New Museum: NYC

The New Museum is located on Bowery in New York City and is the only museum in NYC that is exclusively devoted to contemporary art. It is a strikingly interesting looking building as it looks like big white boxes stacked on top of eachother (I took the picture to the left while standing across the street from the museum but I was unable to take photos inside because photography was not allowed). The rose that is situated on the exterior of the building is a peice of artwork by German artist Isa Genzken.
Inside the museum there are six floors of which the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th are actual galleries. The elevator has a soundtrack of a man repeating a speech and certain words which reminded me of some of the videos we had seen in class where repetition was a common theme, such as Clown Torture.
The exhibits change every couple of months and at the time that I went, the exhibit on the 2nd floor was titled "Free" and the thirs anf fourth floors were an exhibit called "The Last Newspaper". This was supposed to relate to the fact that the use of newspaper in fine art is no longer a novelty. All of the exhbits on these floors had to do with the nespaper and the press, incorporating it into the art by using it or re-imaging it in one's own drawings or sculptures.

Some of the exhibits that stuck out to me were the large round, blue carpet (because I everybody was walking around it and all I wanted to do was lay down in the middle of it), the mannequin women with dresses which portrayed pictures of topics commonly brought up in the news (because, as a Sociology major, I took a sociological perspective of how we relay news to people and how it effect a society's views to favor or go against a certain issue and because they only know what is revealed through the media when there are many other things that are kept covered up - one of the dresses portrayed images to represent this idea), the typewriter that typed by itself and produced a large scroll of paper which gathered all around it on the floor (It was crowded with people around it so I wasn't able to get close enough to know what it was typing), and the projector showing images of what would be a sunset and a person holding a picture of a sunset over the original image. This last exhbit was part of "Free" and was titled "The Sun Is Always Setting Somewhere Else". I particularly enjoyed that one because I am a collector of beach images. My bedroom is a beach theme and I have alot of photography and art of beaches, sunsets, and the ocean around my room.

"Courier" at Ualbany Museum

Courier is a group exhibition featuring 11 different contemporary artists who have created works that reference the typewriter as a touchstone to history and also explore the properties of the typewriter. I specifically found the Dark Woods, Light Woods embossed print by Leona Christie interesting. When I first looked at this piece of artwork all I saw was a bunch of random typed words and phrases; reminding me of Vija Celmin’s work of randomness and lack of point of reference. When I looked further into this piece of art, I learned that the artist’s autistic brother had typed these words out on a typewriter; merging memories with typing. I found it extremely interesting that her brother could recall every specific detail from every single Detroit railway. Having worked with autistic individuals in the past, it was intriguing to be able to see her brother’s near-photogenic memory and detailed lists come to life through art.

Dave Hickey: Custodians of Culture Speech

This speech by Dave Hickey was relative to what we had seen in The Mona Lisa Curse documentary, that art is no longer what it used to be and that the ability to put a price on it has changed the entire structure of the art world. Hickey explains that the problem is that more artists care about money than they do art, when a couple of decades back, no body went into art for money. He also makes a distinction between non-commercial art and art that doesn't sell. In his comical manner, he explains art that doesnt sell is just bad art. Non-commercial art still pays the artists enough so for them to be in the business class for the rest of their lives.

I think it's sad that the love of making art has seemed to disappear for some artists who are now focused moreso on the love of making money. I also think the idea of people spending millions of dollars on pieces of art is rediculous and unecessary, especially when they are only doing so to flaunt their wealth and get themselves noticed. Unfortunately, I think that seeing art as a commodity and that auctioning it for more than it is truly worth is inevitable in a capitalist society.

Improv Everywhere

Improv Everywhere is a group based in New York City that is notorious for its comedic performances that allow average, everyday New Yorkers to participate. The website for the group states:

Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 100 missions involving tens of thousands of undercover agents.

The group is known to engage in acts that will be somewhat socially awkward for observers and bystanders, perhaps with the goal of lightening-up the busy hustle and bustle atmosphere of the city. While the group has gained much recognition for it's pants-free NYC Subway act (April Fool's Day, 2010), other famous scenes include: synchronized swimming in a public fountain, slo-mo home depot, and the pseudo best buy employees. In may of 2010, the group put together a unique performance which reenacted the opening scene of the move Ghostbusters in the New York City Public Library:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKB7zfopiUA

Mona Lisa Curse

My take on the Mona Lisa Curse documentary is from a sociological perspective. It appears to me that there is a very bold line between the two groups of art consumers: those who consume based on what they like and those who consume based on what they are worth. The former buys art because they believe it to be beautiful, moving, intriguing, and purchase it for pure satisfaction, while the latter group buys art because they look at it as a commodity; it is worth a great amount of moneyand they will feel as if they achieved something by owning the original peice. They also spend copious amounts of money on these pieces to flaunt their wealth and prove how much they are worth.

When Robert Hughes was talking about the new art forms that are popular and costly today, such as Damien Hirst's diamond encrusted skull, he seemed so disappointed in the the path which the art world has taken since his day. It appears that the two groups I mentioned earlier are in a constant battle against keeping art as traditional, based on pure talent and beauty, and allowing it to grow into these modern art forms that are sometimes revolting, confusing, or downright ugly. It's interesting to think what famous painters like Monet and VanGough would say about the art that exists today and the rediculous amounts of money that people spend on them. It is even sad to realize that people like Robert Hughes, who have watched the art world dramatically change before their eyes, must admit that high prices have truly ruined the art world as they knew it.

I think that museums should not be geared towards how much money they will make, but about the artwork itself. If people are really interested and intrigued by artwork they will still go to museums to see real, well displayed, engaging pieces of art. I do not believe that all museums must change their populist nature, but if a few begin the trend of engaging more thoughtful, question provoking art pieces then the museums themselves will not be about making the money. By dumbing down the art museums and not giving people a chance to depict the art and think for themselves, I believe, defeats the purpose of an actual museum. The museums do this to attract more people, but like the Brooklyn Museum itself has experienced, it may not be working. This museum includes a lot of "Saturday night fun" such as dancing, drinking, and cash bars. Although this may be a great community attraction, do people really come to see art or just to have fun and drink? The above picture is at the Brooklyn Museum where an orchestra performed during a Saturday night event.

Fred Wilson: Collection Art

This particular photo has many collectible items including glasses, a cookie jar, and a statue of a standing women. The items represent the American culture and the norms of the popular traditions years ago. The usage of all white and the tall white statue could relate back to a time when African Americans were looked at as inferior to whites; something Wilson represents within his art work quite often.

Doris Salcedo

Doris Salcedo's work is extremely moving as it represents a sociological view. Through her work, she aims to represent the silenced lives of the marginalize, whether it be individual victims of violence or the disempowered of the Third World. Her work incorporates the struggles of such people in hopes of making viewers aware and moved. This particular work titled Noviembre 6 y 7, Salcedo used 1,550 purple and yellow chairs nestled between two buildings in Columbia. The colors she chose reflect the look of brown when viewing from afar. She was commemorating the political massacre of 1985. She placed each chair over a 53 hour period, which was the duration of the seige. The chairs seem to represent people who may be, but should not be, forgotten; people who once occupied a space in time and are no longer there. The feeling of this installation artwork is that of remembrance, but also of awareness. By choosing to create this piece in the original place of the event was risky as it must have stirred old memories and past grievances, hard times, and personal emotions.

Installation Art

Installation art is art that has been organized or arranged  in a specific place by the artist. The objects can evoke multiple thoughts and associations. The art can contain a broad range of everyday materials and natural materials; like the picture of the tree in Korea to the left. The artist attempts to express the feeling of heavy cool raindrops which are made out of clear plastic tubes that are filled with water and air. The aim of Penelope Thompson, the artist, is to provide the viewer with a special, multi-sensory experience in a specific space. The viewers were able to walk under the tree, between the raindrops and feel the swaying of the cool breeze.

Salvador Dali: Three Sphinxes of Bikini

Salvador Dali's painting titled Three Sphinxes of Bikini portrays a strange and confusing image when first looked upon as it appears to be the backside of a human head, a tree with a gaping hole in the center and a replica of the first image off in the distance. However, after looking upon the image a number of times, the image farthest back seems to become more clear. In fact, it is not a replica of the first image but a nuclear mushroom cloud errupting in the distance. Perhaps this cannot be recognized without knowing some history about Dali or the events of his time, but this small detail makes all the difference in understanding his painting as an image concieving some meaning and rational thought.
Dali lived through World War II, and became quite interested in science as he was so inspired by the shock of Hiroshima and the drawing of the "atomic age". What this image reflects is the actions of the U.S. in Bikini Atoll where they conducted 23 nuclear tests which, naturally, caused radioactive contamination on those Islands. As a surrealist painter, Dali was inspired to paint an expression of inner experience rather that a portrayal of reality however, he hardly ever conveyed the true meaning of his work in order to keep people curious. So, in this image you see the nuclear mushroom cloud which may represent distruction, the tree which may represent nature, and the human head which must represent humanity. The fact that they all embody the same shape may represent a strong, yet subconscious relationships between humanity, nature, and distruction with nature being the most wodely affected, as the tree is positioned closest to the nuclear cloud.

Andy Warhol's piece of art entitled "200 One Dollar Bills" sold for $43.7 million dollars. This is one of Warhol's first silk screening paintings and this technique gave him freedom to exploit his new approach to subject matter. The series of "Dollar Bill" paintings were done in March-April 1962 and Warhol's first silkscreens were created from ink drawings  picturing the fronts and backs of one- and two-dollar bills. When I first looked at this piece of contemporary art work I didn't think much of it at all. I initially just thought whats so great about a bunch of 1 dollar bills?! I then began to see the meaning behind the picture; it was created in response to the post-war world's media. This particular piece removes the hand of the artist and makes the viewer feel a sense of disconnectedness and distance in which the world around him was portrayed. I also think that Warhol is trying to convey to his audience that we become so wrapped up in money and take it for granted. Warhol grew up through the depression and therefore cherishes the value of a dollar whereas many others are filled with a sense of greediness and forget the value of such a thing. The attainment of wealth and fame for Warhol was something in which he had to work long and hard at. At first, I did not see this as 'art work' but as I began researching and looking beyond my first impressions, I saw further meaning behind the piece.

Vija Celmins

The random picture of this particular tree reminds me of  one of Vija Celmins pieces of art due to the randomness and lack of a point of reference. It appears that this work of art was chosen at random and is unimportant. Her work demonstrates a realistic view of nature and is a close engagement with the natural environment. If this were to be Celmin's actual art piece though, the surfaces would be more abstract and the details of the tree would be much more pronounced.

Dave Hickey: The Invisible Dragon

Dave Hickey's work titled The Invisible Dragon has truly ignited a debate about beauty within art as he calls for all readers to reconsider beauty and to reconsider the nature of art itself. Hickey's purpose of his writing is to move people to see that beauty as a means and not an end is what makes art powerful, what makes it interesting. Hickey explains how many people, specifically in most traditional views, have believed that art should sell itself through beauty, for if it sells it is commodity, but if it sells something other than itself it is advertisement. He also shares that he has found that art dealers only care about "how it looks" while new instituationally employed art professionals "really care about what it means". I agree with Hickey that this is what is truly more important, not to mention what is becoming more and more preferred in contemporary art forms. People don't just want to look at something beautiful, but to look at something that may first be confusing or scary or abstract and be able to draw something out of it: a realization, an emotion, an idea. This is what makes art beautiful, the fact that it is so much more than an inatimate object, but something that can provoke a movement in each and every eye that does not just look at it, but truly sees it.

Dave Hickey

Hickey seems to differ from most art critics in that he says it is not important what the actual art is saying, yet why a work is efficacious in the first place is as important as whether or not it is satisfying, is what he seems to portray. His argument essentially is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I believe that it depends on the direct one on one relationship between the viewer and the art work as well. Hickey suggests that beauty allows us direct access to art without the public over seeing. It seems as though beauty ultimately comes down to the pleasure in which one has with that object when engaging with it.

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons is an American artist known for his reproductions of objects in stainless steel with mirror finish looking surfaces, such as the balloon animal above. He recreates these different objects by making them more than ten feet tall and also transforms them out of metal which creates a shiny balloon like appearance. His new generation art work consists of transforming objects into flawless surfaces and he also focuses on the morality of what it means to be an artist. Although these images appear a bit childish, I think they are extremely appealing to the human eye and its almost as if the simplicity, shiny nature of the object makes it so appealing. They appear to me like actual balloons that would be found floating in a parade.

New Art Forms

After going over the timeline of art and learning the different art forms that derived from different decades, I thought of the recent popularity of food art, particularly in the form of cakes. Today, many television shows portray bakers who specialize in the art of making cakes. Two shows that come to mind are Amazing Cakes and Cake Boss. I think these shows are so much fun to watch because the creations are unbelievable.  The time and effort that goes into making each cake truly shows through in the final product. The bakers are extremely creative in their work, given that the materials they have to work with are limited as they must all be edible. It's hard to believe that they are really cakes because I could never imagine cutting them up and eating them!

Bruce Nauman

Bruce Naumans work is characterized by an interest in language, often appearing playful and can be somewhat of a nuisance. Nauman's neon word-art seemed art-less to him at first, but he began to examine the parameters of art and the role of the artist; which ultimately resulted in strong emotional and physical responses and beauteous objects. By working with neon and light, Nauman explores how perception is shaped, and how logic and meaning are conveyed. His signs are mostly likely to be filled with irony and humor; aggressively providing the environment with the signs messages.

Francisco Goya & Lucian Freud

The Nude Maja is known as the first totally profound nude life-size picture of a women in Western art. The Nude Maja was never identified, but is thought to be a lady in which Goya had an affair with. During Goya's lifetime the painting was never publicly displayed. It was owned by Manuel de Godoy, the prime minister of Spain.

Early in Lucian Freud's career he experimented with Surrealism. His early paintings usually consisted of relatively thin paint jobs and depicted people, animal, and plants in unusual juxtapositions; positions that contrast each other or oppose one another (like the painting above). 

Frida Kahlo

The tragic story of Frida Kahlo has inspired the central theme og pain and passion in many of her art forms. When first looked at, her art can seem strange and scary, while also quite grotesque and in some cases even repulsive. However, she is an extremely interesting artist as there is a story behind her work. Frida had some medical issues in her childhood including polio and spina bifida. The major tragedy of her life came from a bus accident where an iron handrail pierced Frida's abdomen and uteris. Because of this she was never able to have children, which she portrays in some peices of her artwork. The remainder of Frida's life after the accident was filled with pain and as she was often subject to her bed, she painted as an outlet from her emotions rather than in hopes of creating something beautiful for people to hang on their walls and enjoy.

Andy Warhol & celebrities

Andy Warhol was one of the most important artists in the Pop art movement in America. Warhol became as famous as many of the celebrities he portrayed in his popular screen prints. Warhol frequently used silk screening; his later drawings were traced from slide projections. At the height of his fame, Warhol had several assistants who produced his silk-screen multiples, following his directions to make different versions and variations. Warhol used the same techniques– silkscreens, reproduced serially, and often painted with bright colors – whether he painted celebrities, everyday objects, or images of suicide, car crashes, and disasters.

Animal Art

Damien Hirst portrays an interesting take on art as death is a central theme in most of his work. Some of his most famous pieces include "pickled" animals which entails these creatures being cut in half to reveal their inner and outer appearance. To many, this may seem more like a scientific experiment or a way of studying the anatomy of such animals, but to Hirst, this is art. Being that Hirst uses ordinary animals, his works can be easily replicated (as was his Tiger Shark exhibition in 2006). Despite replication, Hirst has been claimed to be the richest living artist to date.

Interpretation

The title of the work

The use of the word "Dada" for the art movement, the meaning and intention of both the piece and the signature "R. Mutt", are difficult to understand. It is not clear whether Duchamp had in mind the German "Armut" (meaning "poverty"). Later in his life Duchamp commented on the name of the alter ego he created for this work: 'Mutt' comes from Mott Works, the name of a large sanitary equipment manufacturer. But Mott was too close so he altered it to Mutt, after the daily cartoon strip Mutt and Jeff then just R. MUTT. If  you separate the capital and lowercase letters you get "R.M" and "utt", "R.M" would stand for "Readymade" which is the fountain itself and "utt" when read out loud sounds like "eut été" in French. Together it means "Readymade once was, 1917". Word games like this are common in Marcel Duchamp's work. 

In December 2004, Duchamp's Fountain was voted the most influential artwork of the 20th century by 500 selected British art world professionals and in a February 2008 article Duchamp was said to of invented conceptual art.

The Fountain

The Fountain which was created by Marcel Duchamp (disguising his identity as R. Mutt) in 1917, appears to have had a significant effect on other artists and art forms as Duchamp takes an ordinary object of day to day life and labels it as art. Many people hold different thoughts and theories about what his piece portrays (some claiming it to resemble a veiled Virgin Mary in a praying position) while others believe it is what it is. Marcel Duchamp’s fountain was recreated by Sherrie Levine in 1991 with a gold finish:

It is possible that it was the work of Duchamp that has inspired contemporary design in restroom facilities such as this one in Chongquing, China: