MENTAL MAPPING

My favorite Mental Map project was the “(H)ART Of MPLS” created by Kyle, Annie, Kati and Latoya. The map displays a black and white image of the downtown Minneapolis skyline with a slightly transparent image of a human heart over it. Projecting from the heart are a number of blue and red lines. The blue lines represent veins, and the red lines represent arteries. As most of us know, veins feed blood to the heart and arteries carry it away (blood circulation). This group played off of this concept to display the art community in the twin cities. The red lines lead to a number of icons representing the many things that the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Walker Art Center have to offer to the community. The Blue lines connect to some of the buildings in the skyline, representing the way the city feeds the art community. I was incredibly impressed by this project. Not only is the craft nearly flawless, but the idea is completely original, creative, and thought provoking. This map is also informative, it advertises many aspects of these two institutions that I was not aware existed. Overall I was blown away by this project, it is professional and I think it says a lot about the future of art, as well as about the artists who created it. Great work guys!

CHUCK CLOSE "KIKI"

Kiki

Chuck Close

Oil on canvas, 1993

100’’(8.3 ft) X 84.125’’(7.01 ft)

Chuck Close’s “Kiki” is one of many in the Walker art centers permanent collection, however it succeeds in stealing all of my attention, every time I walk by. Close’s work consists mostly of large-scale portraits of himself, as well as his friends and family. His paintings are almost always broken down into grids (although the grids are not always visible in the finished product) and Kiki does an excellent job of demonstrating his technique. His depictions are exceptionally accurate, causing his work to generally fall under the category of realism. However, Close’s work is more then that, when examined it becomes evident that his paintings are not simply enlargements of photographs, Kiki in particular is much more stylistic. From far away her face is as clear as day, But as you get closer you begin to understand the extent of the artist’s proficiency. Standing just a few feet away from this 8 and ½ by 7 foot tall portrait, her facial features have disappeared, and Kiki is unrecognizable. The piece is broken down into a grid, and within each section there is an abstract target-like shape with rings of multiple colors. I am truly amazed by this system; Close has managed to harmoniously combine realism and abstraction in a unique and down right brilliant way. Despite the fact that his subject matter is fairly simple, His passion is evident through his style and the magnificence of his work, giving it a strong but somewhat indecipherable emotive quality. This ability to create emotions in a realistic manner is somewhat reminiscent of impressionism. Although Close’s paintings are ideal examples of realism, in describing them I fear that this term could have an undeserved negative connotation. Close’s Kiki is not simply an accurate depiction of a young woman (although he does do this remarkably well) It presents incredible skill and commitment, and combines two completely different approaches to portraying the human face, leaving the viewer utterly speechless. It is a masterpiece in every aspect of the word.

WARHOL AT THE WALKER

16 Jackies,

Andy Warhol, 1964

Acrylic, Enamel on Canvas

Andy Warhol is arguably one of the most influential artists in American history. 16 Jackie’s which became part of the Walker Art Center’s permanent collection in 1968, is probably my favorite of his works. If you were alive at any point in the last five decades, then this piece is probably self-explanatory, and if the visuals don’t clarify, the title will. The top row shows an ecstatic Jackie Kennedy stepping off the airplane; the second row depicts a shocked Jackie as Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in to office after the assassination of John F Kennedy; the third row shows Jackie at Her husband funeral, and the final row: a smiling Jackie in a limousine right before the shooting. I am drawn to this piece in particular because unlike Warhol’s infamous Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits (which are pleasant and emotionally unattached) this piece tells a story that hits you in the gut, every time. Jackie Kennedy was a pop icon even before her husbands murder, her life was in the public eye more then most political figures, which is why Warhol chose her as a subject. People mourned the death of their president, as well as for his beautiful, young, widowed wife. Warhol tapped into the vulnerability of his grieving country and created a very somber and emotional piece of work, appropriate primarily for it’s own generation. Aside from Warhol’s obsession with popular culture, he was also very invested in violence and death, especially within the media. Public tragedies play a huge role in much of his work; the effectiveness of this is present particularly in 16 Jackie’s. The repetition of a single image multiple times is inherently Warhol. In my opinion it is beneficial to this work; repetition forces realization. By seeing this image over and over, it becomes ingrained in your memory. However it’s not just the images, it’s the story that the images tell. The use of a strict color palette (blue, black, and white) amplifies the ominous nature this piece. I think psychologically the use of blue alone is depressing. Many of his other works use numerous bright colors to create a positive mood. The dismal quality of the black and blue add to the anguish and desperation of this piece. Although I was not alive when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, it is still recent history, meaning that this piece is still relevant to society. More so, it is informative to the modern viewer, these images are no longer seen in magazines or on the news. Warhol’s 16 Jackie’s, although unintentionally, has become an important documentation of history, as well as an artwork.

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/node/1194

http://collections.walkerart.org/item/object/422

CARLO MOLLINO

Examples of work:

Photographs from Midway Gallery:

Untitled, circa 1960-1973 Unique Polaroid 3.25 X 4.25 inches

Untitled, circa 1960-1973 Unique Polaroid 3.25 X 4.25 inches

These two photographs were taken by Italian architect /photographer Carlo Mollino. Mollino was born in Turin, Piedmont (Italy) in 1905 and died abruptly in 1973. He is responsible for designing furniture, public buildings, residential buildings, and a vast collection of photography including a large number of Polaroid shots of female portraits. Mollino was a quite extravagant guy; He immersed himself in many different aspects of art and design as well as aerobatics (acrobatic piloting) and racecar driving. A quote that I feel sums up Mollino’s essence (pertaining to the above photographs in particular): “Everything is permissible, as long as it’s fantastic”. I would mostly like to focus on his photography, particularly his female portraiture. These photographs present nude, or nearly nude women in risqué erotic poses. He was known for his admiration of the female form; it showed up in many of his other works. This collection of photographs however, don’t simply allude to female figure, they are clear, blatant and racy to say the least. The casual circumstance under which it seems these photographs were taken (simple Polaroid shots and a casual setting) makes them feel spontaneous and slightly unsophisticated. I think that at times, the line between fine art and pornography is thin, it has been argued whether or not Mollino crossed that line with these photos. From the information I have gathered, these photos were not exhibited until the early 2000’s, when they were discovered. The photos were not changed or edited, and were found stashed in his desk drawer, so it is possible that Mollino himself may not have intended for them to be viewed by others. It is unlikely though, given Mollino’s Bold and radical tendencies. It is much more likely that he was simply expressing his creativity in an impulsive and inordinate way. I was immediately drawn to them when walking through the gallery. Despite their small size and minor role in the gallery over all, they were the first pieces that I really noticed. I was immediately intrigued by the obviously dated fashions and the weathered state of the photographs themselves (they are upwards of 30 years old) I feel that this makes them much more interesting to the modern viewer. I was also attracted to their downright obscurity; they are untitled, their origin is unidentifiable, there is no obvious narrative, and aside from the general time period the setting is ambiguous. I wondered who the women were, but more importantly I wondered who was behind the camera, the absence of answers just left me with more. Whether or not Mollino intended this will probably never be known, but the captivating nature of his photography can’t be denied.

"Carlo mollino." Designboom. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. .

"Carlo Mollino -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. .

"Carlo mollino polaroids." Www.postmedia.net. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. .

In addition to these three images, there was a very realistic oil portrait of two girls holding hands that I was not able to upload. My idea was to put that painting on one end of the table, (on the wall behind it). You would view the installation from the other end of the table(the long way) and in the middle of the table would be the two dead goats. I thought that would be interesting because the goats would mirror the two girls in the portrait. I would also put the tea pots and silverware on the table in order to create a casual atmosphere around the goats. I think this dinning table with the tea pot, silverware and the portrait would create a serene atmosphere. When you add the dead goats it would completely change the way you saw the other items, and I think it would feel very creepy and kind of disturbing.

I'm not entirely sure what how I'm supposed to go about doing this but I'll give it a shot....

Jackson Pollock, Galaxy 1947

Jackson Pollock embodies the modernist slogan "Art for arts sake". From a modernist perspective, This painting has it all; an abstract mode of expression, pure aesthetic value and literally no subject matter. Postmodernists, however, would say that this painting is lacking in in every aspect. Postmodern artist Sherrie Levine claimed that artists like Pollock were simply "grasping for individual recognition in a world that is evermore needful of the opposite". Postmodernists believe that art should provoke thought, or at the very least refer to things outside of its own form. Postmodernists are not challenged by searching for individual innovations, but instead strive to put old information into a new context. According to postmodern theory, this piece falls flat, It ignores the sole purpose of art - to communicate something. Instead It is uninviting, uninspired and somewhat ostentatious.

CVA-OAD

I'm Claire and I don't really know how to blog. I'm doing it for school blah blah blah. Let's see if this ends up in the right place.