The Body in Motion

For my exhibit the theme is The Body in Motion. Through statues, paintings and a drawing, it displays the significance of dancers in a solo, as a pair, and group on stage. I chose this theme because I find myself putting a lot of my time in dance, especially when it comes to performing; I've done a solo, danced as a pair and group. I want people to understand my perspective of the body's motion when it comes to performing. These artworks aren't influenced by the time period or geographic. An example of a solo would be "Fragilina". A dancer could be curled up somewhere on the stage and as the lights turn on they’ll move slowly upward to represent Attilio Piccirilli’s statue, where they would end up kneeled down and having their hands on their shoulders. From that position, the dancer can remain on the floor or stand up and travel around the stage. An example of a pair would be "Two Dancers". A couple has to work together in order to demonstrate their dance. The way they step onto the stage may have a meaningful reason to display the type of dance they'll perform with or without music.  By the statues' hand gestures, heads being high, and clothing, we can inference they are dancing the waltz. Much like a single dancer and a pair, a group has to stay conscious to what each dancer is doing at a precise time, while, they all are working together. In a group, dancers can be scattered throughout the stage, paired, or crumbled up into a crowd.  However, in my exhibit I have groups displayed in a circular line. All but one artwork contains an object at the center. It is meaningful, much like a center piece, where at a celebration it being a flower base. Such as for "A Bedroom From The Sagredo Palace", where on the ceiling there is a painting surrounded by marbled cupids, the painting is the center piece. It is significant because much of the audience’s attention is driven towards the center. Dancing in a group, such as this, reminds me of my high school ballroom class dancing samba. Everyone would be facing someone’s back and have their hands on that person’s shoulders as we danced in a circular line and the teacher at the center.

Attilio Piccirilli

"Fragilina"

1923

American Paintings and Sculpture

William Rimmer

"The Falling Gladiator"

1861

American Paintings and Sculpture

Harriet Whitney Frishmuth 

"The Vine"

1921

American Paintings and Sculpture

Antonio Canova 

"Venus Italica"

Probably ca. 1822-23

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

         

Höchst

"Two Dancers"

ca. 1758

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Anonymous

"Costume design for elegant lady and gentleman dancers"
20th Century
Drawings and Prints

Joseph Willems
"Chinese musicians"

ca. 1755

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Gaspare Diziani, Abbondio Stazio of Massagno, Carpoforo Mazzetti

"Bedroom from the Sagredo Palace"

ca. 1718

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Master of Flora

"The Birth of Cupid"

A.D. 1400-1600

European Paintings

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
"Ugolino and His Sons"

1865-67

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

“Performance Art at the Whitney Museum”

This week we learned about the history of performing arts once it started getting popular from 1970 through 1980. We visited the exhibit, "Rituals of Rented Island", at the Whitney Museum. I was actually excited for this trip because it dealt with the performing arts and that's something I would definitely say I'm involved in. Acting, singing, and dancing are examples of performing arts. Once a performance has been done and is no longer available to see in person, then, one can only remember that particular performance through printed materials, photographs, videos, and props. These examples are ephemeral.

I found Jack Smith's penguin, Yolanda, amusing. Smith has Yolanda as a dance partner in his "I Danced with a Penguin" performance. Her nickname is "Penguina", and she is held throughout as she and Smith dance. Not only did I see Yolanda in person, I also saw printed materials that illustrated Smith and Yolanda dancing. Also I saw a video of the actual performance. I saw how Smith took his time, as any dancer would once the song begins to play. It was a slow song, and Smith went along with the beat. He was conscious with his steps and turns through out the whole performance. I noticed not much movement was presented, however, I still found it amusing. Perhaps attending the actual performance could have shown me a closer view of Smith's face and his expression as he danced, displayed the actual volume of the song, and closer view of the space on the floor that he used. Beside that, what's being played is only sound, and the performance is actually within a few minutes,  I found this performance simple so I feel there wouldn't be a need in seeing the performance in person.

In this video it displays a number of photographs, with them and through text, I was able to understand what Michael Smith was doing. It was a championship based on disco, who ever won got to fly off to London, England. Mike arrives early to warm up, and through some photographs he's posed as if he's wandering around. Until the judges arrive, that's when competition gets intense. Some people sings and others dance. Mike ends up dancing. With his hand gestures' I feel I'm able to visualize he's dancing back and forth as he shakes or waves his hands with the music. Then, after everyone has performed, they all gather up and dance. I feel there were enough photographs to picture out this particular scene of everyone dancing. Mike was placed as 12th in the championship. I'm positive the judges must have selected different types of disco songs for the championship and that it must have taken longer than 4 minutes. I feel if I was to see this performance in person, I would have a different perspective about it because all my conclusions are made out by photographs and the song that was selected. I find this performance to be cultural because it was an annual championship and anyone could join.

http://www.mikes-world.org/performances/discochampionshipvideo.html 

I noticed that the Kipper Kids has their own section, in that section, I saw an arena with model-like of the Kipper Kids, props, two videos, one video involved them being in an actual arena, and the other video involved them being in a "kitchen", these videos display comedy. They do something in which provokes for the audience to laugh. They wear makeup,wear pointy-like noses and false beards. They wear some type of  hat, therefore, we aren't able to see their hair. They wear unusual costumes. They use several props. They basically fooled around. As well, as for in the arena. If I was to attend this performance, I would have a different perspective towards it because I noticed that the time length of the performance in the kitchen is 56 minutes and I personally only stood watching the video for a few minutes. If I was to be asked what I thought about this performance in the kitchen overall would be based on those few minutes. I'll rather have a chair to seat at through that time length, instead of having to stand. I find this performance to be social and cultural because it provides the same social and cultural roles that are well known as providing humor.   

 

Going to the Whitney Museum, I found it an interesting experience because it dealt with a subject I'm use to. In other words, when viewing a photograph or props, such as a costume, I don't just see it for what it is, I imagine the number of possibilities the photograph and costume can be displayed. I do this a lot when it comes to buying clothing, shoes, or accessories, I never know whether I'll wear them but I still buy them because there are different occasions that come. Particular items deal with specific events. As for music, like in the championship it deals with disco music. Also, certain clothing, costumes, such as the Kipper Kids' costumes. There costumes are unusual and to think about where one would wear such things it narrows down to a few places, such as for comedians.

Jack Smith

"I Danced with a Penguin"

Video

1983

Michael Smith

"US Freestyle Disco Championship"

35mm color slides transferred to video

1979-2003

Kipper Kids 

(Martin Rochus Sebastian von Haselberg and Brian Routh)

"The Kitchen"

Video

1979

“LES Galleries Reaction”

I found the Lower East Side galleries more expressive in their artworks than the galleries in Chelsea. I've noticed the art works at Chelsea are simple and are repetitive. I felt like I was seeing the same art work over and over again for certain galleries. As for the rest of the galleries, I felt I experienced something I never once thought a gallery would produced within me.

At the first floor of the Dean Dempsey gallery, some artworks that I saw were photographs of women, who  either were half naked and their faces showed or were fully naked and they were wearing masks. This reminded me of a particular gallery where there were several collages aligned at one wall. This artist used drawn figures of naked men and women for their artworks. It is possible that the collectors for one work of art would enjoy the other work of art since it deals with the human body and its parts. 

As I went down to the lower level of  the Dean Dempsey gallery, I saw flower pots in the staircase and they didn't have no ordinary flowers. They are camera flowers. I felt as if I was in a garden by the view of these images.

At the Lesley Heller gallery, I found most of the artworks to be unusual because of the materials the artist used to create them. Also, it's something I'm not use to seeing as art. This first artwork I noticed the artist used plastic and overall it appeared to me as if it was some sort of map by the extending lines.

Although this artwork I saw as unusual as well, it however reminded me of New York City its self. I see this work taking place at night by the dark hues of blue. Three fourths of this piece I see it as the ocean and the cut out proportions I  see it as a way of expressing reflection from the moon. The top of this work would be the tall buildings of the city. As for the tiny cut out proportions at the top would resemble the stars and the bigger cut outs would resemble clouds. 

What did remind me of a gallery in Chelsea from Heller's gallery was this "arrow-like" artwork on the floor. A gallery that I see as simple because the artist used mainly ink images and simple colors. These both art works have simple colors and have resemblance in having rectangles. The image on the right is Heller's artwork and the image on the left is from a gallery at Chelsea. Perhaps the collectors for an artwork would enjoy the other artwork by its appearance and color.

                                         

At the McKenzle gallery, I see it as one of my favorite galleries because I feel I get lost within each canvas. The artist used light, space, and adds depth on most of his work. The image on the right and the image on the bottom left, the artist uses light and dark hues. I feel as if the figures on both of these artworks resemble butterflies, that's how the artist thinks about the space in particular to show motion on the image on the right. As for the bottom image, I feel some of the circular shapes could either resemble the butterflies' wing or a rain drops which reason to why they are scattered. 

McKenzle gallery reminds me of a gallery in Chelsea where an artist used the space on the canvas well enough to draw out the environment in which there are houses. Also I've noticed the artist uses light on their artwork to give shadow. I doubt the collectors for a work of art would enjoy the other work of art because one deals with architecture while the other deals with figures and light and dark hues.

    

    

For this particular trip I felt some galleries in the Lower East Side were even smaller than the ones in Chelsea if not modern. Some do however resemble the "White Cube" space as Chelsea has. I feel more comfortable with the galleries in the Lower East Side than in Chelsea. Some galleries in Chelsea I felt their artwork was all over the place on each wall and I find it difficult to see its texture or its text. At some points for both places I felt the galleries were just too small where a room could only fit a maximum of 6 people and yet being able to capture the work of art into your system. Yet at the Lower East Side they still had more space to roam around, so even if there was a crowd of people observing a particular artwork there was enough room to observe other artworks.

Galleries:

 Dean Dempsey

solo show

Lesley Heller

 work space

McKENZLE

FINE ART INC. 

"Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary"

The given name "Tentative de I'impossible" refers to attempting the impossible. The man in the suit in this painting seems to be attempting what's impossible, where by painting a woman she'll come to life.  He paints her as if she was right in front of him. These two figures are often identified as Magritte himself and his wife, Georgette.In this painting, Magritte shows what a painter does is simply apply paint by using the man in the suit as an example. Magritte might have had the idea of painting of what he sees a woman would appear as or what he finds a "perfect" woman to look like, therefore the man in the suit is painting a figure of that "perfect" woman. The term "perfect" woman I refer to the woman the man in the suit wants to marry and live the rest of his life with. Also, I feel Magritte stresses the use of oil paintings on this art work. 




René Magritte
"Tentative de I'impossible"
Oil on canvas
1928

“Design in Our Lives”

Ergonomics is the study of functionality in design. Art designs are upon our daily routines; from the alarm clock stricking in the morning to when it's time to call a night and go to sleep. Our style from what clothing we wear, what materials we use, the type of food we consume, and the space we occupy. At the MOMA's design exhibits, I approached two works that have "high functionality" and two other works that have "low functionality".

   

"Coffee Table" 

Coffee Tables are found in any type of offices.  Coffee itself is something we can't escape from and although this design was created in the 1950s I believe it has a "high functionality" because it's something that takes up space and that we tend to use in our daily lives. There are different types of versions of coffee tables. Starbucks and Caribou Coffee are famous for their coffee, they both have different types of coffee tables. Are you interested in getting a free coffee? Well your out of luck because "National Coffee Day" was on September 29th. Better luck next year.

"Bed Cover"

A bed cover is a decorative cover for a bed. I would say this work has a "high functionality" because it is something we still tent to use. Although this "bed cover" is plain there are various of designs a bed cover could have. It's a blanket in which we keep ourselves warm. 

"Buzzcocks, Orgasm Addict"

This poster was created in 1977, it is a lithograph, and I chose this work in particularly because I see it unnatural for their to be an iron to dry clothes to resemble a face. Don't forget about the mouths and the fact that "woman" is naked. I would say this work has a "low functionality" because it is something we don't tend to see at all. Despite how well it captured my eyes towards the image, its text is odd by the way its presented and the colors used for the overall.

"Olivetti"

This work consists of a woman wearing a hat and her palms are on top of a typewriter. I would say this work has a "low functionality" because it's something we no longer use, we upgraded to computers, laptops, ipads, and mobiles. As for the hat I believe its still in stock yet I haven't seen anyone wear them but in movies where the actors wore huge hats for sun protection. Being in movies is not something that is daily for certain class of actors.

In conclusion, my "high functionality" objects can be found in a household  while my "low functionality" objects are outdated and would be difficult to find. To make my "low functionality" objects more ergonomic I would say to replace the typewriter with a laptop or computer and the woman's hat, in order to be up to date. In my opinion I would say an object doesn't need to be "highly functional" to be considered a good design because it's all up to the art appreciator and their style. Art and design aren't always two separate ideas, they are both considered to be works of art.

Sources:

Florence Knoji

"Coffee Table"

Rosewood and chrome-plated metal

1954

Lilly Reich

"Bed Cover from the Philip Johnson Apartment"

Wild silk

1933

Malcolm Garrett

"Buzzcocks, Orgasm Addict"

Litograph

1977

Xanti Schawinsky

"Olivetti"

Offset litograph

1934

“Illustrate a Story”

This story is about a teenage boy, Samuel, who came up to his mother and confessed to her he's gay. Samuel states, "you feel like being gay is a virus", and he's doomed, so he decides to believe it'll be easy for him to pretend he's straight. His mother, Connie, blamed her self because she didn't know how to raise a child and she's a single mother. Also the fact that there was no man around the house to be an influence to Samuel. She believed his life would be terrible because of her. Connie made an attempt to "fix" Samuel, by him going through therapy.  The struggle they go through to open up to each other came to an end at their home one day. Samuel realized it was important for his mother to accept him by a magnet on the fridge with a rainbow heart, "love is spoken here". Connie admits her child is gay and apologizes for her behavior. Samuel admitted he forgave his mother and was grateful. I made a drawing based on the obstacles of Samuel and Connie in which they went through. I used pink as the background, butterflies, stars and bright colors to represent gay pride. I chose to draw out the magnet in Connie's house to represent the love for one another at the end of the day. I drew out icons to symbolize viruses, gay couples, hearts, flowers, smiling face, lips, stars, and of course Samuel and Connie. Also, I drew text bubbles to represent what was going on through their minds.

“You feel like being gay is like a virus.”

When he was 15, Samuel Taylor came out to his mother, Connie Casey... 

Recorded in Painesville, Ohio

http://storycorps.org/listen/samuel-taylor-and-connie-casey/ 

“Chelsea Galleries Reaction”

I would say out of the few galleries I visited, the Paula Cooper Gallery was my favorite of all. At first I thought it was going to be just like every other gallery, where I didn’t find much interesting but I was wrong. At that moment I was certain that I was hungry because I looked at a painting, “Squiggly Brushstrokes”, Sol LeWitt, as gummy worms, and I love gummy worms. The colors used and how the lines curved at certain places made me think that way. In another room was where I found the “Wall Drawing #564”, the place was big and because it was big I already wanted a place like that to be my bedroom. Over five years ago I moved to a different place, still in the same neighborhood but it took me almost three years to actually settle down and make my bedroom feel like home. I used different colors, designs, and objects.  The “Wall Drawing #564”, left me staring at all the colors, as well as how some lines extended onto another canvas. I would definitely invest in it and display it at home, while attempting to create the same feeling that it gave me at the gallery. In addition, I found out the “Wall Drawing #564” is worth $1.6 billion.  

I disliked the Elizabeth Dee Gallery/Post Culture for several of reasons. For one, I didn’t find absolutely anything that I enjoyed gazing at. “Mostly that your face is like the sky behind the Holiday Inn”, Gabriele Beveridge, a piece of art work consists of a window blind and a frame of a woman and this provoked the word “garbage” to cross through my thoughts. The window blind seemed to be broken and either way I don’t know the woman in the frame to be thinking of purchasing it. It probably took Gabriele three minutes to create this piece. Julia Wachtel’s art work; “Doughnutville”, is based on two colors and a face of a man on a canvas, which only left me wondering it must have took her less than ten minutes to create this piece. Another thing I noticed, right at the moment when I set a foot in this gallery I wanted to leave right away because I felt all those art works weren’t good enough to be bought or be displayed. I'll rather invest in something that actually seems as if the artist took their time to create their art work.

Sol LeWitt

“Squiggly Brushstrokes”

1996

Sol LeWitt

“Wall Drawing #564”

1988

 Gabriele Beveridge

“Mostly that your face is like the sky behind the Holiday Inn”

2013

Julia Wachtel

“Doughnutville”

1992