Daily Archives: December 5, 2014

Our Guests

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We have finished reading “Just Kids” and we can all definitely agree that being an artist opens so many doors to you.  It was a great experience reading the book and seeing how many people had influenced Patti Smith, but even greater an experience was meeting two real breathing artists.  Daniel Kelly and Tara Sabharwal were artists from very different fields in art, Daniel being a musician and Tara being a painter, however they both shared very active and high energy lifestyles.  The number of experiences both have had being of their passion is innumerable.  It’s one thing to read a book, but another to see and hear firsthand about the true life of an artist in modern day.

Does it make me want to become one? No but that is because I do not have that passion they both had said that you need to really make a living out of art.  I have also found reason more reason to pay more tribute to artists, as Daniel Kelly influences the lives of many of the locals he encounters on his travels.  In fact this class has introduced me to many great modern artists that have made me more appreciative of their work.  Although I did not very much enjoy some of Sabharwal’s actual, it was amazing to hear about all of the different places in the world she travelled to and how each area shaped her use of different supplies in drawing.

Another thing I had drawn from both artists was that once you delve into something, you realize how much more there is to learn.  Although I am going into a profession that is not in any way related to art, I can take this thought and apply it to my own academic and professional life.

 

The Purpose of Art

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One day I was simply questioning myself “If art is supposed to convey a message, then why does it not simply state the message?”  I continued to ask myself this question and thought even about the occupation I have chosen to pursue, engineering.  An engineer tries to convey what he is trying to say in a very precise and efficient manner whereas an artist would try to convey what he is trying to say using very abstract drawings, or photos and force the onlooker to take a more active role in determining the message of the creator.  I kept pondering why artists would take this route in sending their message when a lot of it gets “lost in translation.”

As I continued to ask myself this, I though of a possible solution.  There is a difference between stating a message  and implying a message.  By simply stating facts and percentages and a concrete sentence, what kind of emotional response can you really trigger in an individual that reads your work?  Little to none.  From an artist however, if you convey your message through characters on a stage, or melodies, or splashes of paint on a canvas, you allow an individual to become more attached to the work.  They get a sense of the message but the message is not any longer just a message, it is known to the audience by the emotions invoked upon them.

Then I came to another conclusion.  Although artists tend to try to deliver a message; it can tend to be a broad and general message.  Through art, the overall message one person takes can be different than another.  Although they can see and feel the general underlying message, their own individuality shapes the overall message they receive.  With a clear and concise statement there is no room for this flexibility.  The individuality of the individual is lost because they are no longer using their own beings to translate the message into their own thoughts.

I am sure there are other reasons why artists choose to convey their messages in the way that they do.  Respond with your theories.

Tara Sabharwal

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One of the greatest gifts that this class provided us with is Tara Sabharwal’s visit. It was a wonderful experience to meet such a lively, open artist. She was very genuine in her answers to our questions and I felt that she really wanted to express her art in the best way possible for us (and she did!). As Tara mentioned, she never plans out her art (her work is not conditioned), it is candid. It is really rare that an artist can explain his/her work of art in detail as well as Tara did. She gave us an insight on her influences and her thoughts while she makes art, Tara provided us with a personal tour of her work. Her overview of life is very interesting in that she does not plan anything but rather just adjusts to life conditions. Tara traveled to different countries, took different opportunities and this entire life journey is evident in her art.

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This is my favorite of Tara’s work

As to her art itself, it is absolutely great. Tara uses aspects of Indian and international art in her pieces. She expresses who she is intrinsically. She also adds elements from each of her trips into her work to show how she evolves with her art throughout her life travels. Her art is truly something to marvel about.

-Angelika

Snapshot event

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I had gone to the New York Historical Society to see the photos the students took and to see my work in a museum to make me feel like an artist. When I went into the room full of photos, there were a lot of people in the small room and I did not really enjoy looking at the photos. Thus, I went to see adjacent exhibits. I liked the presentation of how Chinese people were discriminated against in the nineteenth century. It enhanced my knowledge on how they used to get the least favorable jobs and their poor lifestyles in America. However, I was not impressed with the holiday train exhibits as I was expecting because both were small and the trains were not moving or there were no tracks. Then I went back to the room with the photos because I knew there would be little people still there. Like the professor said, we remember the moments where we are alone the most. Because I was one of the few people there, I could take a look at all the photos without pushing past a crowd of people. I then began to try and figure out when and where a photo was taken. In addition, it seems that some photos were not taken in NYC. I remember one description said “A bird in Philly,” which suggests the person was in Philadelphia at the time. Also, one picture was taken on a sunny day when 10/13 was cloudy; it must have been taken on another day or somewhere else. I noticed that a few descriptions must have been mixed up as well because they did not match the photo they were supposed describe, while providing an accurate description of an adjacent photo. Luckily, everyone got the right message when they saw my photo, except my name was not on it. Instead it said “Unknown Author.” I want to be known.

I felt that I could concentrate on the art a lot more when there were less people around, so from my experience, it’s clear that art would be easier to learn about in a rural setting, not in NYC. At least the Macaulay seminar fulfills my liberal arts requirements, while adding some unique experiences. I guess this class is encouraging me to challenge human propensities. I say: “Challenge accepted.”