Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture

 Anish Kapoor

Cloud Gate (2004), Millennium Park, Chicago

Celebrated for his gigantic, stainless steel Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Anish Kapoor is changing the cultural environment with his public works. 

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss whether it is conceptual art or not. Explain your answer, using a definition of conceptual art.

Yes it is conceptual art. Kapoors’ work does not present the subject in a traditional form. Rather he uses the art form to represent his ideas as opposed to a perfect copy of the subject. 

Definition:

Conceptual art is art in which the concepts or idea involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_art

2. Research 3 quite different works by Kapoor from countries outside New Zealand to discuss the ideas behind the work. Include images of each work on your blog.

1) Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror is a 35-foot-diameter concave mirror made from polished stainless steel. Its at the 5th avenue entrance to the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center, standing at nearly 3 stories high. It is a remarkable experience of architecture and light, and gives observers a vivid reflection of the historic building that stands behind it. It draws the skyline and ground together, successfully manipulating space and perception.

2) ‘Cloud Gate’ by Kapoor centerpiece in Millennium Park in Chicago, United States. It is made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together. It has a highly polished exterior with no visible seams. It has said to be inspired by liquid mercury. The Cloud Gate surface reflects and distorts the cities skyline. Whilst he named the work ‘Cloud Gate’ it is not a traditional gate. It’s an interesting symbol of warping and multiplying reflections. 

3) Kapoor's towering new sculpture, Tall Tree and the Eye, has gone up in the courtyard of The Royal Academy of Arts. The structure is made of steel and has an arrangement of 76 shiny spheres which appear as they bubble up. This is inspired by the words of the German poet Rainer Rilke. As you look upwards, it gives the illusion of bubbles floating majestically towards the heavens. It has a look of weightlessness when viewed from the ground below. It closes the space between the Earth and the Sky. 

http://jfkwalks.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/anish-kapoor-perception-and-deception/

http://www.publicartfund.org/pafweb/projects/06/kapoor/kapoor-06.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/sep/20/anish-kapoor-sculpture-royal-academy

3.Discuss the large scale 'site specific' work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

The work is called, Dismemberment, Site 1. It is considered site specific because its form was created in a manner enabling it to withstand the high winds that blow inland to the site. The gigantic work gives thought to what space and environment means to art, Kapoor's sculpture embraces the environment in a conceptual form. 

4. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

Kapoor's New Zealand work is found on Gibbs Farm, Kaipara Harbour. It is made out of Mild steel tube and tensioned fabric. The overall form is achieved by a composition of a “vast PVC membrane stretched between the two giant steel ellipses” (Anish Kapoor, 2010), giving it the appearance of what I think looks like a balloon in stress. Kapoor stated that “I want to make body into sky” (Anish Kapoor, 2010) with these PVC works, suggesting that the idea was to create a relationship between the Earth and the sky; which appears to be a theme of his as we have seen this in previous work.

5. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favourite, and explain why. Are you personally attracted more by the ideas or the aesthetics of the work?

My favourite sculpture from Anish Kapoor is Tall Tree and the Eye. I am attracted to both ideas and aesthetics of the design. The illusion of the bubbles floating into the sky is appealing, and the way Kapoor brings the Earth and Sky together is a very interesting concept.

Youtube has some excellent footage on Kapoor-take a look at Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy.

www.royalacademy.org.uk › 

http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/thefarm.htm

http://www.billslater.com/cloudgate/ 

Week 5 - Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Week 5 - Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

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.

the dictionary definition for pluralism is "A condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society."The word pluralism to me breaks down into three things ,and those are anti-racisim muilti-cultrasim and equal opportunity ,each of these 3 aspects that defines pluralism in my mind is about the people ,its about respecting them for there own identity.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pluralism

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluralism_(political_theory)

2. How would you describe New Zealand's current dominant culture?

when i hear New zealand i think of clean, green and multi-cultrul .the population on New zealand has a wide variety of culture theres your average maori and New zealander but new zealand is also built up by Asians, Pacific islanders ,Europeans and Muslims etc. these countries travel here because it has a good reputation as being a clean and wonderful place .

3. Before 1840, what was New Zealand's dominant culture?

in 1840 i believe that the maories settled here from the Pacific islands ,then Able Tasmen  from europe discovered New zealand and invaded with europeans, maoris consulted with them and proposed a treaty ,that treaties called the treaty of Waitangi .

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture-and-society

4. How does the Treaty of Waitangi relate to us all as artists and designers working

in New Zealand?

this relates to us young potential artist and designers that we have to watch what we do ,so we don't plagiarise or copying works of other fallow designers and artist .this just dosnt relates to us but also companies eg industral busnisses ,products ,fast food etc.

5. How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on regional diversity in New Zealand in particular?

International companies out there are taking maori culture and using it for there own there advertising ,making toy's and video games etc they are taking maori originality and using it for their own with out researching the fore grown of maori culture which has set a negative effect on New zealand .

6. Shane Cotton's paintings are said to examine the cultural landscape. Research Cotton's work 'Welcome'(2004) and 'Forked Tongue' (2011) to analyze what he is saying about colonialization and the Treaty of Waitangi.

in Cotton's work there is a painting of jesus portrait at the top and two New zealand native birds (fantails) at each side of him, to me i guess they act like the wings . it is painted is in a cross position, taking it symbolizes religion, Cotton approaches his work with a story from the pass usually or represents cultural heritage .it is seen that all history before colonializatio is import thats why the treaty of waitangi is remembered even till today !

 

'Welcome' (2004) Shane Cotton 

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'Forked Tongue'(2011) Shane Cotton

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

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. Define the term 'kitsch'.

Albert is communicating threw his work with an apology to the aboriginal people of australia this work is referring to kevin rudd's in that his apology was quiet empty in which albert is connecting threw his work that "sorry" is just a word.

in this work albert has used big bold vinyl capital letters ,with aboriginal backgrounds placed with in the letters . albert wishes to give aboriginal people a voice .

8. Explain how the work of both artists relates to pluralism.

both artist work relates to there culture they both use meanings within there works and involves there native people .involving cultural backgrounds and the people relates with in pluralism  .

                                       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

                              

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley

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

Kahinde 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 39 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. 

A term most fully and originally explicated by Julia Kristeva in the school of poststructuralism, intertextuality has taken on a variety of meanings since her discussion of the term in the 1960s. On its most basic level, intertextuality is the concept of texts' borrowing of each others' words and concepts. This could mean as much as an entire ideological concepts and as little as a word or phrase. As authors borrow pro-actively from previous texts, their work gains layers of meaning. Also, another feature of intertextuality reveals itself when a text is read in light of another text, in which case all of the assumptions and implications surrounding the other text shed light on and shape the way a text is interpreted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertextuality

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

http://www.sociology.org/content/vol001.002/fox.html

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.

Wiley's work is focused on renaissance with a 'hip-hop' subject matter. In his paintings Wiley uses the theme of 'Renaissance Art' which is a very elegant or rich form of art, with the use of 'black' male youth lifted straight from the street and rendering them complete with sneakers, track pants, and tank tops; using the 'hip-hop' subject as the center of his paintings Wiley shows that not only very elegant, or wealthy people, but other races can too. I think one important message in the paintings above is racial prejudice, and equal rights. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kehinde_Wiley

3. Wiley's work relates to next weeks Postmodern theme "PLURALISM" . Read page 46 and discuss how the work relates to this theme.

Defintion: Pluralism 

• a condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles,sources of authority, etc., coexist.

• a form of society in which the members of minority groupsmaintain their independent cultural traditions.• a political theory or system of power-sharing among a number of political parties.
Pluralism is shown in the work done by Kehinde Wiley by the 'power-sharing' of each subject/ethnicity. The combination of the Renaissance Art and the 'black' male shows that everyone is the same as has equal power and rights as one another - this also shows that you should not judge people on their race religion etc. In the paintings ideas come through about rights and equal power, it also shows how the worlds' culture is developing and changing.

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

The paintings raise ideas of racial prejudice and equal rights - this is changing on a daily basis in the worlds society. The idea of stereotyping the two ethnicities also arises in the paintings, Wiley perceives the 'white' people to be of a very high standard and the 'black' men to be the less elegant, and wealthy which shows his and the worlds view on how people today perceive each ethnicity. 

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

you have read during your research.

I now have a more clearer understanding of the artist, Kehinde Wiley, and also the ideas of racism etc. He is a very diverse artist, which shows throughout his work.