Alternate Exhibition

Take another look at the Alternative Exhibition Format slideshow (on the class site). Think about which artist's work was the most interesting to you in terms of format. Make a post and talk about what the artist does with format, and why you think it is interesting, and if you think you might be considering using an alternative exhibit format write about that too.

I missed the day of school when we first looked at the sideshow of Alternate Exhibition. Looking at the slideshow now, I find the artwork very interesting. I like the idea of mixing themes, like Kehinde Wiley. In her picture she has a beautiful fancy frame, with bright sophisticated colors, but her subject is three ordinary teenage boys. They are wearing simple clothes, just hanging out. She is taking a very simple moment, highlighting it, and therefore, making it beautiful.

In this slideshow there is a lot of abstract artworks that really make me think. Example of those artworks are Kiki Smith, Cai Guo-Quiang, Joseph Grigely, Christian Boltanski, and Sarah Sze. I enjoy abstract art, because the message is not that clear. This leaves room for my interpretation. I really like Sarah Sze art with all the tape. I enjoy math and science, and her artwork has a sense of those subjects in them. I also feel like I'm looking into a different world.

I wish I had seen this slideshow earlier because I would have liked to explore other way to express my ideas than a 2D picture. I enjoy painting, but I didn't push myself to express my artwork in different way this term. However, this is probably because I took sculpture last term. I was ready to not make 3D artwork anymore, since I had done that last term.

This is my picture currently. I'm thinking about getting rid of the brick house in the corner. I think I'm going to paint black over it and merge it into the buildings.

This is the beginning of the big picture I have been working on for most of the term. I started out planning on drawing a picture of a girl with storms in her eyes. However, during the term, I have changed my painting dramatically. However, I have still kept my eyes. I still don't really have a plan, I'm just painting as I go along. I added a city over her left shoulder, which I thought looked good. But then I added a small brick building, which I do not like, but I don't know how to get rid of it. I added a forest on her other side, which I also like, but now I worry too much is happing. And I don't like how it looks like the Wizard of Oz. I'm taking a little bit of a break, because I think that they is too much happening in the picture. I don't really know where to go with it now.

This was the first project I worked on. I think that I'm not done with it, I want to finish it. I'm working a lot on landscape during this term. My trees need more shading and needs to look more 3D. This is a simple, non-abstract picture.

Seven Days in the Art World

This week you're reading an excerpt Seven Days in the World. On your blog write a short personal response to what you've read. Any revelations? Surprises? Can you imagine yourself participating in a crit like the one described here?

At the California Institute of the Arts, there art critics are pretty intense. It surprises me that at an art school the critics are so dreaded. I feel that at an art school, student should be use to art critics. I was stunned how personal the critics were. I feel that at a intense school, student should be more professional. They should comment on small details, like shadows, lighting, coloring ect. However, I also understand why they would be personal because intense art students probably invest a lot of time and emotions in their art. Critics and criticisms are not just against the art, but against the students personality, believes, and emotions.

I could not see myself in a critic like this. I'm not very good at giving critics. I do not like how personally the critics get. I feel like tension would be very high during those critics. I don't do well in high tension situations.

Critique

So for the most of this term, I have been working on one painting. The first two weeks, before spring break, I was just playing around, trying to find something that I would be interested in making for the rest of the term. When I started this painting I had no idea where is was going, I just started to draw eyes, then paint a city. I still have no idea where it is going.

During our class critique, I was placed in a group with Riki, Rachel, and Sam. At first glance, all of them admired the small detail in my painting. Riki said she like the shadows in my forest, and Rachel said that at first she didn't really notice the details. For example, Rachel said that when she first saw the small house in corner, she was like Oh that's cute. But once she looked closer she realized that there were bricks. Sam said that she feels like the painting is telling a story, in particular, she thought it was a lot like The Wizard of Oz. I had not noticed that until now. Now, I really notice how it looks like The Wizard of Oz. Rachel also commented on the eyes. She thinks that I should not add a nose or a mouth, which was very important advice for me. I have been debating whether I should add a nose and mouth. Rachel said the eyes alone made them stand out.

Riki commented on the material, which brought up other topics. Rachel said that she really liked the contrast between the charcoal and the paint. Because the charcoal is so dark, it makes the colorful paint standout.

For finishing up my painting, Sam said that I need to add more to the top. Right now it is unbalanced because there is so much at the bottom and nothing at the top. She said "It feels kinda empty." She also thinks I should add more into the girls shirt, to give her face more emphasis. Rachel also agreed with that. She said that the face is cool with just eyes, but it still looks unfinished.

The Critique Handbook

I have not had that many opportunities for critiquing. Usually, I'm better at critiquing classic artwork compared to abstract. Critiquing non-abstract art is easier for me. I can tell if their needs to be shadow, or more light, or more blue, ect. However when it comes to abstract art, it harder to critique. To critique abstract art, you have to see if the art send the message the artists wanted to send. I think to critique abstract artwork, you need to know the what the message of the artwork is. I think the beauty of abstract artwork is that each person can interrupt it their own way.

It is also difficult to critique one another's artwork when I'm working on my own artwork. I'm so focused on my artwork and my art message, that I might try to push that idea on others. Once I have an idea, I really like it. I could try to get other people to do the same thing as me, because that idea is on my mind. This also effects the way I listen to people critique my artwork. Once I have an idea, I don't really like to change it. When people give me ideas to change my message, then I usually don't listen to it. However, when people help me think of idea to show my message, I'm more willing to listen.

Usually, I like when people critique my artwork. I like have second opinions. I like when people tell me way to improve my artwork, adding more coloring, making eye balls more round, making the background more dull. I usually listen to these comments. I don't like comments like You shouldn't have mountains here, or You shouldn't have a red tree.