GENERAL RESEARCH
Post minimalism
Dan Flaving, James Turrel
My general working style incorporates the appreciation of aesthetics that are created through image, smell and or sound. The source of this aesthetic can range from already made artworks and films to everiday objects such as junks and personal artifacts. I describe this rich inspiration source as the “wow thats so cool” moment, where a multisensry experience which inspires me to create something similar so I can explore it and show it to others.
However I got stuck recently in attempting to label my more expressionist collection of works as the inspiration sources are so versatile, that I did not find a common connection inbetween the artworks apart from representing the visual aesthetics I got inspired by.
After reading “Art after the 1900’s” I became interested in Dan Flaving and James Turrel. I have been inspired by the monumetal atmosphere and innovative aesthetic through drawing attention to soft, vivid colours. Importantly what I have learned from their works is that they focus on the aesthetic and technique rather than a social theme behind the works. I found it reassurimg that other contemporary artists create works where they focus on look instead of social cultural context and generalisation of the work to these contexts.
After researching Post Minimalism I familiarised myelf with the “celebraiton of objecthood” (Brandelyn Andres) which I find really interesting. However I did not like that materialism merely focuses on objecthood itself and that a minimalist work of art should not exhibit emotions, context or symbolism,(Brandelyn Andres) therefore I took a liking to post minimalism where objecthood is still looked at while there is more emphasis on emotions. In post minimalism the use of neon lights is also prevelent (Brandelyn Andres) which I am keen to explore in greater depths. I find the concept of post minimalism relevant to my way of working since in both ways simple object-hood, or visual appearance of an artwork is the main focus. However I would be interested in a juxtaposing combination of expressionism and post minimalism, which would give grounds for my working style for emotional expressionism through celebration of aesthetic and its emotional relevance to me, while the artwork is there to be looked at and to be experienced.
Andres, Brandelyn. 2019. “Art 201: Minimalism, Post Minimalism, Conceptualism.” YouTube Video. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjwiI7Ux7vM.
Foster, Hal, Rosalind E Krauss, Yve-Alain Bois, B H D Buchloh, and David Joselit. 2016. Art since 1900 : Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. 3rd ed. London: Thames & Hudson.
Book: Self construction
The book “Self construction” proposes the interesting perspective that looking at art is an active process for the viewer where their perception of the artwork may contribute back to the artwork. The artworks is being reconstructed in their minds and a new artowrk is being born. There is an active relationship between the artist and the artwork. Not just a producer-consumer rleationships (book self construction
Trevor Mathinson
The inspiration for sound came from interesting patterns formed by tapes and the interesting sound patterns they created. From there he became interested in sounds of objects, resonation such as playing inside a tank due to interesting acoustics.
In his cinematic sound work we explored an atmosphere created from sounds of sea waves, children playing, echoes, and high pitch sounds. This created an interesting narrative in my head. The sounds of cracking and waving with the echoes reminded me of a rusty tanker ship thrown to seashore at a cloudy beach with green palm trees, with a not hot but nor cold weather, that is persistent and grey enough to be uncomfortable. The ship had people inside at the red basement. Smell of oil, metal and salt. Crowds of people from Africa. Adults sitting in ships, children playing and running around. There is a constant recurring wheezing sound, like the bulb next to an emergency siren that keeps turning on and off slowly, representing how time may stop when waiting for something to happen as the spectator may be in a persistent alarming state. This may be the ship getting to shore and not knowing what to expect. A juxtaposition as for many travelling on sea, this may be the aim however in this case the atmosphere suggests a persistent anxiety and waiting. As if the ship was not meant to hit the shore, or if the people on the ship wouldn’t know what to expect. From the dark wheezing, high pitch and cracking sounds the music transfers into a more airy, lighter tone with natural sounds of sticks hitting and wind blowing. Within this transition there is a period where the 2 overlay suggesting the captains cabin where the ships leaders may be staying. Few people responsible for the travellers on the ship. The people may have a dangerous infection that could kill others on the island/shore their ship got thrown onto, it may be that these are people who had to run away from home and they cant prepare for who may be welcoming them. Could be that there is something else on the ship that is dangerous. The answer is not being told, the anxiety is being held and the transition to the light atmosphere suggest that people eventually got out to the nature, starting with the children as their voices playing is predominant. Children don’t worry as they feel safe next to their parents- is this a naïve
Richard Phoenix
Do your own thing- working with neurodivergent and disabled people to create art and music. “art with a different filter?”. However young people only contributed to the exhibition, they aren’t the subject of the exhibition.
The factors he thinks about when starting a project.
· people- who is it for.
· environment- what it says, what its like
· communication- what are you trying to say and how. Different ways to say the same thing.
· belonging- how do people belong but how do they have an ownership over the work you are presenting.
· sharing- what I want to say to others.
The spinning exhibition- creation of a complex space with planned elements in there. There are individual artworks but I think the whole room and way of organisation is a work of art/instillation itself. His style and atmosphere is represented in the space with the painting style, cutouts hanging around above artworks, and paintings hanging at the very back. The tone appears informal through the inclusion of painted drums that can be played, while they also served as sculptures.
Benches are covered with the art of young people, this way their work is represented in the space.
Henri Matisse style- welcoming, young, inviting, kind.
art is always advanced, you might be punished for advancing it too.- people making the art
- foreground people who are doing the back work. – recreation of the painting in his style.
Ono: The character reading a book: Like a guardian who observes all the people in the “Do your own thing”. Wishing that the people would always stay there but would never grow up. Sitting at the front greeting everyone who comes in. “what is your favourite part of do your own thing? – snack time, everyone loves snack time.”
100% that bitch
Pictures on a wall can act as a magnet
People made music in the space- spontaneity, versatility that is comfortable for versatile people. anytime anywhere.
portraiture didn’t capture what I wanted it to capture.
Turning people into a subject. – feeling uncomfortable about it so developed a working style that captures how enriching the social interactions were for him when he painted others while listening to music and having converstations.
Spontanity of sitting down and making music in the middle fo the gallery. “do your own thing”
Research into sticker art
Looking at sticker art- art on the streets that is prevalent around young people. Unique art on the streets that is versatile and free.
Invader: a French artist who creates mosaic like stickers of the “space invader character” and sticks them up in cities, liberating art from contemporary galleries to the streets to achieve a wow effect from passing by civilians. His mission is to invade cities with his art pieces through sticking up 20-50 in a city, setting up contemporary exhibitions in galleries, and making his works available for sale or to make so his fans can have his works. (Invader 2014)
A work by the invader that sparked my interest is the “Waffle invader”- It is surreal, unexpected and youthful.
I like the Rubics cube project where he created works of art through rubics cube combinations. This gave it an interesting 3d look. I really like the vivid pixel building up to a pattern, it is a contemporary and youthful look that is similar to some stickers I saw in barcelona, and the aesthetic of the streetarts there.
I feel like the effect of the pixels would fit with the young, artistic-somewhat surreal aesthetic of Barcelona which I wish to convey. His workstyle of creating hidden, small street art that “invades the city” is a prevalent workstyle in Barcelona too, which is the reason I would like to include elements inspired by his workin in this project.
I find that he links to my project Razzmatazz in taking the approach of globalizing art foreveryone with the ideology of “anytime, everywhere” (Invader 2014). This in my opinion internalises art and culture into people, especially young people who are more open to inspiration and art in terms of aesthetics, clothing styles and places they attend to. This is reinforced by the increasing trend on social media for culture in terms of lifestyle and aesthetics which are expressed thorugh art, fashion, music perfume etc. I think this links to RAZZMATAZZ because young people of barcelona were especially stylish and cultured in this regard since they were internalised in a city full of street art, and their natural stylish presence in the city may support that street art brings people closer to art and culture- the theme I want to capture with RAZZMATATT- inspiring young people in a streetstyle environment.
It also relates to a recent interest of mine in post minimalism where objecthood is celebrated. This here is prevalent in terms of “not having political meaning behing his artworks but rather focusing on the technique and the creative project” (Invader 2014). I like to make art for the sake of its techniqe, or for just using the materials I want to use, and to just enjoy it for the way it looks
Rana Begum
She explores abstraction through monumental 3d installations and sculptures that incorporate light and architercutre. I personally only find some of her works aesthetically pleasing, however one common ground between her working style and mine is that she is withdrawing social concepts from her practice such as sexuality, gender identity and relligion and focuses on a universal language that everyoen understands, (youtube art in focus Rana Begum 2021) similarly as Paulo Coelho describes it in the “Alchemist” book where the protagonist observes how 2 different people with different languages completely understand each other while they set up their tents in the Bazaar. As Paulo Coelho suggests later in the book this universal, ancient language is Love which I find really interesting and relevant to my work. It may be indeed that universal languages are drivven from emotions, as I assume they are the same across all humans, and I believe appreciation of an aesthetic must be drivven from emotions. The emotion of liking something, or the feeling when an event, colour or object resonates with you.
I think Begum explores this idea in terms of universal language. The creative choice of leaving works untitled is a strategy to make her works more approachable to people thorugh open interpretation (youtube art in focus Rana Begum 2021). This makes her work a little untouchable to me as I dont see a source of it despite her vision or source of inspiration through an experience. I prefer it much more when a work has a story behind it with elaboration on what touched the artist, why she liked that aesthetic, giving a deeper insight into the personality and taste of the artist through what inspires them to produce work.
Finally, an important lesson I learned from Begum is that it is possible to produce a collection of artworks withouth having a clear social/personal theme behind each of the works. Her source of inspiration is spaces, light, colour and architecture and she often leaves works untitled for interpretation (youtube art in focus Rana Begum 2021). This reinforces my idea that I can indeed produce artworks without a clearly labelling a theme behind it and, the background of an artwork could only be a liking to an event or aesthetic.
Roman Signer
Explores conceptualism and Minimalism in his works. The artwork that caught my attention in the book “Self construction” is “Helicopter with tables and cloths”. I found the surreal cinematic tone of the picture therefore I explored archives of his work on the “house and wirth” website. “generating ‘poetic’ visual installations with their own highly developed individual aesthetic” (House and Wirth website).
- temporary sculptures that happened. Art traps
- logical
“motor helicopters are an opportunity to visualise time passing. a noisy sculptural event” (Self Construction). Employs helicopters as painting tools and
in the helicopter sculpture a helicopter with a ventral arm picks up a table cloth and puts it to another table. I find it fascinating how overexaggerated, surreal and cool this is. It is sublime and appears fully improvised, illogical and random. It is poetic and dramatic in my opinion. A helicopter has dramatic connotations as its a quick transport vehicle to a scene therefore its used for urgent events like a tragedy, air ambulance, or military. Why is it so important to rearrange the table cloth, is it just playing? “poetic casuality”. A “sculptural volume of time” (self construction).
“Roman Signer – Hauser & Wirth.” n.d. Www.hauserwirth.com. https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/2805-roman-signer/.
London gallery visit Dan Vho
Vo primarily works via exploring ready made cultural artifacts and objects. Some are presented alone while others are destructed,re-organised and joined with separate objects such as wood armatures and everiday objects. This creates a hybrid combination of old and new, connecting the art with the natural and the commercial.
His works emphasise social identity in terms of culture and faith, which connect people within civilisations giving roots and a collective identity to people. This deep rooting area is contrasted with the colonialist behaviour of cultural exploitation, commercialisation, and vandalism(“Danh Vo,” n.d.).
A reason I am really fond of his curating-like workstyle is because he explores the meanings of artifacts in a new context. I think their presentation within items such as suitcases, or use of plants, wooden armatures for representation within a gallery space changes the viewer’s perception of the object. It forces them to view it with a curiosity, and creative interst which may not be the same in a museum where particular emphasis would be placed on the specific story, rather than the social cultural nature of the product.
With this, an ambiguity is created within these untitled pieces as no story is being told about what artifact. This shifts the focus to examine the nature of the object. Why is a cultural object in a suitcase?, what does it represent?
On the other hand, some of his works specifically focus on individual stories of objects, such as “Christmas (Rome) 2012,” which are hanged velvet cloths that covered walls in the Vatican museum. Since religious items were hanged infront of these, over time the covered bits faded, capturing sphantom pictures of these artifacts, that is arguably a more valuable representation of the artfacts than a real photograph. It closely represents the church, via having the history of physically facilitating these objects (“Danh Vo,” n.d.).
I really like this approach of looking at a cutlural artifact as it is, a ‘cultural artifact’ rather than a specific cultural artifacto of a specific person within a faith or culture because that shifts the focus to the person it is about. This way the viewer sees the cultural artifact as it is, a cultural artifact. I alsor really like the combination of old and new, because it brings the importance of cultural arts, which generally look beautiful but also root deep, connecting all people.
Material vise I really enjoy looking at and exploring these artworks. Interestingly the ready made art doesnt give a long lasting impression of curatorship, and it left the lasting impression in me that these were artist made artworks and compositions, especially works which included more craftsmanship such as the suitcase.
It has inspired me to start thinking about combination of materials that are ready made such as a suitcalse, however I am really excited about exploring the combination of fired clay with a red brick colour and wood to create armatures for it. The most memorable part of Vo’s exhibition to me was the combination of materials, such as bronze with wood and plants, or stone with aluminum and wood.
I would like to pursue an art project inwhich I create sculptures that are inspired by cultural artifacts, as I feel like that would be an interesting way of exploring storytelling and form, while also exploring connotations of the object I am making. I would like to experiment with different combinations of materials and see how that would change interpretation.
“Danh Vo.” n.d. White Cube. https://www.whitecube.com/artists/danh-vo.
London gallery visits George Rouy
Rouy’s works are carefully planned via photoshop collaging. Recycling element in reusing old paintings, collages and photos. There arent rules for image selection. They can come from social media or anything. He primarily works from photos that he finds, therefore the pieces are not portraits, but are forms capturing the human essence and psychie.
Before painting, there is a phantom picture of the painting in his head, which may explore aspects of perceptual psychology, and seeing visuals in the head, which may be an ideal form of a painting in eye direction and emotive aspect of the painting.
One interesting link I find between inner head perception of images is that they have the similar effect of his works. The image is recognised and upon close inspection there are recognisable elements, but at the same time if tried to be explored in detail, one may be unable to define or conceptualise every element, making it a little abstract. This results in the interesting feeling that the inner images in a head are being painted, and therefore are materialised, leading to audience engagement and exploration of the painting. It is a form of subconscious encouragement to explore what is on it. While abstract expressionism may be uninviting since it requires too much processing to figure out what is going one, Rouys works are intuitively inviting to th audience to figure out what is going on.
Some of his works are modelled, some are just outlined. It is his decision making in the work process that will affect the outcome. This is because his artwork explores how the eye scans, how a work can be read. Does the audience read only one part, or the entirity of the image. This encourages audience interaction with the work. In the process of decision making, Rouy considers what is the most signifiant part of the painting.
His works oftent include calligraphic mark making, which explores the eye movement of the audience, making it flow while with the other marks of breakages, distortions and agressive marks contributes to the mood and flow of the painting, while also determining how the audience may explore the painting
This may come from his way of viewing and interpreting artworks, in going to galleries and intuitiely exploring the feeling of a piece. Seeing its emotions such as drama.
In Rouy’s view, general photographs and imagery can be overly static, lifeless and stuck therefore he examines the boundaries between staticism and vibrant movement. Therefore his practice is about creating works that are moving and are vibrant, full of life.
One interstin theme he explores in his reent works is bodies holding, carrying each tother. In many paintings is there a central figure. One idea is collective care and conflict of others with the ideology of being carried into life, and out of life. A form of weightlessness, exploring what is it to be human.
How can you have something that has life in it. Something that doesnt have the wight of a classical painting where everything is perfect. That was already done, and Rouys perspective is how can he make something new.
Portraits, or heads. The heads have the gaze removed. There is a distance to the head, feeling a few steps back. This changes the behaviour towards the painting as it may explore feelings of voyeurism. Removing sight and removing eyes may be a form of attack or violence, its defacing.
Rouy wanted the other way of portrait making where you arent thinking of a personality or a story, but rather just exploring form, and mass.
He likes slow and quiet works, works that you can look at for a long time.
Floating paper bags
Initially inspired by Andy Warhol’s silver clouds. Explores that life should not be about restrictions, and can be spontaneous. It encourages the audience to engage with the work, which challenges regulations and rules, challenging the perception fine art being serious, and distant/ respected from the audience.
People who engaged with the silver clouds did not had to have any exprience with art. It is an artwork that breaks rules of a gallery. And everyone who went into the room was smiling. It is a calm and lasting experience when you can perceive art without having to think about what it necessarily is or why. Its percieving an artwork with a different lense, where the simple presence, and immersion of the work is in the centre of attention.
Abstract Expressionism
Jackson Pollock
Via Pollock, American art and painting could enter to competition with european art, which already greatly enhanced modernism. In his approach to painting, he redefined modernism in exploring a new surface, expanding and defining modernism, a movement emphasised by contemporary development and creating something new (“Jackson Pollock,” n.d.). He developed a new aproach to edge, paint and style, challenging the importance of recognisable form via his self-generating structures(“Jackson Pollock,” n.d.).
(Convergence 1952)
What I like about abstract expressionism is the strategy of leaving the art pieces open to interpretation. Trusting the human psychie for interpretation and using it as a tool within abstract expressionism for immersing the viewer, whose interpretation becomes part of the artwork.
Abstract expressionism challenges the viewer to unfocus their eyes, giving a different, new way of looking at things, compared to everiday sight inwhich objects are constantly defined and coded to be perceived and understood.
This is the factor that makes abstract expressionism accessible to everyone, while it also giving the opportunity to view the world in a less defining way.
Viewers of the artwork get more freedom in how they view the artwork. They can focus on one part of the artwork while they can also view it as a whole.
Generally I find the ideologies of abstract expressionism interesting, as it incorporates the artist’s direct expression of their emotion and ideas.(Clyfford Still Museum, n.d.) This is a freeing and interesting way of working as it removes over evaluation of a work in terms of how clear the message is and how understandable it is to the audience, as the work is personal, and is refined to reflect the artists emotions and ides perfectly.
“Jackson Pollock,” Jackson Pollock, n.d., https://www.jackson-pollock.org/.
Clyfford Still Museum. n.d. “Abstract Expressionism.” Clyfford Still Museum. https://clyffordstillmuseum.org/art-artist/abstract-expressionism/.