george o'keeffe

First time I knew Georgio O'keeffe was from the slide during the lecture in DVA this year. The slide introduced Judy Chicago's installation art "Dinner Party" (1979), the Dinner Party composed in part of thirty nine plates with vaginal imagery honoring thirty-nine women from prehistory to the early twentieth century.From screen, Georgio O'keeffe's work was set on the first place at left side from the angle. We were introduced Chicago's Dinner Party drew criticism from many feminists for what they believed to be its ' essentialism', or its association between women and an essential biological quality like the possession of a vagina, although it was enormously popular with the general public. Georgia O'keeffe's flower- vagina like art was so obviously, I could not help cennecting to the sexuality. In the library, there is a book related to O'keeffe and the women of the Stieglitz circle "Modernism and the Feminine Voice" during my research about the gender and feminism. I was charmed by her fantastic drawing especially her unique drawing style related to the various flowers, and her neurotic appearance. I felt more curious about O'keeffe's background and her art.



Georgia O'keeffe(1887 ~1986) was born in a farm house on a large dairy farm outside of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin on Nov. 15, 1887, the second of seven children. As a child she received art lessons at home, and she was recognized and encouraged by teacher for her brilliant art abilities through out her school years. When she was in the eighth grade she had determined to make her way as an artist. "I am going to be an artist!" " I don't really know where I got my artist idea... I only know that by that time it was definitely settled in my mind." http://www.ellensplace.net/okeeffe3.html
During her study in school, she was influenced by some teachers. One particular teacher, Elizabeth Willis encouraged her to work at her own pace and afforded her opportunities that the other students felt unfair. 1905~1906, she studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. 1907~1908, at the Art students League, New York, then moved to Chicago to find a work as a commercial artist. During this period, she quit her brush for the sake of the smelly of turpentine. 1912, she went to Texas as a drawing teaching position. In the same time, she took a summer course for art teachers at the University of virginia.1912 ~1914, She taught art in Texas public schools and working summers in Virginia s Bement's assistant. Another teacher, Arthur Wesley Dow had made big influence on her about the idea for art making. Dow believed that the goal of the artist's personal ideas and feelings and that such subject matter was best realized through harmonious arrangements of line, color and notan(the Japanese system of lights and darks). He encorage O'keeffe experited with Dow's ideas for an alternative to imitative realism. She then decided to try Dow's theories to the test. In an attempt to discover a personal language through which she could express her own feelings and ideas.She tried a series of abstract charcoal drawing of the period.


u take time to look at what I saw and when you took time to really notice my flower you hung all your own associations with flowers on my flower and you write about my flower as if I think and see what you think and see of the flower - and I don't.
- Georgia O'Keeffe
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/okeeffe_georgia.html

Indegenous Narratives

"Le Folauga ",the past coming forward contemporary PacificA art from Aotearoa New Zealand 12, Dec, 2008 ~05, Apr, 2009 Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. An introduction related to the exhibition in Kaohsiung , the second big city in Taiwan, from an Art magazine "Artist". Le Folauga represents the past, the present and the future. It means the voyage and the changes that occur along the way. It shows the movement towards the future and traveling in the direction of the current.
Le Folauga brings sixteen Pacific artists who work with painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation. Some of them I had heard like Johny Penisula, Tatu Feu'u, Filipe Tohi, and Shigeyuki Kihara.

One of the corporated organizations is "Tautai contemporaty Pacific Arts Trust".
The name Tautai drawn on the Samoan word for navigator and,
Tautai supports the development of contemporary pacific art through activities and play an important role to promote and assist the recognition of contemporary pacific visual art artists.

The goal of Tautai is " For Pacific Artists, By Pacific Artists". It was founded in New Zealand in the 1980s.,and now located in Newton, Auckland. I wish go to view the arts if any exhibition in Tautai.
As I know The Formosan languages are the languages of the indigenous people of Taiwan. Taiwanese aborigines currently comprise about 2% of the island's population.Taiwanese aboriginal language have significance in historical linguistics, since in all likelihood Taiwan was the place of origin of the entire Austronesian language family. With similar pronunciation for " one", "two"," three" and "four" between Taiwanese aborigines and Maori. And "ear" and" eye" with the same pronunciatin with Maori's " tangira "and" mata" . The y had similar living styles,mythical stories, festivals and tatoo presenting the society status.
Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer people can speak aborinal language in Taiwan. The goverment in Taiwan had discouraged local languages including Taiwanese, Hakka and aboriginal languages except Mandarin( the public language )over 30 years. For the past 15 years, the goverment has chaged to concentrated to the education of local culture and languages. They started the language education from primary school and established culture centers in each tribe.There are many organizations involve the activities of recovering the aboriginal traditional culture and arts. Compare to the majority culture, it's still a big gap between them. I think do something is better than do nothing. I hope the contemporay arts related to Taiwan oboriginal culture can have the chance to present internationally not only limit in local Taiwan. Like "Tautai, organized the exhibition in Taiwan. The culture communication is the best way for the education to make people understand the arts and culture in New Zealand. After checking from internet, there are many blogs introduce this exhibition even some primary students'.
http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%8D%97%E5%B3%B6%E8%AA%9E%E7%B3%BB&variant=zh-tw
http://www.tautai.org/artists/

http://www.artist-magazine.com/
The magazine "Artist" (Taiwan)Jan. 2009 No. 404

Materiality, Affect, Site(II)

"Rainbow Dance", 1936

Sculpture "Fountain", 1959

Frame from"A Color Box", 1935

Len Lye(1901~1980, Christchurch, New Zealand)

He is known for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. He was an innovative director who experimented to develop the painting with motion on the film.

Today I have seen his animation film “Rainbow Dance” , 1936.
In the beginning, a dancing man at the form of stenciled figure under the rainbow with the music. And then holding the umbrella and dance under the rain, playing tennis with different motions against a perspective road. There are many lines and patterns with the motions on the screen. It is an animation, a method of painting, scratching and stencilling directly onto motion picture. I think he presented his art form through the film. And “the Medium is the Message”. It’s creative and experimented during the period of 1930.
It’s fun to watch the film although it’s blurred and undistinguished.
When I tried to click the internet to view the film “A Color Box” ,1936, I failed to pass through.
As for his kinetic sculpture, Many of Lye's kinetic works can be found at the Govett-Brewster Gallery in New Plymouth , Taranaki, including a 45-metre high Wind Wand near the sea. The Water Whirler, “The Fountain”, 1976 which I have seen from the slid at the first lesson of line drawing.. He was famous as a innovated film director, sculptor, painter and writer.
“Rainbow Dance”, 1936
”Fountain”,1935 Frame from “A Color Box”, 1935

Ref:

http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/07/lye.html

http://www.govettbrewster.com/LenLye/foundation/

Materiality, Affect, Site(I)

Scales of Economy, 2008
Smoking Gun, 2008 120 x 120cm
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland

Scales of Economy, 2008

Torpedo, 2008 painted paper tags , 420 x 420cm

Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland

Sara Hughes
Sara Hughes, born in 1971 Vancouver, CanadaLives and works in Auckland, New Zealand
Her works combined a large scale installation works and a series of paintings on the wall in the gallery . Both made use of the same imagery yet the site specific wall work was made from commercial vinyl and the paintings are painted with a brush using many layers of acrylic paint. “I deliberately wanted the works to mimic one another askig the viewer to look closely to see subtle differences and consider relationships between painting and new technology” she said. It is her aim to engage the viewer in a space to keep the eyes moving. To feel the shifting of the patterns, flows and colors with surface and space.

"Scale of Economy", 2008

Torpedo, 2008 painted paper tags, 420 x 420cm

It’s a big scale art work with the red paper tags to form a big circle .The text of the letters in the tags with“s”, “e” and a”. The art is mathematically designed by the computer and printed on the paper to install on the white wall. It is projected from the center to make the spatial affect for the viewer’s optical effect. It’s interesting to feel the objective optical patterns and flow. The longer looking it, will feel the moving of the letters. I seems to be absorbed into the center world of the circle. What’s the meaning of the letters? I guess “s” is for sensasion, “a” is for affect, and “e” is for effect or combination of the meaning of “see” to catch viewer’s eyes. It is a good brain excersise . Recently scientists understanding of the brain processes involved in the visual art are now widely available-particularly the creative visual perception process. It is a 2 dimension optical art. It’s a beauty of art in repetition. Anyway, I feel very relaxing while I am watching it.

Ref:

http://www.sarahughes.co.nz/index.aspx?site=665&page=7271
http:/www.chartwell.org.nz/art/featureworks

The second Marriage 1963---David Hockney

David HOCKNEYEnglish (active in USA), born 1937The second marriage 1963197.0 x 228.7 c


How does it made?
The painting is oil , gouache and collage on canvas.
This is a huge scale of the canvas work.
I think the artist painted the foreground and background first and then collage the couples which has drawn , curtain and wall paper.
Denotaion
The box like composition creates a critical context for the concept of marriage. The couple are depicted as if on show for the public and there is an uncomfortable self-consciousness about them. The groom’s face with glasses is quite dull. And the background is all black except the curtain. The bride’s face is mummy-like appearance without any emotional expression. The foreground is bright and colorful with mosaic carpet and glass desk in which putting the wine and glass cups, and red flowers. The composition for upper and lower parts with opposite color tones make an ironic mood in the picture.

Connotation
The text with” 1” beside the groom and the glass cup, and “2” next to the bride and another cup. What’s the connection between the figure and the cups? Does it simply present who drank which cup. I have no idea If any metophonic meaning behind it.
There is also a touch of humour and irony, as it has been suggested that the male figure is a self-portrait. The wedding should be supposed with delighteness and happiness. But for the second marriage, it’s definitely different mood especially for a man. It seems that they are forced to get married. Look at this picture, I would rather say it’s like they are attending a funeral. The marriage is the grave of love.

I shop therefore I am--Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger

Untitled (I shop therefore I am), 1987Photographic silkscreen/vinyl 111" by 113"



The work consists of a hand by an enlarged black and white photograph
The hand is holding a tag with a message “ I shop therefore I am” in white letters against a background of red. The tag is setting in the center of the image.This phrase is changed from the famous phrase from French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596 -1650) “I think therefore I am”.
The rectangle red block with text is overlaid set on the photograph. It attracts the viewer’s attention because the white text against the red background make it more obviously. And “I shop”, “I am” with a larger letters make stronger concept for the meaning of this design. The underneath with the black and white photograph is blurred, till can recognize that the light comes from the left side. The variation of different tones from the photograph make it not too dull and bored. The border of this image with red around the image. It is like a billboard if enlarge the size of this image. I found another design with the same image which image related to which printed on a shopping bag.

It’s also like a culture advertisement to revoke the consumer culture of the society.
The text contains criticism of the consumerism culture and implies the concept of the artist. Kruger has said that "I work with pictures and words because they have the ability to determine who we are and who we aren’t.
The hyper-consumerism of the late 20th century, the commodification of sign, and Kruger remakes the sign. Her design make me feel the flow of power about the criticism for commodification society. It’s ironic that a commercial- like image with the controversial text . It’s what she is giving the form of knowledge.

Naked Man --Banksy

Naked Man on the wall of a sexual health clinic 2006
The Mural is near Bristol City Council's Office, UK

The stencilled image shows a woman in her underwear standing behind a suited man leaning out of a window, the both are cropped from the window and a naked man hanging onto the ledge. It is a graffiti and stencil art with pop art. It’s on the street, the wall of a sexual health clinic in Bristol city,UK. This 2d drawing looks like 3 dimention one. The woman, the man and the naked man with a triangle composition. The red curtain by the white window, the background under the window is black. The man suit and the women’s underwear are gray and black. The naked man with skin color… those make a compatible composition and colors in the picture with the brown brick tiled wall.
The street art made by stencil with a striking and humorous image. The artist purposely painted it on the wall of a sexual health clinic to draw everyone’s eye. Of course, it caused a lot of argument between the public and city council. The controversy makes the public discussion to decide whether it should stay on the side of a building or be removed. However the graffiti still stay on it and more controversial discussion about the graffiti can be considered as an art or a vandalism. For such an interesting and fantastic art, I think it’s quite enjoyable to pass by it.