Intro. Visual Arts exam #4
Describe Dale Chihuly's collaborative art-making process.
An important aspect of Chihuly's work is the collaborative process of fabricating the glass pieces and installing the sculptures on site. Most of his pieces are formed around an inner "skeleton" or armature. This metal structure forms the basic shape of the work and serves as its structural support. Each blown glass piece is individually packed and carefully shipped to its destination. There, the pieces are unpacked and the installation process begins. Most of his chandelier pieces are made from 100-1000 individual blown pieces.
What features of the Aqua Tower make it an example of "green" or sustainable architecture?
An important factor in Aqua's design, Gang and her team refined the terrace extensions to maximize solar shading, and other sustainable features include a water-efficient irrigation system and energy-efficient lighting. The green roof on top of the tower base is one of the largest in Chicago.
She took three past images of the Jemima character and presented them in a new way. By adding images of power (black fist, toy pistol, and grenade) she liberates the image from racial oppression.
Bettye Saar, The Liberation of Aunt Jemima
What do the Guerrilla Girls and JR have in common?
Both use art as a means of social reform.
What mediums are traditionally associated with craft?
Ceramics- formed from clay and fired in a kiln. Glass- made through glass blowing techniques. Fiber- sewn tapestry with origins in weaving and can be embellished with embroidery. Metal- metal-casting techniques can be used to form it into bowls, utensils, etc. Wood- carved into trunks, chairs, benches, or other furniture.
What is the birthplace of modern architecture and why?
Chicago. Beginning in the early 1880s, architectural pioneers of the Chicago School explored steel-frame construction and, in the 1890s, the use of large areas of plate glass. These were among the first modern skyscrapers.
How does Targin's biograpyh of Chihuly portray him as an artist rather than a craftsman and his work as art rather than craft? What is the advantage to portraying Chihuly in this way?
Chihuly uses basic artist concepts- form, line, color in the crafting of his art pieces. He bases his design on personal emotions and relationships. His large artworks have been installed in museums and open air spaces such as Venice.
Example of appropriation. Picasso altered the nude by using jagged, sharp, and deformed lines, didn't try to hide the women are prostitutes, and added African masks to two of the women.
Picasso, Des Demoiselles d Avignon
How does Libeskin's design for the Denver Art Museum relate to the natural landscape? To its immediate surroundings? To the contemporary art it houses?
Relation to nature- came directly from the Rocky mountain landscape. Immediate surroundings- he cooperated with other local architects who were also designing other aspects of the area. Fine Art it houses- the displayed art is set up in new ways including in the center spaces, hung in crevices, and hung on slanted walls suspended out.
Cantilever
Rigid structural element, such as a beam or a plate, anchored at only one end to a (usually vertical) support from which it is protruding; this could also be a perpendicular connection to a flat vertical surface such as a wall. Can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.
What is the stigma of the word "craft" and how does it affect craft artists and institutions?
Contemporary distinctions between art and craft impact the art world in a number of ways. We have a whole slew of associations with the word "craft" that stems from history. To some, these can be seen as "negative" or stereotypical associations. For example, what does it mean in our society to refer to a person as a "craftsman" as opposed to an "artist"? The connotations of these terms go beyond simple distinctions of functionality and medium. The following is a sample of society's perceptions of the terms "craft" and "fine art," "artisan" or "craftsperson" and "artist." Due to their origin as functional objects, objects referred to as crafts are associated with the everyday, the mundane, the ordinary. Crafts have long been associated with "women's work" and thus notions of femininity. As such, crafts are strongly associated with domesticity, women's realm of the home. Not so long ago, all women participated in craft making for practical purposes (to create clothing for the family), decorative purposes (to beautify the home), or to pass the time. We might picture our great-grandmother crocheting lace doilies for the table to keep from having "idle hands." Contrast this notion of craft making with art icons like Leonardo or Picasso, artists driven to create works out of passion. Size or scale is another factor in our determination of an object as craft or art. Typically, crafts are relatively small household objects, from knitted clothing, to quilts, to utensils. Many craft objects are meant to be held or worn by a person, making them intimate objects by nature. We would hardly think of referring to Richard Serra's towering metal sculptures (p. 286 / 294) as "craft," not simply because of their lack of practical use, but because of their enormous scale and commanding presence. Many people also associate "crafts" with children. We have the sense that crafts are something that anyone, at any age, can do. Certain techniques and formulas can be learned, and one can develop their skill over time. Again, contrast this connotation of craft with our notion of a great artist--someone who is rare ("artistic genius"), possesses some special gift, is a great innovator, etc. By using the word craft some institutions may not be able to receive funding based on the negative connotations as listed above.
How is craft distinguished from fine art, historically and today?
Crafts are made and employed to be used as functional objects (i.e. utensils, clothes, dishware, etc.). Historically the difference is traced back to the Industrial Revolution when Josiah Wedgwood, of Staffordshire England, sold pottery of two different kinds- "ornamental ware" and "useful ware". The useful ware was made by machine while the ornamental ware was made by hand.
House designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in rural southwestern Pennsylvania, for the Kauffman family. Preliminary plans were issued to Kaufmann for approval on October 15, 1935, after which Wright made a further visit to the site and provided a cost estimate for the job. In December 1935, an old rock quarry was reopened to the west of the site to provide the stones needed for the house's walls. Wright visited only periodically during construction, assigning his apprentice Robert Mosher as his permanent on-site representative. The final working drawings were issued by Wright in March 1936, with work beginning on the bridge and main house in April. The strong horizontal and vertical lines are a distinctive feature of Fallingwater. The construction was plagued by conflicts between Wright, Kaufmann, and the construction contractor. Uncomfortable with what he saw as Wright's insufficient experience using reinforced concrete, Kaufmann had the architect's daring cantilever design reviewed by a firm of consulting engineers. Upon receiving their report, Wright took offense, immediately requesting that Kaufmann return his drawings and indicating that he was withdrawing from the project. Kaufmann relented to Wright's gambit, and the engineer's report was subsequently buried within a stone wall of the house. After a visit to the site in June 1936, Wright rejected the stonemasonry of the bridge, which had to be rebuilt. For the cantilevered floors, Wright and his team used upside-down T-shaped beams integrated into a monolithic concrete slab which formed both the ceiling of the space below and provided resistance against compression. The contractor, Walter Hall, also an engineer, produced independent computations and argued for increasing the reinforcing steel in the first floor's slab. Wright refused the suggestion. While some sources state that the contractor quietly doubled the amount of reinforcement, others say that Kaufman's consulting engineers - at Kaufman's request - redrew Wright's reinforcing drawings and doubled the amount of steel specified by Wright. In addition, the contractor did not build in a slight upward incline in the formwork for the cantilever to compensate for the settling and deflection of the cantilever. Once the concrete formwork was removed, the cantilever developed a noticeable sag. Upon learning of the unapproved steel addition, Wright recalled Mosher. With Kaufmann's approval, the consulting engineers arranged for the contractor to install a supporting wall under the main supporting beam for the west terrace. When Wright discovered it on a site visit, he had Mosher discreetly remove the top course of stones. When Kaufmann later confessed to what had been done, Wright showed him what Mosher had done and pointed out that the cantilever had held up for the past month under test loads without the wall's support. In October 1937, the main house was completed.
Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater
The Frederick C. Robie House is a U.S. National Historic Landmark on the campus of the University of Chicago in the South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois, at 5757 S. Woodlawn Avenue. Built between 1909 and 1910, the building was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is renowned as the greatest example of the Prairie School style, the first architectural style considered uniquely American. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on November 27, 1963 and was on the very first National Register of Historic Places list of October 15, 1966.
Frank Lloyd Wright, Robie House
Where is the Aqua Tower located? What is it's purpose?
Located in Chicago it is designed as a living space. The first 15 floors as a hotel, floors 16-57 serve as apartments, and floors 58-82 as condos. It differs from other buildings by featuring more design work in the middle floors, reflects the topography of nature surrounding it and is built to take advantage of the views of other area landmarks. Cantilevers jut from the building and serve as terraces for community interaction and viewing platforms.
What are the aims of the street artist JR?
Photographing marginalized and underprivileged people in war torn areas, slums, and ghettos all over the world and pasting them on the sides of buildings and structures to help start conversations that can change the world. He began the Inside Out Project, a global art project, by having people take their own photos to share their stories with others. A large poster is printed and shipped to the contributor for them to post where they see fit, in order to start the same conversations in their areas. The rules state that you can receive no credit for the work, and cannot use logos or sponsors for the prints. These pasted photos have been used in protests, as well as contain images of diversity as a reminder that people are still fighting for equal rights.
Define the term "appropriation" and how artists appropriate images/symbols in their work.
Taking something old and existing to use as your own, reinventing it and altering it's meaning.
Postmoderism
Term used to describe the era we live in. Art produced in the last 30 yrs. have common trends including: appropriation as a hallmark, taking sources from high and low pop culture, creating juxtapositions so we see things in a new way and question the idea of originality, reflects our pluralism (social and cultural diversity of global society), showing the diversity of traditions in a single art piece, and uses new technologies for gathering ideas and images from seemingly limitless sources.
What is the surprising connection between mathematics, crochet, and marine organisms?
The form of coral reef marine organisms is based on the mathematical structure of hyperbolic geometry. The only way to repeat this form is through crocheting (example: sea slugs, coral, sea lettuce). Ordinary people can learn and mimic high levels of math through modes of play. Higher levels of abstract thinking leads to playing with these ideas.
Why is the building called Aqua Tower?
The name 'Aqua' was assigned to the building by Magellan Development Group LLC. It fits the nautical theme of the other buildings in the Lake Shore East development, and is derived from the wave-like forms of the balconies; the tower's proximity to nearby Lake Michigan also influenced the name.
What aspects of the immigrant experience do the artist of "The Border Project" exhibition address?
The project is focused on the fence itself, the animals in the region, and helps bring attention to the plight of immigrants. Annie Lopez's work explores Mexican America identity and stereotypes in a humorous manner, but also reveal the difficulties assimilating into American culture.
How has recent legislature in Arizona contributed to the crisis of the border region?
There are 3 recent changes that are contributing to the crisis of the border: 1. Senate Bill 1070- Considered the broadest and strictest immigration bill in recent U.S. history by: -it is a misdemeanor to be in AZ w/o having legal papers on your person to prove citizenship. -law enforcement is to determine immigration status during "lawful" stops/arrest if there is reasonable suspicion. -it cracks down on sheltering, hiring, or transporting illegal aliens. The response to this bill included critics saying it racially profiles individually and led to protests in 70 cities across the U.S. 2. Ethnic Studies Ban- 60% of students in Arizona are of Mexican-American heritage. Tuscan's MAS program was dismantled under compliance with this ban. The successes of the program included- improved performance of Latino students on standardized testing, increasing graduation rates of Latinos (95%), and led to more high school graduates going to college. 3. As a consequence in the MAS ban there was a removal of books written by Latino authors from public school libraries. An organization called Libro Traficante has formed in order to smuggle these books back into the public schools.
What are the Environmental and educational aims behind the Coral Reef Project?
This project reaches over 3 continents and teaches math concepts of hyperbolic geometry, marine biology, feminine handcraft, and activism. The project is meant to show the bleaching of coral that is due to the rise in sea temps. as a response to global warming. The project is crocheted by hundreds of people for different exhibits.
What are the aims of the Guerrilla Girls?
To expose sexist and racist practices in the art world by posting posters revealing stats through wry humor.
Why do some artists bring guerrilla tactics to the art world?
To use art to point out atrocities and injustices in the world and spread a sense of understanding and positive change.
How are Mexican cultural icons, such as the Virgin of Guadaupe, retables, and milagros incorporated into the works of artists who focus on border issues?
Virgin Mary- artists like Tony Ortego use the Virgin Mary as a hybrid with lady liberty in his pieces. He refers to this figure as "Lupe Liberty", as a political and religious beacon of hope. Carlos Encinas combines lady liberty with images of Hispanic cleaning ladies; focusing on the plight of women migrants risking their lives crossing the border illegally in hopes of a better life. Retablo- Paul Turounet photographs the moment people cross the Mexican/American border reflecting on the emotional impact. These photos are then printed on metal like the retablos from the 19th century that contain devotional images of holy figures. Milagros- Taller Yonke uses metal milagros to tell a story in sequence hung along the border wall. Each milagro is formed based on religious icons whose names mean "miracle".
Japanese artist that appropriates artwork of the past and manipulates it with familiar images in key ways, often inserting himself causing questions of authenticity, gender, race, and power. This pieces inserts a cross dressing male and imagery from Japan (crane blanket, lucky-cat figurine), the artist as both figures. The piece hints at that both women in the original Manet piece are both considered slaves to white, societal men, while his piece ties Japan as being a slave to the Western world.
Yasumasa Morimura, Portrait (Twins)
