Self Visualization

Basketball Career Pictogram!

Visit to Dia:Beacon

I really enjoyed the Dia: Beacon Museum and its vast range of works. As a college student studying contemporary art in almost all of my art classes, I have become increasingly interested in this type of art and I really appreciated the fact that I could further explore this field. Unlike some other museum visits that I have taken, I was able to really enjoy the wide open spaces between the pieces of work because I could really take time to interpret each piece. I also enjoyed the feeling of this museum. Almost entirely illuminated by natural light, I felt at peace in this atmosphere. Although I was impacted by a great deal of works in this museum including Richard Serra's large steel sculptures, An- My Le's Trap Rock series, and Sol Lewitt's amazing drawing series, I was specifically intrigued by Bernd and Hilla Becher's exhibit of photography of machinery. Because these photographs had been taken all over the world, each of the photos are entirely different even though they are part of the same category. I was very interested because it seems as if they were produced entirely by hand because they are so unique. Although these objects have specific industrial functions, they serve as magnificent sculptures. I was not only interested in the functions of the machinery, but the designers choices of appearance. This exhibit reminds me of the exhibit that I had seen in the MOMA where there was a set of about 20 different water towers. Even though the towers share the same common purpose, each tower was beautifully crafted displaying its own interesting model. It is apparent that the artist makes specific selections of an ordinary object such as a water tower, but then glorifies the object, therefore creating a sense of appreciation from the viewer. I was also very impressed with John Chamberlain's morphed aluminum sculptures. I must have circled each of these sculptures at least five times each, yet every time I passed by, I found an element to the sculpture that I had not seen before. Although I had seen these sculptures in books, I was absolutely in awe to see that an artist could sculpt with large shards of metal. I really appreciated this work because it was very bright and it kept me coming for more. I love the creativity and ability behind this artist's works.

Word Design

Collaboration Project

Transformations: An Exhibit of David Em and Charles Csuri

The basic theme of this exhibit is the connection between David Em and Charles Csuri, best known for pioneering the field of computer graphics, computer animation, and digital fine art, demonstrates how these artists have traveled through the decades of formation in digital art, beginning with the very first stages, and it is apparent how their skill, subject matter, and sense of style develops as technology advances. Both of these artists have a similar style and objective in their art. Both experienced painters, Em and Csuri wanted their art to possess a deeper meaning and they believed that this could only occur through the exploration of a digital world. Especially acknowledged for his lifetime achievements in the fields of digital art and computer animation, after looking at the different works selected for the exhibition, it is obvious that Csuri's work drastically changes over time because as this new art advances, his work transforms. This is also true for David Em because just by looking at his earlier images, the viewers can easily make connections between these images. His dark and sinister style including geometric shapes can be easily distinguished in his beginning stages of development because he was limited. Both of these artists' themes are similar because they want to express the aspects and visions of their worlds through a transformation into digital art. The basic idea exhibits how the artists benefit from digital art and how their earlier works are extremely similar. We felt that this exhibition was appropriate for young developing digital artists because these artists express their process of development and reasoning behind their works. We explain why they are so intrigued by digital art and how their theme of mythology and spiritual worlds can clearly be demonstrated through this technique. Another connection between the artists is the fact that they are both abstractionists, and the styles and ideas of their work shines through this medium. They both express how they want to express a different dimension and without the computer they would never be able to create their pieces. Another focus of this exhibition is the explanation behind this "scientific form of art" and how this advance in technology has aided their artistic development and creativity.

Websites:
http://www.csuri.com/
http://www.dam.org/essays/em01.htm
http://www.davidem.com/em_cg_art/em_cg_pages/geometries_pages/geometries_7.html
http://www.siggraph.org/artdesign/profile/David_Em/1987_1.html

Parable of the Gardens

When I entered the art exhibit "Parable of the Gardens" I was quite in shock. Yet I feel as though my reaction was one of the reasons that the curator designed the entrance of this exhibit. It is quite odd to see naked women rolling around in the grass on a big screen as a form of art. Yet after hearing the curator speak I understood the meaning and concept behind this exhibit. I really enjoyed viewing an exhibit that features new media artwork from Central Asia because I have not really explored this type of art before. Therefore all though I was a bit shocked in the beginning, I understood that many of works exhibited particularly make the viewer feel uncomfortable and very uneasy because we are able to take a step into their world. The way that I interpreted this piece was from my own prior knowledge about the culture. I know that the woman's attire is especially important and the fact that the women are undressing themselves into the nude creating a sense of independence and power. One piece that I was really interested was a Video piece entitled “Earth,"(2006) by Simin Keramati. I feel as though that this piece is extremely strong because it focuses on the everyday struggle that Iranian women faces. I learned that the artist acts in this performance piece and she becomes the main object and focus. I feel as though on of the most important factors in this piece is the sound produced by the falling sand. I felt extremely unsettled when I viewed this piece because the woman sits still as she is being buried by sand. The fact that the artist uses this slow and painstaking process to exhibit the struggle and hardships that these women have to face is extremely important to this piece. I feel touched that the artist lets us not only into her own world, but the world of all Iranian women. I also think about how we will all end up buried underneath the soil of the earth when our time must come, yet this process of being buried alive shows how these women have no choice and that they must accept this because of the culture that they belong to. I feel to be an artist among this culture must be challenging yet invigorating because she is able to exhibit her emotions on a different level. I feel that the fact that she shows herself in this video shows a strength more powerful than we can perhaps comprehend.

I also felt that another piece that particularly stuck with me was the video of the man climbing a great deal of stairs. The piece shows the journey of the man from all different angles, and after listening to the panting and noises made by the elderly man, we understand how difficult this journey truly is. I can remember thinking, "will he ever make it?" It seemed to me that this journey was everlasting. Yet I enjoyed watching because I felt for him and I was encouraging him through my mind. I learned that the message of this work revealed the journey to enlightenment. When the old man was finally able to make it to the top of the spindly stairs, he sits and views himself walking up the stairs. I felt that this message was extremely powerful because it was stating that in this particular culture one main objectives in life in is obtaining the ability and power to understand and look back upon their lives. Before I heard the explanation of this piece, I must say that I was quite confused about its true meaning, yet after it was explained, I was able to enjoy it on a different level because I could understand the authors thoughts.

Project 1 Alterations