Response to The Rhinoceros

On May 1515, Nostra Señora da Ajuda arrived in the Tagus estuary from a voyage. Aboard the ship were various spices and a rhinoceros. At this time, a rhinoceros (or referred to in Portugal as a “ganda”) was more of an idea than a concrete existence that could be commonly accepted or acknowledged  by the masses. The rhino’s purpose for being on the ship was to be gifted to the governor of Portuguese India, Albuquerque, by Sultan Muzafar, the ruler of Cambaia at the time. Compared to the rhinoceros, elephants were more acceptable or “common”. An elephants gifted to Henry III of England in 1255, which of course being 2 centuries prior isn’t convincing as common in comparison. 
This animal, which could only be depicted through art and remained unseen by so many, was attempted to be gifted to Pope Leo X by Dom Manuel, the king of Portugal at the time. The rhinoceros was dressed as what was compared to a bride or groom. He/she was dressed in a gilt-iron chain and a green velvet collar with roses and carnations. The rhino would have seemed decadent to an outsider.
Up until 1993, Albrecht Durer’s woodcuts were what represented the rhinoceros globally, and his representations were very extravagant, like how the rhinoceros was clothed in preparation for delivery to Pope Leo X. There were adaptations which built off of Durer’s interpretation. Though, in modern times, the rhinoceros is photographed and can be visited at zoos. There isn’t a need for so many phonetic or written descriptions of the animal.

                                          Response to "Art and Design in The Modern Age"

       It is important to note the difference in functional ornament as opposed to ornament which exemplifies the idea of form over function. Some pieces of art fit into our everyday lives while working with us. Someone can have a nice Ikea dresser which will serve its purpose but won’t truly be a piece of art. Not everything in a household needs to be art. Some things can simply serve their purpose and help to make out daily lives easier. Mass production has resulted in products which are easy to manufacture and obtain. Back in the early to mid 20th century, though, people had to make the choice of sticking with their beautiful, hand crafted dressers and chairs, or to accept the idea of change and the convenience which ultimately will come along. “Chest” (inlaid wood, braze) by Carl Malmsten is an example of form and function working in conjunction with one another. The chest is beautiful, incorporating exotic wood inlays and referencing Swedish decorative traditions. There’s individuality, respect, and humility in a piece as such. Something with such attention and love is a rarity now.

       Candlestand by Wilhelm Hunt Diederich is a piece which even now during the times of mass production, is not impossible to find in some designer furniture store. It’s a piece which without a doubt came to fruition as a result of attention to detail. Something with perhaps less attention put int detail, but still equally appealing in form is sold in a store like Restoration Hardware. The prices of furnishings in Restoration Hardware are higher than, say, Ikea or Target, but that’s because more attention goes into each piece. I see that there’s a decent balance between mass production and craftsmanship in modern times. 

        To be honest, what I see when I look at my meta assignment map is a cycle. The creative cycle is kind of never ending. Just like today, and the past few days, all I have been doing is working on art. I haven’t had the thinking space to post this on my blog, and as a result, I probably got an F. But I still think the most important part of this class, and as an artist, is the produce good work. I’d rather have an A on what is ultimately the main focus. This may sound like an excuse (it is not, because I still got the bad grade), but it’s a good thing that I’m always busy, whether for class, or for my personal art which is my source of income and acts as a part-time job. Setting and maintaining goals, regardless of shortcomings or both rational and irrational frustration and disappointment is important. Insecurity keeps us going. The music producer Tokimonsta said that in an interview, and it’s true. When we become comfortable is when we die. As an artist, I’m most comfortable knowing that I’m constantly changing both as a person intangibly, and in a very literal, tangible sense with my artwork. I think the most important thing I should note about my creative process is that after the focus and resolution comes the reflection, which ultimately results in a sense of closure from any project or series of projects. The same can be applied to life in general. Always do, do, do. Think too, but always be doing, and also thinking about doing, if that makes any sense. 

                                                                    Wolfsonian Visit

       Tony Garnier’s display of Cite´Industrielle is representational of the turn of the century, but feels closer to that of a fictional take on what at the time probably seemed so surreal, wondrous, and daunting. Le Pays Industriel displays smoke billowing into the gray-yellow sky, which is presumably polluted by the smoke that has been pumped into it for a while at the time. That painting in particular has a clear history and a very intentional sense of isolation. It’s unclear to me if the billows of smoke and the intentional gray-yellow sky are representational of a hopeful hard-working country or that of the end of said country and potentially the world. In his designs, the factory compresses are located below the rest of the city. His intention was for Cite´ Industrielle to be a major metallurgical and manufacturing center without the damage to health, social order, and ecology. His residential depictions utilized elements of Ebenezer Howard’s concept in “Garden City”. Garnier connected his homes with "generously landscaped” areas, close in appearance to a park with homes, rather than a neighborhood with foliage. The residents would have been able to walk freely throughout the gardens while going throughout town. He incorporated apartments and single-family homes, all of varying sizes.  

        Every component of the Cite´Industrielle was created to promote public health, according to the description,“Health and Recreation Facilities,” for Art and Design in The Modern Age. Garnier understood and shared that exercise, pollution reduction, and unity would contribute to a healthy public body. Garnier was triggered by the Industrial Revolution, including the spread of disease. His designs of public recreation centers seem to be sleek, clean, and welcoming. He produced several hundred plans for what would be the ideal city representation of central France. His inspirations were science fiction, classical ruins, and rational design principals, of course known to him because of his skill. He went on to influence who is apparently "the most important protagonist of modern urban planning,” Le Corbusier. Garnier attended the French Academy in and while he was expected to study ancient monuments, decided to create plans for Cite´Industrielle. Upon his return to Lyon, he worked on municipal commissions. 

                                                                           defective
       

protection

control
 

stress

anxiety

balance

limited

50 Symbols

                                                

                               "Ornament" and the Sources of Design in the Decorative Arts response 

            William M. Ivins has lots to say, both fact and opinion in large amounts in the article "Ornament" and the Sources of Design in the Decorative Arts. While the article at hand was written in 1918, much that is stated still holds true to this day in 2016. Ivins Stated that ornament making, and art in general, is comparable to the process a music composer goes through to create a song. Though, he does mention something along the lines of a musician not being able to play their own songs because they can't write them. I don't know any musicians like that, and that statement doesn't make much sense. A good musician, and of course the same would and does apply to a good artist, can make, re-make, and perform their own pieces. He also says that if America is matching or rivaling the number of produced French pieces, we should "consider superior craftsmanship" and "superior artistic quality". He says that good business choices in this matter are a result of being accomplished in the business. Overall though, the overpowering message to me was that we Americans should produce in our own country. 

Art iS PAIN

Help, My Finger Hurts A Lot

Working on Lots Currently

Inking

Topic #1 - Initial 3 Pieces

ICA Visit

Currently at ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) in the Miami Design District are exhibitions displaying Ida Applebroog and Susan Te Kahurangi King's works. The two exhibits are on display parallel to each other both in terms of layout in the museum and in their position as outsider artists. Even though both artists' pieces collectively are outsider works, I did notice with Te Kahurangi King's work that she did to some extent display the propriety of a trained and educated artist. Whether intentional or not, she never rid her pieces of the thick, heavy graphite lines and playful nature which makes them so iconic. Her work did become more structured and refined in time though, initially beginning as very erratic and spontaneous. On the other hand, Ida Applebroog's work was always apparently pretty unstructured and spontaneous, and remains so today, though to a somewhat lesser extent in her larger works. She does show knowledge of making making India ink bleed via watercolor, though, and it's beautiful.
  There were some pieces by both artists which were seemingly lazier than others. This is okay, as being human is largely made up of wanting to do sometimes and not wanting to do at other times. Though there were some which are very good and display so much passion, skill, and meaning altogether. With both artists there were some pieces which displayed their emotional vexation. This was apparent in most of Applebroog's works, though Te Kahurangi King's works seem to become more playful as she progressed.