Weintraub, Linda To life! Eco art in pursuit of a sustainable planet: Read: Ant Farm; Herbert Bayer; Joseph Beuys; Hans Hacke; Helen and Newton Harrison; Friedensreich Hundertwasser; Allan Kaprow; Frans Krajcberg; and Mario Merz (pp. 53-100)
Welcome to Week Three. First a few comments, from last week's posts. Justin posted and asked if art curricula that is rooted in modernism and elements is still valid? April and many others posted about contemporary arts that have social connections and inter/cross-disciplinary methods and results. Others posted about knowing how to teach the masters--what if we started teaching art from today and see how much time we have to go back into the past? Or, pair contemporary artists with masters. Other questions get begged to be asked: What should I teach as a teacher? What knowledge is of most worth? If students can multi-task, can they learn multiple outcomes simultaneously? Zack posted about Michelangelo and goats which begs another question--Can we go back and understand other cultures, when people who were raised in the '40s and '50s find it difficult to negotiate or flatly reject newer technologies? And that's only 70 years ago. What makes me think I can even begin to piece together the rich lives of past global peoples? And understand what about them?--maybe my privileges currently? Candy, no you do not have to get a digital version of book--paper is fine. Maybe someone will share their digital copy with you. Or, will your school buy a digital version for you as a teacher?
Welcome to Week Three. First a few comments, from last week's posts. Justin posted and asked if art curricula that is rooted in modernism and elements is still valid? April and many others posted about contemporary arts that have social connections and inter/cross-disciplinary methods and results. Others posted about knowing how to teach the masters--what if we started teaching art from today and see how much time we have to go back into the past? Or, pair contemporary artists with masters. Other questions get begged to be asked: What should I teach as a teacher? What knowledge is of most worth? If students can multi-task, can they learn multiple outcomes simultaneously? Zack posted about Michelangelo and goats which begs another question--Can we go back and understand other cultures, when people who were raised in the '40s and '50s find it difficult to negotiate or flatly reject newer technologies? And that's only 70 years ago. What makes me think I can even begin to piece together the rich lives of past global peoples? And understand what about them?--maybe my privileges currently? Candy, no you do not have to get a digital version of book--paper is fine. Maybe someone will share their digital copy with you. Or, will your school buy a digital version for you as a teacher?
Justin and others have posted how Western art dominates our ways of thinking. How do we begin to rethink our western approaches to art, making art, and teaching art? Google Andy Goldsworthy--he's done some interesting stuff. April and others posted how elements and principles are evident in nature. Nigel posted about enchantment and prudence. Why do we not use words like enchantment in art? Nigel also was posting about housing in relation to nature. Google what a firm in my hometown did with an old factory warehouse: impactseven.org Or just google: artist lofts manitowoc, wi Impact seven has properties across Wisconsin that they design and refurbish or build new--that's affordable housing. Mainly for vets with a sliding scale in the artist lofts of $300-500 a month. It is state-of-the-art industrial 2/3 bedroom apartments with 2 bathrooms and indoor parking. I used to pick up my papers on my paper route on the corner of this warehouse. This is part of my goal and dream to open a Worker's Center that will honor and document the lives of working people.
James posted about traditional senses (meaning Western Euro?) of beauty--is it possible for us to rethink those or alter them or begin anew? One more bit about Andy Goldsworthy, I used to take students to Maxey Park in Lubbock to make temporary art and document it. Went against lots of the formal rules of making art and teaching.
l just told undergrads that I was going to use the "f" word. Some of those are feminist, pro-feminist for me, and flourish. I ask people when was the last time they flourished? How about the last time I was enchanted? I also love the word enchantment. So, I ask myself: Enchantment--what if I started using this terminology in my conversations and lessons? They appear to be so hopeful to me. Weintraub is next introducing us to some 20th Century Eco Art Pioneers. We are covering the first nine. I will do that in three posts. Note her content and context. She is making histories come alive to me. And I am loving the images. And we get to read about the Cadillac Ranch as well.
What I am going to focus on a bit are the genres and approaches these artists use, as they are great resources as methods for us to explore research. I sort of view them as both methods; ways to collect or make research. I am noticing that some of you are making pedagogical connects to the readings in terms of lessons and teaching practices. That is another way to think about research, or at the very least creating assessments or reflecting thinking about pedagogical practices--which is research in our field. And, many of you are thinking about making--and how might that fit in these alternative contexts and visions.
1. Doug Michaels/Chip Lord--Ant Farm
ReplyDeletemethods: generative art/public art
Ants in their own planet. Addressing conspicuous consumption. Making art with very little commercial potential. Historically how former luxuries become needs: cars, tvs, television, private homes, etc. Luxuries got reclassified as needs. After WWII, go from victory gardens to swimming pools. They investigate excesses: suburbia, highways, malls. Google designer Brooks Stevens who is often cited as inventing the term "planned obsolescence." I think about being a TJ Maxx shopper. I'm not shopping for needs often, but just to shop. What else could I be doing with my time? Lots of promise here for ideas for projects/assessing personal consumption. What connections are you making?
2. Herbert Bayer
methods: bio and public art/restoration and ecology
Actively assisting with the recovery of land. 25th anniversary creates changes. What about the concept of returning it back to the wild? Are there any implications of this for us as artists or teachers?
3. Joseph Beuys
methods: performance/generative/social practice/installation/social-deep-human ecologies
The ideation (ideas) of social sculpture. I lived through the 70s and the oil embargoes. I recall the long lines at gas stations. Keep in mind that I was paying .25 per gallon. Yes, that was .25 per gallon. No typo. Note how Beuys own histories come into his art making, especially his WWII experiences.
warmth=energy=life
Investigating thermal energies. Honey. Bogs. I am amazed at his art representing his life from his perspectives and standpoints. That's referred to as Standpoint Theory--where I create theory and art/research based on my own life experiences.
What resonates with you from these Eco Histories? What ideas/reflections emerge/activate?
Reflection on the Ant Farm collab: I remember Flat Stanley from 2nd grade. How I can remember this and not what I did last week amazes me. Anyways, Flat Stanley, for those who don't know, was a little paper cut-out man that the teacher gave us and told us to send him away to a far away place. I was living in Dallas at the time and thought that sending him to Amarillo was equivalent to sending him to far off distant country. I didn't have much perspective on traveling at the time... Anyways, Flat Stanley made it to the Cadillac Ranch and even returned to me with a piece of a car! I was so excited and begged my dad to take me there one day, and we did the next summer! I remember it like yesterday, but I was never fully aware of the significance behind this crazy installation. Reading this section has me contemplating my daily habits- going to the coffee shop, stopping at Target just because, etc… I want to be more aware of my habits as a consumer. I think that if I was to make it out there as an adult I would have renewed feelings about the piece and maybe yield some inspiration. Looking at all the heights of the tail fins on the horizon lined up, realizing that over time these huge cars have become commodities now, once a luxury.
DeleteJoseph Beuys is a genius. I have only seen his felt suit before in a book once but had no clue what all he stood for. “Even a dead animal preserves more powers of intuition than some human beings with their stubborn rationality,” Beuys once said referring to his performance piece How to Explain Paintings to a Dead Hare. He said humans can be intellectualized to a deadly degree, and remain dead, forgetting about the creative energies we can all possess. Not too many details of that performance piece are in the book, but it lends a lot of validation for my work. He was intrigued by the power of heat to change matter. Solid matter represented a rigid mind-set, while flowing liquids and swirling gases represented creativity. A lot of my work focuses on the female figure and I sometimes use the free flowing nature of hair to metaphorically show transformation of thoughts, subconsciously or not. I think that reading his ideas lend some validation for me when I start/continuing writing about my work as an artist. Overall I was very intrigued by Beuys. His goal was to liberate the human spirit. That alone makes him an artist I would love to share with my students. Beuys said that “Every human is an artist.”
I remember learning about Cadillac Ranch in undergraduate school. It was a small piece of the class/ book... somewhere near the Christo section. So, I really wasn't that impressed with the idea or with its aesthetic. Being in Texas though, I always thought that I would visit the landmark. I never did... until three summers ago, some twenty years later. I was excited about the visit. I looked the work up online and saw that the 'thing' to do upon visiting it was graffiti. It was an uncomfortable idea for me, and it wasn't until I was there that I was convinced it was okay to spray paint the work. I did. I had my picture taken doing so. I did not like the experience though. Not only did I find the aesthetics of the monument and its surrounding uninspiring, but seeing myself and others treating the place in such a trivial manner was unnerving for me. There were spray cans and trash all around the work. The earth was worn and barren all around from the gratuitous traffic. On a very real level, I see how the intended meaning of the piece was realized; however, I do not feel the work really exudes or lives its purpose. Also, the years of consumption and waste that correlates with the work's viewings is quite staggering. I know that Cadillac Ranch was not intended to be an Eco work specifically, but I wonder if the artists ever examined the overall environmental footprint of their work. If so, how would that affect what they think of their creation's social impact? To me, this serves as a point of reflection for future Eco works. There will always be an element of chance to an outdoor work, but if the project is aimed at significantly impacting the environment in a positive way, and its daily existence is trivialized, commercialized, and made environmentally hazardous, it would seem to have at best failed. My proposition is that for an Eco work to have integrity and a viable, positive existence, some manner of artistic liability, or control must be established and managed.
DeleteI am really taken by the fact that these three artists created work that was unfinished in some sense or another. Each of these artists create work that require an outside force to complete the work fully, whether it be people with spray paint, flood waters, or empowered citizen artists. When I work in painting, I often think of the work as completed and ready to be displayed. It should be looked at, pondered, and purchased, but that is it. These works all needed the participation of some other action to complete them and therefore they are continually alive and ever changing. How would I make work that could be continuously alive? I haven't yet the foggiest notion.
DeleteI was really impressed with the Bayer's writing. Being able to have such a bold and beneficial impact on the natural environment. I think that if he had been alive when the new policies became imminent, Bayer would have been re-energized and committed to enhancing his original design to accommodate the needs of the environment and humanity. Such a work, to be truly beneficial as a social contribution, should both safeguard the ecology and ensure the ability of responsible habitation.
DeleteIn regards to Beuy's work, I had a difficult time resolving the description of his work with his incredible philosophies. I feel the concepts of his works seems to overshadow, and are not easily digestible in their visual description, or realization. With the added presence and commentary of the artist, this did not seem to be an issue, but I would want my work to be more direct and obtainable to a more general and less informed audience. Of course, I make these statements with very little knowledge and exposure to his artwork. I did really admire his ideas and found many connections to his respect for the power of nature and his belief that reform is predicated on humanity's ability to be flexible and reexamine our relationship within nature.
I, too, was excited to see Cadillac Ranch for the first time this summer. I wasn't sure what to expect. Once we got there and I saw everyone spray painting, taking selfies, and then throwing the cans aside, and it made me a little sad. I took my pictures, left me marks as well, and quickly left with the group. On the way back to the car I saw the ground littered with trash, smelled the pungent smell of spray paint, and the puddles of dirty water around the site. It made me wonder how many chemicals have been leached into the ground and what it must be doing to the nearby crops. I also saw where people had been spraying the crops around the site and this also began to upset me. I had walked away without really understanding or reflecting on what the installation had really intended to convey. It, to me, had become trivialized and a novelty. So it does seem that when the public is given complete control over an external site that it can and will evolve, but beyond what the artist had originally intended. Perhaps there would have to be some sort of parameters set in order to maintain the integrity of an artwork...
DeleteI don't know Candle, it seems a little perfect to me in some way. Doesn't the chaotic destruction of the environment surrounding the sculpture go hand in hand with the environmental destruction caused by the manufacturing and use of cars? There's something about the whole place that sort of poetically reminds me of mankind's penchant for destroying everything around them. Those painted wildflowers to me were both beautiful and sad all at once.
DeleteMy excitement of Cadillac, one summer on my way to Santa Fe, was quickly deflated by what I actually experienced once there. I was with my father who supports the arts entirely and we both left unfulfilled from the experience. My knowledge of Cadillac Ranch, I’ll admit, was elementary at best so surely there would be something there to explain or at least title the piece, something to heighten my awareness of why and what….nothing. I walked around looking for clues, thinking about the paint, the debris, the smell. We didn’t bring any spray paint so I did not get to be a part of the experience, per say. Many people where there spraying, running around, and talking. We took our picture to commemorate we were there, then left. One thing that stuck with me was the spray paint. Your "moment" or was short lived the second someone behind you came up and sprayed over your mark. I realize this would have to take place for everyone to share the same experience as you but how does this quality as Eco art? How does this teach me responsibility for the world in which I live in? Actually, I felt all it came down to was a moment to fulfill the inner graffiti artist with in us, nothing more and nothing less. I am sure this is not what the artist intended but it is what it has become. Should the artist take it down? Should the artist come back and change the intent, possibly halt the painting altogether? When people take a piece of art, intended for good and turn the intent into something harmful, should the people rally for its dismantle?
DeleteAfter this discussion, I almost want the Ant Farm guys to do a revisit to the site and see what they have to say. So many good points here, and I wonder what their long term intentions were. After a little digging around I found this Texas Monthly article. I had no clue about the scandalous story behind the person who primarily funded the project, Stanley Marsh. This article proposes the idea of tearing down Cadillac Ranch!Anyways, if anyone has time:
DeleteBulldoze Cadillac Ranch , Texas Monthly
It's a quick interesting read about what some locals have to say about the site.
Justin- I see what you're saying. I still don't agree with it being a strong message about consumerism and being against it. I know that in the reading we had the artist claims that it is for it, yet against it as well. I just think that what it has become (in regards to the graffiti and such) has taken much of it's claim to being against consumerism and pushed it more into an environmentally hazardous realm. I know their claims are that by destroying these sacred, beloved, materialistic items you're, in a sense, making a statement about these luxury items, but I feel like their defilement of the land and promoting this blatant disregard for soil, animals, plants, and people's health puts them right back into he category of the consumer that they are claiming to be against. It's a weird cycle, I think. Just like the Bayer quote states- are we promoting more of what we're trying to fight against by advertising it and, in my opinion, losing the message of it's original intentions along the way? By promoting random acts of graffiti without the visitors even knowing what the message was behind tagging the cars in the first place, is this installation meaningful in the ways they'd hoped? I think they (visitors) do it more now just to say that "Justin hearts Vanessa" or "James was here!" instead of knowing that the artists meant it to be a deeper message. Just my rantings though. So many different perspectives to take into consideration. I was just disappointed with how disgusting the land and plants were. I didn't care so much that the cars had been destroyed. That was fine with me.
DeleteQuestion- At what point does the artist become a part of the problem that they're claiming to be against? I have been thinking about this a lot- esp. about myself. The amount of resources I use to create a work, yet at the same time I have a piece that promotes conservation....
DeleteIn Art Farm not only do they seek to criticize consumerism but they embrace their own consumeristic nature at the same time. I sometimes forget that I am not set apart from the practices that I seek to criticize. I love the phrase “the artists themselves indulged in the practice they were critiquing”. As I move into a phase that I call Keep It Simple I too must indulge to get where I want to be with a simpler lifestyle. Such as buying better quality items, so in the long run I am not constantly replacing them. As a graphic designer and artist I was trained to seek inspiration from different sources. That meant collecting items or mementos that I felt could inspire me later on. But what happens when those items have served their purpose? In the last 10 years I had kept and bought so many things that spoke to me at the time, not realizing that my training was feeding my materialistic nature. I had fallen into the trap of not shopping based on need, but just to shop. In the classroom you could have the student create a personal still-life’s or drawing of things they want and then one of things they need. You then have the class critique said drawings to see what different students consider a need vs a want.
DeleteNice dig April, thank you for sharing the article. Yes, Candie, I agree with your comment, " at what point does the artist become a part of the problem that they're claiming to be against?" Should we also consider the opinion that the masses( mankind) does not share the same sentiment as the artist and will eventually spoil the objective? just thinking...
DeleteIsn't that always the case though with all communication? It is sent out with one intention, but how it is received and interpreted is never completely controllable by the communicator/artist.
DeleteI was just speaking with my art students about this today. They could have a completely different meaning intended with their work while the viewer will see something else, depending on what their life experiences are and what they are currently going through in their lives. There is a point where you have little control over what people will think of/about your work.
DeleteI love how different each of these artists are. It seems like there’s so much more overlap into other topics/issues/fields with the artists that we’re reading about. I began to think about people in my life who say things like, “I didn’t get the artistic gene,” or “I’m just not very creative,” or something like that. I think most people, especially those who don’t consider themselves artistic, have been brainwashed into thinking that they can only be an artist if they know how to wield a brush or sling clay. I guess that goes back to how we as a society view art through a western lense. But as I was reading about Herbert Bayer, I thought about my teenage brother-in-law. He doesn’t think he’s an artist but he wants to pursue landscape architecture. He just doesn’t consider that worthy to be called art because of what he’s been taught. I think a lot of this stuff crosses over into so many other subjects (e.g. biology, chemistry, math, engineering, politics, history) that can be useful to a person’s education whether they decide to be an artist or not. How valuable would it have been for me to learn that lesson much earlier in my life. I’m just thinking of all the collaboration that could be possible with other teachers and how much more interest I could potentially draw from “non-artistic” students.
DeleteI absolutely loved the Bayer article. I lived outside of Seattle for about a year and one of my best friends lived not far from the Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks. I wish that I could go back in time to visit and appreciate it! I thought it was interesting to look at landscape beautification and the practicality of solving a problem while creating an artistic opportunity as well. In Tulsa, we are creating an enormous "garden" called A Gathering Place. I believe that this is not only going to be a beautification project for the river area, but could also be considered artistic.
DeleteHere's the link if you want to check it out: http://agatheringplacefortulsa.com/
I think I finally have a handle on reading my first e-book and left my comments and opinions for week two under the week two post. Hope that was correct. Ed - please tell me if ok or to move them - to week three?
DeleteIt's fine Paula. I'll go look for them.
DeletePost marker.
DeleteI have never seen Cadillac Ranch, but as a native Texan, I have seen the images about a thousand times throughout my life. I have always thought it was cool as a piece of art or even just a fun piece of art. It was interesting to actually hear a back story on such a famous eco work that we all take for granted. And unlike many artworks with a social commentary, this one was not one sided. I like the quote from one of the artists where talks about whether it is a critical piece or tribute, and he says both. Most social pieces that I can think of are very one sided with an interest on drawing your attention to the matter. It's kind of funny how they comment on the extravagance of consumerism, but then admit they are just as guilty as anyone when it comes to materialism.
DeleteI have long been a fan of Beuys because of his challenge to the traditional confines of art and who can be an artist. He reminds of this Pixar movie my son loved to watch when he was smaller called Ratatouille. Like Beuys, it is another reminder that sometimes we need a different perspective. Anyone can be artist and art can come from anywhere. I think what I admire about Beuys the most is his unique approach to the creative process. Once again, I think the back story helps lend light to what pushed him into experimenting the way he did. His experiences in WWII gave him a different perspective on life and our interaction with the materials given to us.
DeleteI too felt that Beuys work resonated with me. The idea that everyone can be an artist is something that I think that many of us strive to achieve in our studios/classrooms. The use of industrial technology to create a "new society" is interesting to me, especially in an eco-related book as often times technology such as pumps that drain natural resources.
DeleteThe story of being saved because of people's knowledge of thermal energy is incredible as well. Harnessing the energy stored in honey and using grease, something that many people simply discard of, in such a restorative and healing way makes me question the potential of other natural materials that I often overlook in my daily life.
I also went to the Cadillac Ranch with the group of ceramic students this summer. A lot of us thought that the mess around the artwork was unfortunate and wondered what could be done or changed to make the surroundings better. I look at the picture of the Cadillac Ranch back in 1974 and have a wow sensation about the art but some of that is loss in the present condition of the artwork.
DeleteI love Bayer’s Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks and how a problem area was transformed into art that served a great purpose. I have mixed feeling on the new storm regulations required. I think improvements are ok as long as the integrity of the piece is not compromised. I feel that a “10,000 – year- storm requirement is to much.
Post marker Dec 4
Delete4. Hans Haacke
ReplyDeletemethods: sculpture/bio/generative/installation/social-restorative-urban-industrial ecologies
Haacke went beyond static work; took guts. What traditional art terms and practices can I relinquish? Conceptual: condensation cube; purification system. The way Weintraub writes about it, the art makes so much sense to me--sense with purpose.
5. Helen & Newton Harrison
methods: paint/print/photo/video/bio/installation/
conservation/restoration/urban ecology/sustainable
What did you think of their survival pieces? How to grow food? Investigating the estrangement from food and the land. Making their own earth: Hog Pasture, Shrimp Farm, Portable Fish Farm, Portable Orchard. What lessons can I take from this?
6. Friedensreich Hundertwasser
methods: paint/print/performance/bio/generative/social practice/
public design/social-urban ecologies/sustainable development
The word manifesto surfaces from time-to-time. Including here. (Creating a manifesto could be a project.) Here he fully believes that architects create an unnatural divide between buildings and biology. Hundertwasser's five layers that embody design excellence in biology and not industry intrigue: skin, clothing, architecture, social and global environments. His houses in Vienna (1985)--no straight lines, garden roofs, no flush toilets, etc. He created housing for workers rather than just the wealthy. Now there's a manifesto worth writing about in my opinion. How do his methods invite us to change?
Manifesto was the word that came to mind when reading about Haacke's principles used to create Condensation Cube (p. 71). I like the fact that he left this as an “Untitled Statement” in 1965, it leaves it open for anyone. My favorite part of it is “...make something which lives in time and makes the 'spectator' experience time.” He also mentions growth as sculpture, which is such an interesting idea. So many things come to mind, one being hair. I have always thought of hair stylists as sculptors. Petri dish art also comes to mind, which could be an interesting cross-curricular lesson? Helen and Newton Harrison were basically scientists out in the firled collecting data and turning it into art. I need to re-read the section because there are so many concepts involved with their work. They do have a lot to offer for modern times and maybe we need to look a little closer on how we treat the land and grow our food.
DeleteI like that in Rhinewater Purification Plant, Haacke made art that actually helped solve the problem he was addressing. Most art related to the environment seems to attempt to alert others or inspire them to action. This work actually begins the action. I wonder if people are afraid to work in this way thinking their work might be perceived as a function and not art. Either way, it is unique.
DeleteLike Justin says I love that Haacke's art helped to solve a problem. I think that many artists only want to criticize but don’t think of offering solution to the problem. I loved that Haacke’s art was a critique of the company practices and also provided a solution to the problem. He didn’t wait for someone to present the solution or take action. Implications for my own art is to not just critique but try an offer a solution. Not only getting people to discuss the problem but also, is the solution a good one or could it be improved.
DeleteHundertwasser’s story is a moving one. The marks of war were left upon him greatly from his childhood. His young life was forever changed but his one ray of hope was nature and how it rebounded from great devastation. Nature spoke to Hundertwasser in ways we many never understand. I believe his entire life is a manifesto, one we all should read and know about. His desire to protect, preserve, and live in harmony with nature was his manifesto. His 5 skins are epidermis ( 1st skin), the clothes we wear (2nd skin), architecture (he did not believe in straight lines or rulers, also 3rd skin), identity (4th skin), earth (5th skin), the spiral (a symbol of life ), and vegetative painting. His life was his message-a manifesto for sure. Hundertwasser quotes, “Just carrying a ruler with you in your pocket should be forbidden, at least on a moral basis. The ruler is the symbol of the new illiteracy”. “The ruler is the symptom of the new disease, disintegration of our civilization. The straight line leads to the downfall of humanity”. The biggest crime according to FH is the visual crime of our landscape. His architectural designs reflect organic shapes found in nature but the color I find rather odd. I figured the buildings would have a more natural color scheme to them. Hundertwasser also feels that man has succumbed to a new slavery- the soul of man. I am not sure if I could live by Hundertwasser’s ideals, for example.. the humus toilet, BUT I have to say I thoroughly agree with 95% of what he believes in. Question.. do most eco artists live by their manifesto? Are eco artist’s lives and lifestyles changed by the ideals they portray in their art?? Is their footprint less than mine ?
DeleteAs a child, I lived with varying levels of comfort. I did not live in a house with central air or heating until I was an adult. When I was a teen our large house had a single window unit. I sweated a lot in the summer and shook in the winter, while my sinuses dried under the smell of burning wood. I always had indoor pluming though and have only been without it on an extended basis for a few times. Comfort is integral to my understanding of the 'American Dream'. The idea that the general populace would voluntarily discard their creature comforts seem foolish. I do believe that certain populations would happily change their comfort level to better the world's environment; however, I'm not sure how many of them would be able to make a dramatic, long term commitment. Such personal sacrifice seems needless in the current social and commercial reality of mainstream America. I do admire the proposition that Hundertwasser offered to humanity. My daily existence today is so incredibly luxurious compared to the condition that a lot of humans experience. I am far removed even from the way my parents grew up. Their stories of living on a sharecropped farm, an abandoned train depot and tent, make me grateful for the comfortable conditions that I am able to raise my children under. Going 'backwards' to move forward is a difficult concept. If I was a single person, I think the choice would be easier and might even seem noble or adventurous. The responsibility of caring for a child changed my priorities in life. I would have done anything to ensure the safety, and comfort of my children. I would have had to be hard pressed to voluntarily subject them to harsh elements. I'm doubtful that, for a majority of the American population, choosing to limit their comfort is a high priority. I don't believe simply telling someone that they need to change their daily habits for the good of our environment is enough. The push to be safe, comfortable and prosperous is too great. There will have to be a dramatic occurrence that mandates humanity change the treatment of our planet. The sobering reality is that such a dramatic even isn’t really that unlikely. If you've ever had the electricity go out or your pluming interrupted for several days, it quickly becomes clear how close to hardship we really are. Americans work hard to not be uncomfortable.
DeleteI think the artwork of Haacke is very interesting. The idea of embracing artwork that is ever-changing and not focusing so much on freezing the piece in time is fascinating. Watching the water droplets form and fall on glass reminds me of staring at the window when it rains. Something so simple can be so captivating. There is beauty in the changes in nature and not being able to control everything as a human living on this world. I really love how he did offer up a solution and the whole story about the sponsorship and the scandal behind his show gives even more merit to his objectives. He was bold in knowing that it would cause a political stir.
DeleteMaybe I'm way over- (or under) thinking the survival pieces...I really didn't understand them as I was reading. After reading the comments that you all have written I think I understand them a little more.
DeleteNow, Hundertwasser...loved the idea behind the Hundertwasser House! How exciting would it be to live there! To live in a self-sufficient building that provides everything the tenants need from the top to the bottom of the building. I would absolutely love to see it in person.
DeletePost marker.
Haacke is a very interesting thinker. I too have wondered what art would be like if art work-permanence wasn't such an important factor to artists.
DeleteLooking at Haacke's condensation cube is incredible to me due to the many functions that a simple plexi-glass box can serve. In the text the author states, "...each droplet exposes the failure of museums to establish the stable environment needed to protect delicate works of art." One of my favorite musical artists, Regina Spektor, compares museums and galleries as mausoleums since the art can no longer "live" in the real world. It becomes cut off from many people. When I think of this sterilization of art in communities it makes me feel as though the artwork will at least be protected from any changes. Looking at the subtle changes in temperature, lighting, and other environmental factors and its affect on Condensation Cube just gives me a million questions for my own practices and classroom.
How can I teach my students about cycles and change? Can terrariums be artful? (How can students study plant life in general and I tie it into the demands my school district has for me, art shows competitions, artwork hanging in display cabinets) I think it's great to have artwork to show, but what about the art-making process is being hindered by having to complete and preserve art?
I think this section of the book left me with more questions than answers and I'm enjoying reading everyone's responses!
7. Allen Kaprow
ReplyDeletemethods: performance/photo/public art/deep ecology/ecosystems
Happenings. Have you ever participated or created your own happenings? In order to experience something other; that isn't possible under normal (whatever that means) circumstances? Activity booklets. Still needed--contemporary versions.
8. Frans Krajcberg
methods: paint/sculpture/preservation/deep ecology
Another manifesto-art by environmental awareness. To receive earth's vital energies. Walking through a forrest--pure life--
to be
to change
continue
receive light, heat, humidity
Poetic. Note his histories of genocide and how he connects that to the earth. "I seek shapes for my cry."
9. Mario Merz
methods: generative/installation/deep ecology/ecosystems
Fibonacci numbers; Visual language is about healing. What are you taking away from these short essays of eco pioneers? Is the work and vocabulary engaging? Challenging?
I never created my own happenings. But I was a part of one. In high school a classmate of mine drew a self-portrait of himself. He hung it up outside of the classroom and invited student to write, draw, and graffiti all over his self-portrait. I don't remember what he did with the final peace. But just remember being in awe at the time of the idea behind his piece.
DeleteA contemporary version of an activity booklet would be the Wreck This Journal. It invites the user to create their own personal happenings.
I always have trouble getting excited reading about performance art, but I have a friend here who is a performance artist, and her work is always so much more impactful but at the same time fleeting than anything I'm doing. There is a very physical response that occurs interacting with one of her performances. I just have this strange disconnect in reading or thinking about performance art, as if intellectually I dislike them, but experientially I find them so intoxicating. I imagine if someone asked me tomorrow in passing whether I liked performance art, I would respond with a bit of indifference, not remembering the joy I've gotten out of the few performance experiences. I don't know if there is really a point here, just an odd realization I am having right now.
DeleteI was really impacted by the Krajcberg article. As I was thinking about the idea of making the prints from natural pieces of the wood and trunks of trees, it caused me to think about how I could do this with my students. A line in the article that stood out to me was on page 95. It was "Creating art that was the equivalent to the actualities of habitat was unprecedented at that time..." I think that statement can still be true. I personally haven't seen many artists utilize nature in the same way that he did.
DeleteOne of my favorite places to visit is a beach in south Florida...I would love to be able to create the cast of the tides made in the sand on that beach.
I like the idea of Mario Merz being a “missionary artist.” That term is so awesome. In a way, we really are because we each have our own mission. He takes it to a whole other level though. His idea of establishing harmony within the universe is deep and often notions like these are dismissed or shrugged off. But what would happen if we really were all mindful and trying to create harmony and balance within and beyond? Our teaching practices maybe would change, the way we make art might also.
DeleteI came across this German artist, Walter Mason, and he uses what nature has to offer and transforms it. He cuts intricate designs onto leaves. Some say he's a Goldsworthy “copy” but I like the peacefulness his work has to offer. It reminds me that sometimes the materials we need are already there. There is not always a need to go out to the store and buy supplies.
My mind is genuinely being blown, I mean I wrote a couple of paragraphs about a Plexiglas box with water, haha! I can tell that the vocabulary is difficult for me to grasp sometimes simply because I'm leaving the readings with a few pages of questions about the artists. The interactivity and consideration of location, time, and space are really resonating with me as well. As awesome as galleries and museums are academically, sometimes they can feel sterile and business like.
DeleteI really felt connected to Allen Kaprow's EASY. In my classroom, I often work with the students that are kicked out of atheletics, choir, band, and other electives due to anger issues. It's difficult for these students to rationalize things and when I read about the students in this book becoming attached to a stone as they let it dry it made me think of what "Stones" my students have in their lives.
Friday, I had a little girl in the verge of tears because she was so angry that her perspective lines were crooked. I asked her if she used a ruler and she said, "Yes, I just can't do this! I can't play music or draw or anything!" I could tell that this was more than just a perspective assignment. I told her that when she comes into class that everything she needs to make an amazing artwork is free and ready for her whenever she was ready. Pencils, paper, rulers, paint, etc.
I talked to her about the ruler as if it were a snake. The snake was moving and she couldn't control it and it was scary. In order for her to make her artwork, she needs to "Put the smack down on the snake."
"You tell the snake were to go, you hold the snake down until it doesn't fight back." She laughed at me, lol, but after a few lines together she was finally able to breakdown the problems she had, but didn't get much time to work independently because classes are so short! She asked to keep the ruler somewhere in the classroom so she can use the same one for this project. I think that in a way, that ruler is her stone and it's still drying.
I loved Krajcberg's approach to making prints. This give me ideas for how to use his techniques in my approach to printmaking. Instead of trying to replicate texture why not use natural elements to create said textures. It also give me ideas use natural mediums in my own art work. Truly create a mix media approach. I'm thinking about how I could create my own happenings here in Beijing at job. How to engage students who don't consider themselves artist in the art making process.
ReplyDeleteI was very moved by the Krajcberg writing. His art seemed to come from a very personal passion. I have always wondered how it would feel to be so passionate about something that it drives my entire existence. I looked at several of his pieces online and am still struggling with approaching art without the anticipation of a traditional aesthetic. I have seen art from many different cultures and periods and have always been able to relate to the general aesthetic to one degree or another. As much as I appreciate his concepts, I still do not find the majority of what I saw visually engaging. I do find the fundamentals of Eco art very fascinating. I think the idea that the idea is paramount to the visual is an element of my struggle. To me, a manifesto reeks of desperation. I know that's a shallow way of thinking, but the word carries a somewhat negative connotation for me. Personally, I even have a hard time with allowing the subject or meaning of my artwork be too forceful. I currently work in two modes: a figurative, narrative style and a formal, abstract/ design style. I trade between the two to stay mentally 'fresh'. I suppose I'm a long way from releasing a manifesto...
ReplyDeletePossibly a manifesto is letting go and letting your art take you to a place of peace and well being. You are not alone - others share the same chains life puts on us.
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ReplyDeleteI was also moved by the Krajcberg chapter. This work is engaging for me only because a lot of the methods are unfamiliar. Yet the ideas behind them are familiar and many of my opinions on the environment parallel with these artists. When reading about Krajcberg, Henry Thoreau kept coming to mind. The creative forces of the world effect us and Kracjberg ideas of reconnecting people with “earth's vital energies” seem pretty valid to me. I wish the book would elaborate a little more on his background, it was interesting and sad to learn all of the hardships the Nazis put him and his family through. I think it lends even more power to his philosophy that destruction of a forest was equivalent to genocide.
ReplyDeleteThe Krajcberg chapter was moving. Each week I find myself falling into the ideals of ecological art more and more. I am searching the internet, looking for more bio on the artists, and really discovering their passion. My empathy grows with each artist’s mission or manifesto. This causes me to ask myself questions about my art and the meaning of what I am doing. I am not saying I am wanting to abandon all and take up a new cross for eco art, just a deeper appreciation for what these pioneers are doing or have done. This experience so far has me more reflective. All of your comments have been rather transparent, relevant, meaningful and raw.. something that is pretty powerful to me. I also struggle with having a tangible aesthetically pleasing piece to look at and admire- this is definitely the elementary public school system where I am measured by the products and the amount of “frame-able” art that is sent home. My school community is a community of objects, things, portfolios…. Possibly, I can become the facilitator that enables children to start thinking about their environment in ways Linda Weintraub is enabling me.
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ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the late responses and posts in the class guys! I underestimated the number of ARDs, and the fair show, and the christmas cards we have to get ready for LISD, and getting Scholastic paperwork ready for students, and making handoutsaskldga jsdgha;lsdga; lsdfga sdfh; ladg
ReplyDeleteSecond year as a teacher is still way easier than the first though, hahaha!