cycle includes a temporary bike share program, a public bike pump and a public forum to present existing city bike share programs as well as an open discussion to gather input on what San Francisco’s city bike program might look and operate like."- Futurefarmers
Are they artists?
I believe that this organization is a big group of artists who show there artistic ability by being active in the field by doing experimental work and interactive/real time projects. Since they are not hiding anything behind any doors like some other organizations, and getting people involved within the community, it shows that by being active within the community and making meaningful decisions that they are activists at heart. It is hard for artists these days to make a difference, but by creating an organization they are able to combine there artistic ability with other non-artistic organizations with makes the perfect duo to get things done and include the public to do something interactive with their community whereas other organizations turn people off by doing things to get the community interested. They have other projects like "Bingo Field" or "They Rule" which really tie in different situations around the world and they tend to show off the humorous yet serious side of things.
References
www.futurefarmers.com
-ZKM, Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany i.e www.futurefarmers.com
-By Julian Bachlow
"Futurefarmers are well known as innovators within the new media art and design contexts. They have exhibited internationally at numerous galleries and museums, including the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York Museum of Modern Art, the ZKM in Germany and at America's most prestigious art exhibition, The Whitney Biennale.Futurefarmers employ a fertile approach to every project; Web design, Interactive Installations, Print, Illustration, Exhibition Design, Animation, 3d Character Development, Packaging, Book Design, Database Development, Flash, PHP, C++, MSQL They have received numerous awards including the Webby Award and the Transmediale award among others." -ZKM, Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany, www.futurefarmers.com
Victory Gardens
"Victory Gardens is an ongoing project being developed with the City of San Francisco. It is a project that supports the transition of backyard, front yard, window boxes, rooftops and unused land into food production areas. It consists of growing, distributing and supporting home gardens, educating through lessons, exhibitions and web sites and planting demonstration gardens in public areas." - Futurefarmers
Civic Cycle
"Futurefarmers collaborated with Southern Exposure and Sabrina Merlo, Regional Advocacy Director, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition to create Civic Cycle. Civic Cycle includes a temporary bike share program, a public bike pump and a public forum to present existing city bike share programs as well as an open discussion to gather input on what San Francisco’s city bike program might look and operate like."- Futurefarmers
Are they artists?
I believe that this organization is a big group of artists who show there artistic ability by being active in the field by doing experimental work and interactive/real time projects. Since they are not hiding anything behind any doors like some other organizations, and getting people involved within the community, it shows that by being active within the community and making meaningful decisions that they are activists at heart. It is hard for artists these days to make a difference, but by creating an organization they are able to combine there artistic ability with other non-artistic organizations with makes the perfect duo to get things done and include the public to do something interactive with their community whereas other organizations turn people off by doing things to get the community interested. They have other projects like "Bingo Field" or "They Rule" which really tie in different situations around the world and they tend to show off the humorous yet serious side of things.
References
www.futurefarmers.com
-ZKM, Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany i.e www.futurefarmers.com
-By Julian Bachlow
Sketch #1
Through art and activism, we are able to find new information through art pieces which at one point were more then likely not available to us in the past.
The first image which is an original piece of art by ‘Favianna’ is based on the farmers and crop harvesters in Latina America. They have been forced to constantly work day in and day out to survive and through all of this, the NAFTA trade agreement as well as the United States of America have not, in any which way helped but rather worsen the situation at hand because of the high demand of both the trade agreement and country.
“The domination of genetically modified seeds, along with unfair trade agreements such as NAFTA, is destroying the way of life for farmers all over Latin America as well as strangling bio-diversity. The U.S. model of big agribusiness is hitting our people hard from many angles, from how we work to what we eat to how we grow it. Meanwhile, back home, Latino youth grow up in urban food deserts, where access to clean, healthy and whole food is rare. This unsustainable food situation is beyond craziness!. The dominant model of globalized, industrialized food is costly for the earth, for the farmers, and for ourselves.”[1] (Favianna)
This represents the facts that globalization does not benefit everyone apart of it. The standards of living must rise for one area but only through demolishing another, this brings up the idea that if globalization were not to happen, would different countries and or cities look and feel very different then they do today if they had a lot more chances and if globalization was not to occur since in that scenario their farm lands and people would not be driven to work until death.
The Second image is depicted as a fight for water and the fact that water can be used “as a weapon” by anyone who is I control of it. Water is the main source of life for any living mammal or animal and humans need this liquid to survive in everyday life. If one country controls a large portion of water where as another country may not have any fresh water whatsoever, the country who owns the larger amount would control since they are the ones who are being asked upon. This can work in many ways depending on the countries government and should not be used to favour a country or bias a country but as the past has told, this isn’t evident in all parts of the world where this has been a case. Water should be preserved on a natural level and distributed through all since all humans need water to live. If you and I are able to drink the fresh water given to us, people in other countries should to since they have as much right to live as you and I.
Through both these pieces it is evident that technology is not so much apart of this art work but rather there to help the experience of it as well as using technology to gain more of an awareness for what is being exposed in this series of images through the internet and the artists blog.
[1] http://favianna.typepad.com/faviannacom_art_activism/2009/05/3-new-pieces-to-fight-big-agribusiness-gmos.html
The first image which is an original piece of art by ‘Favianna’ is based on the farmers and crop harvesters in Latina America. They have been forced to constantly work day in and day out to survive and through all of this, the NAFTA trade agreement as well as the United States of America have not, in any which way helped but rather worsen the situation at hand because of the high demand of both the trade agreement and country.
“The domination of genetically modified seeds, along with unfair trade agreements such as NAFTA, is destroying the way of life for farmers all over Latin America as well as strangling bio-diversity. The U.S. model of big agribusiness is hitting our people hard from many angles, from how we work to what we eat to how we grow it. Meanwhile, back home, Latino youth grow up in urban food deserts, where access to clean, healthy and whole food is rare. This unsustainable food situation is beyond craziness!. The dominant model of globalized, industrialized food is costly for the earth, for the farmers, and for ourselves.”[1] (Favianna)
This represents the facts that globalization does not benefit everyone apart of it. The standards of living must rise for one area but only through demolishing another, this brings up the idea that if globalization were not to happen, would different countries and or cities look and feel very different then they do today if they had a lot more chances and if globalization was not to occur since in that scenario their farm lands and people would not be driven to work until death.
The Second image is depicted as a fight for water and the fact that water can be used “as a weapon” by anyone who is I control of it. Water is the main source of life for any living mammal or animal and humans need this liquid to survive in everyday life. If one country controls a large portion of water where as another country may not have any fresh water whatsoever, the country who owns the larger amount would control since they are the ones who are being asked upon. This can work in many ways depending on the countries government and should not be used to favour a country or bias a country but as the past has told, this isn’t evident in all parts of the world where this has been a case. Water should be preserved on a natural level and distributed through all since all humans need water to live. If you and I are able to drink the fresh water given to us, people in other countries should to since they have as much right to live as you and I.
Through both these pieces it is evident that technology is not so much apart of this art work but rather there to help the experience of it as well as using technology to gain more of an awareness for what is being exposed in this series of images through the internet and the artists blog.
[1] http://favianna.typepad.com/faviannacom_art_activism/2009/05/3-new-pieces-to-fight-big-agribusiness-gmos.html
Sketch#1 (1of2)
*Re-Education (Through Labor) -by- Rise Against (music video)
Relationships between the three dimensions of the artwork:
Art: Music and video coming together.
Activism: Youths knowledge, awareness and retaliation.
Technology: Video shows repercussions of youth’s mistreatment and modern day technology.
Think about whether these three dimensions act separately or together:
The group Rise Against seems to take a stand for social/political change. With their sound and lyrics alone you can ‘feel’ a sort of pride in their music; and when coupled with a visual the viewer can get a better understanding of what they are putting forward. Technology works in their favor as they focus towards youth, so by getting themselves out there on the television and internet, they can capture the youth who may be getting lost in the media and give them something to think about.
Which ones are of marginal importance and which ones maximal:
With this music video, I see activism having the strongest value. It shows youths ability towards what is going on in the world around us, and if backed into a corner there can be retaliation and will be repercussions. I also see art sharing similar values with activism as the music itself allowed for the videos creation. I may have technology listed third but it is a small list and therefore it plays its role in the videos theme with repercussions and with the video itself being shared and spread. % Break Down: Activism=45% Art=35% Technology=20%.
Sketch#1 (2of2)
*Only -by- Nine Inch Nails (music video)
Relationships between the three dimensions of the artwork:
Art: Music and video coming together.
Activism: Taking the ‘everyday / average work space’ and moving away from the normal usage.
Technology: The entire video was technology based (CGI)
Think about whether these three dimensions act separately or together:
With the group Nine Inch Nails, I find that there is always some sort of message trying to be put out towards the audience in their music, so when they have a video to accompany their sound, I see the art of their lyrics and instrumental tones coming together with technology to make something creative and exciting, while still trying to get a point across, usually focusing on some sort of personal/social/political topic.
Which ones are of marginal importance and which ones maximal:
With this music video, I see Technology playing a very large role as the entire video was produced in CGI. Following technology I see Art taking charge through its lyrics and performance. Activism follows closely behind both as I feel it trying to break away from the norm and also break away from what many people have accepted to be ‘normal’ and ‘average’. % Break Down: Technology=50% Art=26% Activism=24%.
-Nick Nardi
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sketch #2
Advertisement campaigns have exceeded the notion of 'selling' and embodied the concepts of selling art. Through photography, amongst other visual aids, these campaigns have become as politically charged as the messages they put out.
United Colors of Benneton Ad
- Using a cut/paste method, a number of portraits are concentrated in a manner to outline the word AIDS
- Questionable, to a degree, as the company is a clothing company. Nonetheless, constantly emerging itself into political activism.
- Technology isn't necessarily a factor, but rather the method
- Other ads attack racism, abuse, poverty, AIDS, etc.
Amnesty International
("It's not happening here, but it's happening now")
("It's not happening here, but it's happening now")
- This campaign is executed using transparent billboards, to reflect it's surroundings.
- Highly controversial, as the messages put out are very strong and almost 'un-politically correct' to bring attention to
- Using several different languages, the 'message' is further pushed
- Other billboards reflect child soldiers, terrorism, domestic abuse, suicide bombers etc.
Sketch 1
Face 2 Face
by
JR and Marco.
· The art of using portraits of rival countrymen to convey a message of similarity.
· These pieces were placed in sections of each country where it is hard to avoid not seeing the art
· This seems risky to carry out seeing as though there has been a history of feuding between the two sides
· Using photography and print to deliver a message.
Anti-War Art Activism
by
Tristan Manco, Banksy
· At first glance, I thought of it as being a mere insect that is carrying ammunition.
· After looking further into it, especially at the subheading, I realized that it had been labelled as the United States.
· According to my interpretation, I see this as labelling the United States as an insect, or better yet, an army of insects that is camouflaged, perhaps to appear other than that of an ally of war, of carrying weapons, or mass destruction.
· I find it funny that the artist uses insect to portray the United Sates because haven’t insects survived everything?
CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE
CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE - Digital Resistance
Electronic Civil Disobedience that was created in 1994, according to the Critical Art Ensemble, should be kept out of the public. Like every theory, it had its flaws, and since they have become more apparent, is more of a reason as to why it should not be used. In other words, it is underground and CAE wanted to keep it that way. Electronic Civil Disobedience is just an inversion of Civil Disobedience.
This article believes that there will not ever be a people united because that in itself creates a form of separatism. CAE believes that the direct approach is always the most effective in the end, versus an indirect approach. Any small form of electronic manipulation was seen as unsuccessful.
In 1995, CAE stated that ECA worked because the informing of digital resistance created paranoia that had a domino effect and in turn, (yet CAE wishes that they had never made that comment due to activists who have taken it seriously) brought the state to power.
Today ECD, it is out of the limelight and being viewed as a “cyber fad”. My input is that as long as there is control over the internet (ICANN), not much can really happen. Everything (media, newspapers, television, and internet) is controlled by a particular state, and usually the same ones.
Electronic Civil Disobedience that was created in 1994, according to the Critical Art Ensemble, should be kept out of the public. Like every theory, it had its flaws, and since they have become more apparent, is more of a reason as to why it should not be used. In other words, it is underground and CAE wanted to keep it that way. Electronic Civil Disobedience is just an inversion of Civil Disobedience.
This article believes that there will not ever be a people united because that in itself creates a form of separatism. CAE believes that the direct approach is always the most effective in the end, versus an indirect approach. Any small form of electronic manipulation was seen as unsuccessful.
In 1995, CAE stated that ECA worked because the informing of digital resistance created paranoia that had a domino effect and in turn, (yet CAE wishes that they had never made that comment due to activists who have taken it seriously) brought the state to power.
Today ECD, it is out of the limelight and being viewed as a “cyber fad”. My input is that as long as there is control over the internet (ICANN), not much can really happen. Everything (media, newspapers, television, and internet) is controlled by a particular state, and usually the same ones.
KAPROW Response
Allan KAPROW: The Education of the Un-Artist Part I and Part 3
Art had definitely changed over the past years. As each generation passes art evolves new meaning of “what is art?” arise. The constant debate will continue on for years to come. This reason maybe because most of what people call art today may not be seen as art if it were happening in the past. Kaprow mentions back around 1969 that all art is art. Whether it is anti or pro, it is all-inviting.
From the text which seem to forecast the obsolescence of "art" and "the artist" my interpretation is that technology will be able to generate art. This removes the power from the controller i.e. artist and placing it in the hand of something that doesn’t possess the same emotional and thinking abilities like humans do, like artists do. However I do not totally see artists and art disappearing because any form of art (music, film, dance) requires a vision and a performer to make it come to life. Artists have the ability to capture many followers. For example musician can reveal political messages thorough there music to help create thought in the minds of the masses. This system should continue to inspire the upcoming generations to make this world beautiful and right.
Art had definitely changed over the past years. As each generation passes art evolves new meaning of “what is art?” arise. The constant debate will continue on for years to come. This reason maybe because most of what people call art today may not be seen as art if it were happening in the past. Kaprow mentions back around 1969 that all art is art. Whether it is anti or pro, it is all-inviting.
From the text which seem to forecast the obsolescence of "art" and "the artist" my interpretation is that technology will be able to generate art. This removes the power from the controller i.e. artist and placing it in the hand of something that doesn’t possess the same emotional and thinking abilities like humans do, like artists do. However I do not totally see artists and art disappearing because any form of art (music, film, dance) requires a vision and a performer to make it come to life. Artists have the ability to capture many followers. For example musician can reveal political messages thorough there music to help create thought in the minds of the masses. This system should continue to inspire the upcoming generations to make this world beautiful and right.
Sketch #2: Response to Readings
The “Artist” in 2009
The “artist” in 2009 in my eyes is someone who lives inside their own narcissistic and egotistical bubble from which they can position themselves as high minded, social changers part of Richard Florida’s corporatized “creative class” who seek acknowledgment for their “genius creativity.” The “artists” in 2009 exist but are irrelevant. The artist in the traditional sense in 2009 do what they always do, which is make “art” that simply refers to their own quirky ego, selling ridiculously priced artwork to the rich so that it simply fills out another empty void on one of the many walls of their luxury homes. 2009 belongs to the invisible and nameless “mark makers” who function in the shadows to wake up a social collective consciousness of the world. Someone with such a profound calling to leave marks on the earth, holds the job in 2009 to deconstruct the beauty of the banal. In today’s world the obligation of such people might just be to attempt to wake up society in whatever way so that its people may come to see the profound beauty in the banal, from which point a person may become conscious of their own being and the life for the betterment of themselves and arguably for the rest of the collective world.
In accordance to the readings, the prevalence of new media which was evident even during the 1960’s, has lead to the blurring boundaries in everyday life, a blurring of boundaries that even “art” has witnessed has resulted in a growing trend and complication of art discourse within the arts institutions, complicating the question of “what is art?” The boom in form of new media has created many new paths for creative output. The blurred boundaries of art have become have become so blurry that it may be safe to say that everything is art. As a result, the truth can arguably be said to be blurred as well. In light of Peter Watkins’ article, the role of the “artist” today may just be to uncover and demystify the truth.
-Thomas Zukowski
Sketch One & Response to Kaprow Reading
Andrea Zittel, Personal Panel Uniforms, 2004
Liubov Popova textile, c.1924
William Morris textile, c. 1885
The Arts & Craft movement was reacting against the mass production of created by the industrial revolution, and sought to create unique work and meaningful labour for the craft people.
Liubov Popova and the Constructivists were interested in the ability to produce multiples using machinery. Especially since the use of machinery would allow the worker to have more free time in which to experience life. The Constructivists saw the human body as a sort of machine, and Popova sought to create clothing that negated gender (as machinery did work without gender). She sought to cover the human body in geometry so as to detract from the symbols of gendering.
Andrea Zittel's work grew out of the work of these two movements. For each season she created a simple uniform that was made out of rectangles. She wanted outfits that would be attractive and versatile for everyday use. The project grew out of her observations and budgetary needs. She worked in an art gallery and needed to dress well, however was unable to afford more than one high end outfit. In our society it is frowned upon to wear the same outfit for multiple days. So, she sought to create outfits that could be worn for an entire season, with slight modifications to change the look.
My sketch takes on the form of a constructivist poster.
Kaprow Reading Response:
What Kaprow describes as nonart is what I believe to be outsider art—art that doesn’t conform to the capitalist ventures of artistic institutions. For him, nonart forecasted the end of art and the artist in the traditional sense where a product would be the outcome of an artist’s efforts. With the advent of video art, the nonart pieces that Kaprow describes can be documented. And it is these surviving documents that allow scholars to examine the work. As this type of work didn’t fall into any other category of our classified world, it has been adopted by the art world—in a similar way that the technological innovation of photography eventually fell into the hands of art historians. It is naïve to think that there is a pure art that is not affected by sources outside of an artist’s practice. Artists visualize their interactions with the world around them—allowing for spectators to question and examine their own being.
In the last couple of decades, less traditional artists have fought their way into fine art faculties to allow for the further development of nonart. After several years of digesting new manners of art production, artistic institutions accepted nonart as a valuable practice to support and display. As the world became mechanized it was no longer acceptable to the artist to simply produce renditions of the world around them, leading them to new media in which to experiment.
As a scholar of contemporary art history, I believe that it is essential not to discount new forms of art. Artists react to their culture and implement the new technical innovations developed in their time. It is the groundwork laid by earlier generations of artists that allow for the progress of present generations.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sketch #1: Activist Art
-Thomas Zukowski
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Kaprow
The two Kaprow articles introduces the idea of non art and traditional art. Non art is "whaterver has not yet been accpeted as art but has caught an artist's attention with that psssibility in mind." Non art has a fluid identity. With readily available technology it is instantaneous. New media has become essential to communication.
The articles discuss the fluidty of assembleage art, activism, and other similariy forms. Not all "art" fits into the aspects of traditional aesthetic art. New mixed media or assemblage art is increasing-- it is acting as a contamination to traditional art forms such as film. It is a departure from art art's traditional form and content. Kaprow calls the attention to the context of art not its category. According to the article, these new art contaminants will replace traditional art and museums (they will remain a category for study).
The article refers to traditional art is institutional-- over generations people are taught what is aesthetic--- they are taught that if it is hanging in a museum then it is beautiful or meaningful, and there is no room for individual appreciation or opinion. Contaminant art (as it is referred to in the article) will replace these traditions. If these contaminant art replaces institutional art, society will still be geared towards an alternate non art way of perceiving. The fluidity of non art can become static in the sense that not everyone is a non artist.
The articles were insightful-- I remain unclear of some of Kaprow's ideas. There are many examples that widen the boundaries of art, activism, and technology intersections. I am unclear of what is meant by "the change is "high culture."
The articles discuss the fluidty of assembleage art, activism, and other similariy forms. Not all "art" fits into the aspects of traditional aesthetic art. New mixed media or assemblage art is increasing-- it is acting as a contamination to traditional art forms such as film. It is a departure from art art's traditional form and content. Kaprow calls the attention to the context of art not its category. According to the article, these new art contaminants will replace traditional art and museums (they will remain a category for study).
The article refers to traditional art is institutional-- over generations people are taught what is aesthetic--- they are taught that if it is hanging in a museum then it is beautiful or meaningful, and there is no room for individual appreciation or opinion. Contaminant art (as it is referred to in the article) will replace these traditions. If these contaminant art replaces institutional art, society will still be geared towards an alternate non art way of perceiving. The fluidity of non art can become static in the sense that not everyone is a non artist.
The articles were insightful-- I remain unclear of some of Kaprow's ideas. There are many examples that widen the boundaries of art, activism, and technology intersections. I am unclear of what is meant by "the change is "high culture."
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sketch1
The art pieces I have choses are installations. The idea of brining the outside inside. The art invites community to rethink and challenge the use of public spaces.
Mark Bradford: Market > Place
Art:21
Art= signage collage, paints, representation
Activism= dialogue about the use of public spaces,
dominant ideologies shape view and understanding of communities
Technology= systems, language, ideologies
This art piece is inspired by Bradford'smerchant roots. He discuss the working during the Los Angles Riots of 1992-- the media shows volience, they did not see merchants of different trades and cultures in the surrounding community coming together to surpass 6pm work curfews.
First, Bradford makes a collage from found signage (merchant posters, flyers--what Bradford calls informal advertisement.)
Placing signage inside is away of bringing the outside in for an invert look at the ways in which public spaces are used. His goal is to challenge the way people see the community and merchant dynamic culture.
The art aspect of the installation is a representation of the interactive community. Signage is producing bodies and convevrsations. Service, trade, and bodies are all intersecting within a public space socially and economically--
The installation is communicating to people dwelling in the community and people looking in at the community, who recognize and label these bodies without knowledge of the history. It is the oppertunity for those dwelling within the community as well as those merely looking in to visually understand.
The activism in this piece open dialogues of change (racial, sexual, cultural, and stereotypical). Signage collage exposes the conditions and politics of the particular location as well as consumerism. It starts a conversation and gives control back to the public by inviting them to take a glance at the community from within. It is a glance at how the community is represented.
These posters tells the community's history and how certain dominant ideologies have shaped the community. For instance Bradford comments about the Los Angles Riots of 1992.
Mark Dion Neukom Vivarium
You tube clip
Art 21
Art= re-contextualization of a tree
Activism= rethinking public spaces, creating a new cultural space
Technology= machines, development of more advance economies
Mark Dion's installation involves the uprooting of a tree from its natural ecosystem. It is art that is political. The tree up rooted from the ecosystem is his idea of a perverse act to environmentalism, however, it is done within the context of art. The tree is taken to an hybrid city and housed in a green house. Building a greenhouse for the tree to dwell in simultaneously while situated in the a hybrid city is expensive. Q:What does the tree present? It represents a living bio system. It is the process of watching the tree decay slowly as the city feeds off natural resources and economizes public spaces. Displaying a tree housed in a greenhouse is a form of disturbance and a reminder that pulic spaces are in decay as well as ecosystems. Dion challenges the ways in which we use and conserve public spaces. The tree becomes a cultural place/infrastructure in itself that is maintained by money-- a public cultural space people will want to visit.
The use of technology to build the greenhouse at Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle. It consists of architectural design, irrigation system, cooling system, ect. It highlights the diffuclty of replicated what nature can do as well as the cost associated with construction and infrastructure. This recontextualization depicts the resources and capital put into the city's streets and buildings-- electricity, heat, etc. It challenges the idea that more or as much resources trickle down to the environment, ecosystems, and natural resources which are decapitating economic public spaces.
now is a public space dedicated to culture, art and sculpture
Activistism represented in this art is to challenges the use of public spaces. Buildings in the city are a reaction to bodies-- a new excutive building or a condo goes up as a result of public need but who is really involved in the voting decisions? Neukom Vivarium invites the community to think about the use of public space.
Mark Dion’s work examines the ways in which dominant ideologies and public
institutions shape our understanding of history, knowledge, and the natural
world....
Mark Bradford: Market > Place
Art:21
Art= signage collage, paints, representation
Activism= dialogue about the use of public spaces,
dominant ideologies shape view and understanding of communities
Technology= systems, language, ideologies
This art piece is inspired by Bradford'smerchant roots. He discuss the working during the Los Angles Riots of 1992-- the media shows volience, they did not see merchants of different trades and cultures in the surrounding community coming together to surpass 6pm work curfews.
First, Bradford makes a collage from found signage (merchant posters, flyers--what Bradford calls informal advertisement.)
Placing signage inside is away of bringing the outside in for an invert look at the ways in which public spaces are used. His goal is to challenge the way people see the community and merchant dynamic culture.
The art aspect of the installation is a representation of the interactive community. Signage is producing bodies and convevrsations. Service, trade, and bodies are all intersecting within a public space socially and economically--
The installation is communicating to people dwelling in the community and people looking in at the community, who recognize and label these bodies without knowledge of the history. It is the oppertunity for those dwelling within the community as well as those merely looking in to visually understand.
The activism in this piece open dialogues of change (racial, sexual, cultural, and stereotypical). Signage collage exposes the conditions and politics of the particular location as well as consumerism. It starts a conversation and gives control back to the public by inviting them to take a glance at the community from within. It is a glance at how the community is represented.
These posters tells the community's history and how certain dominant ideologies have shaped the community. For instance Bradford comments about the Los Angles Riots of 1992.
Mark Dion Neukom Vivarium
You tube clip
Art 21
Art= re-contextualization of a tree
Activism= rethinking public spaces, creating a new cultural space
Technology= machines, development of more advance economies
Mark Dion's installation involves the uprooting of a tree from its natural ecosystem. It is art that is political. The tree up rooted from the ecosystem is his idea of a perverse act to environmentalism, however, it is done within the context of art. The tree is taken to an hybrid city and housed in a green house. Building a greenhouse for the tree to dwell in simultaneously while situated in the a hybrid city is expensive. Q:What does the tree present? It represents a living bio system. It is the process of watching the tree decay slowly as the city feeds off natural resources and economizes public spaces. Displaying a tree housed in a greenhouse is a form of disturbance and a reminder that pulic spaces are in decay as well as ecosystems. Dion challenges the ways in which we use and conserve public spaces. The tree becomes a cultural place/infrastructure in itself that is maintained by money-- a public cultural space people will want to visit.
The use of technology to build the greenhouse at Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle. It consists of architectural design, irrigation system, cooling system, ect. It highlights the diffuclty of replicated what nature can do as well as the cost associated with construction and infrastructure. This recontextualization depicts the resources and capital put into the city's streets and buildings-- electricity, heat, etc. It challenges the idea that more or as much resources trickle down to the environment, ecosystems, and natural resources which are decapitating economic public spaces.
now is a public space dedicated to culture, art and sculpture
Activistism represented in this art is to challenges the use of public spaces. Buildings in the city are a reaction to bodies-- a new excutive building or a condo goes up as a result of public need but who is really involved in the voting decisions? Neukom Vivarium invites the community to think about the use of public space.
institutions shape our understanding of history, knowledge, and the natural
world....
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