Sunday, October 10, 2010

Evaluative questions

Due to a last minute request, here are the basics of an evaluative question. We did touch on these a bit during our last class.

One might look like the following:

How effectively has the artist created movement in this work?

To address this question the following must be given:

1. Either effectively, or not very effectively.

For BOTH sides, you then need to state how movement is created. It's a lot like an analyze question in this way. "The artist creates movement through the use of line, which can be seen..."

From then, the answer either ends, effectively, when you give a 1 sentence wrap up, OR, if in your opinion it is NOT EFFECTIVE, you then need to give SUGGESTIONS as to how movement could have been shown MORE effectively.

Once again, this is a subjective type of question.

Another example would be "how effectively has the artist used color and form in this artwork?". The same process needs to be followed as for the above answer, but this time you need 2 body paragraphs, one that addresses form and another for color.


I hope this helps and I will see you all at 1215 for the exam today.

Happy studying!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Lucia Hartini


Lucia Hartini, Spying Lens, 1989, oil on canvas.

What you need to know about the artist and the artwork:

Symbols and their meanings in relation to her history:

• Influenced by history of being a Catholic Woman in a predominantly Muslim society (Indonesia).
• Eyes – symbolic of always being watched – either reference to Indonesian Government or of being a minority
• Brick wall – idea of being trapped, cornered, stems from her history as a domestic violence victim
• Wrapped ribbon – idea of a safety net to hold and support her – supported by the fact that she is floating, and once again her history of being a domestic violence victim

  • Hartini's works show the influence of SURREALISM. Check earlier posts to see what Surrealism is.
  • In this work, complementary colors are used. This creates tension in the artwork, as the colors clash and cause discomfort when placed together.

Friday, October 8, 2010

M.C. Escher


M.C. Escher, Reptiles, 1943, lithograph.

What you need to know about the artist and this artwork:

Visit this useful website http://www.tessellations.org/tess-what.htm

Under the tessellations menu you will find useful information on the life of M.C. Escher.

  • This artwork creates an optical illusion, as Escher creates 2D objects that turn into 3D ones, all on a 2D surface (the lithograph)
What is lithography?
Watch this Youtube video to find out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHw5_1Hopsc

M.C. Escher's works on the whole deal a lot with tessellations, optical illusions, and creating impossible images that look plausible. He was fascinated with mathematics, and the precision that he uses in his artworks allows him to create such believable images.

See some of his most iconic works and read more about his life at the official M.C. Escher website.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Rene Magritte


Rene Magritte, Personal Values, 1952, oil on canvas.

In this artwork, Magritte creates the surreal from the ordinary by changing the scale of the objects in the artwork.

What you need to know about the artist and the artwork:

  • A Belgium painter born in 1898
  • Magritte was a member of the Surrealists.
  • He was a realist however in his application of paint and the extreme detail in which he painted his subjects.
  • Created his surrealist paintings by juxtaposing seemingly dissimilar objects or portraying ordinary objects in an unusual light: at closer look however, most of these objects hold a metaphorical connection.
For example, lets look at Time Transfixed.
Upon first inspection, the train seems to be going through the fire place.

By looking closer, we notice that the fire place clearly mimics a tunnel, and the smoke from the train temporarily replaces the smoke from the fire that should be within the train.

However, this is only a moment in time. As the train progresses, it will no longer be in the "tunnel", and the smoke will no longer appear to be that of the fire. It is "time transfixed".

  • Defying gravity is one of Magritte's repeating motifs.
  • Uses traditional perspective to create his surreal works look as if they are plausible.
  • Juxtaposes text and image quite often -- understood the power and possibilities of both the word and image.

The image below is This Is Not a Pipe. At first glance the viewer thinks "yes, it is", but in actuality, Magritte is right. This is not a pipe but rather it is a painting of a pipe. In this way he creates humor through his artwork.


Monday, October 4, 2010

Salvador Dalí: Dreams and Imagination


Salvador Dalí, Homage to Newton, 1985, Bronze.

What you need to know about the artist and the artwork:

Dalí
  • Salvador Dalí once claimed “I myself AM Surrealism”. Dalí was among the leading artists in the group, and a crossover from the Dada movement of the 1920’s.
  • A Spaniard raised in the Cataluñian town of Figures, Dalí was told by his parents at the age of five that he was the reincarnation of an older brother by the same name, who died 9 months before his birth.
  • Dalí’s art career began at an early age with his first exhibition hosted by his father in their home. He went to study art in Madrid, & was expelled before finals as he claimed that none of the teachers were at a level to judge his work.
    With a lanky, frail frame, Dalí always attracted attention. This was accentuated when he grew a handle bar mustache, which would become his trademark.
  • Dalí left Madrid in the mid 20’s & traveled to Paris, where he had his first meeting with Pablo Picasso, the famous Cubist, who had a great influence on Dalí’s early works. Juan Miró also had a large influence on Dalí.
  • Many of Dalí’s works are characterized by his use of exaggeration & elongation as a form of abstraction. The idea of melting is also prominent in many of his works.
  • Ultimately it was Dalí’s eccentric character that spiraled him into fame. He was known for wearing costumes in public, once showing up to a party with his wife & inspiration, Gala, as the Lindberg baby & kidnapper.
  • While best known as a painter, Dalí was also an accomplished sculpture, jeweler, performance artist, script writer, set designer, & videographer.
  • Dali fell sick in 1989 & died. He is buried in the Teatro y Museo Dalí in Figures, the crypt that he spent years building. The Theatre & Museum Dalí features many of Dalí’s works, including all his jewels, & can be visited by the public.
What is Surrealism?
  1. Surrealism was an art movement that took place in Europe, and was founded in Paris in 1924
  2. The Surrealists believed that it was possible to tap into the subconscious, or dream world, and looked to the beliefs of Freud and Jung for influence.
  3. The Surrealists painted dream worlds, and typically juxtaposed seemingly dissimilar objects, that one placed in such a way, created a dialogue between each other.

The Work

Homage to Newton is just that: an homage to Sir Isaac Newton, the 17th century English scholar who discovered the law of gravity.

Here, Dalí has abstracted the form of a man, and left a hollow in his core, where his heart and innards should be, whereby a sphere hangs. The man is abstracted in typical Dalian fashion where things are not necessarily where they belong, like the spinal cord that snakes along the side of the gaping void.

There is some controversy as to whether or not Dalí actually designed this sculpture. He was in no state to create it himself. It was created in 1985 and sits in the CBD of Singapore.

By 1980, Dalí showed Parkinson like symptoms in his hands, and by 1982 his wife died. After that it is said that he lost the will to live, and from 1984 onward, following a fire outbreak in his bedroom that Dalí managed to be rescued from, he was moved to Figures to live out the rest of his life. It is rumoured that between 1982-1984 that his guardians forced him to sign blank canvases that would later be sold as original paintings, and thus the later works of Dalí hold questionable authenticity. This goes for Singapore's Homage to Newton sculpture created in 1985.


Dalí is best known for his paintings. Take a look at some examples below:


The Temptation of St. Anthony (1946), Metamorphosis of Narcissus (1937), The Persistence of Memory (1931).

Exam Strategies

OK. HISTORICALLY, and this is not to say that it will be the same THIS YEAR, artists and artworks that have appeared on the exam do not repeat themselves. Here is a list of the artists that haven't shown up YET. This is not an exclusive list of who you need to study. You need to know all of your artists and artwork history inside and out, but I would place more emphasis on the following, as the probability of seeing these artworks on your exam is higher.

Chua Mia Tee
Tan Tee Chie
Montien Boonma
Ibrahim Hussein
Vikas Gore
Bayu Utomo Radijikin
Georgette Chen
Hendra Gunawan
Dede Eri Supria
Chen Chong Swee
Auguste Rodin
Constantin Brancusi
Salvador Dalí
Rene Magritter
M.C. Escher
Lucia Hartini
Han Sai Por
Piet Mondrian
Antony Gromley

Good luck and happy studying! More posts to follow in the next few days.

Constantin Brancusi


Constantin Brancusi, Monument Ensemble at Tirgu Jiu, 1937, sculpture. (Gate of Kiss, Table of Silence, Endless Column)

What you need to know about the artist and the artworks?:

Historical Context: Brancusi was a restless soul. At the age of 11, he ran away from home to Targu-Jiu, an out of the way place that is not easily accessible. This is important, as it was a sort of haven for Brancusi.

Years later in 1937-1938 Brancusi constructs the Monument Ensemble at Tirgu Jiu, which consists of the Table of Silence, Gate of Kiss, and the Endless Column.

Artist’s Inspiration: The entire Monument Ensemble is an homage to the fallen heroes of WWI.

Table of Silence is representative of the table that soldiers confer at before a battle. The seats are shaped like hourglasses to symbolize the passage of time.

Gate of Kiss symbolizes the passage of soldiers from this life to the next. The motif on the pillars (the detail that you see) represents eyes watching, perhaps the eyes of God or another higher power.

Endless Column is considered to be the “spiritual will” of Brancusi.

It is also said that since the River Jiu runs very near to Tirgu Jiu, that this river is the way that the souls of the “hero soldiers” will reach the other life. This is reminiscent of Greek mythology and the River Styx’s.

Brancusi's early works were influenced by Rodin (see earlier post).

Remember that with any artwork that is walked through, as it is a part of a space, the experience of the viewer will change with every experience through the space based on the surrounding environment and others who are also occupying the space.

Brancusi is best known for his work Bird In Space (1923), a simplification that provides the essence of a bird as it glides through space.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Auguste Rodin


Auguste Rodin, The Thinker, 1880, Bronze

What you need to know about the artist and the artwork:

  • born in 1844
  • Wants to study art as he is gifted in drawing and has been doing so ever since he can remember, and fails his entrance exam 3 times to get into the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Has an aversion towards the conventional art system ever thereafter.
  • Considers joining a religious order in 1862 after the tragic death of his sister, but is convinced by the founder that his true calling is to sculpt.
  • In 1872-5 he makes a number of sculptures in a style similar to Michelangelo while studying under a master sculptor.
  • Goes to Italy and studies Michelangelo's works in an in depth manner.
  • His style is that of REALISM.
What is Realism?
  1. An art movement, strongest in Paris in the mid-19th century, where artists portrayed what was really going on around them, and life as it was.
  2. With a great divide in class structure, the results of portraying the down and dirty and truisms of society, controversy typically followed art of the realists.
  3. Rodin did not want to send a political message, but by portraying everyday subject matter and by creating his subjects very realistically, he managed to cause a stir anyways.

The Thinker
  • In 1880 receives a commission to design a decorative entrance to the Museum of Decorative Arts. (the museum is never built). This project, worked on alongside with other works, will take Rodin the rest of his life, and he will not finish it.
  • He draws inspiration from Ghiberti's The Gates of Paradise, which he has seen on his trip to Florence, Italy.
Ghiberti's The Gates of Paradise

  • Dante draws inspiration from Dante's Divine Comedy:
  • The Divine Comedy is a 14 century work by the poet Dante. It is a series of 3 epic poems that document the writers journey through the 3 spiritual realms according to the Catholic traditon: Heaven (Paradiso), Pergatory (Pergatorio), and Hell (Inferno). Rodin decides to structure his gates after Dante's Inferno.
The Gates of Hell
The Inferno documents Dante's journey through Hell, in which he is led down the 9 circles (each getting worse than the next) with the ancient poet Virgil as his guide.

The Thinker is actually Dante himself overlooking the gruesome chaos that is hell below.

Several of Rodin's most famous sculptures have come from studies for figures for the Gates of Hell including The Thinker and The Kiss.

The Kiss


  • It was very typical of Rodin to leave his works unfinished, as can be seen by the works below.
Walking Man


Chen Wen Hsi


Chen Wen Hsi, Herons, 1990, Chinese Ink and colors.

Born in 1908 and died in 1991.

What you need to know about the artist and this work:
  • Chinese immigrant to Singapore: decided to move here after visiting Malaysia for a show and being inspired by the tropical scenery.
  • Was initially influenced by the Post-Impressionist style while studying in University, but later explored the use of Chinese Ink painting.
  • Managed to merge concepts from traditional Chinese Ink painting and western painting to form his own unique art style.
  • Was one of the big 4 from Singapore who went on the historical Bali trip in 1952.
  • Taught at NAFA from 1951-9, and thus was instrumental to developing the Nanyang style. See earlier posts for clarification on WHAT the Nanyang style is.
  • The use of Cubism is evident when he uses both oil and ink. This influence started AFTER the Bali trip, and too place in the 60s -- the 80s.
What is Cubism?
  1. An art movement that debuted in Paris in 1911 (but started in 1901) by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.
  2. Cubism makes use of shifting viewpoints, and inspiration can be seen from Cezanné's use of multiple viewpoints in a single artwork.
  3. The results of cubism were often flat and highly patterned surfaces, where it can be difficult to tell what each object is.
  4. The type of Cubism that Chen Wen Hsi uses is referred to as Analytical cubism, as he has drawn from life, as opposed to Synthetic cubism, where collage techniques are used.
  • Loved nature: grew up in a small rural town in China among animals, and thus could study them from a close proximity.
  • When he moved to Singapore, he bought a large variety of animals from chickens to gibbons, many of which appear in his artworks. He literally LIVED among the animals in his paintings.
  • Does not see his artwork as a linear progression. This is shown by the fact that he doesn't date his artworks.
Other artworks by Chen Wen Hsi Below: Chickens, Gibbons.































Picasso: Weeping Woman, Girl Before a Mirror



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Treatment of space and structure in 2-D artworks: Claude Monet


Claude Monet, Impression Sunrise, 1872, Oil on Canvas

What you need to know about the artist and the artwork:

Monet was an Impressionist.
  • Impressionism was an art movement that originated in France between 1860 and 1900.
  • The Impressionists rejected the conventional, academic style of painting popular at the time.
  • They were dubbed the Impressionists by an art critic attempting to discredit the artists and their independent show (as in 1874 they set up their own exhibition instead of showcasing their work in a traditional manner at the Salon). This critic used the word "impression" to describe the sketchy, unfinished quality of the works, but it was quickly adapted by the artists themselves.
  • The Impressionists explored through their application of paint how it was possible to capture a sensory impression.
  • Their loose use of color, distinct brushstrokes, bright palette and disregard for shading sets them apart from their predecessors, as does their choice of nature as subject matter.
  • The Impressionists were particularly interested of the effect of lighting on a scene. Monet was known to paint the same subject matter again and again in different lighting.
  • As the Impressionists were "capturing the moment", they painted outdoors, which was against the convention of the day.
To know about Monet:
  • studied drawing in his teens, and at 17 discovered painting in the open-air and found it to be his calling.
  • regarded as a master of observation.
  • seen as a "leader" among the members of the movement not for his scholarly knowledge but for his ability to be alert to possibilities in seemingly common ideas. He also took his work farther from the norms than the others, from which they then followed.
  • In 1890 Monet purchased property in Giverny, France. He created a garden with a lily pond and a Japanese bridge here, and starting in 1906 this became the inspiration for almost all of his paintings.
  • Monet had cataracts in both of his eyes, resulting in limited sight. Despite this, he continued to paint with marvelous colors, and his subject matter became less and less distinct.
Other artists in the Impressionist's movement:
  • Edgar Degas
  • Paul Cézanne
  • Camille Pissarro
  • Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  • Alfred Sisley
For more of Monet's works go to: http://giverny.org/monet/welcome.htm
I'd highly recommend taking a browse around the site -- look too at how the Impressionist painters use color :D

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Treatment of Space and Structure in 2D artworks: Chen Chong Swee


Top: Chen Chong Swee, Scenery, 1980, Chinese Ink and Colors.

Bottom: Chen Chong Swee, Village Scene, 1980, Chinese Ink and Colors.

What you need to know about the artist (key points):

Born 1910, Died 1985
  • was the first in attempting a synthesis of distinctive aesthetic traditions of East and West. This became known as the "Nanyang School" Chinese painting style.
  • One of the founding members of SG's Watercolor society.
  • took a lot of trips to Bali and Malaysia for inspirational scenes of what is authentically Southeast Asian: was one of the 4 artists who went on the historic "Bali Trip" (Liu Kang, Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi, and Cheong Soo Pieng). This trip not only provided material for visual expression that is uniquely Southeast Asian but also revealed Southeast Asian art as ritualistic, experiential and decorative.
  • was a large contributor to written reviews and reflections of works and trends in art. One such issue that he wrote on discussed the fundamental differences between Eastern and Western art, and the need to develop traditional Chinese painting as to be relevant to the multicultural environment of the time.
  • Was the first artist to incorporate the local subject matter of Singapore into Chinese Ink Painting. This is HUGE!
  • Chen Chong Swee believes that there are 6 principles, all of which must be sustained, in the ink painting tradition:
  1. Spirit Resonance and Life Movement
  2. Bone Manner (structure): use of the brush
  3. Conform with the Objects to give likeness
  4. Apply the colors according to the characteristics
  5. Plan and design (composition)
  6. To transmit models by drawing
He believed that a student of ink painting needed to fully comprehend all the six principles in order to create a good ink work.

Chen Chong Swee believed that
*Art is a part of life and cannot exist independently from real life. If it fails to be accepted by another (as it is subjective), it looses its essence of universality and can no longer exist as art*

Treatment of Space in a 2D artwork: Dede Eri Supria


Top: Dede Eri Supria, Labyrinth, 1987-88, oil on canvas.

Bottom: Dede Eri Supria, Between the Red Steel, 1992, oil on canvas.

What you need to know about the artist and his artwork:

Born: 29 January 1956, Jakarta
Nationality: Indonesian
History:
キ 7th of 11 children
キ burst into the Indonesian art scene in the 1970’s
キ considered innovative for the discussions that his art brings up
キ uses objects to represent social issues (Symbolism)
キ an idealist painter: paintings must have beauty & content
Common themes in his work:
o Population & living environment
o Terrorizing products
o Crossroads of emancipation
(freedom)
o Peace & war
o Urban violence
o Manpower
o Industrial pollution
o Human Rights
キ Particularly, the Urbanization of his beloved hometown, Jakarta.
キ During WWII, the Allies dubbed Jakarta as the “treasure of Asia”.
キ People here depended on the earth & had a very harmonious relationship with her.
キ Since the war, Jakarta has become extremely built up & is now a large urban city.
キ Iron & concrete now trample the fertility of Jakarta’s soil.

In Labyrinth notice the use of brand names that make up the walls of the maze.

Discussion:

The use of color is very important in Supria's work. In Labyrinth he uses primary colors, and in Between the Red Steel, the red is overbearing. Why do you think that Supria used these color schemes for his work?

Monday, August 23, 2010

Design: The Esplanade


Vikas Gore, The Esplanade Theatres by the Bay, 2002, architecture

What you need to know about the artist and the work:

Vikas Gore is the leading architect on the Esplanade

The inspiration for the shape could be a durian or the eyes of a fly

The "spikes" are really sun shades. This came about as the original design was made of 2 glass domes, but in a tropical climate, these become like greenhouses maintaining all the heat. The sun shades were added to deflect the sun and protect the structure.

Please see the accompanying handout distributed in class for more info on Vikas Gore. Read through the whole thing please.

Design: Philippe Starck


Philippe Starck, Juicy Salif (Lemon Squeezer), 1990, product.

What you need to know about Philippe Starck:

Has always been a tinkerer.

Designs hotels and restaurants as well as products, and pays as much attention to what isn't there as to what IS there.

Shows Bauhaus influence:

What is the Bauhaus?
Click here to learn!

Idea of form AS function in his design, as well as design for mass-production.

For this particular artwork, he was inspired by a meal that he was eating that had squid in it. He was literally squeezing the lemon onto the squid when he had the idea. It is a bit of a whimsical or playful artwork, in that the lemon is squeezed over the squid, as it is when one eats squid.

Visit the artist's personal website at http://www.starck.com/ to learn more about the artist and see his other works.

For discussion:

Please choose a work that interests you from his website. Where do you think his inspiration comes from?

After reading Starck's biography, how do you think that his past and his personality have influenced his artworks?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Cultural Commentaries: Traditions and Heritage: Montien Boonma


Montien Boonma, Buffaloes from the Field to the Town, 1988, mixed media.

What you need to know about the artist:

Boonma's works are always about the change that has occurred in Thai life.

Like the rest of Asia, Thailand has gone through a rapid phase of modernization in the last 50 or so years. This type of rapid modernization has a great impact on the people who live through it, as they witness the demise or decline of one way of life and the birth and fruition of another. Many times this type of change is met with hostility.

In his artwork, Boonma juxtaposes the old with the new: we have manufactured stools placed with old gunnysacks that could be found in the more rural areas, with corn husks, another material found in rural areas, and finally a buffalo horn. While the abstracted and simplified Buffalo forms have been created from all natural materials, because some are manufactured it creates both tension and harmony between the old and the new.

The significance of the Buffalo in rural Thailand is huge. In rural areas, even in modern times (but less frequently as modern farm equipment is more readily available), water buffalo are used to help plow the rice patty fields, and in many villages are seen as a sign of wealth. They were once essential for a farmer's success.

Boonma also claims that his artwork is environmental. By using primative and natural materials, he hopes to get viewers thinking about environmental problems, and perhaps awareness will be heightened.

Questions:

1. In your opinion, how is this work environmental? (or is it?) Support your answer with contextual information.

Cultural Commentary: Traditions and Heritage: See Hiang To


See Hiang To, Malay Man with Wayang Kulit, 1977, Chinese Ink.

What you need to know:

Wayang is the Indonesian word for theatre.
Wayang Kulit is the most widely known type of wayang, and is a shadow puppet theatre.
This type of theatre uses light and shadow, and the puppets are made of leather and placed on bamboo sticks.

It is thought that the Wayang Kulit began with the influence of Hinduism in Indonesia in the first century CE. When Muslim influence came to Indonesia, the Wayang Kulit suffered censorship due to it's portrayal of Gods in its stories.

The Tok Dalang, similar to a puppeteer, is the mastermind behind the show. He narrates the story using voice inflections from behind the screen. There is orchestra music in the background.

Here's a taste of what the Wayang Kulit is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJGE3m7BEng&feature=related

Historically, people of Malay decent have been living on the island of Sumatra. It therefore may be inferred that it would not be uncommon for a Malay man living in Indonesia to take up the art of the Wayang Kulit.

The man is wearing a songkok, a hat traditionally worn by Muslim men, and typically worn with traditional clothing. While it is difficult to tell what exactly the puppet is, it has striking similarities to depictions of the Hindu God Balrama. The coloring (green), headress worn, and even the style of pants are very similar. Click here for an image of Balrama. This creates a juxtaposition, or conflict of interests, as we know that the religion of Islam does not allow for the use of Hindu Gods and Godesses in Watyang Kulit. How you interpret this is completely up to you.

Furthermore, there is Chinese writing on the side of the page. With so many aspects of widely distinct culturals present in this work, it could be a commentary on the diversity of cultures that are represented in Indonesia, around 300, a melting pot that has been developing for centuries.

Social Commentaries: Ways of Life: Tan Tee Chie


Tan Tee Chie, Brobak Birds Competition, 1966, Woodcut

What you need to know about the artist & artwork:

  • Tan Tee Chie was a graduate from NAFA in 1951 and became a lecturer there.
  • Uses traditional 1-point perspective.
  • Documents an Asian pastime: bird competitions were, and still are in some places, a form of entertainment. The birds are judged on their singing abilities, and as birds are eliminated from the competition their cages are removed from their stands.
  • Singapore still has these competitions regularly.
  • Is a way to document the everyday and to preserve traditions for future generations.
What is woodcut?
  • woodcut is a type of printmaking technique where the artist removes the areas that he/she wants to keep white. The ink is applied only to highest surface on the block of wood, or those NOT carved away. Typically, artists will use line (like hatching and crosshatching in ink, except that they would carve away what they want to be white) to create values and depth, although Tan Tee Chie's woodcut is relatively flat lacking in tonal values.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Social Commentaries: Ways of Life: Nyoman Nuarta


Nyoman Nuarta, Rush Hour, 1992, Brass and Copper

What you need to know about the artist:

There is very little out there about the artist's personal life. Even on his own website, he only publishes his CV, listing only his professional accomplishments.

He is Indonesian. We know that in the last 50 years or so, Indonesia has undergone massive change both politically, from being a Dutch colony to gaining it's own independence, and then a change in government as recently as 1998.

We also know that Western influences, while adapted in their own way, are never copied outright and are typically met with resistance in Indonesia.

We can blatantly see the influence of Futurism on Nuarta's work

WHAT IS FUTURISM?
  • An Italian art movement that began in 1909, it celebrated modern technology, speed, city life, and tried to break away from traditional Western Art.
Jagged planes and repetition of shapes and lines are characteristic of Futurist works.

In Nuarta's sculpture, we can see that the bikers are moving at full speed (by the angle of their bodies and the impact of the wind), but they are not ACTUALLY moving.

This is one of the biggest criticisms of Futurism is that ultimately it was not possible to show actual movement, so while trying to be active it is still a bit static, due to the limitations of the media of painting and sculpture.

Nuarta's work is created using a variety of techniques such as modeling, carving, casting and construction. This allows for quite a bit of freedom in creating the work, as it allows for change to occur throughout the process.

Other Futurist works:

Top: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, Umberto Boccioni, 1913, Bronze

Bottom: Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, Giacomo Balla, 1912, Oil on Canvas


Citations: Art Outreach Singapore, 2005, Herbert's "...isms, Understanding Art, http://www.indo.com/indonesia/history.html

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Social Commentary: Ways of Life: Chua Mia Tee


Chua Mia Tee, Workers in a Canteen, 1974, Oil on Canvas


What you need to know about Chua Mia Tee:

Born: 25 November, 1931
Nationality: Chinese; immigrated to Singapore in 1937

  • He graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1952: studied Western painting under Chen Chong Swee.
  • To the artist, art MUST reflect life, & must be firmly grounded in reality, even if it is not necessarily painted in a photorealistic manner. It was important to document the everyday. This was a way to document the growth and changes that were occurring in Singapore in a visual manner.
  • One of the Pioneers of Social Realism in Singapore.
  • What is SOCIAL REALISM?
Social Realism
Social Realism took place in Europe in the 1850’s, but did not reach South East Asia until the 1970’s. The goals in Europe & SG were the same: to give the people a sense of national identity & pride, & to portray the working class as heroes. This was to give the budding country a sense of national pride and to promote patriotism. Look at CMT's other artworks: they all focus on the working class and places them in the spotlight. By taking the everyday and making it special (by portraying it in art), the artist has highlighted and created "heroes" out of the working class.

  • Artist’s Inspiration: This type of painting is part of the Nanyang style of painting. While not one of the big 4 Nanyang painters, having attended NAFA and having studied under Cheng Chong Swee, CMT can be considered a Nanyang Artist.
  • Reminder: The Nanyang style of painting developed from a group of painters who went to Nanyang and came together to form their own style, to be unified, and to be identified as SG’s first style of painting: a style of painting that Singapore could call it’s own. This happened shortly after Singapore's independence from Great Britain.
  • This piece sheds light upon the need to create an anti-colonialistic & national identity for Singapore artists & art.
Other artworks by Chua Mia Tee:














From top to bottom: Samsui Women, 1977; National Language Class, 1959; Snake Charmer, 1977; Portable Cinema, 1977

All works are Oil on Canvas

Questions:

  1. Describe Workers in a Canteen.
  2. Is CMT successful in creating "heroes" out of workers? Why or why not? Support your answer with visual evidence.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Christo and Jeanne-Claude


Check out their site:http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/wc.shtml, with some interesting facts on their Wrapped Coast project from the 60s. Remember the materials, and think of the rationale for using those materials.


Check out the excerpt from their Biography on the site: this will provide you some insight into their work.

Eye-level:
To return to the question of how you finance your work, it’s very unusual in the art world and very impressive. Is it done only because you want to avoid any entanglements, or do you see the process of moving from the software to the hardware as an integral part of your art? In other words, if you were independently wealthy, would you just go out and do the installations and not bother with the selling of the drawings?

Christo:
That’s a very good question and we have never thought of it, because (laughter) we have never been independently wealthy and so we have no idea. But the drawings are not created only to be sold. The drawings are extremely important to clarify our ideas and to crystallize the idea. And for every project, because it takes years, you can see the early drawings and collages as just a simple, vague idea, and through the years and through the negotiations of getting the permit, you see that every detail is now clarified.

Jeanne-Claude:
We have been working with the engineers, we know the site by heart, and the last drawings, which are done just before completion, because Christo never does preparatory drawings after a project is completed, then you can see that it’s unbelievable! It almost looks like we’ve seen a photo of the project. It’s so perfect! And this is how our engineers can build it, because finally, its neat and clear and crystallized, exactly what it will look like.

Eye-level:
Your work by its nature draws the public into the process before it is built. They visualize it in terms of why they support it or why they oppose it. How does that interaction with the public shape your work?

Jeanne-Claude:
It doesn’t shape the work. It only shapes whether we get the permit, or not. It doesn’t shape the work itself because we have never changed an idea, we have only crystallized it and made it clearer. Our work is not just painting or just sculpture, even though it has elements or painting and sculpture, but it’s also architecture, environmental planning, all these things. Nobody has ever discussed a painting before the painter has painted it. Nobody has ever discussed a sculpture before the sculptor has sculpted it. But everybody discusses a projected new airport, new highway, new bridge, before they are created. Our work encompasses all these elements.

Eye-level:
You are viewed as controversial artists. What do you see as the source of that controversy?

Jeanne-Claude:
This is a great compliment because we are 66 years old and to be still today called controversial makes us feel so young. It’s marvelous! (laughter) Imagine, they call us avant garde and controversial after 44 years of work. It’s fabulous! Controversial is because we never do twice the same work. We will never wrap a bridge again as we did in 1985 in Paris when we wrapped the Pont Neuf, the 400 years old bridge. We will never wrap a bridge again. We will never build Umbrellas again. We will never wrap a parliament again. We will never do a Valley Curtain or a Running Fence. We will never surround any islands, as we did in Florida in 1983, when we surrounded 11 islands with pink floating fabric in Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida. We will never do again the same.

Christo:
Therefore, when we arrive in a place and talk to new people about a new image, it is very hard for them to visualize it. That’s where the drawings are very important, because at least we can show a projection of what we believe it will look like. We tell them that we believe it will be beautiful because that is our specialty, we only create joy and beauty. We have never done a sad work. Through the drawings, we hope a majority will be able to visualize it.

If, in Colorado today, were we to tell the people: you have a beautiful bridge. May we please wrap it? Look at this book. It’s 400 pages, showing you how beautiful the bridge in Paris looked. Probably everybody would say, “Oh! That is magnificent. Yes, you may wrap our bridge.” But we have no wish to wrap again a bridge. Therefore we have to go over the fact that all human beings are afraid by what is new. It is our work to convince them that they will enjoy it, and even if they don’t, to allow us just for 14 days to create that work of art.
Proof that all the drawings you do before assignments are not for nothing :D

Please answer the following questions on YOUR blog (be sure to become a follower of mine for a grade). Each question is worth 10 points.

1. Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work is atypical. How would you describe this artwork to someone? Remember to use your elements and principles of art, as well as adjectives to answer.

2. In your own words, what is "Wrapped Coast" about? What was the purpose of creating such a monumental work?

Ibrahim Hussein: Self and Identity


Ibrahim Hussein, My Father and the Astronaut, 1970, acrylic.

Ibrahim Hussein was born to a poor family in Malaysia, and always had a knack for art. He studied at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore, and considered his medium to be "Printage", a combination of printing and collage.

What you need to know about this artwork in relation to world history:

THE SPACE RACE: a competition between Russia and the USA to land a man on the moon first. Landing first meant that the winning Superpower would show that they were technologically more advanced, and would be seen as more advanced in a military sense as well.

The Russians landed a craft on the moon in 1959.

The Americans landed a manned spacecraft, Apollo 11, on the moon on 20th July 1969. The world stood watching as Niel Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon.

Please make sure to zoom in and see the writing that is present in the artwork. They are important.

"Place sungai limau dalam, yen" is the place where Ibrahim Hussein was born.
"13 March 1936" is the artist's birthday.

Also: Asian Cultural History:

Sometimes, children would refer to their father as "My Father the Astronaut". This was because some fathers would always be traveling for business, and only home for brief periods of time. However, based on the image of how his father is portrayed, we can infer that this was probably not the case in Ibrahim Hussein's household. Also, the title of the painting is "My Father AND the Astronaut". It is still worth noting however.

Question 1a: Using what you know, why do YOU think that Ibrahim Hussein has juxtaposed the image of his father with an astronaut? What is the relationship between the two (also think about the title)?

Question 1b: Why do you think that the text that is placed between the figures relates to the artist's birth? Where does the relation lie between this and the rest of the work?

Question 2: DESCRIBE the mixed-media artwork:

Answer these questions as a guide for ALL 2-D mixed media works (some questions do not apply to every painting):
  • What is the artwork an image OF? (What are the identifiable things IN the artwork?)
  • Where are these things located IN the artwork?
  • Where does the subject of the artwork take place? (in a room, at a festival, etc)
  • What COLORS are used & what do they look like? (bright, dull, earth tones, etc)
  • What type of PERSPECTIVE is used in the artwork?
  • What materials are used? Is there a unique effect that these materials create?
  • What texture (if any) does the artwork have?

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Hendra Gunawan


Hendra Gunawan, Family Portrait, 1968

What you need to know about Hendra Gunawan:

Indonesian. Parents divorced when young.

1st wife was a Sundanese woman.

In 1942 fighting broke out in Indonesia against the Dutch Colonial Government.

Upon Indonesia's victory, Gunawan began to paint patriotic posters. Fell into poverty during this time.

In 1945, started an artist community called Frontline Painters. Invited dropouts and unemployed youth who wished to be his students to come to the studio. Studio gained nationwide influence.

Began to gain an identity as a freedom fighter, being pro-communist. In 1965, the government went through a violent change of hands to a Pro-Western and anti-communist government that would last for 32 years. In 1965-1978, Gunawan was detained (put in prison) by the new government. He was imprisoned due to his political ties, and paintings of controversial subject matter (including those of prostitutes).

Throughout his life, his subject matter of his artworks have dealt with the working class, politics, and documentation of daily life.

Questions:
1. Describe the painting.

2. What can you infer about the family dynamics from this portrait? Support your answer with evidence from the painting. Remember that he painted this while in prison.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Dorothea Lange


Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley, 1935, Gelatin Silver Print.


What you need to know about Dorothea Lange:

Dorothea Lange was hired by the United States Government during the Great Depression to travel the country and document its people, as well as the effects of the Great Depression.

What is the Great Depression:

Beginning with the crash of the stock market in 1929, the Great Depression was a time of economic hardship in the USA, that spanned from 1929 until the beginning of WWII. At certain periods during the Great Depression, unemployment rose to over 30%.

Why was Dorothea Lange hired by the government:

In an initiative by the FSA (Farm Security Administration), many notable photographers were hired to show what life was like on the farm during the Great Depression. This was to document the time period, as well as to provide employment for the arts. Check out this site for more photographs from the Great Depression by other photographers. http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_14.html

Many of Dorothea Lange's photographs are compelling because she catches her subjects off-gaurd, going about their daily lives.

Questions:
1. Describe the photograph.
2. How does the artist create movement?

Liu Kang 1 & 2




Top Left: Artist and Model, Liu Kang, 1954,
Top Right: Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, Paul Gauguin,
1897, Oil on canvas
Bottom Right: Liu Kang, Life by the River, 1975

What you need to know about the Liu Kang:

He was a member of the Nanyang Style. See the post on Georgette Chen for clarification on what the Nanyang Style IS.

Liu Kang is influenced by the Post-Impressionists: you can see the influence of Paul Gauguin on his work. The use of flat color and sylization are the most obvious of influences.

Many of Liu Kang's artworks are influenced by events in daily life. Like Gauguin, Liu Kang went to an exotic location to draw inspiration. For him, it was Bali, on a trip with the other Nanyang Artists. For Gauguin it was Tahiti.

The following text about the importance of the Bali trip has been borrowed from http://www.postcolonialweb.org/singapore/arts/painters/channel/12.html purely for educational review purposes. Click on the link to read the entire article.

"In 1952, Liu Kang, Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng went on their historic field trip to Bali. While it would not be accurate to state that the Nanyang artists went to Bali because of Le Mayeur or even Gauguin's inspiration, Le Mayeur did create a deep impression of Bali in the Singapore art circle and, in fact, the artists met him during that trip.

The pioneers went to Bali mainly to search for a visual expression that was Southeast Asian. Not only did Bali offer them a rich visual source, the Balinese experience also revealed the ritualistic, experiential and decorative nature of Southeast Asian art -- a point which sets the Singapore story apart from the Gauguinian legend.

During and after the trip, images of Bali provided both the inspiration and visual sources which enabled the artists to crystalise their exploration of an aesthetic style in Singapore art.

In Artist and Model which shows Chen Wen Hsi sketching a Balinese woman, Liu Kang's dark outlines have become white -- an innovation which could have been inspired by batik painting. Painted in 1954, this work may be based on a sketch made during the artists' field trip to Bali two years earlier. Chen is seated, working on a sketching board propped on another rattan chair. This rhythmic repetition of chairs, further echoed by the number and arrangement of tea pot and cups on the round table makes the entire painting delightfully casual and whimsical.

Life by the River, a 1975 work, shows a village scene with busy human activity. Liu Kang is a master of composition. Depth in this painting is achieved more by the arrangement of shapes than by perspective, suggesting a pictorial sensitivity more in tune with the Chinese landscape tradition. The yellow walkway on the left and the river on the right not only echo each other, but also lead the viewer's attention to the houses in the distance."


Questions:

1. Discuss the stylistic differences in Liu Kang's work Artist and Model, done in 1954, and Life By the River, from 1975. Support your answer with historical information.

2. In what manner does Liu Kang's work show influence from that of Paul Gauguin. Include all possibilities, both visual and historical.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Social Identity: Portraiture as a reflection of the subject's status in society: Georgette Chen


Lai Foong Moi, Labourer (Lunch Break), 1965, Oil on canvas

What you need to know about the life of Lai Foong Moi:
  • She studied art in Paris
  • Came back to Singapore and became one of the most important painters of the Nanyang Style.
What is the Nanyang style?
  • Check out this very informative webpage. You should know what the Nanyang style is, or at least the very basics of what it is, for your examination. Click here!
  • She paints the everyday, that which is found all around.
Just like the last post, in which I analyzed the symbolic nature of Georgette Chen's portrait of her late husband, please do the following to analyze THIS artwork:

1. DESCRIBE the artwork.
2. Analyze the symbolism in the artwork. Based on the title, you will need to:
  • find the typical labourer's dress of the day. See how his attire relates and compares.
  • look at the posture and gaze of the subject
  • look at the surroundings
  • look at any other "things" in the artwork. Why were they purposefully placed there?
Please complete and submit via your blogs.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Social Identity: Portraiture as a reflection of the subject's status in society: Georgette Chen

Georgette Chen, Portrait of Eugene Chen, 1940, Oil on Canvas.

What you need to know about the life of Georgette Chen (in a nutshell):

  • Was a forerunner in the Singapore art scene. One of the founders of the Nanyang style of art.
  • Cultured early life: lived between Paris and New York, visiting China regularly with her father to remember her roots.
  • Both Georgette and her husband were imprisoned during the breakout of the Second Sino-Japanese War, which later evolved into WWII.
  • Eugene Chen was a minister
  • Eugene Chen, her husband, died as a POW towards the end of WWII (before June 1944)
  • Georgette Chen continued to paint portraits of her husband post-mortem.
Her style of painting is classified as Post-Impressionist. Refer to the earlier posts on Affandi and Vincent Van Gogh for details on the art movement and characteristics of the style.

In Portraits that are depicted to portray Social Status, we can look to posture and items in the image to show the class/interests of the sitter. Remember that this portrait is HOW HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR ALL ETERNITY. Nothing is a mistake. Everything has importance.

First, it is necessary to look into the traditional clothing of the time period. In the late 1930's and early 1940's, suits, ties, and hats (fedoras) were in fashion.

Compare this to our sitter. He wears a simple what appears to be a cotton button casual shirt with a scarf wrapped around his neck.

This can suggest several things:
  1. He is down to earth, and not concerned with the fashion of the day.
  2. He is conservative, and does not with to attract attention to himself.
  3. As we know that he is a minister, we know that the Chen couple is not hurting for money. This may imply that he is humble.
  4. The scarf tied around his neck suggests that he is an intravert: it acts as a kind of shield in a way, almost like a blanket would.
He is posed wearing glasses and a book. This suggests:
  1. That he is educated, and places value on having an appearance as an intellectual or knowledgeable man.
He sits in a wicker chair. This suggests:
  1. That perhaps he enjoys admiring the outdoors or staying at home, as wickerchairs are not indoor furniture and are typically only found in the home.
He sits on the edge of the chair, and looks off into the distance as if distracted. This suggests:
  1. He is worried or preoccupied. It looks as if the weight of the world is on his mind, suggesting that he is committed to his job as a minister.
  2. He is a busy man who enjoys leisure but perhaps does not have time for such joys as reading.
While there is nothing for you to ACTIVELY DO for this post, please take note of the symbolism in the artwork including the traditional dress of the 1940's, Georgette and Eugene Chen's past, as well as the style of the artwork.

It is very important that you know HOW to do this. You'll get to practice on another artwork in the NEXT post :D