Blog Posts

At first glance of this work by Belkis Ayon, I was actually fairly confused, and maybe a little scared. All the pictures at first glance seemed very spooky, like something out of a child’s nightmares. Also at first glance, I noticed that there was some sort of a fish in every single piece of art, including this one. Looking at it from first glance, this portrait seemed to reflect those that were well off in life, at least stereotypically. The stereotypical rich family standing beside a campfire with a big chair and a footrest was what this artwork looked like originally, but after studying it, it showed something completely different.

 

After going back and analyzing this piece of artwork, I noticed things that I didn’t notice before. For example, there are many different religious connotations that can be taken from this artwork. The person in the chair is wearing a cross, along with the serpent along the shoulders of the person standing on the chair, possibly representing the devil in the Bible story of Adam and Eve. Looking closer, I can possibly argue a more political and racial side to this artwork. Going back to the original idea of this artwork representing a rich individual, a political way that this could go would be that it is normally Caucasian people that are found to be the ones well off in life, while everyone else struggles to make ends meet. The artist could have been going for a reversal of that typical scenario, and bringing attention to the fact that others should also be able to be well off as well. The individual shaded in dark could represent someone of color, while the individual shaded in white could represent a person of Caucasian descent. The person sitting in the chair has the posture of someone that is in charge and in control, so it could represent the person that is well off, while the person standing could almost be taken as a person who is inferior.

Another way that this piece of artwork could be taken is deeper into the religious aspect, but not in the way that I originally thought. Instead of a political and racial standpoint, the artist could be making a religious standpoint about Christianity. The person in the chair is completely shaded in black and for most people, black is usually a bad sign. The other person is shaded in white, which is usually taken as a sign of purity, but the only problem with this is the serpent lying around their shoulders. In accordance with the Bible, a serpent is a sign of the devil, so the deeper meaning to this artwork could be that not everyone appears as they seem. While someone may seem like a good person and do good things, they may have the worst intentions towards others, while the other individual who is maybe seen as a bad person or an outcast has just as good a heart and intentions as a saint. Whatever the political, racial or religious point that the artist is trying to make, it is done very subtly, and requires the observer to go past just the obvious of what is going on. This seems to speak volumes about a lot of issues without even saying a word, and this is a prime example of what art can express that physical action cannot.

This set of five pieces by Francisco Donoso instantly attracted me. They looked like something out of a Pink Floyd album. I couldn’t but feel transported to some mystical and ethereal landscape. The colors were vibrant and I just couldn’t look away. I know originally I was supposed to spend about 8 seconds looking at the pieces but I know I spent far more. I did not try to analyze them instead I just admired the work. Layers upon layers made to create the illusion of a three dimensional image; so real that I felt that I could stick my hand in. The vibrant colors only added to the dreamscape that I saw. I just could not help but stand there in awe staring at the pieces.

I then decided to take a closer look at the artworks. I saw connections throughout all of them. For some pieces it was a giant web all meeting at one intersection and others there was a center focus and everything was leading to it. Focusing specifically on Landscape, also known as Aterrizaje, the layers give the illusion of depth. Each layer closing in slowly into a blank center. The center is pure white. In relation to the theme of the exhibit I see the layers as the diverse makeup of America with the blank in the center representing the “heart of America”: White America. I’m still not sure what to make of the three blobs I can only assume that they represent individuals looking at the makeup of America.

Another piece in the collection that I was enamored by was Celestial Hood. Again I see the large interconnected web present. However, in this piece something is missing though; there are large sections where no trails are present. The web is not complete. Perhaps this is the disconnect between society and the marginalized minority. The dark colors present in this piece play to a feeling of sorrow. But, the different shades of blue and the crimson red meld together perfectly there is no conflict with the colors and that is unity among the minorities. It seems that the only portions of the piece that are separated are the those chunks without any trails.

My favorite piece was Origin. In that piece I saw the symbolic stripes of the flag of the United States. Again the interconnected web is present. This time complete but, in the center again is a white blob. The surrounding segments of the web are different colors and some mixing together. The red stripes make it fairly obvious that the piece is critiquing American society. While everything is connected there are clear differences among the segments those segments then branch off into separate segments. American society is connected however not unified.

A common theme in Francisco Donoso’s is the lack of unity in America. America is a giant web but there are differences amongst the population and so much so that separations occur. I see racial and social separations in these works and after looking at them for such a long time the mystical feeling is gone and instead sorrow and anger appear. I still enjoy the work but after the long analysis I began to view the works in a different light.

                At first glance, this looks like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man to me. Obviously it is a very distant association, but the position of the white arms against the stark background immediately draw the eyes to them. Upon closer inspection, there is more going on that just the positioning of the arms. This almost ethereal being, has branches sticking out of them, floating above a field, footless. Taking another step back, it looks like this being has a worshipper. This worshipper’s anatomy is far less developed, but there is a depth to their character, nonetheless. Belkis Ayón dressed them in a top crossed on the back, a supportive fashion. Their arms are outstretched, welcoming.

I’ve since done some research on Ayón and her background. She was a member of the Abakuá society of Cuba, a secret community formed after it traveled from Nigeria. The only female figure in the belief system of the Abakuá is Sikán, who was sacrificed as a result of her knowledge. In her interviews Ayón has suggested that in her works, she often plays both roles: the God and the Believer.

In her piece “To Make You Love Me Forever” Ayón’s two figures are polar opposites from each other. While the floating figure has a white body and a black head, the worshipper has a grey body with a white head. While the hands of the floater are pitch black, those of the believer remain alike to the complexion of the body. I find it peculiar that she chose to blacken the hands and head of the possible Sikán. White is often associated with enlightenment, and enlightenment finds itself in one’s brain. I’d consider a God more enlightened than her believer. Having said all this, I also appreciate the constant contrast in the figure; the black head allows for sharp enough contrast to truly make the eyes piercing.

Belkis Ayón produced this piece in a society swayed patriarchal, being a member of a secret community where the only female presence was killed after sharing her prophetic experience. This piece may not communicate much about racism in a North American context, simply because the Americanized version of racism is so vastly different from how racism has manifested on islands and in South America. Yet is still speaks volumes about sex. Ayón practices the non-didactic approach which Coco Fusco urges can be more fruitful than standard, academic discussion.

Art allows the viewer to move in time, space, and interpretation. It also allows the viewer to place the artist within the medium they have produced. Sure Ayón produced her works on card board layered with paper, but she also created a medium much deeper than the two dimensional figures portrayed. Her imagery of fish, Gods, and wheat encapsulate life. All the motifs integral to life on an island, they are what survival in its most basic form is: nourishment and hope. Her work is almost forceful, I can place her above and below, I can place myself in well, and with either of our bodies in this piece, I am prepared to accept the notion of Ayón above, a feminized God, unheard of in the Abrahamic religions that dominate post-colonial American lands. And like the standard canon of God, Ayón has the agency to do right by those looking to her.

Belkis Ayón corners her audience with her art, her unobscured rambling of didactic approaches, but without her history and her context, it can slip between the cracks.

Rubén Natal-San Miguel’s collection of photos from Puerto Rico

8 Seconds

-It was so beautiful and colorful, and told a story that stood out to me. It caught my eye immediately, because of the clean looking subject matter, the vivid colors, and I wanted to know more about the photo.  I found myself fascinated by the photos purely by its aesthetic value, but compelled by the underlying meaning of the photos. It didn’t seem as interesting as the other artwork that was done in unique forms and mediums, with stronger messages, but it caught my attention.  The photos seemed to be journalistic, and artistic at the same time.

10 Minutes

-After learning that the photos were of Puerto Rico, my thoughts immediately went to the gorgeous vacation photos people posted on social media. I never visited there personally, so my knowledge of Puerto Rico was limited to whatever I saw on social media, on maps, etc. The pictures weren’t of the sandy beaches or luxurious resorts, it was of abandoned buildings, protests, and run down businesses owned and operated by locals; the things that aren’t brazenly presented to eager vacationers

The abandoned buildings and letters written reflect the tumultuous political and economic climate in Puerto Rico that isn’t necessarily advertised, and consequently, seen by the majority of the population. The beauty of the photos themselves contradict the subject matter, depicting something associated more with negativity, like the “outrage” of the citizens.

This unrest is known mainly to the people of Puerto Rico, who, according to Miguel, have all fled to the greater United States, and the empty buildings wouldn’t otherwise be seen, and neither would the protests.  The only way this “unkown” side of Puerto Rico is seen are through these beautiful, seemingly subtle photos (compared to the other photos in the exhibit). At first glance, the collection of photos is colorful and eye-catching, but has a deeper meaning underneath its surface, much like the “unconscious” effort Fusco was referring to.

I absolutely love the use of thread on what appears to be paper.  It gives the pieces a slightly messy, almost chaotic effect.  They look like sketches, not finished pieces, which I’ve always kind of liked.  The subject matter appears to be mothers or other female caretakers with children of varying ages.  There’s a lot of extraneous lines, which isn’t a critique, just an observation.  The detail the artist was able to achieve is incredible, from the patterns on the clothing to the almost demon-like faces.  The fact that the artist decided to use only one color of thread (black) is an interesting one.  This combined with the loose structure makes it look as if it is decaying.  Overall, I like the little collection of pieces; they are unique and eye-catching.

 

The plaque on the wall next to the pieces says that those depicted are representative of the underpaid female caretakers, often of Caribbean and Latin American descent or immigrants themselves, who can be seen walking around Manhattan.  The art itself does not signify race due to the lack of color, but I could see what they were going for.  The plaque also mentions, kind of like an afterthought, that the work is supposed to explore the roles of womanhood and motherhood.  That actually comes through more than the race aspect for me.  Personally, I have never met a male nanny or au pair.  Not to say that they do not exist, but the overwhelming majority are women.  This harkens back to the idea that women are the ones that take care of the children, that they have the “mothering instinct.”

I am sure the biggest issue that the artist was trying to highlight, however, is the fact that these women are underpaid.  I’d be surprised if that wasn’t due to their immigrant status.  In Coco Fusco’s essay, she talks about the idea of “otherness,” in that when something is unfamiliar, we tend to reject it or be fascinated by it in a fetishistic way.  Whether conscious or unconscious, people may be underpaying these women due to their foreignness.  They do not see them as part of their community, and therefore not as deserving of fair compensation.

I do not believe that these particular pieces would affect any unconscious beliefs due to the fact that the message was subtle and required context in order to be perceived as a political statement. These could just as easily be simple snapshots of women with their own children walking down the sidewalk.  As far as what “unconscious structure of belief” the artist is trying to change, I believe it is what all decent people want: for things to be fair and for people to be as equal as possible.  Here, they focus on the small subgroup of immigrant nannies, but that is just one thread in the tapestry of inequality.

We… the gente by Sandra Fernández

Initial 8 seconds

I initially went the wrong way and went into the adjacent exhibit, and after bumbling around for a couple of minutes not really knowing what was going on, I entered through what could be considered the exit of the exhibit. Because of this, this was actually one of the first pieces of art that caught my eye. This piece was actually a part of a bigger collective, the Uptown Prints portfolio, and this one specifically caught my eye because of its color, the people who both makeup the background but are also the subject of the piece, and what is clearly the United States Constitution in the background.

Further Analysis

As I observed the piece for a longer period of time, I began to form and idea of what I thought the Fernández was trying to teach her audience through her piece. The first detail that stood out to me from the piece was the scene in the background. It is quite evident that it is a desert–I thought that it was a subtle reference through the terrain that is attempted by thousands of immigrants every year, in search of a better life here in the United states. I think that the way the people are depicted in the piece is very powerful as well, in that they can sort of be seen, but at the same time they are not entirely there. I thought that this could be considered a reference to the people who try to cross the border, but are unfortunately lost to the perils of the desert, whether it be heat, dehydration, hunger, or fatigue. I took the way that (specifically) the preamble of the U.S. Constitution could be seen behind the people as a reference to the title of the piece: We… the gente (We… the people). In the title of the piece, Fernández illustrates the main point of her piece: that all of us, not just the ones born in the United States, or the ones lucky enough to become citizens, but also the ones who have emigrated to the country illegally, are people, and are therefore protected. The final detail that really stood out to me in this piece was the SB 1070 with the slash over it. SB 1070 refers to a piece of Arizona legislation that was passed in 2010 that allowed “police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained if there is ‘reasonable suspicion’ they are in the U.S. legally” (ACLU). I perceived it as a powerful detail because it shows her stance on anti-immigrant and discriminatory sentiment, and it appearing alongside the depictions of immigrants and the U.S. Constitution is what I feel Fusco can consider an “unconscious structure of belief”: that immigrants really aren’t covered/protected by the Constitution, which is not what Fernández is teaching us through her work of art.

https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/state-and-local-immigration-laws/arizonas-sb-1070

First Impression

When I saw this for the first time, I was amazed and confused. It was almost as if Ward collected a bunch of old shoes from the flea market and just glued them onto the tire. Another thing that she did was that she hung the tire with a rope. I did not know why, probably to add more spice to her work. I know for a fact that Ward was not trying to portray a swing, like the ones in a playground. I thought she was trying to symbolize that people that were racially discriminated were treated like trash.

Analysis

After analyzing this artwork, I finally realized what Ward was trying to portray. The tire, which was actually used as a swing, represented the concept of free floating, specifically illustrating the times when children were able to run out and play during school recess, after school, and during the summer. The tire is not held by an ordinary rope, however; it is held by a noose, which represents the practice of lynching, or killing people by hanging them. Once I found out what the rope symbolized, I was thinking, “Oh shoot, this definitely means something.” Finally, I carefully analyzed the shoe tips and tongues, which are regularly used for protection. Instead, they represented the men, women, and children that were killed because of racism.

Overall, this artwork demonstrates the unconscious belief that a lot of people have lost their lives due to discrimination and violence, and we are not paying attention to this. I believe that Ward, by doing this artwork, tried to convey her message like this because art does not have to contain any words or messages. There are a lot of things that came out of this piece, and I felt those things when I analyzed it. Ward wanted her audience to understand that this is how we are supposed to perceive the world. We all think that the world is going to be alright, but it is actually not. There are people around the world still being discriminated for who they are and what background that they come from.

While I was analyzing this, I was thinking about the Tainos, who were the first people to settle on the Island of Hispaniola, which is what we know today as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Once Columbus and the Spaniards completed their voyage to the New World, they killed off the Tainos so that they can claim the land for themselves; on top of that, they enslaved and forced them to find any gold or treasure. The Civil Rights Movement also came to mind. Specifically, I was thinking about Emmitt Till, the young African-American male who was killed because of his color. This shows that racism and xenophobia have existed for a very long time. Everybody, no matter his or her ethnic background, is human, and everybody should be treated the same. It is unjust to kill someone off like that just because you have envy for what he or she is.

 

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.