Author: SophiaK

This is a watercolor named In the Courtroom Cage. It was created by Ben Shahn in 1931-32; he was a Jewish immigrant painter, originally from Lithuania. Ben Shahn’s main focus fell on creating narrative art that highlighted social and political justice, or injustice in most cases. He was born into an Orthodox Jewish family, and during his childhood Shahn witnessed both anti-Semitism and political persecution. With this, he always stood amongst the crowds to fight for justice and equality. Initially, I was grabbed by another artwork, Hunger also by Ben Shahn, simply because of the positioning of the works. Hunger was a huge painting that dominated its area, while In the Courtroom Cage was rather small and at a higher eye level for me. Yet, the original and rather unusual appearance of this artwork caught my interest more. 

Shahn’s views on life led him to the creation of the series The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti. This collection consisted of twenty- three gouaches one of which was In the Courtroom Cage. The series illustrates parts of the trial as well as the execution of two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. The watercolor In the Courtroom Cage, in particular, is a mimesis of a press photograph of the two men in the prisoner’s dock with Sacco’s wife, Rosina, on the other side of the cage. The entire series, including this artwork, is conceptual art with a political view. It was important for Shahn to depict the injustice that Sacco and Vanzetti were experiencing. This, in fact, was one of the most controversial trials.  At the time the watercolor was created, great controversy was in the air.  Many sided with Sacco and Vanzetti, and therefore tried to prove that the guilty verdict was unfair. The theory held that the men were punished for being anarchists as well as the political views of this era. 

This watercolor was done with a certain perspective in mind. As the viewer looks at this painting it seems as though he/she is part of the scene. It was created from such a perspective that you are placed in that exact moment, even though this was done from a photograph. To elaborate, Shahn wanted to show how important this issue is to him, and he was not afraid to do so, regardless of the fact that the government was against such ideas. As for the technique, while I view this to be a mimesis, it is not quite realistic. The subjects do not look in proportion to each other, just as the facial features look too cartoon-like. With that, it seems as though Shahn completed this in a hurry and it resembles more of a sketch. While shading and highlighting are present in the watercolor, they look more abstract and unrealistic. For example, the hat has too much highlighting, giving it more of a metallic appearance; the faces have too much shading. Nonetheless, I believe Shahn did this on purpose; he wanted to create a sketch effect, as if he was there when this was happening. This emphasizes the importance that this injustice had for Shahn, and characterizes him as a social realist. 

Original: Excerpt from The Imaginative Argument A Practical Manifesto for Writers by Frank L. Cioffi (pages 24-25)

My Erasure Poem:

Grant me the inexpressible beauty of a placid approaching night;

Grant me the silence of the roaring motors of the day; 

Grant me the soothing waves, harmonious and lethargic with the scent of the sea;

Grant me spacious streets and empty streets－grant me the hearing of my own steps;

Grant me an aroma of lavender, roses, and daisies, as I stand in the midst of a park gazing at the bright sparkling night sky;

Grant me peace and quiet from the endless conversations from all sides;

Grant be a break from the fast paced city life (every hour and every second) everyone in a rush;

Grant me time to explore, explore untimed the vast beauties of the city;

Grant me greenery, everywhere and anywhere, all around me; 

Grant me sunrises and sunsets of all colors, but those that don’t indicate start and finish;

Grant me stillness in the moving city, stillness in the neverending honks, lights, and yells;

Grant me a view, a ravishing one, a view not blocked by infinite streets and buildings;

These wishes and requests, all hidden in the overpowering city, the city that hugs you in;

These, though, to complete would be a wonder and smile to my heart;

Though, to say, the city has its beauty too, and I remain with it;

The city, enormous and mysterious, always different and new;

New faces, new creatures, new signs, new scents, new adventures;

The city that has become home, and yet it still is not.

Part 1:

 “A specific photograph, in effect, is never distinguished from its referent (from what it represents), or at least it is not immediately or generally distinguished from its referent (as is the case for every other image, encumbered– from the start, and because of its status-by the way in which the object is simulated): it is not impossible to perceive the photographic signifier (certain professionals do so), but it requires a secondary action of knowledge or of reflection. By nature, the Photograph (for convenience’s sake, let us accept this universal, which for the moment refers only to the tireless repetition of contingency) has something tautological about it: a pipe, here, is always and intractably a pipe. It is as if the Photograph always carries its referent with itself, both affected by the same amorous or funereal immobility, at the very heart of the moving world: they are glued together, limb from limb, like the condemned man and the corpse in certain tortures; or even like those pairs of fish (sharks, I think, according to Michelet) which navigate in convoy, as though united by an eternal coitus” (Barthes 5).

This passage caught my attention as it was a contrast or rather explanation to something Barthes has previously mentioned. He started Chapter 2 discussing some of the usual classifications of photography. He explains that we can classify something as empirical, that is, whether it is professional or amateur. Similarly, it could be rhetorical or aesthetic. However, Barthes claimed that these explanations lack something. Therefore, in the passage above he provided insight on his own philosophy and a possible definition of photography. He makes the point that photography could not be distinguished from its referent, referent being what the photograph represents. Barthes offers us to see photography as an inseparable duality, and uses the fish and shark as an example. The photograph and its referent stand together and one can not be taken away, as this will lead to the destruction of the photograph. He seems to be displeased with this as this is what causes the “disorder” of photography. Yet, he does make the claim that photography can not function as a signifier. Later on in Chapter 15, he refers back to this idea and says that a photograph means  something only “by assuming a mask”. The mask is what allows us to create meaning from photography by having certain associations. Overall, this text above, while offered a clue to what Barthes might be saying, was a bit confusing in itself. It made me question why does Barthes have this view point and where does he want to lead us with it.

Part 2:

“Perhaps it is because I am delighted (or depressed) to know that the thing of the past, by its immediate radiations (its luminances), has really touched the surface which in its turn my gaze will touch, that I am not very fond of Color. An anonymous daguerreotype of 1843 shows a man and a woman in a medallion subsequently tinted by the miniaturists on the staff of the photographic studio: I always feel (unimportant what actually occurs) that in the same way, color is a coating applied later on to the original truth of the black-and-white photograph. For me, color is an artifice, a cosmetic (like the kind used to paint corpses). What matters to me is not the photograph’s life(a purely ideological notion) but the certainty that the photographed body touches me with its own rays and not with a superadded light” (Barthes 81).

I found this passage interesting, as Barthes presents his opinion regarding color in photography. He made it clear that in his opinion color is something that a photograph does not need. To him, color is an additional coating that is added after the original photograph. Barthes even compares color to a cosmetic that is used to paint the corpses. What partcularly struck me about this idea, is that a certain philosophy exists that claims that color is not a physical property but our own imagination. Therefore, when Barthes expressed his opinion of color being an unnecessary entity in photography and it being an additional layer, I made a connection to the philosophy mentioned previously.  Color, is something that does not need to affect the interpretation or analysis of a photograph. Barthes highlights that the major aspect of a photograph to him is the radiation coming from the photographed body or how he refers to it, the micro-death. He values other features of the photograph like the punctum over something like color.

Question:

In the final chapter Barthes states that society is concerned with taming the madness of a photograph. I wonder, “ What does Barthes consider to be mad in photography?” Moreover, how do the principles he introduced affect this madness?

Photograph: Mitch Epstein- Property Rights ( Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Gallery)

When I thought about the job of a curator, I always thought that it is a fun and creative job. Yet, after visiting all these galleries and after all those readings I came to the realization that it is a difficult position that requires a lot of thought and planning. When a gallery is being prepared for an exhibition so many things have to be taken into account: the colors of the paintings, the message the artist wants to get across, the limited amount of space, and list just continues. Many of the galleries we visited were in the white cube style, yet the arrangement of each art piece created different impressions.

Yvonne Jacquette, DC Moore Gallery

The first gallery we visited was the D.C Moore gallery on 535 W 22nd St. Upon entering I realized just how accurate Brian Dogherty was in his description of a white cube gallery. Every wall was painted in white with the only differences in them being the paintings exhibited. The flooring was wooden and each step made was heard in the entire gallery. The only lighting source was indeed the ceiling. This gallery portrayed the work of many artists and there was no common theme between them. Yet, the gallery was arranged in a way where each artist received a designated room or section of a wall. Some of the artists in this exhibition were Yvonne Jacquette, George Tooker, and Ben Shahn. The first artist that caught my attention was Yvonne Jacquette, as her work was exhibited in the main area. Her oil on linen paintings were spread out on the walls so that each gets around five feet in circumference. This allowed me to focus on one painting at a time. Her work depicts various aerial views of NYC in the daytime. From skyscrapers, to construction sites, to roofs of smaller buildings Jacquette trys to convey the changing architecture of the city. The white cube style gallery allows people to fully immerge into the painting and actually feel that they are looking at NYC from above. I loved her style of painting and the precise detailing that she had especially in her painting Three Ages of Construction II. However, to me the white cube also took something away from her paintings. All of her paintings were done in pastel shades, which is realistic as in NYC you would rarely see any buildings in vibrant bold colors. Yet, it turned out that the white wall was bolder than the paintings. In some moments this caused my attention to shift from the painting onto the wall, which I believe should not have happened.

Three Ages of Construction II by Yvonne Jacquette

In the case with the works of Ben Shahn the opposite happened. His work was fitted into a small room with each piece of artwork being about one foot from each other.  His work was done in bold red, yellow, and white colors. For example, in his offset lithography artwork Inflation Means Depression a contrast was created with the white wall. This allowed me to fully focus on his art. It brought me back into my U.S history classes where we would always analyze posters and propaganda created in times of war. The association I had with his work made it memorable and remembering even after visiting all the other galleries.

Inflation means Depression by Ben Shahn

The gallery that we visited right after DC Moore was the Sikkema Jenkins & Co gallery on 530 W 22nd St. While it was also a white cube gallery, the experience was very different. Their main exhibition was the work of Mitch Epstein, his photographs on property rights. Each photograph received one wall to itself. The photographs were huge, therefore they usually took up a good third of the wall. This technique allowed me to look over every little detail in the picture. The photographs mesmerized me and made me think about all of the ecological and social problems there are in this world. His photograph of the boy hugging the tree conveyed the current problems we are having with deforestation. Each photograph depicts something new and different compared to the previous one. Moreover, and probably most important to me was that in this gallery I did not even focus on the white walls. To me they were not even there as the photographs took up the entire space in my view. I believe that this gallery was very successful in presenting Epstein’s work and ideas.

Epstein’s Property Rights Photograph

Our group visited almost every gallery on 22^nd street and almost all of them were in the white cube style. While each gallery created a different impression on us through their arrangement of work and style, we wanted to see something totally different, something we did not experience before. When returning back to the high line we accidently saw the Jim Kempner Fine Art Gallery on 501 W 23^rdSt. This gallery was something fresh and engaging as it finally reared away from the white cube style. The flooring was no longer wooden, but it was a carpet that made you feel like home. The lighting was not only the ceiling, but some work had lamps while other work was light itself. When walking around you did not feel like you are in an intimidating gallery, but rather you were on a tour around a world of art. Paintings, sculptures, wood carvings were all together. It might seem as they were all chaotically placed, yet in actuality the placing of the art was art itself. In this gallery I was never focused on one piece of art, I kept on wanting to move on and see more. I believe the purpose was not to analyze this art but rather just enjoy its beauty and uniqueness. For instance, I first noticed the Mount Rushmore book sculpture by Long-Bin Chen. It was something I never saw before; it was done with precision and detail. However, right next to it was Jeff Chyatte’s Symbiosis metal sculpture. It was placed right in front of the floor to ceiling window making it seem as it could also be placed outside. The sculpture conveyed strength and risk, and when rotated could open up something new. This gallery was definitely my favorite as it was not overwhelmingly white as the others. I would definitely want to visit this gallery again to see its new exhibitions.

Mount Rushmore by Long-Bin Chen

Jeff Chyatte’s Symbiosis

Overall, this was an exciting experience that showed how the gallery space affects your interpretation and experience of artwork. Even galleries that are white cubes create different impressions because of varying arrangement, style, and color of artwork.

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before,” as said by Neil Gaiman. We might not realize it, but every day we come into contact with public art. Whether we saw it with a glimpse of an eye as we were running late, or we purposefully went to view it. Public art is something that can be found in every country in various shapes, sizes, and colors. From statues, to murals, to playgrounds art is different for everyone. Likewise, each piece of artwork has its own meaning and purpose. Certain art makes us want to question something, while other art is meant to bring us joy. But how different is public art in two completely different parts of the world, where the cultures and the way people live differ greatly?

The sweltering heavy air overlooks New York City. Every step taken is another gasp of air. It becomes even more difficult as you walk on 1^stavenue from 23^rdstreet to 34^thstreet. Not because it is hotter or more humid there, but simply because of the infrastructure that occupies this area. Medical workers rush in and out of buildings in their green-blue scrubs as the sirens of ambulances conquer your ears. A simple walk places you into melancholy as the majority of the buildings here are hospitals, medical centers, etc. This ignites memories of the long visits to the doctors, the large needles pressing into your skin for blood work, and the endless vaccines that need to be done. Each person knows how dreading a visit to a doctor could be. Yet, everything changes on the corner of 34^thstreet where a single piece of public art shines. The thirty-foot-tall dog statue simply forces you to smile. This comedian piece of public art displays an enormous dog balancing a taxi cab on its nose. The taxi cab is not some small replica, but an actual yellow NYC taxi cab that just a couple of years ago was out in the streets. The dog stands graciously with his small black nose pointing to the sky. His eyes focus on the automobile as his acute ears point toward Earth from all the pressure. Likewise, through the creases that create the dog’s breast it is noticed that majority of the weight is placed on the dog’s front legs. What makes this dog even more engaging to look at are the black spots that the dog is covered in; they actually resemble thick strokes made with a paintbrush. However, this unusual piece of public art is here for a reason, as Kwon would say this is a “new genre type of art.” It definitely does not fit into the medical picture of this area, but it serves its purpose here. This dog whose name is actually Spot is right in front the Hassenfeld’s Children Hospital for Blood and Cancer Disorders. Spot’s goal is to change the dark atmosphere of this region into one that welcomes the children that visit this hospital. Spot is there to help the children feel a bit happier, adding light and color. Moreover, this piece of work is also art in space because if you were to take it out of this community and place it into another, it would lose its original reason for creation. While very different from the urban buildings, it beautifies it. The creator of this sculpture, Donald Lipski, says, “It’s a privilege to be able to do this for the kids. I wanted to make something so astounding it would distract even those arriving for the most serious procedures, and so lovable that young patients coming back again and again with chronic conditions would see it as an old friend. I like to think that the parents, the doctors and nurses and staff, the neighbors, will all be smitten by this playful, heroic young dog doing the impossible. Art has actual healing power. That’s a fact!” It was vital for this art to scream his message. Additionally, while it is important to know that he was the creator of this wonderful art, the knowledge of this does not add or take away from the importance of the piece itself.

Spot balancing the taxi cab.

Spot was just one example from a day of public art in NYC, but he was definitely unique. However, lets transport ourselves across the Atlantic Ocean, to city that is 4,664 miles away from NYC.  In Kiev, public art too is quite popular, yet in a way it is a bit different. A top-rated tourist attraction is the Park Landscape Alley.  A street is designated for artists to display all their art work from paintings, to portraits, to sculptures. Walking through this street is an unforgettable experience. In fact, you should always walk as slow as possible or you might lose detail of something significant.  That actually almost happened to me. When you reach the middle of this street there is an opening into an alley with a sign that welcomes you to Wonderland. An alley that is usually supposed to be dark and mysterious is filled with vibrant bold colors. What you see is a gigantic painted rabbit with a clock rushing to the other end of the alley. He leads you to a park that is even more colorful than that alley. This park is surrounded by four story buildings on every side, therefore there is only one entrance. That is when I reached true amazement and felt that I was no longer seventeen, but was again ten years old. The park was filled with benches and sculptures created from mosaic in the Alice in Wonderland theme. In the blasting sun, the mosaic heats up and when you press against it, the heat rapidly transfers to your hand as you feel the little indents between each piece of the mosaic. However, the benches also have a shade to hide from the sun as the benches are the mouths of characters from Alice in Wonderland. In order to sit on the bench, you have to climb into the mouth of the character. What was more exciting was the playground, also in the Alice in Wonderland theme. The first thing that catches attention is Alice herself slouching against the playground in the shade. Her blue flowery dress creates a sort of wave that in turn creates a seat for anyone that got tired. As you walk to the other side there is an entrance into a white tea cup that has a club and diamond on its sides. From there you can access that higher tea cups with slides or the head of the Cheshire Cat. It is as purple as in the movie, and its smile is just as big. Yet, its eyes create a welcoming and playful atmosphere. This all is public art that would be classified as the art as space paradigm. It was created with the purpose of interacting with the people or serving a useful purpose. The playground was created for the children to play in, while the benches were there as a place to sit. This area was built as a government project, and it was to make more tourists come to this region of Kiev. Nevertheless, when money was being collected in 2008, the people that lived in the surrounding buildings donated about fifteen percent of the needed amount. This park is something that brought pleasure to both them and the visitors. While the Alice in Wonderland themed park differs greatly from old European styled buildings around, this public art became its own site. The area is now in 2019 known for this park, therefore if removed the place would lose its significance.

Alice in Wonderland Landscape Park Alley

Overall, these two pieces of public art, Spot and Alice in Wonderland playground, were created in different countries, and for different purposes. Spot was made from fiber glass and steel while the playground from mosaic. Yet, one thing unites them. They both bring happiness in children. The context of these pieces of art is different. Spot was made to distract the children in the hospital from all of the procedures they have to go through. He should be remembered as a friend in their eyes. While the playground was made to attract tourists, it was made for children, for them to have fun and experience something different and new. Both make children smile and both bring feelings of joy. Thus, public art is something that can surpass any differences and barriers. It is something that can be seen anywhere you go and can add life to any area.

Description:

As you step foot on the fourth floor of the Rubin Museum you immediately enter an atmosphere that is religious and spiritual. If you turn to the right the first thing that is noticed is a huge display with a sculpture. This is a lacquered wooden sculpture with noticeable gold pigment on the deity and the body of the lion. It was created in China during the 16^thcentury and is called Vaishravana, Guardian King of the North. This art is a representation of a popular, vital, and wealthy guardian king that is recognized in both Tibet and China and he uses the lion as a source of transportation.

Analysis:

When I just came upon this artwork my gaze was immediately fixed on the lion, even though the deity was technically the center piece. I was caught up in the lion’s eyes; to me they seemed ferocious, powerful, and brutal even though the lion itself was relaxed. Gradually, my gaze shifted to the thick swirled brows that portrayed anger. This swirled technique was also used on the tail and mane, adding smoothness to the sculpture. Additionally, the lion appeared to be wearing certain protective gear or armor which depicted that it is of high importance to the people of that century. It could be said that the guardian and the lion were relatively similar in size which highlighted the importance and power that the lion had. Yet, the majority of the lion’s body was not seen except for the front legs on the lower left. They appeared to be short in comparison to the size of the lion; however, they were unusually muscular for a lion. It could be stated that the structure of the legs was similar to that of a dog. Meanwhile, the head was unproportionally large. Something else unusual was that the lion’s teeth and smile resembled those of a human.  I also noticed that the deity had a belt around his waist that portrayed the head of that same lion. Overall, I believe that the deity and lion were getting prepared for an important event that required the brutal seriousness seen in their faces.