Module 12, Video Review

1. I chose the two videos Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the '50s and '60s and Andy Warhol : Images of an Image because they seemed very interesting to me. I really like pop art and I knew that's what Andy Warhol did, so that was an easy pick for me. I also knew he made the campbell's soup painting so I was interested in learning more about him. As I stated I really enjoy pop art so I figured the abstract expressionism art of the '50s and '60s would be very interesting. I knew a little about that type of art, but I was interested in learning more.

2. Key Concepts-

Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art of the '50s and '60s:
-the more they focused on their pictures, the more detail that they could add
-the looking at the color makes us think we see that the colors take on different shapes
-Pollock let the paint drip and drop off the brush onto the canvas
-all the painters strength is shown in bringing the paint to the canvas/cotton cloth (Frankenthaler)
-using the cotton cloth soaked up the paint and created different pictures
-Flag became a symbol in the art world as it does symbolize America
-Warhol started the repetition with stamps
-always used the same starting portrait for the art using the repetition

Andy Warhol: Images of an Image:
- He wanted to be a tap dancer and not an artist
- Worked commercially in magazines, stayed out of museums and wasn't known for a very long time
- Connected photos of people all his life
- After Marilyn death he chose one image and using the silk screen technique switched it up
- To silk screen pictures need to be blown up a lot
- If anything happens to the screen- the images are ruined
- Obsessed with the idea of celebrity
- Published his own magazine
- Did a movie with Liz Taylor- became an international superstar
- Sometimes used Polaroid pictures as the base of his artwork
- Produced dozens of self-portraits


3. These videos relate to the text because in chapter 22 we learned about the different art styles that were happening in the '50s and '60s. We read in chapter 22 about Pollock and Warhol who were all spoken about in the videos.

4. I didn't mind the Andy Warhol video, but the Abstract Expressionism video was very dry. I liked that the Warhol video started with music and an interview of him. The abstract video was about the creation of abstract and it talked a little bit about pop art, but the Warhol video went more in depth with the pop art. They add depth to the text because they go into detail about what we read. They add more information to what we had already read. Using the videos gave us the ability to view the artist's work while we were learning about them and their style of art rather than just reading about it on the author pages in the chapter.

Art Gallery, Visit 2

Step 1: The Exhibition

Questions about the exhibit:
1. What is the title of the exhibit?

• The title of the exhibit was "Kelly Richardson: Legion" 

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

• The theme of the exhibition was all about nature. The artist created videos with sounds to express her thoughts on nature and human interaction. 

Step 2: The Gallery

Questions about the physical space:1. What type of lighting is used?

• The rooms in which the exhibits were located were almost completely black, there was a little light in the corner of each room for the information card to be displayed. There was some lighting thrown of by the projectors, but not much. 

2. What colors are used on the walls?

• The walls appeared to be either black or a really really dark navy. I couldn't tell the difference, I believe they were black because the room had very little light. However, one of the rooms had a white tiled floor. 

3. What materials are used in the interior architecture of the space?

• The walls at the entrance of the exhibit were rock. The entrance had a very Greek feel to it, with many columns in the open space outside the exhibit. The exhibit itself was very dark, all of the exhibits were connected creating a tunnel of darkness.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

• The movement was very good. There was a lot of space in each room so you could get as close to the screen as you wanted, or you could stand from a distance, you could even view one screen from another room. The halls were open so it made movement from one screen to the next easy. 

Step 3: The Artwork

Questions about the artwork:

1. How are the artworks organized?

• The artworks were very neatly organized. Each screen had it's own room, and they rooms were connected so that you could move right from one to the next. 

2. How are the artworks similar?

• The artworks were similar because they all had the same themes. Each piece was about nature and human involvement to some aspect. They were also all video installations with sound, which sometimes made them seem repetitive.

3. How are the artworks different?

•     The artworks were different because they each had a different underlying message. Some were about animal cruelty, and others were about the destruction of nature. 

4. How are the artworks framed?

•      The artworks weren't framed. They were projected onto screens. 

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

•      The artworks were identified and labeled in each corner of the room. There was a white informational card mounted onto the wall explaining all of the information about the artwork of that room. 

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

•      The artworks were all very close to each other. They were in the same section of the museum, except for one room downstairs by the lobby. They had connecting rooms so they were right next to each other. 

Step 4: Art Criticism Exercise

Kelly Richardson
Twilight Avenger
video installation with sound
2008
large (on screen)

1. In this video (Twilight Avenger) I see a deer who appears to be "on fire", he has a very bright green glow around him. 

2. Balance, emphasis, and movement are all used in this video. The viewer is automatically drawn to the green deer in the video. The deer is in the middle of the screen for the entire video balancing out the rest of the area. Also, the viewers eyes start on the deer and move throughout the piece.

3. I believe that this piece of art symbolizes the environment and the effect it can have on animals. 

4. I think that artist is trying to tell us that with what we're putting into the environment we're destroying nature, we are turning nature into poisonous plants, causing this deformity to the animals in the surroundings. 

Kelly Richardson
Mariner 9
video installation with sound
2012
3 large screen

1.  In this video (Mariner 9) I see what appears to be another planet. 
2. Pattern, proportion, and texture are all used in this video. The land is repeating the same look using pattern. The objects on the "planet" are proportioned perfectly to the sizing of all the land and it's surroundings. Texture is used to display the bumpy and uneven ground.
3. I believe that this is symbolizing what could happen to our planet if we keep treating it the way we have been.
4. I believe that the author is trying to tell us that our world, what we live on can easily look like this if it's bring destroyed the way it is. People of the future will be looking at out world as a think of the past, an unfamiliar land. 

Kelly Richardson
Exiles of the Shattered Star
video installation with sound
2006
large (on screen)

1. In this video I see shooting flames, disrupting a peaceful environment.

2. Forms, space, and color are all used in this artwork. The shooting flames are 3-dimensional. The video has a lot of color, have the background blue, withe the trees and mountains green, the flames shoot of red and orange, and they create a shadow on the dark lake. There is a lot of open space being portrayed in the video. 

3. I believe that this video symbolizes pollution in our environment. 

4. I think that the artist is trying to explain to the viewers how important pollution can be on an environment  The world can be so peaceful but we are destroying the peace and the beauty with our pollution. 

What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

•      I got a lot more out of the exhibition looking at it from a different perspective than I originally viewed it as. I have gone to Albright Knox a few times this semester and this is the first time I went into the exhibit viewing it the way I did. I liked looking at it's space and environment because it forced me to move around the room and look at it from different angles. I liked looking at the theme of the videos because it helped me understand what the artist might have been trying to explain in their creation of the pieces. 

Module 11, Video Review

1. I chose the two videos this week solely on the fact that they were the first two videos. I like Picasso's work, so I was interested to learn more about him and his work, and I wasn't too familiar with Matisse so I figured it'd be something to learn about. When looking at these video summaries none caught my eye like they usually do so I just picked the second video to review. No matter which video I picked I'd be learning a lot.

2.  Key Concepts:

Matisse and Picasso:
-Matisse broke the tradition of art, his talent became a scandal
-Picasso got his inspiration from his father, very french on organization of thoughts
-when the two met they exchanged paintings
-Matisse sculpts like a painter, only wanted to paint love and up beat things
-Matisse moved to Nice for inspiration, for 8 months
-Matisse liked creating female nudes and fabrics
-painting was panic for Matisse
-waited for the art to come to him (Matisse)
-Matisse had times in his life where he wanted to commit suicide, wasn't always happy like his paintings were
-Picasso bought many of Matisse's art works
-Picasso also had fits of suicidal thoughts
-Picasso often was obsessed with ideas that he was very sick
-Picasso bent the art of ceramics to his own laws
-death of Matisse was the worst thing that could have happened to Picasso
-Picasso mourned Matisse by overtaking his artwork ideas

Dance at the Moulin de la Galette:
-the painting brings Paris to us
-once of the most expensive painting to date ($78.1 million, 40 million pounds)
-currently kept in a secret location
-most beautiful picture of the 19th century
-painted twice, larger and smaller version, not been seen in public since 1990, and no one knows which painting was finished first (both dated 1876)
-snapshot of real life, people were in the dance hall on their one day off from 3pm-midnight
-Montmarte enjoyed the seclusion while creating his artwork
-lots of gazing going on in the picture
-didn't blend his colors to emphasis the color
-brush work is different throughout the whole piece, some slashing, some complete strokes
-would carry his canvas to and from the studio every time he painted
-very unusual that piece made it to the market
-most incredible painting sold at auction, made history
-Ryouei Siato, Japanese paper manufacturer bought the piece

3. These videos relate to the text because the explain about a few of the artists and works of art from the modern world of art from 1800-1945. In the text we talked about manet and impressionism styles of art which is the category the Le Moulin de la Galette falls into. We also read about fauvism,expressionism, and cubism which both Matisse and Picasso created their works in the styles of.

4. I enjoyed the films, the film about the Le Moulin de la Galette was very interesting because that piece of art was so secretive. There isn't a lot known about that piece which made the video very interesting, I didn't know any about it except that he was painting his friends who used to gather to dance. It was interesting to learn about the auctioning and buying of the piece. The other video was interesting as well because we were given a look inside Matisse and Picasso's friendship and the building of their relationship It was interesting to compare their artworks. They add depth to the readings because they explain more about the time periods and the influences that were created by the people. It gave a visual understanding to those who relate more with visual learning.

Mask Making

1. Inspirational Masks:

 I really liked all of the color used in this mask, I knew I wanted mine to be bright and colorful as well.

 I liked the texture of the nose and hair in this mask, knowing we had to make our masks 3d I wanted to try something similar.

I used this mask as an inspiration for the size proportioning for all of the parts of the mask (mouth, nose, eyes)

2.  My sketches, and final mask

Traditional Celebration Mask

Traditional Mask of the Dead

For my final mask I wanted to incorporate a true meaning behind the reasoning for the mask. I wanted to add lots of colors to create a "celebration" mask. I wanted to make the mask 3d as well so I added a pop our nose and mouth. I wanted to show the texture that I created in the hair so I "molded" the mask however I could. 

3. I think my mask is pretty good, I'm no master of making masks but I used a lot of elements in my work, and a lot of influence from research on African culture, and masks. I liked making the mask, it was something I had never researched or done before so it was very fun to make. 

Module 10, Video Review

1.  I chose these videos because I knew that they would explain chapter 18 more in depth. Also I knew that these videos would help me build ideas and inspiration for the mask art making of this weeks module.

2.  Key  Concepts

African Art: Legacy of Oppression

• African art is often viewed looking straight on (2 demmenstional)
• color of the dead is white
• there is a huge range to African art styles
• statues and the artwork can tell us about the people economically 
• Central Africans emphasis on the men and women's role
• masks can tell about the person and what they went through in their lifetimes
• masks were often made to scare people (western people so they stayed out of their territory)
• images became standard reformist propaganda 
• Africans were set up by the Belgians in exhibits

African Art: Its Cultural Meaning

• art is a part of daily life
• used in the making of everyday utensils
• art was very important in African rituals
• most pieces of art as less that 200 years because they deteriorate
• painting & carvings are oldest form of art 
• Egyptian civilizations influenced development of other areas in Africa
• Nigerians used bronze to create their art
• use 2 styles of art perceptual (what the artists usually view) and conceptual (artists use their imagination)
• conceptual was mostly used and used lots of symbolism

3.  The videos relate to the text because they express exactly what we read. The videos just go into more detail about what we read. In chapter 18 we read about African art and the influences and connection to Western civilization. In the first video I viewed it explained more in depth what the Westerns did to the people and how they treated them. 

4.  I really liked watching these videos because it related directly to our readings. They gave us a greater in depth understanding of what we learned this week. The videos also gave me ideas about what masks represented to the people of Africa and that relates directly to our art making part of this weeks module.

Module 9, Video Review

1. I chose the two videos Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master and Velazquez because they sounded interesting to me. I remembered being slightly interested in Durer's work from chapter 8, and I wanted to learn more about it. I also decided to watch the video about Velazquez because I remembered reading about his style of art in chapter 17, I remembered he used light to create drama so I was hoping to learn more about his work. 

2. Key Concepts:

Image of Master:
-brought ideas from Italy
-self-portrait at age 13
-influenced by goldsmith father
-mother had 18 child, but 15 passed away
-drew abstract animals
-countryside was his background to many of his artworks
-first true landscape artists
-searched for perfect form 
-became council of the city
-printing his main source of income

Velazquez:
-fond of the King
-the King was a good friend of his
-could paint whatever he wanted
-influenced by myths, and the need to make them real
-created reality in his artwork
-painting took a long time to complete
-represents nature

3. The videos relate to the text because they give us the ability to view what we have read, and give us more information about artists. I watched two videos about two artists, I learned a lot more about the artists with the use of the videos than I could have in the text. 

4. I found the first video I watched to be very interesting! The second video I found a bit dry. I learned a lot from both of the videos but I preferred the first video a lot more. The videos add depth to understanding because they add details where we can't find them in the text. The text can only go so far in depth about the artists and styles within the book, these videos help us understand more of who they are and what the specific styles mean. 

Eploring Line

Made it extra large, so it was more visable!

1. In my opinion it was really easy using my hand as the subject matter, it made it easy to view and it was easily accessible. Being able to have what your drawing right in front of you makes it that much easier, especially when what your drawing is able to move right up in front of your eyes easily to view those small details. I liked having my hand as the subject matter, except it made me realize how many scars I have on my hands and how people view my hands rather than how I might view them.

2. I decided to use pencil for two reasons. First, I am more comfortable using pencil, when I used charcoal to create the shading scale I made a mess out of my hands and my environment. Secondly, I knew that when using my dominant hand to draw I was going to want to erase and fix many things, I knew I was going to make mistakes (especially drawing with my left hand). I can't even write my name with my left hand, how was I going to draw my right hand?

3. It was very frustrating and awkward to draw with my left hand (non-dominant). I didn't have the muscle control when using my left hand to draw, which made it extremely hard to draw the outline of my hand. Even when "drawing" my knuckles and the little lines there I had a hard time controlling my pencil. I found I had to press down really hard to have any sort of control on my paper.

4. My final drawings are very different. I believe that neither of the hands are complete studies, I didn't add many of the creases and lines that I have in my hands, it was difficult enough trying to draw my finger nails than having to figure out the proper shading and lines for all the creases and complete details to my hands. I do think that my left hand is closer to being a complete study than my right, I added more details because it was  easy to draw.

5. I would never ever consider drawing with my non-dominant hand in the future to create artwork. Drawing with it once today was enough to realize that I will never be ambidextrous or anywhere close to it. I could barely draw a line with my left hand, so I don't think artwork is anywhere to be seen in my future.