Coco Fusco – due 10.25

 

First Impressions

 

When first looking at this piece I simply thought I had to look more closely to figure out what exactly the emblems were. Once I figured out that they were the emblems of the flags of Dominican Republic(D.R.) and the United States(U.S.) I had an immediate connection to the piece. I noticed how strange the texture of it was and thought that perhaps the grainy sandy material wasn’t the best choice as it was hard to see definitive figures without staring very closely at designs. I liked that it wasn’t as far-fetched as the other pieces in the exhibit that I thought were so abstract that it was hard to find meaning in them. And it had one of my other favorite elements art can have, simplicity. The contrast of the black and white place right next to each other, with a design with only one eye-catching piece, was just something I could appreciate without being distracted.

 

Analysis

 

When re-visiting the piece, I found a lot more than a personal connection. This time I read the blurb beside the piece. The most eye-catching piece of the blurb was that the prints were done using diamond dust. While at first, I thought it was difficult to see the differences in the side by side prints because of the diamond dust grainy quality, I realized it gave the piece more depth. Without obvious differences, the pieces seem a lot more similar. Just as the two countries are. The U.S. and the D.R. share a lot in their flags and the symbolism and the values. The piece is able to show contrast very clearly but also draw so much attention to the idea that the two nations are more similar than we believe. In addition, the diamond dust adds another layer of dimension to the titles of the prints The emblem of D.R. named “penumbra”, meaning semi-darkness or shadows, and that of the U.S. named “opaca”, meaning opaque. The semi-transparency of the diamond dust over the solid paper, had varying shadows not only in the glass covering the work but underneath each grain. The artist forced the observer to see a variety of shadows while looking at the work, not just the “penumbra”. Seeing yourself as a shadow makes you look at the pieces position on shadows and the object casting the shadow very differently. As the blurb describes it is the prints begun a greater discussion about the role the U.S. played in the Caribbean in intervening in many different countries government and economy. The D.R., and many island nations like it, became shadows of the U.S. having to just follow along. They lost a lot of their individuality and the U.S. figuratively does not let the light shine on them. Confronted with this piece I noticed that historical connection. But of course, it just isn’t that simple for me. As I looked at this piece more and more I saw how much I really did feel connected to it. But not for the means of shadow and cloud but for the similarities and differences aspect. I myself am a Dominican American and struggle with the conflicting identities that may Hispanic children face. There is a need to be American in this society, especially with the conflict that has arisen in recent years, and there is a want to cut ties to immigrant pasts and they can lead to repercussions that most wouldn’t want to deal with. But to lose your culture isn’t something that is easily done. I think that piece showed that it is more complex than just black and white, there is a thin layer that reflects and absorbs light over top. And sometimes white looks a lot like black and vice versa. It doesn’t present this contrast idea with the explanation of a “grey area” which is how we normally find solutions. But all of a sudden black and white have dimensions in their own respects. And that’s what I saw in this piece. A new layer of such common understanding.

Initial Observation Period

The first thing that I noticed when I saw this piece was the tire hanging. It was still, and seemed somewhat empty and sad- because when I picture a tire swing, I visualize children laughing and playing, the swing moving back and forth at full speed. I also noticed the different shoe pieces jutting out of the tire with many colors, sizes, and styles. Shoes and tires also seem to contradict one another- shoes represent walking, a tire represents automotive transportation. There are so many different types of shoes, but only one tire.

 

Secondary Observation Period

During my ten minutes of extended observation, I studied each of the individual shoe parts. Some were the tips of sneakers, others of dress shoes. The soles each had different impressions and levels of wear and tear. So many varying colors and textures. I got to thinking- whose shoes were these? They each had their own personality, their own voice. Whoever chose them, picked them out as a representation of their own personal style. Shoes can really offer valuable insight into a person. Who owned that hefty work boot? Who once wore that pointed heel? Each shoe seemed to be making a statement.

As I asked myself these questions, I had this moment of déjà vu, and realized that I had seen a similar art instillation, also involving shoes, in Israel. The piece was displayed at Yad Va’Shem, the Israeli Holocaust Museum. On the floor was a piece of clear glass, and beneath that, were layers upon layers of old shriveled up shoes taken from Jews right before they were sent to their deaths in gas chambers. Visitors were encouraged to stand on top of the glass, look down, and view their own shoes amongst those of the deceased. Some shoes were basic leather flats, others elaborate dress shoes. Similar to Nari Ward’s piece, each of those shoes had a story, personality, and carried the aura of their former owner.

It was then that I noticed the rope that the tire was hanging from- it was fashioned as a noose. Still thinking about the shoes in the Holocaust Museum, it shook me a little bit. But it wasn’t until I read the blurb on the wall that I realized my initial horror was more than appropriate. The noose was supposed to represent lynching, and the swing is actually estimated to be the approximate height of ne that has been hanged. The shoes, like those of Jewish Holocaust victims, served to reference humans killed because of racism and xenophobia. Each shoe represents a life lost to violence and hatred from one human being toward another. No matter the culture, religion, or race, a life is a life, and a shoe is representative of that.

 

Within the first moments of looking at this art, I noticed the mix of abstract shapes and colors all having an emphasis on the center. This is contrasted by straight lines, which cut through the art. The paintings are all very abstract, and they have multiple layers. It resembles looking at a layer of the earth, with different types of rock present at different levels. Each painting uses a unique color palette; however, they seem to flow together. All 5 pieces have a somewhat extraterrestrial feeling, where they straight lines remind me of constellations.

 

Upon further observance, I focused on each individual piece. Starting with the first piece on the top left, I noticed that the colors were mostly red, and dark in the center. This gave me a feeling of danger or uncertainty for what could lie in the middle. I also noticed how the straight lines connect to white blotches. As a metaphor, this can be seen as connected to places of safety, opportunity or a general goodness. The darkness of the center can resemble the struggle to get from one place to the other.

 

The next image, the top right, shows a much more confusing image, in my opinion. There is no clear pattern, and the straight lines that were so definitive in the first image are now crisscrossed and they do not lead anywhere. This could resemble a confusion or a sense of being lost. The artist, Francisco Donoso, says that he faced difficulty associating himself with one culture, as an immigrant from Ecuador. These undefined lines may represent how he felt all over the place and with nowhere to go, upon immigration.

 

On the bottom left, there is an image with more structure. The lines seem to be more of a support system rather than a path. Despite this, there is a blue ring in the center of the image that is untouched by the lines. This may resemble two different identities which don’t seem to mesh together. The blue ring also seems to be encompassing a lighter section. Maybe the ring represents a barrier, or restriction, which prevents the outside from entering.

 

The image in the center on the bottom shows a multitude of layers. Although the front layer is most prevalent, the others are still very distinct. The picture could represent Donoso’s experience as an immigrant. He may find it difficult to identify fully as Ecuadorian but at the same time not fully identify as American. He may feel like he is a part of both, and although that should be respected, people may outcast him or judge him based upon the quality they see first. This is troublesome because if he receives rejection from the groups he identifies with, he could feel lost. This may resemble the white space in the top of the center of the painting.

 

The final image, on the bottom right, shows straight lines similar to those of the first painting. After looking at it for more time, I noticed how there are only three blotches of the seven which are not black. Furthermore, there is only one that is predominantly white. I’m not exactly sure what this may mean, but I noticed how the white one is in the center and it connects all of the other blotches. Perhaps this is the ideal place where everyone is trying to get, or maybe it is where everyone is coming from.

 

First Impression

At first glance, I like the simplicity and straight-forwardness of this piece. I like the fact that it shows how we try and put women, especially women of color, into a box that we decide upon. The colors are nice, I like that they used muted colors. I think that puts a lot of emphasis on the message of the piece, rather than the appearance. You can tell that there is a message behind the art, that it wasn’t just created for self-expression’s sake. This art has a specific purpose, otherwise, it wouldn’t have the Spanish text at the bottom.

 

Analysis

Upon closer inspection, the author only uses a kind of toffee brown and several different shades of gray/black, no white. This emphasizes that the woman in the painting is colored, and different, separate from the paintings that use white. And, with all of the space outside of the photo, it really shows how we rarely ever look at the entire person, or the “big picture”. Around her afro, I see little patterns that appear similar to leaves. I think this is to indicate the natural beauty of colored women, and how they should let their natural beauty/state show, just as the trees continue to bloom after every winter. I also think the writing below the box is meant to reflect modern social media, such as Instagram, and the way we confine people to a box and a few words of text. We capture the beauty and essence of a face or a moment, but not the true experience of the place or person. There is so much more to someone than just a pretty face, but often that is all we are reduced to because we cannot fit everything we are into a photo. Unless a photo is taken from far away, or with lots of planning, we are reduced to taking a photo of what is convenient for us to remember. In a selfish way, at that time, the story of the subject matter in the photo doesn’t matter because we are only valuing the benefit we receive (likes/comments/acknowledgment) So, while the subject matter may have all of these details or features that are important to understanding who or what a person is actually looking at/liking, the photographer is reducing it to something abbreviated, something s/he liked; the person in charge is changing the subject matter to fit his/her ideals. Notice how I avoided the Spanish text and what that means? I can say with utmost certainty I did that because it’s inconvenient for me, a white girl who speaks no Spanish past level 1. However, the Spanish portion is important because it shows how this happens across the board. Everyone, individually, places other individuals in boxes, for their own convenience and understanding, regardless of the true nature/humanity behind said boxed individual. Everyone projects their ideals of how someone should be onto others, what’s different is how/if those projections get recognized or stated. Whites imposed their ideals onto minorities for the longest time, this only shows that hasn’t changed much amongst humans with the development of technology. In fact, it is only getting easier to see people as objects/faces rather than real people with experiences and lives.

8 Second Observations:

Within the first eight seconds of observing this artwork, I immediately noticed the vibrant colors in contrast with the more run down looking buildings.  The hotel is bright blue and the paint used to spell out the world “OUTRAGE” is bright purple, yet the house in the second picture and the last picture appear to be vacant and rundown.  I also noticed the religious image on the wall of the house that’s for sale.  The image seems to be very ornate, but the “for sale” sign shows the neglect and inability to sustain the home.  Lastly, I noticed the women in her market, and the way that her business seems to be rundown as well.

 

10 Minute Observations:

After spending some time analyzing and observing this art, I noticed the fact that each image seemed to be showing the effect that the unstable economy has on the houses and businesses in Puerto Rico.  The photos were all evocative in the way that they showed the abandonment of homes, the pleas and anger of the community’s inhabitants and the struggle that people re facing to keep their businesses going or to sell their homes.  The plaque next to the images tells the viewer that the photographer wished to show that “for sale signs are ubiquitous, as are the signals of empty, abandoned homes.” (Miguel).  These images are attempting to show people the devastating economic effects of funneling money into Puerto Rican tourism rather than residential towns, and the realities such as abandoned hotels, houses, and rundown businesses. In her essay, Coco Fusco mentions that art is perhaps the most effective didactic method when it comes to explaining the needs for justice, or to transform minds to realize the situations in various countries.  This series of photographs is a perfect example of this. Sometimes it is difficult to explain just how rundown and abandoned a small neighborhood after the effects of economic crisis and neglect. The image of the word outrage painted on a fence has a much deeper emotional effect on its viewer than simply reading or listening to people lecture about the suffering in these communities.  I think the artist was very specific and strategic in outing these images together. Each one shows a building, or a home that was obviously beautiful and inhabited at one point, but it now overgrown and abandoned.  The Hotel in the bottom left image is a beautiful blue color, and the architecture is very traditional and stylistic, however there is an empty lot next to it, and its windows are now boarded up.  This once beautiful building is now deteriorating, and the image evokes emotion and understanding in its viewer.  The beautiful religious image on the side of a home that also has a very telling “for sale” sign on it also shows the way that previously beautiful family homes are empty and deteriorating as people can no longer afford to live in these neighborhoods.  The power that all of these photos has on its viewer is a much more powerful didactic tool for showing the suffering that these small neighborhoods are facing due to the economic crisis in Puerto Rico, and prove Fusco’s point that art is the most effective way to teach the need for justice and change for neglected people and places.

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First Impressions

“The art style was unique in a way that each portion of the image was intended to have symbolic meaning that is more so straight forward. An instance being the fire in El Pique that seems to have the rest of the painting revolve around it. Even the individuals within the painting are focusing on it, yet each remain convoluted except the person on fire. I found this interesting since there are so many things this fire could symbolize. This also backs on the form of art. Three dimensional while still remaining two dimensional in the same respect gives an interesting depth to the paintings.”

El Pique

Analysis

“‘Emerging at a time when mass audiences in Europe and America were barely literate and hardly cognizant of the rest of the world, the displays were an important form of public ‘education.'”

Fusco’s essay in its entirety seems to focus on the seemingly undesired obtaining of “exotic” performers and art from Eurocentric societies at an earlier time in history. Though it seems that this was looked down upon, was it not better for the Europeans to inevitably learn of other cultures first hand? Yes, they had went through the process in a way that leaves little to be desired, but it was something that was to be done eventually. In terms of the art, especially El Pique, it seems like race plays a large part in the symbolic representation. There is an individual in the top right that is evidently white behind what seems to be a car steering wheel. This could be an attempt to show how much people of white descent “control” the lives of others or society while also blending in their own respect. There are three people within the painting. The one that could be considered white is also partially yellow in a yellow compartment. The man/woman to the left of the painting is peeking out from behind a curtain, the face blending into the background darkness to the point of barely making out features. The clothing is clear, yet more stained than the others. The final individual is the one who’s head is set ablaze. The peculiarity of this person is how well they blend into the background in terms of the clothing. In the pink is a set of two babies and several other things such as what seems to be a building, hospital cart, numbers and the list goes on. In a certain sense, this may show the priorities of each, whereas the individual in the pink is extremely distracted and has a lot going on in his head. To my realization, this perhaps shows a deeper dynamic to the whole race position. On one end, you have what is at the surface which is an entire cluster of mixed images centered by what can be the cumulation of an individual’s life. Perhaps his siblings are to his bottom left and the entirety of his background remain just that, a background to what is really at stake, his sanity in terms of expectation. The other two within the painting seem to watch over the boy almost as if they are the ones running his life. In terms of Fusco’s essay, I’d say the boy’s life was never his own to begin with, or that is what is being shown or depicted.

Coco Fusco, in her essay “The Other History of Intercultural Performance” (1994), argues that “conscious methods may not necessarily transform unconscious structures of belief” and thus that art might be a better tool for fighting racism and other justice issues than what she calls “didactic” methods. Choose one artwork from the Museo del Barrio exhibits, observe it for around eight seconds (the average amount of time a museum visitor spends looking at a single work), and then write down your first impressions (100 words). Then, observe the artwork for ten minutes. Using Fusco’s essay as inspiration, write an analysis of what you discovered about this artwork after a long observation, especially which “unconscious structures of belief” it is attempting to transform.(400 words).

Coco Fusco essay is here.