Pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi

In teaching week 5 you will discuss pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi in your tutorials.
Use this discussion, the notes in your ALVC book and the internet to respond to the following
questions;

1. Define the term 'pluralism' using APA referencing.
<a href = "http://pluralism.org/pages/pluralism/what_is_pluralism" > Pluralism </a>  "has been defined " as a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle" by Dictionary.com (2012  and that " a theory that reality consits of two or more independent elements".This means that everyone has different views of things and there is not just one opinion.

2. How would you describe New Zealand's current dominant culture?
New Zealand is well known for the Maori culture. It may seem as though this would be the dominant culture but it is actually not. There are so many cultures in our country that it is hard to tell what culture is more dominant. From my perspective its hard to say. It depeneds on where you live in New Zealand which would influence your view. I see Auckland as mainly Asian, but then I go home to Tauranga and the culture is mainly European/Pakeha. 


3. Before 1840, what was New Zealand's dominant culture? 
The dominant culture was Maori with a 100,000 population including around 200 Europeans.

4. How does the Treaty of Waitangi relate to us all as artists and designers working
in New Zealand?
Since we have been brought up in New Zealand we are aware of the Treaty of Waitangi which makes us aware of what is culturally insensitive and what is okay to use in our works.

5. How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on 'regional diversity' that leads to a 
'homogenized world culture' in New Zealand in particular? (ALVC2 handbook page 52, http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/globalization)

It says that "Globilization is the tendency of businesses, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen" (ALVC 2 114112 resource book page 52)

The New Zealand Maori culture is very unique and has not been seen anywhere else in the world. Although the world is rubbing off other cultures onto ours, the Maori culture has still retained its heritage.  Globilization can have a negative effect on "regional diversity" because Maori Culture is being exploited by the tourism industry which is leading to  a " homogenized world culture" which we do not want. 

6. Shane Cotton's paintings are said to examine the cultural landscape. Research Cotton's work 'Welcome'(2004) and 'Three quarter view ' (2005) to analyze what he is saying about colonialization and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Shane Cottons paintings "Welcome" and "Three quarter view"  are a modern interpretation of Maori culture and art. Cottons works involve the conversational motif surrounding " Upoko tuhituhi". Cottons work refers to the afterlife and the heavens. This can be seen as an attempt at keeping memories of ancestors that have past alive today. 

7. Tony Albert's installation 'Sorry' (2008) reflect the effects of colonization on the aboriginal people of Australia. Research the work and comment on what Albert is communicating through his work, and what he is referring to. Describe the materials that Albert uses on this installation and say what he hopes his work can achieve.

The materials used to create the work "Sorry" were kitsch objects found and placed onto vinyl. "Sorry" is a work about the apology of Australias past president Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginies. This work showed a Unity for the country and shows historic value until this day. The work features alot of different objects and facial expressions which represent the elements stolen from the indigenous people.

8. Define the term 'kitsch'

'Something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste.' (kitsch, n.d.) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved August 24, 2012, from Dictionary.com 

.
9. Explain how the work of both artists relates to pluralism.
Both the artists work relate to pluralism because there is a cultural and traditional side to them that comes through. It is also clear through the way they express cultural identity. They also both relate to  pluralism through the remembrances of ancestors.

                                       Tony Albert | Australia b.1981 | Girramay people | Sorry 2008 |
                                               Found kitsch objects applied  to vinyl letters | 99 objects :    
                                               200 x 510 x 10cm (installed) | The James C Sourris Collection.
                                               Purchased 2008 with funds from James C Sourris through the 
                                               Queensland Art Gallery Foundation | Collection: Queensland Art Gallery
                              

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6afMy0rlqq8

http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/indigenous_australian_art/tony_albert

http://pluralism.org/pages/pluralism/what_is_pluralism

http://www.globalization101.org/uploads/File/Culture/cultall2011.pdf

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-cotton-paintings-examine-cultural-landscape-126412

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kitsch 

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

Kehinde Wiley

1. Untitled (2009)

2. Untitled(2009)

3. Kehinde Wiley Count Potocki, 2008 oil on canvas, 274.3 x 274.3cm

4. Kehinde Wiley Support Army and Look after People, 2007 oil on canvas, 258.4 x 227.3cm

Kehinde Wiley is a Gay American based painter born in Los Angeles, who has an international reputation. Wiley lives and practices between Beijing and Brooklyn.

This weeks ALVC class focuses on the Postmodern theme "INTERTEXTUALITY", re-read Extract 1 The death of the author on page 44 of your ALVC books and respond to the oil paintings of Kehinde Wiley. 

1. Find a clear definition of Intertextuality and quote it accurately on your blog using the APA referencing system. Use your own words to explain the definition more thoroughly. 

Intertexuality is simply everything that we understand comes from a whole range of texts that have become well known to us in the past  

"The concept of intertexuality reminds us that each text exists in relation to others" (2003) - Daniel Chandler

2. Research Wiley's work and write a paragraph that analyzes how we might make sense of his work. Identify intertextuality in Wiley's work.

The painting by Wiley uses the intertexuality definition and it is clear in the paintings above. From what the average human knows about the culture of African Americans, the painting is very different. We use our past  knowledge and figure out that the African man has been placed in an area that is very different to what we would usually expect.

3. Wiley's work relates to next weeks Postmodern theme "PLURALISM" . Read page 51 and discuss how the work relates to this theme.

Wiley has painted something that we have all seen before sometime in the past. The paintings look asthough they are about important, wealthy white people, but instead have been painted with African Americans instead. This emphasizes the idea of Postmodern idea of Pluralism because the work is questioning the past on other cultures and the white upper class. It is asthough is it questioning if the white upper class is any better than other cultures such as African Americans.

4. Comment on how Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies , colonisation, globalisation, stereotypes and the politics which govern a western worldview. 

Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies, colonization, globalization, stereotypes and politics which govern a western worldview because there is so many people that may say this work is "wrong" because they are so used to the simple modern portrait painting. Since we live in a postmodern society we can clearly see that Wiley has put two things together that don't belong. The black man in the image would be stereotyped as poor and violent . For him to be placed in this setting it makes him seem completely opposite and is offensive in some cases.

5. Add some reflective comments of your own, which may add more information that

you have read during your research.

I like the idea of putting the African American in a high class setting.  I like how it raises questions about todays generation and how we see the world.

extract 1 the death of the author page 44 alvc book

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem09.html

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0278.html

http://www.kehindewiley.com/an_Economy_of_grace/Dacia_Carter.html

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html

Week 3- Hussein Chalayan and Post-Modern Fashion

Week 3- Hussein Chalayan and Post-Modern Fashion

Hussein Chalayan

Chalayan is an artist and designer, working in film, dress and installation art. Research Chalayan’s work, and then consider these questions in some thoughtful reflective writing.

1. Chalayan’s works in clothing, like Afterwords (2000) and Burka (1996) , are often challenging to both the viewer and the wearer. What are your personal responses to these works? Are Afterwords and Burka fashion, or are they art? What is the difference?

Not all clothing is fashion, so what makes fashion fashion? (Research some definitions  for these terms.)

The work "Burka" feels as though it is trying to show how one item of clothing can hide ones identity. The burka is a peice of clothing which muslim women wear to cover the face. I like the idea of the burka because instead of judging one on looks the eyes are only visible and it takes more effort to get to know someone. The work "Afterwords" was inspired by the story of refugees. Its about packing up in times of trouble and leaving home. The dresses are infact furniture transformed into wearable garments. The work is very interesting and i think it is more of an art than fashion. There is a difference within the two works. One is using fabric to create clothing and the other is using already made objects and transforming them into outfits. Although both mains focus is to create garments, the "afterwords" is more of a "wearable arts" type thing.

Hussein Chalayan, Burka (1996) (99

6

                                                                 Hussein Chalayan, Afterwords, 2000

2. Chalayan has strong links to industry. Pieces like The Level Tunnel (2006) and Repose(2006) are made in collaboration with, and paid for by, commercial business; in these cases, a vodka company and a crystal manufacturer. How does this impact on the nature of Chalayan’s work? Does the meaning of art change when it is used to sell products? Is it still art?

I think that art can be either a product to sell or something to look at. Just because something is being sold does not mean that the meaning of the art changes. The "Tunnel level" relates to capturing the essence of vodka and can be described to be the same as this work because when you go down a tunnel or drink more alcohol out of a bottle, it gradually opens your senses and you go a bit crazy.

3. Chalayan’s film Absent Presence screened at the 2005 Venice Biennale. It features the process of caring for worn clothes, and retrieving and analysing the traces of the wearer, in the form of DNA. This work has been influenced by many different art movements; can you think of some, and in what ways they might have inspired Chalayan’s approach?

A video installation tells a story about identity,genetics,biology and anthropology. Its about how humans adapt to new environments. The artist has definitely played with the theme humanism and was inspired by it when creating this film.

by m

Hussein Chalayan, still from Absent Presence, 2005 (motion picture)

4. Many of Chalayan’s pieces are physically designed and constructed by someone else; for example, sculptor Lone Sigurdsson made some works from Chalayan’s Echoform (1999) andBefore Minus Now (2000) fashion ranges. In fashion design this is standard practice, but in art it remains unexpected. Work by artists such as Jackson Pollock hold their value in the fact that he personally made the painting. Contrastingly, Andy Warhol’s pop art was largely produced in a New York collective called The Factory, and many of his silk-screened works were produced by assistants. Contemporarily, Damien Hirst doesn’t personally build his vitrines or preserve the sharks himself. So when and why is it important that the artist personally made the piece?


Its important that the artist personally made the piece because then the work is personal and is coming directly from the artists mind. It also makes the work more valuable. If a bunch of workers put the piece together then its really saying that anyone could make this piece if they got a team together. It also is important that the artist makes the piece because then the work is more original and comes from their thoughts. I beleive the work is much stronger when it comes directly from the artist, it is like looking at a small snipit of their thoughts. 

http://ilikecatsmorethanpeople.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/hussein-chalayan-burka-1996.html

http://usedmagazine.co.uk/?p=1542
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/hussein-chalayan-beyond-limitations
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0768786/
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/chalayan.html
http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEgQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.style.com%2Ffashionshows%2Freview%2FF2000RTW-HCHALAYA%2F&ei=gqw0UIuwK8ediAeYsIGwAw&usg=AFQjCNHska03qq4TedWpXyRwW6oAZ-aIFA

Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

 POST-MODERNISM

This week's ALVC tutorial covers Post-Modernism. Use the ALVC texts and definitions from the internet to define the term and answer the following questions;

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

• The term is used in Philosophy, literature, social sciences and architecture
• Putting something from the past and the present together
• The distinction between art and the consumer product became blurred
•  Irony
• For some it means anti-modern; for others it means the revision of modernist premises.’ (Witcombe 2000)
• Relativist thinking - 'Postmodernism is associated with relativism. Relativism is the idea that "anything goes".  - Saugstad, A (2001)
• no grand narrative "in the middle ages, belief in God and the bible gave society a grand narrative" - Saugsatd, A. (2001)
• used to refer to different, sometimes contradictory concepts

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)


" The post modern artist is "reflexive" in that he/she is self aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him.herself and society in a deconstructive manner "demasking" pretensions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-conciousness." 

3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.

Social and cultural pluralism.  attention to play of surfaces. culture adapting to simulation. hyper-reality.

4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Weiwei's work "Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo"  clearly shows Postmodernism. It is clearly seen by using a very modern icon "Coca-Cola" and placing it on an ancient vase (Urn). This is putting the past and present together. In a way, when the "Coca-Cola" logo has been placed on the Urn it is culturally disrespectful. The Urn is a sacrid piece and placing the logo onto it is culturally insensitive.

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

The image above is also considered postmodern.  The dropping of a cultural Urn as if it is nothing when in reality it is a vey sacred piece of work.  This work shows how cultural importance and morals are not as important as they used to be. By dropping the cultural Urn in this photograph it is saying that no one would really give a damn if this happened today. This is postmodern because back in the day that would be very disrespectful.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)

'Flower Riot', Banksy

This peice of work is clearly postmodernate. There is a riot and this man has a bouquet of flowers. Flowers are symbolised as peace and love. A riot is very well not. This is postmodernate because usually in a riot it is such a violent event and putting these two things together would not work.

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

This work is postmodern because fast food did not exist back in the stone age. This work is very humourous.  In this piece Banksy has taken a caveman and put him in modern time.
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0242.html#

Week 1- Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'

Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg's intricately constructed claymation films are both terrifyingly disturbing and artlessly sweet.

The new works created for the Venice Biennale explore a surrealistic Garden of Eden in which all that is natural goes awry.

She exposes the innate fear of what is not understood and confronts viewers with the complexity of emotions.

Nathalie Djurberg was awarded the silver lion for a promising young artist at the Venice
Art Biennale 09.

'Experiment' (2009) Venice Biennale

Research Djurberg's work in order to answer the following questions;Research Djurberg's work in order to answer the following questions;I think it is very original and eye catching. It would be interesting to see this played on the big screen instead of on a tv screen in an art gallery.7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work. 

(http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg)

  

1. What do you understand by the word 'claymation'?Claymation is when instead of filming a living thing, plasticine, clay and other deformable substances are used to mold each and every movement. This is done by recording a frame or still picture on a film or digital media and then played back in rapid speed. Every frame taken has been slightly moved or molded into the next movement. Claymation requires focus and patience.

2. What is meant by the term 'surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?The term "surrealistic" has been defined as  "a strange dreamlike atmosphere". From research on Djurberg's work I have found that her work is very colourful. This relates back to the term " surrealistic Garden of Eden". What is meant by this term is that the garden created within the film is very exotic and surreal. "all that is natural goes awry" could most likely state that the work is very unsual and has used something very natural and turned it into something very fake looking and quirky.

3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?

It has been said < ahref= "http://slashstrokemagazine.com/2009/10/15/experiment-by-nathalie-djurberg-swedish-pavilion-at-the-venice-biennale/" >" here"/a > , that although the gruesome flowers bleeding wax and the plasticine women being pulled apart from plasticine men  was a tad fearsome. Although  away from these disturbing parts of the film, the flowers were said to be very beautiful. 

I get a similar feeling. I get a quite fearsome emotion when seeing the plasticine women being deformed and torn by the plasticine men. Although the colours throughout the film are very bright and attractive, I still get scared and a tad fiddly watching it. The work confronts us with lots of different feelings. One moment you are happy looking at the flowers, then the next thing you know a women's breast is removed.

4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?

Djurberg follows traditional children stories but gives them more of a brutal twist. She makes them much more fearsome and serious.

5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?

I think now days people are starting to open there eyes a bit more. There are alot of things in the world that are portrayed as innocent and sweet when really they are not. Such as famous actors or musicians. The press does everything they can to make the idol look there best and be shown as this amazing human being when in reality they could be nasty and unpleasent. 

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?

I love the fact that the films were made from using claymation. Claymation is such an interesting way to film. Although it takes a long time, it would be very worth it in the long run. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZGjhxYVhmo

http://www02.zkm.de/fastforward2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10:nathalie-djurberg&catid=2&Itemid=3&lang=en

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surrealistic

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg-experiment-at-venice-art-biennale-09.html

The artists of the late 1800's and early 1900's, in Europe, were influenced by the Industrial revolution.

1. What and when was the Industrial Revolution?
The Industrial Revolution was a period from 1750-1850. It was a time when agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation and technology began to change. It began in the United Kingdom then slowly started to spread throught Western Europe, North America, Japan and eventually the rest of the world.

Both paintings featured on this blog, that are from the early 1900s were painted by Modernist painters from the group called 'Futurists'. The Futurists celebrated the machine, and objects in motion. Their primary objective was to depict movement, which they saw as symbolic of their commitment to the dynamic forward thrust of the 20th century.

2. Research both Modernist paintings in order to comment on the subject matter, form and style used to celebrate the machine and motion in each painting. Answer the question in 2 parts for each painting.

"The city Rises" By Boccioni (1910)
This painting displays horses, workers and a construction site within the painting. The painting is very hectic and shows how the industrial revolution was a time where it was very confusing and caused alot of problems. In this painting there is a moving horse which is trying to be controlled by some workers. It is as though Boccioni is trying to show that the industrial revolution was not only effecting people it was effecting animals also. Cars were being introduced and it looks as though the horse was going crazy and getting many frights from what was going on around him.

"Dynamism of a dog on a leash" by Balla (1912)
This painting is of a dog and a ladies legs moving. It looks very blurred because the subject matter is running. This painting shows alot of movement which makes the lady and the dog look like freaks with 8 legs and 12 feet. The painting relates to the industrial revolution because it is as though the woman and the dog are trying to run away from the stress and confusion of whats going on that their feet cant even keep up with themselves.

Cao Fei's RMB City (2007-9) refers to China's recent rapid industialisation and urbanization.
(www.artspace.org.nz/exhibitions/2009/cafeintopia.asp)
3. Research Cao Fei's RMB City (2007-9) in order to comment on this work in more depth.
i.e describe the images that has she used in her digital collage that refer to China's present and history, and explain why has she used these images.


RMB City was created by Cao Fei's online indentity China Tracy on the creative commons island of Kula. RMB City shows a view of Beijing and the mix of communism, socialism, and capitalism. Beijing is always under construction, smoke escapes into the sky, and ships are always moving into the port. A giant shopping cart filled with skyscrapers floats nerby, and Tiananmen Square has been changed into a swimming pool. This work used Beijing as an example of what the industrial revolution was like showing how quickly things change and how hectic it is to be aorund.

4. RMB City is described as a utopia/dystopia. Comment on what these terms mean, and how they can be applied to the work.
An online definition states that utopia was "An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect." and that dystopia was "An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one." The term utopia can be applied to the peice of work because the work was made on the computer and has a 3D online effect. This shows the imagination coming through to create this peice of work. Although utopia means where everything is perfect is clearly was not in this case. This is where dystopia comes in, this work shows how the industrial revolution was ruining the environment such as Beijing constantly is.

5. Although the Modernist paintings and the contemporary digital work have emerged from
different contexts, there are also many similarities. Comment on the similarities that you can see in the work. Look at the moving digital image at vimeo.com/4272260, if you have not
already researched it.
They both relate because it is clear that the industrial revolution was a big change and caused alot of issues in the beggining. One similaritie would be the atmosphere. The atmosphere in these works doesnt look very warming or comfortable it looks rushed and feels asthough it would have been a very hard time for humans at this time. Also the movement within the images is similar. Its very out of control.

6. Comment on other student's blogs.

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html

http://history-world.org/Industrial%20Intro.htm

http://www.learner.org/courses/globalart/work/173/index.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/great-works-dynamism-of-a-dog-on-a-leash-1912-giacomo-balla-1781174.html
http://dunedin.art.museum/exhibitions.asp?d=203

Week 6-Landscape and the Sublime

Week 6-Landscape and the Sublime

'Wanderer in the mists' (1818) Caspar David Friedrich

1. Define the Enlightenment, including its context (time and place).

The Enlightenment was a cultureal movement which took place in the 18th century in Europe and America.

2. Define the concept of the Sublime.

Edmund Burke describes the sublime to be "The ultimate experience of divinity , a mixture of awe, fear, and enlightenment produced by the contemplation of a powerful, terrifying  nature"

- a philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime  and beautiful, london, 1757 , in collected works, T.W. copeland, ed, london: 1865-1867 . page 110 ALVC 2012 booklet.

3. Explain how the concept of the Sublime came out of Enlightenment thought.

The Enlightenment was a period in time when people would make their own decisions instead of listening to the government or following a religion. Sublime art came out of this because people started becoming more expressive with their art and started to paint landscape instead of religious paintings. Although landscape paintings were at the bottom of art importance, it became more acceptable.

4. Discuss the subject matter, and aesthetic (look) of Misrach's work to identify the Sublime in his work. Include some quotes from art critics and other writers who have written about his work.

The photographs shown below are about nature and the human being. Misrach's photographs have purposfully placed the human figure in the image to show how muvh bigger the landscape and the earth is compared to the human size.
“I was drawn to the fragility and grace of the human figure in the landscape,” Misrach wrote of the series. “My thinking about this work was influenced by the events of 9/11, particularly by the images of individuals and couples falling from the World Trade Towers, as well as by the 1950s Cold War novel and film, On the Beach. Paradise has become an uneasy dwelling place; the sublime sea frames our vulnerability, the precarious nature of life itself.” -This entry was posted on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 12:00 pm ET by Conor Risch and is filed under Documentary, Fine Art, Landscape, Science/Nature.          

5. Add 2 new images of his work to your blog.

 

6. Describe how does Misrach's photography makes you feel. How does it appeal to your imagination?
I have always thought to myself as being very tiny compared to the world. Seeing these photographs makes me want to explore the world and see what else the world has to offer. It appeals to my imagination because now I feel as though anything can squash me.
7. Identify some other artists or designers that work with ideas around the Sublime, from the Enlightenment era as well as contemporary artists. Mark Rothko, J.M.V. Turner


8. Add a Sublime image of your choice to your blog, which can be Art or just a Sublime photograph. Richard Misrach

9. Reference your sources (books and websites).

http://www.pdnphotooftheday.com/2010/01/3367

http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2001/07/07/28819.htmlALVC 114111 resource booklet 2012 page 110-111
http://www.uri.edu/personal/szunjic/philos/subl.htm