Formal Analysis, Cameron Mitchell

The photograph Xiaolongdi Dam #2 by Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky is of the water and mists near a dam on the Yellow River in the Henan Province, China (shown below). The mist/water in the picture is overcoming the dam, and the Yellow River’s brownish color is obvious in it. In the top left corner the bluish tinge of sky can be seen along with a single power line tower atop a hill, giving us the only non-brown colors in the picture. In the middle of the scene the dam itself can be seen, if only faintly, by the railing on top of its walls and a plant, perhaps a tree or bush, to its right. Below the railing what appear to be solid forms can be seen, although the brown color seems to meld them into the water. The swirling mist and water, along with the constant hues of brown help with photograph seem like a painting. Taken as just the right time, the photograph also includes elements of both painting and photography.

Of the many elements in the picture, the water/mists moving the eye around the entire scene are the first to be noticed. Starting at the bottom, the eyes move to the right then up with the swirl, then to the left across the picture. The mists then move the eye towards the top, to the right across the top of the photo, and with the darkening on the mist, back to the right side of the image down to the bottom. The shape of the mists is only part of the reasoning for the movement. The colors, or more specifically the contrast between the lighter and the darker browns, help to move the eye as well. The lightest portion of the water is at the bottom, drawing the eye there, causing it to be the starting point. The light colors then go with the swirls. The hues then grow darker as the swirls dissipate, giving way to cloud-like forms which end the eye’s journey.

The fluid- forms, implied lines, and light vs. shadow elements help explain why the photograph is much like a painting, but, unlike a painting, the image captured here has a unique meaning that no human hand can create. The title of the photograph, Xiaolongdi Dam #2 brings attention to the dam before anything is ever seen. But, looking at the picture, it takes a few moments for the dam to be discovered. Bringing the attention to something that has to be searched for engages the viewer with the picture. The dam being almost completely covered by the mists along with the power lines in the top left corner are meaningful as well. It shows nature’s unwavering brutality. The dam, a man-made object designed to hold in water in order to create electricity, which the power lines take across the land, is being mocked by the water and mists that are crashing against it and flowing over and above. The scene is almost completely the mists and water.

Even in man’s most stalwart attempts to control nature, it is uncontrollable and wild, and cannot be contained.

Site Specific Beauties, Shelby Elder

In class we spoke about sculptures and how some are specifically made for certain areas (site specific sculptures). The first two sculptures we talked about in class, the first is “Cloud Gate” by Anish Kapoor or more widely known as “the bean due to it’s shape. It is the centerpiece at AT&T Plaza in Chicago, Illinois.The second is “The Matter of Time” by Richard Serra and it was made specifically for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The last is “Non-Violence” also known as “Knotted Gun” by Carl Fredrik. It is located outside of the United Nations Building in New York, New York. All of these sculptures were specifically designed for their location. “Cloud Gate” was built in order to show off and reflect the city’s beautiful skyline. While “The Matter of Time” was specifically designed for the hallway in which is resides and is meant to evoke within you a sense of time and space. The instillation takes up the entire hallway it encompasses. You literally have to interact with the sculpture in order to progress through the room. As you move into the sculptures the walls start to sway at different heights making you follow the lines of the art piece. The pathways that are used to walk into the sculpture also vary in thickness almost making you feel claustrophobic while you move into them. Which, in turn, makes you reflect back on the previous step you had just taken and how your sense of space was effected by it. The “Knotted Gun” was made as a symbol of peace between countries, which is only fitting for a United Nations building. As a fun fact, the artists inspiration for this piece was the shooting death of his friend, John Lennon.  As we also spoke about in class, all of these sculptures can be considered “sculptures in the round” as well. Which means that you can physically walk around the entire piece and see every aspect of it.

Oseberg Ship; Animal Head Carvings – Ancient Art

The two pictures above are two of the four carved animal heads found in the Oseberg ship burial site in Norway. These animal heads are an ancient form of sculpture, in that it was versatile in their usage. According to the museum (since I cannot see these in person, being in Norway) there are slots for handles, suggesting them to originally be carried. Made of Maple, these figures were carved, a subtractive process of sculpting. I initially thought that these could be an example of a relief, but in picture 2 the carving seems to go through the work. It is a mix of high relief and in-the-round carving. Due to this mix, the animal heads are highly decorative. In respect to their decorative and masterful design, they are believed to be have been used for ceremonies or had other religious or magical significance. Being made of Maple, and being buried for so long, it is a wonder these heads survived. Maple wood is very susceptible to fungal diseases and certain pests, as opposed to Oak or Walnut, all of which would have been available to the ancients who carved these heads. However, ancient superstitious beliefs show that Maple was believed to be a conduit of magic and magical power, possibly why they chose Maple for an object that might have been used in such practices. It is unknown if these heads are site-specific to Oseberg, due to them having the ability to be carried, but in being buried they have been made such in that the ship was a burial site, and, along with the bodies found with them, this was their final resting place.

Morgan Guthrie, Land Art: A Whole Different Kind of Art

I sat for a long time trying to decide what I wanted to do my blog post over because I enjoyed the portion of the class about sculpture so much it was hard to chose. What really stood out to me though was the land art that professor introduced us to with Robert Smithson. Although I don’t exactly agree with Smithson’s land art because it is damaging to the environment I do think that it is beautiful art. But what the point of this blog post is is to ask the question whether artists are creating land art just to do something different or just because they enjoy creating art.

My opinion is that it is a little bit of both. On the top is a picture of the ancient Serpent Mound and on the bottom is Smithson’s Spiral Jetty. It still remains a mystery why the Serpent Mound was created although historians have found artifacts in various parts of it. I believe that one reason Smithson created his earthworks is to stand out and do something different rather than having artwork in a gallery. Both of these land art pieces have one thing in common and that is that they change the environment in some way. Both of these pieces are classified as a whole different type of art but art nonetheless. This just proves that art doesn’t have to be in a gallery but it can truly be anything.

Recycled Art

This sculpture, titled The Colored Gates of Louisville, is similar to the Louise Nevelson sculpture we saw in class in that they are both examples of assemblage. I have always thought of assemblage sculptures to be the collages of sculpting, because of the pairing of seemingly random objects. In this piece however, John Chamberlain kept his materials rather consistent, using only metal and paint. I especially appreciate this piece, as well as other assemblage sculptures, because of its ability to bring art to things that may not be thought of as aesthetically pleasing. To create this sculpture, Chamberlain painted old metal from junk cars and welded each piece together. Much like Nevelson’s sculptures, Chamberlain used paint to bring unity and beauty to what most would consider trash.

Alexis Chick, Bathtime Toys as Art

During class on Thursday, we discussed installation and site-specific art. One of the examples we looked at, Pleasure Point by Nancy Rubins challenged the ideas of what exactly can be considered art. The artist used unusual materials, all different kinds of vessels, to create a large-scale installation. The boats are arranged to look as though they are falling out of the building or exploding.

In my opinion, a lot of installation art really pushes the boundaries, and sometimes it is hard for me to see the artistic value in the installation. For instance, in 2014, the Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman brought his Rubber Duck installation to the rivers of Pittsburgh, and my Facebook feed almost instantly filled with pictures of my friends and this giant rubber duck. (I have to admit that I think it is kind of ridiculous, but maybe if I had seen it in person I would feel differently.) Like Rubins, though, Hofman uses completely unusual materials, an inflatable shape made of PVC with a pontoon and a generator, to create an installation. It is somewhat site-specific because it has to be docked in water, but it wasn’t specifically created for just one body of water. In fact, it has traveled to waters around the world starting in Amsterdam, with Pittsburgh as its first US stop. There are several different sizes of the duck, but all are of an extremely large scale. The one that docked in Pittsburgh, for example, measured 46x49x54 feet. You can see in the pictures how it looks next to buildings and PNC Park. It is quite large, and honestly, I think its size makes it a little creepy.

In contrast to Pleasure Point, which utilizes an unusual medium to create an abstract shape, Rubber Duck creates a completely familiar shape. Hofman has said his intention was to spread joy by reminding people of their childhood, but he was also interested in the overwhelming size of the installation. At first it’s unsettling, then it is familiar. I think in that regard it is also similar to Rubins’; I would imagine that at first glance, when walking near it, it would be intimidating and somewhat threatening, but a closer look reveals that it’s secure and made of something completely unthreatening: boats. Both artists, while utilizing different materials, created installations that not only challenge the idea of art, but also stir up a multitude of dueling emotions within the viewer.

The Search, by Barney Bright, Featured at the New Albany Public Library

Sculptures have always interested me. As far as 3D art goes, they are probably my favorite. I think the biggest part is that unlike a painting or a drawing or something else that is 2D, with 3D art you literally get to experience the entire thing. If I see a figure in a painting I may wonder what is behind them, or perhaps I might want to know what is in that dark corner I cannot see. But with 3D sculptures if I want to know what is behind the subject all I have to do is walk around and see for myself.

Not every sculpture is 3D, of course. Other types of sculptures, such as reliefs, offer only a frontal view. Works such as Senwosret I’s Senwosret I led by Atum t Amun-Re as well as Maidens and Stewards, the fragment of the Panathenaic Procession, are relief sculptures that are only 2D as opposed to 3D.

I happen to work at the New Albany Public Library, and the pictures below are an example of the artwork we have on display. It is my favorite not only because it is a sculpture, but also because of the feeling of emotion that can come from something that does not even actually move. It is called The Search and the artist is Barney Bright (1927-1997). The medium is bronze with black patina. I do not know the exact dimensions, but you can tell from the pictures that it is a relatively large piece. It is located in front of the top level entrance and is virtually impossible to not notice. The picture on the left is a closer shot that shows the details, such as the dramatic emotions emanating from each character. The picture on the right is its actual position in front of the library entrance. So what is The Search all about? Well, some of it is fact and some of it is rumor. What is fact is that the hooded figure is Time and the figure just to left of Time is Barney Bright himself. The rest is still rumor, but supposedly the other figures are said to be the Library Director and Board Members at that time (1986). Given that Bright passed away in 1997, there is no way that anyone will ever know for certain. Perhaps the mystery itself adds to the work’s wonder.

Art on the Ground, Sarah Johnson

Before the break we talked a little bit about painting. Although I feel like painting is a very typical thing to learn in an Art class, or see in museums, certain types of paintings we talked about caught my attention. We were shown Andrea Mantegna’s piece, View of the Camera Picta and Giulio Romano’s, Fall of the Giants.

We related both of these pieces to sidewalk art, which is something I would never relate to painting. Both of these pieces of art mess with the human eye to create an illusion that things are more 3D and as if they aren’t painted on a ceiling or wall.

As you can see, sidewalk art is very similar. Edgar Mueller who is considered a very famous and talented street painter creates a very realistic image of the ground falling in. Although this is chalked and painted on a completely flat surface, his artwork messes with the eye to make it look like the ground is falling in.

As you can see in two images above, you can make the images seem as they are going into the ground, and 3D as well. The artwork by Julian Beever seems to be coming out of the ground. The second picture of Beever’s work shows that if you don’t stand in a certain spot, the perception of the picture changes and it becomes obvious that the artwork is chalked on flat ground.

I think sidewalk art has a cool twist to modern painting, it definitely catches they eyes of a large audience to anyone who is crossing its path and can be used as not only artwork but to inform people about different things such as problems in the world, politics, or just for fun entertainment purposes.

Kelsey Willinger, Sculpture Material

Within the past couple of weeks, we have talked a lot about sculptures. What is a sculpture? A sculpture is an important art form of creating three-dimensional objects. It can be created out of combining or shaping hard materials such as stone; which includes marble, glass, metal or wood. Plastic materials are included such as clay, and textiles.

One way of sculpting is using the additive vs. subtractive process. The additive sculpting is the process of creating a sculpture by adding material to create the artwork. Clay, wax, plaster, and paper-mache are the common forms of the additive. Subtractive process is the oldest form of sculpting and it has to do with removing the material to create the finished work. This form is by far the most difficult way of carving, because once you mess up, it is hard to get what you want out of the mistake that you made. Mainly stone and wood are used for the subtractive process.

Another way of sculpting is the relief sculpture, which is used by the subtractive process. The main tool that is used is the chisel. There are two types of relief: high and low. High relief has a sense of volume and depth. The low relief looks like the work is outlined and it is flat against the material. In other words, it is projecting an image with shallow depth.

The sculpture that I find interesting is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. This sculpture has former President Abraham Lincoln sitting. It was sculpted by Daniel Chester French and was carved by the Piccirilli Brothers. This was constructed from 1914-1922. Not only is the statue important, but also the building that he was built in is very important. The actual building is made of granite, and marble. The statue of Lincoln was made out of marble. This statue has a powerful message, and that message is that one person can make a huge difference in the world.

Greg McMinoway, Using video as a medium for art

Camera Lucida

Argus Speaks; Polyphemus Listens, 2015

video, televisions, electronics, 8x7x7 ft.

I came across this work of art while browsing through the Carnegie Center for Art and History on Wednesday.  I originally went there hoping to find something to do my formal analysis on.  When I came across this piece by local artists Roxell Karr and Jon Silpayamanant called “Argus Speaks; Polyphemus Listens.  I considered this work to share many similarities to Nam June Paik’s work; “Electronic Superhighway; continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii; which is on permanent display at the Lincoln Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Museum, according to Wikipedia. Both of these works of art use cheap outdated tube televisions and old laser disc recorders to project their artwork to the spectator.  We had discussed in class how if any of the parts of this outdated technology broke than there was no replacing them due to them being obsolete.  And while examining this artwork I noticed that it looked like some of the tubes in the television monitors had indeed burned out.

I thought this work was really cool and would like to ask the artists if they had been influenced by any of Nam June Paiks works.  The worker at the Carnegie Center for Art and History did tell me that the artists had gotten the imagery and sounds for the video while walking along the Big 4 Bridge, which connects downtown Jeffersonville, Indiana to Louisville, Kentucky. I also took a video with my phone, but am apparently unable to upload the video onto WordPress.  Possibly due to the video being in the wrong format I am really not sure. So if you are interested in the work it is in the Carnegie Center in downtown New Albany.