Response to Lampert reading

     Well after reading this chapter of Lampert’s writing I’ll make such not to take in photographs at face value. Photographers have a lot more control than I thought they did. Even though I understand that there were Natives that liked some of Curtis’ photos, he’s methods described in this reading just don’t sit well with me. Curtis did pretty much all he could to capture the Natives as “vanishing people” as Lampert describes it. Also Curtis copyrighting Throssel’s image is messed up. As a digital illustrator I’ve had to deal with people trying to claim my artwork as their own and I’ve never thought of it happening with other mediums that way.

     Throssel on the other hand did many things to help his community. He took photography, which some would say was negatively impacting his community, and used it to bring awareness to and help them. His photos also how the difference it makes when the person or people of subject are “on your side.” Also a good way to see the difference between the two photographers is to look at Vanishing Race by Curtis and The Rustler by Throssel side by side.

Response to Clarke reading

     I can see how this chapter relates to our current assignment. We will be creating something based off of a description very much how like images of the rhinoceros that reached Europe were made from writings and sketches of the animal that were received instead of those images being made from directly observing the animal itself. At first I was surprised by how much circulation as an “accurate representation” of the rhinoceros Durer’s woodcut received but then realized in that day and age it’s a likely thing to happen. For how well it’s done, I can see why the wood cut caught such interest.

     Without being familiar with the animal, at first glare the woodcut would past as an accurate image of the rhinoceros. But when you compare the actual the animal and the image you can clearly see the exaggerations and the influence of Durer having designed armor. Although there is lots of talk about Durer, he wasn’t the only one who took interest in the rhinoceros. A man named Giovanni Giacomo Penni published an account of the animal with included a woodcut. That woodcut having almost a completely opposite feel than Durer’s woodcut shows how something can be shown in many different ways depending of the presenter.

Museum Visit: Ornament and Empire at PAMM

    

     

     When I got to the exhibit the piece at immediately caught my sight was Hew Locke’s Hemmed in Two. I found it interesting how there was a bit of greenery towards the front of the piece and not the rest of it. I think the patterns and designs covering it were really well done. There was quite a bit going on when it came to the designs but it worked well and left me exploring the piece to see each and every detail.

     Firelei Báez’s Bloodlines piece was one I think was nicely done. I’d say it takes a lot of skill to not only create work of that quality but to also be able to create a distorted pattern. Also I like how symbols from several colonial histories brought together into one beautiful pattern.

     Then there is Báez’s Sans-Souci piece. The eye being the only facial feature to be defined makes the expression even more powerful in my opinion. The colors used for the skin of the figure are a nice contrast to the headdress and eyes. The design of the headdress has an interesting flow that guides your eyes no matter where they land. Also I like how towards the top of the headdress some of the patterns are not colored but are just the surface of canvas which I think adds depth to the piece.

Response to CAM Raleigh: Ornament and Pattern

Everything we’ve done so far, including this article, has given me a more of an appreciation for ornaments and patterns.  Before, I would just think of them as things that were nice to look at and not as the art that they were.  One thing I think that’s great about ornaments and patterns is that they are an art that is a part of everyone’s life. I couldn’t agree more with the statement that we are pattern-seeking creatures. I believe the idea that we are almost always seeking patterns applies to not only designs but almost everything we do.

To go back to this article giving me a more of an appreciation for ornaments and patterns, I also try and think about the story behind their design now. It’s really cool to see how broad the art of ornament and pattern is, especially through the six themes listed in the article. If I were to pick a favorite it would have to be fantasy because of the way those type of ornaments and patterns like so free and fun. I also love the types of ornaments and patterns that fall under the elaboration theme in the sense of both looking and creating them.

Small Works

For my first three small works I created them using a digital illustration program called Clip Studio because that is the medium I am most comfortable with. The illustrations are based off of a pilon (left), a Haitian painting (middle), and a Haitian plaque (right) I have in my house. A pilon is a wooden vase used in cooking to mash different things and the plaque represents the first Haitian slave to rebel.

For the last two small works the materials I had were yarn, a piece of foam, an egg carton, and a glue stick.

Response to "Ornament" and the Sources of Design in the Decorative Arts

The article is about the importance of ornament and the art of them. Along with the importance of the design aspect of ornaments, Ivins also goes into the importance of the study of it. I like how he compares the relationship between the craftsmanship and design of ornaments. The designers are to the composers as the craftsmen are to the musicians. It’s such a great and understandable way to explain the situation.

I don’t know much about architectural so this was a very educational read. It’s interesting that engraving came from the workings of gold and silversmiths. But then again it makes since the engraving would originate from that craft. Ivins brushed on the idea that none of the works of the men who had their greatest popular fame as engravers were a wholly new and original design, which is something that is brought up in every category of art. He then goes on to list many great designers and empathize the importance of museums collecting drawings, prints, and book decorations to studying and get a better sense of ornament and form. I totally agree with him, it’s always best to go and see the work of artists that came before you especially artists that were in the same field of art as you.

Museum Visit: Institute of Contemporary Art

Most of Susan Te Kahurangi King’s work had a cartoony, childhood doodle feel to them. I realized, after reading more about her, that she was influenced by the cartoons she grew up watching. I found the layout of her works that have a lot going on to be interesting. I’m used to seeing art where a single character is the main focus of a drawing but most of her work seemed to portray a scene. Many of her work were very expressive to me. When I was looking around the exhibit, I couldn’t help but think of the drawings I did when I was in elementary school. I’d use the word “childhood” as a way to overall describe her artwork. To me each piece seemed to tell a story that I didn’t understand but could tell was there. I didn’t get that feeling from her more abstract work though.

Then there’s Ida Applebroog’s work. I liked her exhibit the least of the two but it still caught my interest. One part that really caught my interest was her book series. They seemed oddly dark to me. I could tell from her work that she dealt with depression. I also noticed a lot of self-questioning and questioning of life in general from her work.