Text Commentary- Lorna Simpson

Art is always about expressing an attitude. She leaves her personal opinion out of the work. By doing thisit gains authority. her work allows the viewer to connect to the pieces to help fill in the missing feelings or emotions. Her skill set is photography, and she uses the medium to exploit its potential of transmitting a message. She deals with racism primarily. I disagree with her statement about how confining her work to black and white, she cirucumvents the emotive moods that color evokes. On the contrary I feel B & W photography expresses more feeling and emotion than does color. I do feel like she strips them of not only their individuality but also their personality. Anyone person can look different from the next. The people she is photographing look staged. They are acting. They look like they have been told what to do. Hence...the subtraction of their personalities and individualism. They cannot think for themselves. You cannot elimate someones age, body type, and looks. You can hide it. But it is always still there. No matter what. I can tell that Lorna's work is her work. It is lifeless. Still. Boring. I wouldn't buy it. Nor would I even spend more than a seconds glance staring at it. I want to be captivated. I want to be enthrawled into a photo so that I can generate my own narrative. Not spin along based on someone elses. That is just my personal opinion.

Text Commentary- Arnaldo Morales

Arnaldo Morales makes art that attacks people! it's violent and raw. He tries to capture fear, aggression, vulnerability, pain and danger in his mechanical pieces. All because he is trying to research and understand life after nearly being killed from being shot in the head. Through his work he is trying to control the audience. Is it because he assumed a submissive roll when he was held at gun point? Does he feel like he needs to hold the power now? or is it because he feels that once someone enters a particular situation they have to cooperate one way or the other. Body or mind. I think his work is fun for the aspect of engaging the audience in such a way. But I think it's a cop out as well. It's a way for him to play bully....without actually physically engaing someone. Like he himself gets to take a passive role. What a punk.

Text Commentary: Charles Ray

Ray revives modesty as an alternative to extravagance and exaggeration, and reintroduces subtlety to repalce assaults upon the senses. He is average. The antithesis of the celebrity artist. I love this guy's philosophy. Just Do things that are going to geta rise out of people. It's amazing. Describingyour life as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich squashed across the tabletop. Who does that? He tweaks the mundane world just enough to enable it to crtoss the threshold into art. Like with his Male Mannequin piece. A manneguin is a na everyday object that we encounter in any department store. Everyone has seen one with out the clothes on it. There is no sexual organ attached to them. The female mannequins have breasts but thats it. So Ray makes a cast of his own penis and uses his own pubic hair to attach to the mannequin to give it back its sexuality. Thats amazing. people find it offensive at first but then realize its just a big joke. So what if he had made a cast of a vagina and attached it to the male mannequin? Would it be recieved with any more disgust? Would people still find it amusing?

Text Commentary: Eve Andree Laramee

"Art is authentic as long as the signiature of the artist who created this painted deception is genuine. But when an artist's skill is utilized to simulate the work of another artist, accusations of forgery adn fraud eruptin the art community, as when the artist sherrie Levine rephotographed famous images by the renowned photographer Edward Weston, and presented them as her artworks. In other words viewers dont expect art to be a factual deception, but they expect the creator of the fiction to be true." Eve does just that. She twists each strand of truth jsut enough to place it under tension but not enough to uproot it. She does this by cleverly disguising false information. When you think about it. It is very simple to manipulate anyone with regards to art. Anyone but a creative has a one track mind. So if you put art in a gallery, showcase it, put lights on it, invite people to come see, give it importance, people will not second guess that it's authentic. I agree with her states ments above. But I do not agree with what Sherrie Levine calls art. Unless she photographs those famous pictures in a site specific setting. Like takes them and puts a picture of the city in a field. And then photographs it. She needs to make it her own. Give it some visual difference. That's just my thoughts. Make things your own. Put your personality into something. Not someone elses.

Fire Station Flaming Bag of Poo

Media: Photography, Planned print on Mylar.
Size: 10'x 2'


I ocassionaly find Irony by happen chance in my pieces. This was one of them. The rare opportunity proposed itself to me while wtaching a movie one day. I was given the task of doing a site specific project. I alsways liek to get a laugh out of my pieces, but this one takes the cake. I had been racking my brain on where and what to do for my project for weeks. Has anyone ever seen Billy Madison? There is a part in the movie where Billy (Adam Sandler) goes around lighting bags of dog shit on fire on peoples front porches and then rings the doorbell and runs away. While the unsuspecting victim stomps out the flames and inevitably ends up with dog shit on there feet. It's hilarious. Well I chose to do the same thing at a firestation though. Not just any firestation one that had jsut been vacated by the fire dapartment respondeing to the fire. And no I did not makea prank phone call. So anyone I was having a beer down the street waitign for this to happen and it did so I ran myself down the street and lit this bag of dog shit on fire. Knocked on the door of a firestation that was empty and ran away. Was I ever there? Who put out the fire? What happened after that? Was there een a real fire? or eve na bag of shit? was there even a bag? I took this notion of secrecy and manipulation from Yves Klein. He did a piece called "Leap in to the Void". Did he ever do this? Who saw him? My response...just as his was...ask the Photographer or the people watching. They remain anonymous :)

Sources
Movie: Billy Madison





Photograph: Yves Klein- Leap in to the Void 1960

Andy Goldsworthy

I enjoy his work. I enjoyed the video that we watched on him in class. I loved the frustration and momentary defeat on his face when his spider web blew down because of a slight breeze. So I can only imagine what thoughts were going through his head for a commission such as the Holocaust memorial. A contemplative space for a work of public art; a memorial garden to Jewish Holocaust Goldsworthy’s design was selected from 25 other others who responded to a call for art. I agree with the author of this article that it would have been interesting to see the other proposals in general. I don’t always agree that there is one right way of doing something or expressing an emotion or feeling.
The concept is morbid but brilliant. Is it meant to mock victims? After all there are still some alive. I do not see the problem in the botanical experiment. If the oak tree trunk does expand won’t it break the stone or at least crack it? I mean grass grows in the most ill conceivable of places like through a stone on the side of a mountain and grass is much more malleable than wood roots. The roots will not die nor atrophy. The tree will not die. These gigantic sarcophagus will no longer be a garden of death. Breaking free from the mold. They live on without captivity. Just like the survivors. They live on. L’chaim. Of course this is just my take on his concept. His end ideas are much different than mine. “In the end, this is a garden doomed, in part, to die-over and over again, a perverse concept for a garden, if not a memorial.”
His process of creation is most often more important than the content of his work. Hollowing out the boulders by use of fire is important. It gives way to the idea of the concentration camp fires. But also there is a subtraction process that exists. The same process that was used to create it in the first place is being used to destroy it.
The sculpture itself is beautiful. I think it is beautiful how it overlooks Ellis Island. I think it is incredible that Andy took the symbolism of the number 18 and the Hebrew word Chai and molded the two together to developed context. That is a deep multi-directional idea, something I would have probably done myself. But to the general public it has no meaning. Or it has other meaning. I love the response of viewers to the piece of work. Placing stones on top of the large boulders and a reference to a place of commemoration; part of their heritage. It’s beautiful. I agree that there should be some text explaining the artists intentions and ideas.; but only after the public has experienced the place. Let them walk through it. Feel it. Generate their own ideas. Then read what the artist’s were. And let the two merge together. Let them walk out of the building thinking about it. Think about at dinner or laying in bed trying to sleep. It’s those moments that will keep the memory and power of this place living forever, not the trees.

15 Point Unofficial Manifesto for Telling the Truth About Public Art

Four rules stood out to me the most.about public art. I think it is because They related most to my personal piece but also my particular view of art and design in general. “I am for a public art that makes as much room for irony as it does for earnestness. I am for a public art that believes irony alone is an insufficient perspective, as is earnestness. I am for a public art that doesn’t think for a moment that playfulness must equal purposelessness. Living with someone else’s whim can be exhausting. I am for a public art that refuses to repeat itself into invisibility.” I do not think you could find any more irony in my particular site based piece. A bag of burning dog shit as a practical joke placed appropriately in front of an empty but active fire station. Does anyone find this ironic and humorous? I know I do. No one is there to put out the fire! Not to mention that, but honestly lights a bag of dog shit on fire? Usually this act is performed as a kid and you ring the doorbell and run like hell laughing as the unsuspecting victim stomps out the fire and has dog shit inevitably ground in to their shoe or sock, foot etc. I find it incredibly funny. Irony and Earnestness both exist. As do playfulness and purposelessness and purpose. I do not plan on repeating this display at all. I think that is boring. One time. One time only. I cannot stand when artists repeat themselves over and over again. Painters have a style. Each painting is going to come out differently. And yes a performance may come out different every time based on little actions done differently but it doesn’t make it unique or interesting like the first one.

Class Commentary- April 23rd

Today, those of us who had completed t he project showed them to the class. I still do not understand why students find it so hard to turn an assignment in on time. I understand that you have a lot going on. I understand that you are stressed, but who cares. Everyone is stressed and everyone has a lot going on. Ok on to my commentary on the critques and comments. Ray always creates a quality piece. Having gotten to know here through classes and conversation I know that she puts a lot of thought into her work and it is extremely evident. Her latests piece really reminded e of Robert Morris' piece "Site". Both figures wore masks. Both were mobile. And to the ordinary audiencewho didnt understand anything really, both were confusing. Like what the hell is going on? What the hell am I watching? But I understood. It was static, demoral, there was a sense that the figure was moking the audience. I find t his piece that she created interesting. She and I were having a conversation the other day about not existing. Like being homeless. To me this piece resembles this. I also think that with her burning the money there is this weird connection like, person robs a bank to steal money, gets locked up, ends up in jail, and essentially ends up stealing yoour tax money anyway.

Class Commentary- April 21st

Today we viewed some works of art by Chris Burden and Josef Bueys in Contemporary Art History class. It’s amazing how much these two classes overlap in their content. I found the lecture topics similar to what we were talking about today in class Concept Class. What I found most intriguing about there work was not only the amount of thought that they put into each piece but also their level of dedication to completing it and executing their idea. These are not easy ideas to execute especially with regards to Chris Burden. Crucifying himself on the hood of a VW or having someone shoot himself in the arm. How could you even conceive this. How could you desensitize yourself to the point of physically doing harm to yourself. It’s gruesome. As powerful and disturbing as his work is I’m sure it connects on more levels with main stay folk than expected. Josef Bueys piece that he did with the coyote was brilliant. Man versus the wild in a man made habitat. That’s pretty much how I view the world. We have taken over but the wild is still the wild. It’s untamable. It’s unexplainable and the unknown is what makes that particular art piece incredible. Not to mention the performance piece started as soon as he got of the plane from France. It’s the amount of thought that these artists put into their work that amazes me. The consideration is so integral to the whole.

Class Commentary- April 16th

Wasnt in class this day.

I.D.-International Design Magazine
March/April 2008- “Little shop of Wonders” by: Hugh Pearman. pg 64-69

MadeThought a low profile graphics studio in London handles such clients as Nike Basketball, Design Miami, etc. You would think one would need to be immersed in the culture to understand that kind of thing, but you don’t. They have transcended national stereotypes stylishly and intelligently with striking poise and modesty.
MadeThought created by Ben Parker and Paul Austin, began as a very small practice working out of Ben’s bedroom. They had one project that started it all. An identity, book, and exhibition graphics for “Jam:Tokyo-Lodon”. This was an exhibition of urban creative culture from the two cities. They had worked at a previous company (North) together and also attended school together in college before starting MadeThought. They just wanted to find their own niche. Their Jam book with typographical patterning as the design driver, was further step into the unorthodox, but proved to be an efficient calling card. Many of their projects took on some of the same attributes. “You could call it Modernism with a twist. To some extent that’s a characteristic of British design. It has something that gives it an edge. We like to think of our working having graphic infection, an ability to spread our design into all aspects of a company’s business”, says Ben Parker “Everyone has praised their work for it’s simplicity and use of bold color. So much work out there is overloaded and over-labored, their work is just very accessible yet creative. For me that’s the essence of good graphic design”, says Ed Barber (Established & Sons), one of their most prized clients.

Class Commentary- April 14th

Site specific.
Today we looked at examples ofsite specific work. I have to say that I found Anthony Gromley’s Domain field the most intriguing out of all of the pieces. Lighting rods in the grouond that stretch over a distance of great plains….That’s natural beauty at its finest. Rachel said that she has experienced this light phenomenon of artistic display. I could only imagine what it would be like to feel and experience the presence of such a powerful force. Lighting is supposed to strike things that are tall and metal, but we as humans are tall and nature is always unexplainable. There is a sense of danger, and a sense urgency in this piece that is unremarkably present. The viewer could just as easily get struck by lightning making them part of the art piece. Then the site becomes ambiguous and doesn’t matter. You can get struck by lightning anywhere at anytime. Are you then copying the piece and the artist.
There was also a Polish artist Krystof Wodiczco who developed away to break a code of silence in Mexico City among women who were sexual abused or raped. Without trust there is no possibility for the development of his work. His participators make his work so powerful and what it is. I have to give it up to us Polish people. Secretly we run the world and shape it, change, and make it better. We rock.

Class Commentary- April 9th

Took a field trip to NODA today to go visit a site in a renovated warehouse/office omplex now. Will had painted an incredibly large mural on the floor of the building. I was impressed by the scale of the piece. I can only imagine how much planning had to go into something like that. I hope he didn't undercut himself on the price of it all. Althought I did not find his particular style appealing it was still interesting. Like he stated, "My painting are normally not something you find on a wall in home." and he is right. I would not find it in my home. I think my favorite piece about his large floor mural was the jazz musicians. I love when images of music are incorporated into art. The two go hand in hand for me...especially in design. The rythmic degress of existence are beautiful. Especially if composed right.

Class Commentary- April 7th

Art as an instigator. Novel concept. As an instigator/antagonizer of any situation I look for little ways to get under peoples skin. Ways to push the buttons. But not all of the buttons. Just some. After all I am a guy, and smartass at that. So I relate to this topic, not fully, but some. There are certain things that I do not agree with like for one poking fun at or messing with someone’s religion. The Piss Christ piece…eh….I could do without. Even though that figure is not actually Christ it is still a representational image of him. That image means a lot to people. Putting it in that context is not cool. Especially something as defiable as urine. And don’t say anything to the extent of urine being cleansed from the body. That’s bullshit. If someone took that stance then….Sin could be considered cleansed from the body like urine. But then you put Christ right back into the shit with this art piece “Piss Christ”.
There was also “Cut” a piece done by Yoko Ono in which members of the audience participated by cutting one piece of here clothing. But There was one particular male member of the audience who didn’t follow the rules. He cut numerous times and removed full pieces of her clothing. Whether are not the act of participating in this event sparked his male hormone driven curiosity to find out what was underneath all of that clothing or whether he was trying to instigate something between himself and Yoko as being an asshole no one will ever no. But after watching the video one day he had a devilish smile in his face while he made each unruling cut.

Class Commentary April 2nd

Today we finally started viewing peoples projects. There wre some surprises and then some dissapointments and then some I don't knows. I really enjoyed Drake's piece. I thought it was a novel concept. It iis on the right track to be completed. I think it needs another revision with presentation. I really liked the idea of combining to genres of music. The problem, nae difficulty in interpreting art is that there are a thousand different ways to interpret it and there are a thousand different next steps. I could say the same for Joey's piece. I would have liked to have seen his creations set in a natural setting on a windy day. These innanimate objects that come to life in this poetic junction of time and space. I didn't understand David's piece. I think it's because I look for a story in everything. I look for the narrative. I need to connect parts. There needs to be a reason. A method to madness. Art for art's sake doesn't exist to me. I didn't understand what Chris Rock had to do with anything. I didn't see a connection. Chris Rock's story was about never knowing love. Yet the girl was talking about how David doesn't like to paint. Yet David's part was about directly connecting to the audience through visual sight. I think if there was going to be a story line or narrative, The piece should have been about David and female figure both opposing each other. It could have been silent. There could have been actual narrative or implied. There would have been an insurmountable force of tension in that piece.