Tag Archives: art

Of The Artist’s Struggle

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Over the past few weeks, having finished “Just Kids” and having Daniel Kelly and Tara Sabharwal, practicing artists, in our classroom, I realized that a common theme to all artist’s lives is that of struggle. Artists, initially at least, struggle to have a solid financial foundation. In their passion to practice their craft, many artists sacrifice security and luxury for a meager existence, all for their art. Of course, I’m exaggerating a bit, as this is clearly not true of all artists. But there is the question of making their craft pay for their living, as being an artist isn’t a stable source of income, especially if you are young and unknown.

At this point, we’re all pretty familiar with Patti and Robert’s struggles as up and coming artists. They had to work a variety of side jobs in order to make the minimum amount of  money they needed to make the rent. Often they ate little and spent money very frugally. Daniel Kelly, when he was speaking to us, made note of the large number of weddings that he had to play at to be financially secure. Tara Sabharwal told us about residencies, which many artists use to have a safe financial backing while they pursue their passion and eventually succeed. There is no denying that an artist’s life is full of struggles, for money and for the freedom to do what they truly want. So why do they pursue it?

Again, drawing from “Just Kids” and our visitors, one can clearly see that, despite their struggles, artists are dedicated and passionate about what they do. Their craft makes them happy. Patti and Robert were dedicated to their art throughout all their struggles and continued to create art during those times. They never gave up on their art to pursue a more stable career. They did what they loved. When Daniel and Tara spoke to us, it was evident that they were truly in love with what they did. It is everyone’s dream to make money doing what they love and artists, I believe, have accomplished this.

On Robert Mapplethorpe

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When I started reading up on Robert Mapplethorpe, all sources pointed to the fact that this was one of the most controversial artists of the 20th century. It was when I started looking up his artwork that realized why: his highly stylized black and white photography bordered on graphic depictions of the human nude form. His portfolio ( selections of which are available at http://www.mapplethorpe.org/portfolios/ ) consisted of other types of photography, however. My personal favorite was his series on statues. One of them, I’m posting here! I highly encourage you guys to read up on Mapplethorpe, not because of his immense artistic impact, but simply because he’s such an interesting fellow.

Mapplethorpe, Skull and Crossbones, 1983

Mapplethorpe, Skull and Crossbones, 1983

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Mapplethorpe, Italian Devil, 1988

Who Can Create Art?

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I believe that the film Wasteland answers an important question that was brought up in class: “Who can actually create art?” Of course there is the stereotypical answer that anybody can create art. However, I believe that question can be refined to focus on the creation of influential and lasting art. I believe that the answer to that question comes down to artistic privilege. In other words, only those who are artistically skilled enough to incur change, cause disruption, or gain precedence (politically, socially or even economically) can create influential art. I believe that is the reason why certain pieces of public art are cherished over others. This is why childish graffiti is painted over by the city and why The Charging Bull is still standing. It is also why Vik Muniz’s art, portraying the catadores, became globally famous.

Muniz said something that stood out to me. He claimed that he reached a point in his career where he’d like to give back to his roots. The only way he knew how to do that was through his art. This statement depicts his great understanding of art and the artistic process. He realizes that he has the ability to cause social change via his own artwork. By depicting the catadores in an unconventional piece of art, portraying them via the same garbage that makes up their livelihoods, Muniz was able to make them known worldwide. Muniz himself commented on the extent of his artistic skill and privilege. He notes that he wants to focus on a modern twist on art, and break away from the contemporary, depicting his confidence in his skill.

99 is not 100

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Ahh yes, something my father would always say to me.

The Waste Land was probably one of the best documentary films I’ve watch. Little did I know that the host of the 2014 FIFA World Cup has such a background to it. And little did anyone in our class know either! Vik is a truly talented man for being able to create art out of garbage, something we wouldn’t expect. In fact, his art is probably one of the most moving thing some people have ever seen. For the catadores, some of them realize who they are for the first time (I think it was Suelem). My favorite character was perhaps the elderly Valter, of whom kept reminding everyone that 99 is not 100, and that 1 single soda can can make a difference. There was one thing I was wondering. Was Vik trying to expose the complete other side of the spectrum, of people who work in dumps to raise global awareness? Or was he just trying to create art from an angle that rarely people expect? Nonetheless, Vik was able to be part of the catadores, and was able to put himself as equal then to stand over and authorize the process. This reminds me of a show in Britain called Art Attack (not from Canada as I said in our meeting after watching the film). At one point during the show, the host would take random items and create a piece of art from it, similar to what Vik did.

 

~Christopher Chong

 

Art for Art’s Sake?

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I was looking for something to post in this new “Thoughts on Art” category, and my mind drifted to the bohemian cause célèbre from the 19th century of Art for Art’s Sake, engaged by notables such as Théophile Gautier and our very own Edgar Allan Poe.  I stumbled upon this Ted talk on art that I thought might prove thought provoking (though it does drag at moments, I think DeVlieg brings us some interesting conclusions).

Mary Ann DeVlieg brings up a deceptively simple question in her talk to drive home her point: (I paraphrase) If art is such a non-issue, an unimportant question, why are artists censored, persecuted, and shunned in so many instances even today?

 

Some of the artists she cites in her talk:
Robert Rauschenberg
John Cage
The Wooster Group

St. Patrick’s Cathedral- Christopher Chong, Justin Roach, Lucius Seo

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St. Patrick's Cathedral 1

 

“There exists in this era, for thoughts written in stone, a privilege absolutely comparable to our current freedom of the press. It is the freedom of architecture.”

-Victor Hugo, Notre Dame de Paris

Some people say that the cathedral is built large so that we can feel the great distance between God and us. Some people say that the cathedral is built so beautifully to show the political power of the Catholic church. Some people say many things in front of the cathedral, watching the edifice in fear, like the way the Romans would mutter their quibbles at profanum, lurking around the boundary between what they hope to be sacred and what they hope to be vulgar.

Cathedral tells a story. It is not built magnificent to drive away people who, as Socrates would put it, speak as they do in the marketplace. Back in the time when not everyone had the privilege to learn, cathedral was a great building which told stories to the illiterates. It is an experiment ground on which many things can happen; the very first of all civil rights movements and one of the greatest petitions for freedom.

The beauty of all cathedrals that broke the boundary between the vulgar and sacred, common and noble, rich and poor, is also seen in the story of St. Patrick. Although he was once captured and enslaved in Ireland, he chose to come back to the so-called barbarians. He did not force the people into belief through violence; he took the shamrock, which was a sacred plant to the people who lived there, and explained the concept of Trinity.

St. Patrick's Cathedral 2St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in that sense, is exemplary. It was a shelter for the Catholics in New York. Its foundation is the same as that of America: freedom, equality, coexistence, harmony, and all traits thought to be admirable and American. The true art of St. Patrick’s Cathedral is not from the aesthetics, but from the value and motive, which still lives today.

Taking a look at the Cathedral’s architecture, the building has a neo-Gothic style structure. The Cathedral started it’s construction in 1858, but didn’t finish building until 1878, which was in part due to the Civil War. Today, the church is open to public visits daily, except when mass is being held. It is located on 5th avenue, between 50th and 51st street at the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

We really believe that a visit to St. Patrick’s is worth anyone’s time. Currently it is under a massive 5-year renovation project, but it is still open. If you ever take a stroll through midtown and have the time, do go visit.

 

~Christopher Chong, Justin Roach, Lucius Seo

The Trump Globe: Global Unity – Shahrouk Reza and Daniel Seo

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The steel globe is located in Manhattan, Columbus Circle at the intersection of 8th avenue, Broadway, Central Park South and Central Park West in front of the Trump International Hotel. The globe was built in 1997, during the revamping of the Trump Tower and sometimes called the Monument to the World, Its structure shows the world made up of steel and it is at least 30 feet wide and is held by one huge chromium column. The Globe is surrounded by three rings orbiting it. In front of the globe, there are large crowds trying to take the subway and get to their destination.

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The Unisphere, located at Flushing Meadows, inspired the Globe. Because of that, it is a symbol of global interdependence and community. The Globe symbolizes the coming together of people from all over the world to achieve a common goal and to share in a common purpose. Its rings memorialize the tracks of Yuri Gagarin (First man in space), John Glenn (First American in Space) and the first communications satellite. Man’s ascension into the space was only accomplished through a myriad of collaborative efforts.

However, because of its location in NYC, the Globe takes on a different meaning entirely. Lying in the heart of the city, the Monument to the World is representative of New York City itself. Because of New York’s intense diversity, the world that the Globe symbolizes can be found within the confines of this great city. Within its boundaries, people from every corner of the globe can be found. As such , we chose the steel Globe because it represents the diversity of NYC and the intermingling of dozens of cultures that happen in the city every day, to create a truly global community.

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The Trump Globe’s 12 Story High inspiration.

The Metronome – Jillian Panagakos, Manjekar Budhai, Samantha Dauer

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In 1999, artists Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel had installed The Metronome in Union Square. The art installation is comprised of 3 pieces, the first being a centerpiece comprised of rippling, concentric circles adorned by a gold, halo-like embellishment around an opening in the wall and a slab of rock. The second is an LED display with 15 digits. The first 7 digits represent the amount of time that has passed since midnight, in hours (2 digits), minutes (2 digits), seconds (2 digits) and tenths of a second (1 digit). The final 7 digits follow a similar format, except they are in reverse order and represent the amount of time left in the day. The 3 digits in the middle, measuring tenths of a second, are meant to be mind-bogglingly fast and represent the fleetingness of time, along with the fast-pace of New York City. The final piece of the installment is a half-sphere that is part gold and part black and that mimics the phases of the moon.

The LED clock from The Metronome installation.

The LED clock from The Metronome installation.

The entire installment deals with conceptions of time and utilizes symbolism to do so. The slab of rock, for example, is meant to represent geological passing of time. The opening in the wall emits smoke and sound at midnight and noon each day, to mark significant times. The sphere, of course, represents the lunar phases and passing of time on that level. The most intricate piece, however, must be the LED clock, which has matching halves that increase or decrease accordingly. They perfectly fit together, measuring the amount of time since the last midnight and the amount of time until the next midnight, functioning almost as a “modern-day hourglass” as described by Atlas Obscura. The installment as a whole is one of the most confusing public pieces in the city.

 

The centerpiece of The Metronome in Union Square.

The centerpiece of The Metronome in Union Square.

Ultimately, our group chose to research The Metronome because its complex symbolism and links to mankind’s conception of and obsession with time. Humanity, as a whole, has a tendency to constantly need to understand time: how much of it has passed, how much we have left, and (especially for New Yorkers) how little we have to spare. The clock captures this idea perfectly, as the viewer is initially drawn to the 3 center digits, changing exceptionally fast, that connect how much time has passed with how much time is left. Literally and symbolically, you are stuck between past and future, quickly changing from each moment that is considered to be the “present”.

Six Characters in Search of an Author: The Play and the Place

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First off, the play: As I told Professor Drabik after the event, I survived. The play was not one of my favorite performances, despite, no doubt, being thoroughly enjoyable. What the play was, however, was absolutely mind-blowing. “Six Characters” played with the boundaries of fiction and reality. Were the characters actual people within in the context of the play or were they actual characters come to life, to finish their unwritten stories? Were the Boy and the Little Girl dead? Had they already died ? Was it their function to die? These are the questions that plagued my mind after the show and I still find it hard to completely answer them. If I were to pick a single scene that represented all of my confusion, it would have be the penultimate scene, where the Boy shoots himself. Both the Actors and the Characters crowd around him and conflicting shouts of “Reality?!” and “Fiction” can be heard from behind the curtain. The play made me question everything that was happening on the stage. In particular, the Father’s dialogue about real life being the illusion while “characters” had an actual, set reality struck a chord with me.

Now, the place: Brooklyn Academy of Music Harvey Theater. I was not a particular fan of this venue. The seating was the first thing that I noticed. The seats felt rather small and I had the distinct sense that, should I lean forward a little, I would tumble all the way down to the stage. More so than anything else, the supertitle set-up bothered me. Constantly flicking my eyes from the supertitles to the many elements on the stage made me feel as if I was missing a majority of the performance and distracted from the play itself. The stage set-up, however, was a plus. Being flat, rather than elevated, the stage seemed perfect for the kind of play that “Six Characters in Search of an Author” was.

The Opera

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If you had asked me four years ago, three years ago, two years, a list of all the places I thought I’d go to, the opera would never have been on that list. Going to the Opera this Thursday was an incredibly eye-opening and enjoyable experience.

I went in with the mindset that I’d be bored and I wouldn’t be able to understand anything. I was badly mistaken. The set up at the Met Opera was beautiful. The way the subtitles were shown allowed me to both witness the (incredible) performance on stage, as well as understand what was going on. The sets themselves were another thing of beauty and I was astonished when I saw how they worked.

Everyone involved in the production did an incredible job. The orchestra played very well and you could discern their different sounds. One of the most incredible aspects of the opera, as Professor Drabik talked about in class, was how the actors, unmiked, managed to project their voices to the entire theater over the sound of a full orchestra.

Now there’s the matter of the Opera itself: La Nozze De Figaro. I think I had a great time at the Opera mostly because of how entertaining the narrative was. It was humorous, both in performance and plot. The story, while confusing at times, kept the viewer’s attention.

The Opera was an enlightening experience and, now, if someone asked me where I would like to go, it will definitely be on the list.