Bird describes Multiple Viewpoints as viewing the same scene/object but from different vantage points. Primarily art had been viewed from a single one point perspective to create a singular 3d view. However with the turn of the 1900's photography challenged the traditional view which led other artist (Cezanne and Picasso) to explore it via painting and other medias.
For my own work I don't generally go to deep into multiple view points in a single work. However if I can place works together or in a triptych that is one means I do use multiple view points. I don't believe I would use multiple viewpoints in a single piece unless it was really needed to convey my message.
Monday
Multiple Viewpoints
Wednesday
Globalization
Bird describes globalization became a popular term throughout culture in the 1990's. However he states that globalization has been going on for century's between Greek sculpture being adopted by Romans, Indians, and even Europeans. Globalization is in its most simplest form becoming more of an international community.
For myself globalization is something that I am very aware of but also cautious of when it comes to my art. When it comes to other cultures I try to be careful and sometimes limit some influences that could be unknown to myself. It is my personal belief that if you wish to try and incorporate something from another culture, like clothes used in the book, that you must understand what that will truly mean for your work. Otherwise you are doing a disservice to the culture you are drawing from or misrepresenting your own work.
For myself globalization is something that I am very aware of but also cautious of when it comes to my art. When it comes to other cultures I try to be careful and sometimes limit some influences that could be unknown to myself. It is my personal belief that if you wish to try and incorporate something from another culture, like clothes used in the book, that you must understand what that will truly mean for your work. Otherwise you are doing a disservice to the culture you are drawing from or misrepresenting your own work.
Tuesday
Conceptual Art
When it comes to Conceptual art the idea being portrayed by the work is far more important than the object itself can ever be. It asks you to use your mind to understand abstract ideas and not just simply "follow your instincts".
As an artist living in 2013 it is hard to not see conceptual art in almost everything. When working with photography I feel at times that conceptual ideas sometimes eludes me. However this isn't because I don't have conceptual thoughts but that photography can sometimes create a barrier between the idea and the viewer. I realize that at times i need to refine my conceptual ideas when it comes to photography to make them clearer to understand or perhaps just change my own way of thinking.
As an artist living in 2013 it is hard to not see conceptual art in almost everything. When working with photography I feel at times that conceptual ideas sometimes eludes me. However this isn't because I don't have conceptual thoughts but that photography can sometimes create a barrier between the idea and the viewer. I realize that at times i need to refine my conceptual ideas when it comes to photography to make them clearer to understand or perhaps just change my own way of thinking.
Kamhi: An Old School Way of Thinking (120+ Years Old)
What did I just read?
No seriously Kathy what id you just have me read!
These were the literal thoughts going through my head when I got done reading the sixth page of the article. Kamhi appears to want to basically throw out all art from the past 120 years. If it isn't traditional drawing, painting, or sculpture according to Kamhi it might as well be worthless.
How about some examples because there is no way it could literally be everything in the past 120 years!
Wanna bet?
Pop art?
Nope, an artist is "too detached" from it and they are trying to sell something so its not art.
Photography (from a film sense, she doesn't talk about digital and frankly I'm glad she doesn't)?
Nope, its way to mechanical and it is completely real world so an artist brain doesn't work hard enough. Also because its based on light and chemicals so there is way to much out an artist control and rely to much on "luck".
How about abstract art depicting spiritual values like the work of Kandinsky?
Wrong again. Even though they used the "proper medium" and their intentions were right they still managed to fail.
Kamhi believes that art focus to much on symbolism and decoding and not from an obvious pictorial standpoint. She also implies their is an issue when viewers of different ages, primarily pre-schoolers, can decode the same image. In other words Kamhi believes that age is more important benchmark to view art, then perhaps the idea that each stage of visual learners can view the same work differently. My translation from all that? If its not painfully obvious, you have to think about it, and its not traditional then it isn't art.
While reading the article I wanted to play devils advocate. When it comes to her argument for photography I wanted to argue that she was misspoken and was trying to speak about photojournalism, when speaking about the photo's of Iwo Jima in particular. Thus I would have tried to argue that photojournalism isn't art (P.S. I do completely 100% believe this type of work to be valid) but the hard work of Ansel Adams and others like him still is. However upon reading more on her stance on photograph in the article and in her notes I still couldn't even try and support that.
My one question I would like to ask her is that if painting and sculpture are the only real forms of art then what about the work of Rodin? Knowing that his work was rejected throughout his life because it was no depicted "how it was supposed to be" would she call it art? Since Rodin tried to capture someones essence and not how they actually looked I feel Kamhi would also deem his work a failure.
I did find an article that I like that supported the idea teaching Visual Culture called
The Role of Visual Culture Studies on Primary School Students' Interpretation of Visual World
http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.mul.missouri.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8122835c-b7da-44c8-a302-5e282a46a21c%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=19
In it I found most important that students found it more enjoyable than the traditional ways they were taught and believed that could actually learn more from it!
Overall I found this article extremely difficult to read. Between Kamhis backwards minded thought process, and her complete disregard for so many different mediums I was not able to take her seriously.
No seriously Kathy what id you just have me read!
These were the literal thoughts going through my head when I got done reading the sixth page of the article. Kamhi appears to want to basically throw out all art from the past 120 years. If it isn't traditional drawing, painting, or sculpture according to Kamhi it might as well be worthless.
How about some examples because there is no way it could literally be everything in the past 120 years!
Wanna bet?
Pop art?
Nope, an artist is "too detached" from it and they are trying to sell something so its not art.
Photography (from a film sense, she doesn't talk about digital and frankly I'm glad she doesn't)?
Nope, its way to mechanical and it is completely real world so an artist brain doesn't work hard enough. Also because its based on light and chemicals so there is way to much out an artist control and rely to much on "luck".
How about abstract art depicting spiritual values like the work of Kandinsky?
Wrong again. Even though they used the "proper medium" and their intentions were right they still managed to fail.
Kamhi believes that art focus to much on symbolism and decoding and not from an obvious pictorial standpoint. She also implies their is an issue when viewers of different ages, primarily pre-schoolers, can decode the same image. In other words Kamhi believes that age is more important benchmark to view art, then perhaps the idea that each stage of visual learners can view the same work differently. My translation from all that? If its not painfully obvious, you have to think about it, and its not traditional then it isn't art.
While reading the article I wanted to play devils advocate. When it comes to her argument for photography I wanted to argue that she was misspoken and was trying to speak about photojournalism, when speaking about the photo's of Iwo Jima in particular. Thus I would have tried to argue that photojournalism isn't art (P.S. I do completely 100% believe this type of work to be valid) but the hard work of Ansel Adams and others like him still is. However upon reading more on her stance on photograph in the article and in her notes I still couldn't even try and support that.
My one question I would like to ask her is that if painting and sculpture are the only real forms of art then what about the work of Rodin? Knowing that his work was rejected throughout his life because it was no depicted "how it was supposed to be" would she call it art? Since Rodin tried to capture someones essence and not how they actually looked I feel Kamhi would also deem his work a failure.
I did find an article that I like that supported the idea teaching Visual Culture called
The Role of Visual Culture Studies on Primary School Students' Interpretation of Visual World
http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.mul.missouri.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8122835c-b7da-44c8-a302-5e282a46a21c%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=19
In it I found most important that students found it more enjoyable than the traditional ways they were taught and believed that could actually learn more from it!
Overall I found this article extremely difficult to read. Between Kamhis backwards minded thought process, and her complete disregard for so many different mediums I was not able to take her seriously.
Recap, Thoughts, Reflections, and Questions on Gude
The article "New School Art Styles: The Project of Art Education" encourages educators to break away from traditional art projects and to reevaluate their curriculum. Gude argues that current art classrooms do not create real or true meaning making. Instead we are more concerned with the finished product when we should be focused more on the process of how the work was created. By doing so students will more efficiently learn art processes, while also putting more meaning into their work.
Gude also encourages us to actually teach the actual practices of other arts/cultures to avoid facsimiles. The example used was the Impressionist landscape created by a student from multiple photographs. However the problem was that because the assignment was about Impressionism, they never truly completed the criteria for the work to be Impressionist. However at the same time its hard to even think about blaming the student! They were never shown how Impressionist actually painted their work. While the guidelines, looking at photographs, also countered what impressionism was about because by looking at photographs you are not able to see the change in light that is required.
Gude's ideas about are education don't seem to be far from my own personal views. I have no desire to create a classroom of X amount of identical pumpkins, and honestly that thought gives me the hebbie jebbies! Personal meaning making from the individual student is also an absolute must. If a student has no emotional weight invested in it then why would would or should they create it. Without it the craftsmanship will be lacking and be forgotten quickly, therefore the project becoming meaningless. I also believe that "playtime" is an absolute must. If you have no experience with a material then how can you truly create something with it. Playtime encourages risk taking, and risk taking can bring both success and "failure". Those little "failures" in lots of ways have taught me much more than the instant successes have. In turn, I know that I am a stronger artist because I have learn the limits of a particular medium. "Playtime" allows students to work through these issues before working on an "assignment", and if they do run across those issues then they will be more prepared to handle them when the time comes.
My only possible issue with Gude was what I perceived as a lack of parameters when it comes to work. I will use this moment to admit I possibly misunderstood or just plain misread this before I go any further.However it seemed as if she was asking ups to demonstrate skills or techniques to students but then not require students to use them. My issue is if I teach the photography concepts of framing, vignetting, or shutter speed how do I know if my students truly learned or understood it? Do I have to wait till the end of the year to possibly actually see them use a technique in a piece. Am I not allowed to give some assignments with certain parameters to see if they understand an important technical aspect, while still trying to give them as much creative freedom as possible? Perhaps someone can clarify this for me if I did just misunderstand what was being said. Otherwise my question to ponder on is how many parameters are to many?
Gude also encourages us to actually teach the actual practices of other arts/cultures to avoid facsimiles. The example used was the Impressionist landscape created by a student from multiple photographs. However the problem was that because the assignment was about Impressionism, they never truly completed the criteria for the work to be Impressionist. However at the same time its hard to even think about blaming the student! They were never shown how Impressionist actually painted their work. While the guidelines, looking at photographs, also countered what impressionism was about because by looking at photographs you are not able to see the change in light that is required.
Gude's ideas about are education don't seem to be far from my own personal views. I have no desire to create a classroom of X amount of identical pumpkins, and honestly that thought gives me the hebbie jebbies! Personal meaning making from the individual student is also an absolute must. If a student has no emotional weight invested in it then why would would or should they create it. Without it the craftsmanship will be lacking and be forgotten quickly, therefore the project becoming meaningless. I also believe that "playtime" is an absolute must. If you have no experience with a material then how can you truly create something with it. Playtime encourages risk taking, and risk taking can bring both success and "failure". Those little "failures" in lots of ways have taught me much more than the instant successes have. In turn, I know that I am a stronger artist because I have learn the limits of a particular medium. "Playtime" allows students to work through these issues before working on an "assignment", and if they do run across those issues then they will be more prepared to handle them when the time comes.
My only possible issue with Gude was what I perceived as a lack of parameters when it comes to work. I will use this moment to admit I possibly misunderstood or just plain misread this before I go any further.However it seemed as if she was asking ups to demonstrate skills or techniques to students but then not require students to use them. My issue is if I teach the photography concepts of framing, vignetting, or shutter speed how do I know if my students truly learned or understood it? Do I have to wait till the end of the year to possibly actually see them use a technique in a piece. Am I not allowed to give some assignments with certain parameters to see if they understand an important technical aspect, while still trying to give them as much creative freedom as possible? Perhaps someone can clarify this for me if I did just misunderstand what was being said. Otherwise my question to ponder on is how many parameters are to many?
Sunday
Final 50 Idea's (My Oh My..)
1. Abandonment
-The state of objects left by humans after being abandoned
over time. Also the effect and feeling of abandonment on people
-Photography- Going
to forgotten or abandoned locations/Photographing those who have been abandoned
in some for and recreating how they felt within.
2. Deformity
-Capturing a "handicap" and glorifying it instead
of hiding it
-Photography B&W or Desaturated- Taking
a portrait of those with a deformity having them show off proudly how they are
different. Possibly type their story up next to the artwork
3. The Act of Mercy
-The split second moment where one human being accepts the
help from another with no strings attached
-Photography Color or B&W depending on location and lighting factors- Going to a charity type of event and take
images of people helping out those in need. Seek out permission of those who
are photographed to not embarrass them in some way, also see if they would be
willing to tell their story and the experience.
4. Obsession
-Material objects or the obsession of ideas
-3D Found Object- Find out different things that people obsess over and
create a sculpture with that object (if possible) to create a sense of someone’s
obsession. Ex: 3 cups of Starbucks coffee a day grab a couple of weeks worth of
cups and make something out of it.
5.
Repression/Opression
-Showing how others are repressed even today.
-Photography Digital HDR (High Dynamic Range) Digital- Stage a
portrait to show how others are repressed. Ex: Kid shoving someone else into a
locker. A boss abusing his power to have a worker do degrading things.
6. Survival
-How would you survive and what you need to actually survive
-3D Found Object- Items created with literally what I can find in the
middle of “no where” that I would use to survive. Also try and decorate them to
show how I would “pass the time”
7. Fear
-Displaying the many different and rational/irrational fears
that people have
-Photography B&W unless figure is really colorful (like a clown)- Photographing others fears in a way that they
see it as fearful. Ex: a macro shot of a snake or someone in a dark room with
just a small light on their panicked face
8. Attachment
-Attachment to an object and being unable to let go
-Attachments/relationships people have with others
-Combo of 3D Found Object and Photography Digital- Photographing either how
others relationships work or recreating items people attach to. Have objects
that represent each person and have their image photo transferred onto it along
with their story of why they are attached to it if possible.
9. Excess/Abundance
-Showing examples of excess compared to others who do not
have enough
-Photography Digital HDR- Taking
a portrait of those surrounded by the luxurious things that they own. Take the
exact same style of image with someone who has literally almost nothing.
10. Desire
-Showing People/Objects/Looks that different people desire
-Photography Digital with Photoshop Manipulation- Capture an image of something and then edit it
as much as possible to portray what someone who desires that object sees.
11. Process
-Exploring the process that one might take to do a
particular task
-Photography Digital- A
almost step by step photo of someone doing something horribly complex. Glorifying
someone who is a master of their craft like someone who care repair a
transmission.
12. Iconography
-Exploring the visuals of an icon figured either literally
implied or done independently
-3D Metal Work/Woodwork/Fibers- Creating a
object for a chosen subject and how you view it when there are no images of it.
How do you picture it?
13. Repentance.
-Exploring the way others repent for their transgressions
rather a spiritual one or not
-Photography B&W- Portrait like capturing an image of someone at
confession. Someone spending their time at a function helping recovering alcoholics
when they were once one themselves.
14. Fetish
-Showing the many different but hidden fetishes that others
have but keep secret (must keep participants anonymous)
-Photography B&W- Portrait of those people with their fetishes
and how they would like to be seen with them. Someone kissing another’s feet honestly its hard to think of anything that
isn’t horribly sexual in some fashion.
15. Creation/Beginning
-3D Clay- creating multiple sculptures of the different stages of
something beginning. Ex a seed, sprout, slight bigger, actual plant.
16. Destruction
-Creating a 3D sculpture, Clay/Wood/Metal, of something and then literally
destroying it and displaying it. Or capturing an image of it at the “peak”
moment of it or something’s destruction.
17. The Unknown
-Traveling down the alley you've never walked down
-Learning the story of someone you've never truly met before
-Photography Digital Color- Stopping someone you see everyday but don’t
actually know. Ask them if they would be willing to share their “life story”
and then capture a photo of this person how they want the word to see them.
18. Adversity
-Showing the many different struggles that different people
face
-Photography B&W- Photographing a willing participant who is
going through a struggle. Ex: the high jumpers frustration because they can’t
quite clear the bar, traveling to the hospital with a friend who is dealing
with someone is a illness.
19. Time
-How we use or misuse
-Photography HDR Digital (possibly Photoshopped as well)- Photograph different people how they use their
time, also include amount of time spent on something for each activity
20. Strength
-Capturing the many different types of things we define as a
Strength
-Photography HDR Digital- Capture
one image of someone benching a lot of weight, then that teenage who takes care
of all of the younger siblings while their parent works to many jobs.
21. Locked In
-Exploring the many ways someone can be Locked in literally
or figuratively
-Trapped behind a door
-cant leave a home due to finances
-Photography B&W- Portrait of someone in their home or area they
live in but would like to leave. Have them tell you some of their story of why
they would like to leave and why they cant.
22. Environment
-Capturing the environment and how we choose to change or
not change something in it
-Photography Color- Show how we are preserving the environment by visiting
a beautiful park with an image right next to it of a polluted trash filled stream
23. Memory
-Exploring how many people remember their own memories
-3d/photography (Clay/Wood/Digital) create a sculpture of how someone remembers
something, like an object that triggers a memory, try and photo transfer that memory
onto that object. Ex: birthday crown with photos of that birthday.
24. The Ideal
-Showing different ideas of an Ideal world
-Photography HDR Digital Photoshopped to look not quite "true"- Have people act out what their idea world
would be. Ex: the musician who is able to sit around and play his guitar all
day.
25. Pain
-The exploration of pain and if faced with the choice what
would someone’s ideal pain be
-3D/Photography (Woodworking/Clay) Have a standard object “a wood block” and
then unleash that “pain” upon it. Ex: Burning it, Stabbing it with a knives,
etc
26. Retelling of a Story
-Telling a common story but with a different view
-Photography HDR Digital Photoshopped to look "storybook"- Take images of a scene by scene view of
another characters story. Ex: The villain instead of the hero/or the damsel in distresses
27. Censorship
-Censorship and how we are or are not affected by it
-Digital- Create ways in which others were
censored in the past or present. Ex: Write
and print a new paper of how the war in Afghanistan was/is going but how it
would have been portrayed by North Korea
28. Money
-Exploring our obsession with it but also our desire to due
without it
-Photography HDR for money Desaturated for lack of- Photograph someone in a fashion that portrays
them as having lots of money and glorifying it. Take images of people who are
sitting down and stressing out while doing their finances
29. Horror
-Exploring our society fixation with horror and what others
view as horrifying
-Photography(B&W)/3D(Woodworking/Metal)- Have someone take a portrait of with
everything they own that would be considered in the “horror” genre. Ask others
what they view as horrifying and recreate in a sculptural manner.
30. Repetition
-How people repeat things constantly
-Exploring OCD's
-Photography(Color)/Digital
-Take a photo of someone with an OCD doing that task, Put on
the image somewhere in some fashion how many times they have to do it. Try and
fit that that same image into a frame how many times they do it in a day. Wash
their hands 200 times a day so shrink that image to fit in a frame 200 times.
31. Propaganda
-Showing how propaganda was and still is used today
-Photography(B&W)/Digital- Recreate a propaganda type image
from today but in a fashion that was used in the 1940’s
32. Companionship/Connection
-Exploring the relationships between others
-Photography(Color)/3D (Found Object)- Having people explain how their connection
or companionship works with another human being or animal/object. Create a 3D
sculpture that represents that companionship and phototransfer the things onto
it.
33. Assemblage
-Creating something out of "useless" things
-3D (Found Object)- Assemble things that someone describes as useless and
then try to create them into the likeness of something that same person would
consider useful.
34. Form
-Studying form and its limitless potential
-3D (Clay/Wood/Metal)- Create a purely abstract form. Turn off the lights and
play a different genre of music each time. See what your hands and mind create
without sight.
35. Collaboration
-Working with another
artist on a similar idea
-3D/2D- 2 different artist work thorough a
different medium but combine their work onto a single piece. A potter sculpts a
pot that a painter then paints on.
36. The Dream
-Capturing and bringing to life ones dream
-Digital- Digitally recreating someone dream. Ex: photoshopping
someone swimming in a pool of ice cream.
37. Growth
-The continued progression of something growing physically
or emotionally
-3D (Clay)- create a sculpture of what was your top priority at age
5, 14, and 23
38. Energy
-The many different forms it takes
-3D(Clay/Wood)- Crete a sculpture with inspiration from an
image based on the energy of something. Lighting shoots down from the sky.
Create a lightning struck tree. Mom work 70 hours a week. Create a sculpture on
what energy drives her to do it.
39. Loss
-Exploring the Loss of something or someone
-3D (Clay/Wood)- create a sculpture representing the emotion of something
you’ve lost. Ex: The void left from a passing loved one. A pan that’s missing half of it representing
the loss of a grandparent
40. Accomplishment/Victory
-Capturing the moment of what someone deems as a victory
-Photography (Color)- Portrait of someone displaying the moment of “victory”
seeing that A on a test. Crossing the finish line and coming in first.
41. Release
-Letting go of either a lost loved one or removing old items
that are hard to part with but only being held onto by memories
-Photography (B&W)- Photographing
someone moving something that they weren’t
able to because that’s where a lost loved one put it.
42. Looking Through
-Looking though a barrier (physical or implyed) to see what
someone else sees
-Photography (Color)- Follow a person around and document their
experiences . Document your own and display them side by side.
43. Spiritual
-Exploring the many different ways others choose/or choose
not to express themselves spiritually
-Photography (B&W)- Photograph someone praying or doing something
else religious. Photography someone not doing something. Have both displayed
side by side and write about why each does so.
44. Android/Cyborg
-How connected are human and machine today?
-3D (Clay/Metal)- Representation of how humans can be “connected” with
their machines. Sculpt a human who’s electronic devise are literally part of
them.
45. Inequality/Equality
-Similar to #5 in
thought but could be changed to show less obvious things that might not
necessarily be repression
-3D(Fibers)/Photography (Color)- Create a modern day representation of how
people are/would be singled out as not being equal. Ex: How Jews in Germany
were required to wear the Star of David.
46. Multiple points of View
-Capturing a moment from 2+ more views
-Photography(digital Color)- Show how two people see one “issue”
but are on different sides and merge the two opposite ideas into one image. Ex:
For/Against Gun control
47. Sexuality
-Exploring the views on how men view and respond to
sexuality for both sexes
-Photography(Color)/mixed media(Cut and Paste/Painting)- Have a portrait of how men feel
they need to be seen. Create an image of how men are bombarded with sexuality.
48. Domination/Freedom
-The control of one human being over another
-3D (Metal)- Creating items that people use/used to dominate others.
Ex: Broken shackles ie freedom from slavery
49. Healing
-From a loss ie death, lost opportunity, etc
-Collage/Photography(Desaturated)/Found Object- Ex: Photography a person who lost a
loved one. Crop out a space on them, in this case their heart. Have them fill
in that empty space with images of how they healed.
50. Decay (physical/mental)
-Aging and the effects it has both on the body and mind
-Photography (Desaturated)- Portrait of a loved one who is no longer
physically able to do something. Merge it with a photo of doing the same task
from an earlier date.
Series
Bird defines a series as works of art that are strong enough to stand on their own, but when viewed together can be connected by an underlying narrative. A series gives the artist more control on the idea they are trying to portray, as well as allow them to sell more of their work.
Personally, I try to create series and not just individual pieces of work as much as possible. At times an idea is not strong enough, at that time, for more then one image. While there are other times where I set out to create just one image, however ideas and possibility keeps flowing allowing me to continue on. The question now is can I create a series of work that I can stay interested in and remain happy with in the "proper" order?
Three words.
Bring
It
On
Personally, I try to create series and not just individual pieces of work as much as possible. At times an idea is not strong enough, at that time, for more then one image. While there are other times where I set out to create just one image, however ideas and possibility keeps flowing allowing me to continue on. The question now is can I create a series of work that I can stay interested in and remain happy with in the "proper" order?
Three words.
Bring
It
On
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