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To start, there are many entries in the Oxford English Dictionary for the word "art." Here is the beginning of the first entry:
I. Skill; its display, application, or expression.
1. Skill in doing something, esp. as the result of knowledge or practice.
{dag}2. Skill in the practical application of the principles of a particular field of knowledge or learning; technical skill. Obs.
3. As a count noun.
a. A practical application of knowledge; (hence) something which can be achieved or understood by the employment of skill and knowledge; (in early use also) a body or system of rules serving to facilitate the carrying out of certain principles.
b. A practical pursuit or trade of a skilled nature, a craft; an activity that can be achieved or mastered by the application of specialist skills; (also) any one of the useful arts (see sense 4b). Cf. art and mystery n. at MYSTERY n.2 2c.
c. A company of craftsmen; a guild. Cf. MYSTERY n.2 3. Now hist. (freq. with reference to Italy).
4. With modifying word or words denoting skill in a particular craft, profession, or other sphere of activity.
a. With a genitive or genitive phrase, as ‘the writer's art’, ‘the art of government’.
the art of love n. [frequently with reference to Latin Ars Amatoria, the title of a work by Ovid; compare also Anglo-Norman art d’amur (13th cent.)] the skill or technique of seduction and lovemaking.
b. With an adjective. In modern use freq. in pl. Cf. also sense 7, and FINE ART n. 1.
The adjective is freq. used (esp. in early use) as postmodifier, perh. in imitation of Latin expressions.
black, healing, magic, military art, etc.: see the first element; similarly see also industrial, mechanic, mechanical, useful arts, etc.
5. An acquired ability of any kind; a skill at doing a specified thing, typically acquired through study and practice; a knack. Freq. in the art of {emem}.
6. Skill in an activity regarded as governed by aesthetic as well as organizational principles. Now rare.
The range of activities covered include the visual arts such as painting, drawing, and sculpture, and also other creative arts such as music, literature, dance, drama, and oratory.
7. As a count noun. Any of various pursuits or occupations in which creative or imaginative skill is applied according to aesthetic principles (formerly often defined in terms of ‘taste’ (TASTE n.1 8)); (in pl. with the, sometimes personified) the various branches of creative activity, as painting, sculpture, music, literature, dance, drama, oratory, etc.
Cf. arts of design at DESIGN n. 8, applied arts at APPLIED adj. 3a, elegant arts n. at ELEGANT adj. 7, FINE ART n. 1, performing arts n. at PERFORMING n. Compounds. See also MARTIAL ART n.
8. a. The expression or application of creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting, drawing, or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Also: such works themselves considered collectively. Cf. a work of art at WORK n. 14.
Although this is the most usual modern sense of art when used without any qualification, it has not been found in English dictionaries until the 19th cent. Before then, it seems to have been used chiefly by painters and writers on painting.
The unmodified mass noun it is normally understood as referring to the visual arts; however, it may sometimes to extended to include music, literature, dance, drama, etc., though the plural form arts (see sense 7) is frequently used to indicate a broader range of creative activities.
Various styles of art are distinguished by descriptive nouns and adjectives identifying location, function, medium, object, etc.: body, cave, clip-, computer, folk-, high, op, performance art, etc.; modern, New, nouveau art, etc. (see the first element); see also ABSTRACT adj. 4d and REPRESENTATIONAL adj. 3.
b. The theory and practice of the visual arts as a subject of study or examination; (also) a class or lesson in art.
II. Senses relating to learning or study.
9. a. In pl. Certain branches of study, esp. at a university, serving as a preparation for more advanced studies or for later life, spec. (a) (in the Middle Ages) the seven subjects forming the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and the more advanced quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy) (now hist.); (b) (in later use) a broad range of subjects, varying according to time and place but now generally taken as including languages, literature, philosophy, history, and other areas of study concerned with the processes and products of human culture and thought (cf. HUMANITY n. 2.).
Also known as the free or (now more commonly) liberal arts, from the idea that these were the subjects of study considered worthy of a free man (see LIBERAL adj. 2, and cf. SERVILE adj. 1b).
Freq. in the names of degrees (as Bachelor and Master of Arts) awarded to those who attain a prescribed standard of proficiency (although by convention, many universities award such degrees to graduates in subjects not traditionally regarded as belonging to the ‘arts’ faculties).
b. In sing. Any of these subjects of study individually, esp. one of those forming the trivium and quadrivium (now hist.).
10. {dag}a. The seven subjects of the trivium and quadrivium considered collectively; the liberal arts. Obs.
In quot. ?a1425: rhetoric.
{dag}b. gen. Scholarship, learning. Obs. (arch. in later use).
c. term of art n. (also word of art (now rare)) a word or phrase used in a precise sense in a particular subject or field; a technical term. Freq. in pl.
III. Crafty or cunning conduct; human or artificial agency.
11. a. Cunning; artfulness; trickery, pretence; conduct or action which seeks to attain its ends by artificial, indirect, or covert means.
b. A stratagem, wile, or cunning device; a contrivance. Chiefly in pl.
{dag}12. a. Human workmanship or agency; human skill as an agent. Opposed to nature (or, in early use, kind). Obs.
b. Artificial agency or assistance. Obs. rare.
69 comments:
there's a website called art.com that pops out as the first site to click on when searching "art" on google.
art.com is a site that sells photos or artwork, showing that art or artwork is commodified and can be shipped in 3-5 days for those who can afford it.
On youtube.com, a video clip titled "Women in Art" has 10,028,871 views since April 22, 2007.
The video showcased women in art in different cultures, places, and time. However,some viewers felt the more appropriate title for the video should be: White women in art as viewed predominately through the lens of male artists.
If you look at the artworks, it's interesting how certain facial features are commodified to define beauty at a certain time/place.
This video was also nominated as Most Creative Video during the 2nd Annual YouTube Awards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUDIoN-_Hxs
On Feb. 25th, President Obama presented awards to recipients of the National Humanities Medal and the National Medal of the Arts. Among the winners of 2009 are: Clint Eastwood, Bob Dylan, Milton Glaser, Maya Lin, Rita Moreno, Jessye Norman, Mayor Joseph Riley,... According to wikipedia, honorees of the National Medal of the Arts are chosen by the National Endowment for the Arts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Medal_of_Arts_winners
How are the recipients chosen? And based on whose taste in art? Is there a lack of diversity in the panel? In the recipients?
In his opening remarks, President Obama states, "all of us are here to share a recognition of the importance of the arts and the humanities -– pursuits and professions that enrich the mind, and nourish the soul, and strengthen the character of this country." It's interesting how everyone always acknowledges a recognition of the importance of the arts and the humanities, yet funding of the arts and humanities are always the first to be cut in public education.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-presentation-national-humanities-medal-and-national-medal-arts
The word 'Art' appears on the official White House website under the tab entitled "Issues." The website states depicts the arts as an embodiment of the "American spirit of self-definition." This section also makes mention of President Obama's books-Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope- and claims that the President "uniquely appreciates the role and value of creative expression."
First of all, why is 'Art' listed under the category of "Issues"? The descriptive paragraph makes no mention of any issues that pertain to art, however, under all the other words (i.e. Faith, Child Advocacy, Katrina...) the pressing issues as well as possible solutions are addressed. The section about 'Art' lacks substance and serves more as a way to market President Obama's works than it does to address issues of Art and propose solutions. Additionally, the description of art as the embodiment of the American spirit of self-definition is a bit simplistic and vague. Who is considered a part of the 'American' category? Also, the statement itself, although it promotes the idea of self-definition, imposes upon people the identity of 'American'.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/additional-issues
At the Decolonizing the University Conference, artwork from Dignidad Rebelde was displayed around the MCC.
http://dignidadrebelde.com/section/view/about_us
Their website states that they use art as a means to "communicate powerful social justice messages to the masses." They were inspired to create a space at the intersectionality of Xicanisma and Zapatismo, in order to rebel against "over 500 years of colonialism, imperialism, genocide, racism, patriarchy and neoliberal capitalism."
What is interesting about this art project is that it is a process of creating (and fighting for) new identity in the face of colonialism, imperialism, racism, capitalism- all the "isms"- while at the same time strives to educate and rally the masses. Though the artwork is very much political, there is new meaning created in these struggles for social justice.
http://www.justseeds.org/blog/2010/02/school_as_art_1.html
Justseeds Artists' Cooperative is a community of artists who engage in radical art and culture- in conjunction with various social movements. They posted an article titled "School as Art."
In this article, they question school art projects, and the pedagogy of art.
Included is a list of various art schools/projects, businesses, non-profits, etc.
This article reminded me of Takaki because they both use the "How do you know what you know" approach. This article mentions "rethinking what it means to learn" and also, art in the context of education. This brings me to think about how art shapes social movements, and how social movements shape art.
http://www.exploratorium.edu
The Exploratorium: the museum of science, art, and human perception in San Francisco, CA. The museum is filled with hundreds of hands-on, interactive exhibits, that mix science and art together.
The latest collection, The Mind, showcases 40 new exhibits about the science, art, and experiences of our inner lives.In MIND, YOU are the exhibit.
The site writes: Inspired by influential research in the cognitive sciences, Mind offers windows into the subtle but powerful mechanisms at work inside each of our heads. At A Sip of Conflict, for example, you’ll drink from a water fountain fashioned from a very real but unused toilet. The tension between reason and emotion runs high in this experience at the heart of the exhibition. Are you shy or outgoing? Center of Attention lets you focus on your feelings as you stand before a lively (but simulated) audience. And Poker Face lets you try to detect your friend in a lie—or to get away with one yourself. Combining exhibits, demonstrations, specially commissioned artist installations, and public programs, the Mind collection invites you to stretch your own ideas of yourself.
I think the MIND collection sounds interesting--we become the artwork as we experiment with the art of our own minds.I think it's clever.
If the MIND collection didn't entice you, there's also an artshop on Building Sculpture with Light on April 18, 2010. At the workshop, individuals will compare selected exhibits with established “works of art,” talk about how human perception influences the way we think about art, and then work in groups to create light-based sculptures.
The exploratorium offers free admissions every first Wednesday of the month. If you have some free time, come check it out.
ArtsBeat: The Culture at Large
(via the New York Times)
ArtsBeat is a website devoted to culture news and reviews, and to the work and interests of the culture department of The New York Times. The blog tends to cover stories about the arts,live events, interviews with leading cultural figures,multimedia extravaganzas,etc.
For example, the latest coverage has centered around the comic books blowout.
Batman vs Superman!!
On February 15, 2010, a copy of Action Comics No. 1, in which Superman first appeared in 1938, sold for a record $1 million. That price was eclipsed on Thursday by the $1,075,500 auction of a copy of Detective Comics No. 27, where Batman made his premiere in 1939.
Can you believe both of these comic books were originally sold for 10 cents each in 1938? Similar to Sunny's post, this type of "art" can only be accessible to those who can afford it. What makes this art so valuable? Why does it seem like "art" always gets depreciated when it was first produced, but gets recognition for it's artistic values years later? Does human perception shape art? Likewise, does art then shape human perceptions?
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/batmans-first-appearance-at-a-bruce-wayne-price/?ref=weekinreview
Check it: http://www.ybca.org/about/
The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. Its right across the street from the SF Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). I just saw a show at their theater and walked around in their art gallery.
I was reading a letter from the executive director in the "about" section of the website. I appreciated that he introduced his statement with the realities of the economic crisis and how they too are being affected by budget cuts. Despite these tough times, hes says,
"there isn't much we can count on these days—except art."
He continues with a beautiful statement about what art means and what type of art YBCA tries to showcase for the Bay Area community:
"The creative spirit that drives a human being to create something from nothing; to interpret the world in ways we could never have imagined; to awaken us to truth, beauty, provocation and insight when we most need it, flourishes even in the tough times. And best of all, art reminds us that what really matters is not the accumulation of "stuff," but the transformational experiences that can only occur through direct engagement with an extraordinary object, a stunning performance, an inspiring film or an incredible new idea."
Art as a "transformational experience" highlights an interaction between artist, art piece and spectator. That the piece mediates a transformation for those invested in its creation and those witnessing it. Art has power to do something to someone, to people, to communities. When it seems like we have nothing, the greatest thing about human spirit and thought is the that we can create something from nothing... and that something can be art.
<3 Brian Batoogs
Sound Art
In my sound design class the other day, we were asked what the difference was between music and sound art. Arguably, someone stated that there was no difference. Yet, there are some differences that are very clear when experience a musical score versus a sound art exhibition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_art
Wikipedia hits right on as it talks about Sound Art's focus on notions of sound, listening and hearing. Sound artists challenge the way folks experience sound, bringing audiences to question the epistemology of sound, listening and hearing. Sound art can be showcased at museums, outside or anywhere. The primary funding for sound art pieces are from patrons and museums OR they do not necessarily need to be funded--they can just happen.
Below is a link to a sound art exhibit in New York. What's interesting is the idea that sound art can be a dialogue between the audience and the artist. This art form requires interactivity and thrives on audience interaction since exhibitions and performances of sound art are really difficult be presented as engaging if audience members are asked to sit in the audience and listen. It forces us as researchers to ask why audience members insist on a level of spectacle, something interesting to look at, while listening to sound art?
http://www.artpropaganda.com/wordpress/?p=34
The "G" Requirement
Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Requirement for UC Admissions
http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/a-g/vpa.html
In light of recruitment and retention center's spring high school outreaches in southern california, I researched about how the state has constructed standards to which school and universities acknowledge "art" as a course deserving of academic credit.
The biggest theme I noticed was the construction what is "art" or "non-art" and were "artistic and "non-artistic" objectives .
To provide more context, the use of Art by state educational standards is evaluated in terms of academic credit. Because of this, more established art forms; i.e. modern dance, ballet, ethnic dance, ceramics, painting, art history, band, orchestra, and more, are considered acceptable course to satisfy this Art requirement. Working class and community based practices, i.e. yearbook design, drafting, webpage design, recreational dance, marching in parades for civic/community engagement, do not satisfy the requirement. It seems as if there is an emphasis on a eurocentric, modernist conception of Art practice that values refinement in the art form. Schools who do not have access to a multitude of art classes are then deemed "under resourced" and "under funded." My question is, why is there such a strict definition of what "art" can be considered in order to grant students academic credit?
The primary objective of this requirement is:
"to provide a meaningful experience and breadth of knowledge of the arts so that students may apply their knowledge and experience to the creation of art and are better able to understand and appreciate artistic expression on the basis of that experience and knowledge."
Two things:
1) students must study art in order to make art in the future
2) students must study art in order to appreciate and understand forms of it
BUT, anything can be art and thats coming a postmodern definition of art and its practices. So is the educational system trying preserve a certain tradition of art by creating a standard of higher and lower levels of it? Or are they outdated in their conception of art that they do not see the current movement of art and artistic expression finding itself in almost every facet of human social, political and cultural experiences.
What is up with that?!
<3 Toogs
"Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park: Art you can wear"- This site states: "Original artwork doesn't have to hang on a wall or sit on a pedestal. It also can be draped around a neck or slipped onto a finger. The Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park is a fabulous place to find a miniature masterpiece, no matter if your budget is suited to prints or Picassos."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6930453.html
www.bayoucityartfestival.com
This website boasts about the Bayou City Art Festival in Texas. The concept of "art you can wear" gives 'art' the definition of being inclusive and flexible. 'Art' no longer just has to be paintings hung on the wall or items cased in glass. Art now can be worn by anyone! Re-define the term 'art' to mean 'Art-on-the-go'.
The site refutes the standard, hegemonic definition of what art is, to re-create a new definition of what art can be. Art as transferrable, carried around on the body, the body as a display case, art as jewelry. All these ideas are encompassed.
"WrestleMania Art showcases athletes' artistic moves"- This article states,"WWE superstars showcased their talents on a different kind of canvas at the WrestleMania Art auction Wednesday night at the Montelucia Resort in Scottsdale, [Arizona].
More than 20 pro-wrestlers donated artwork, including paintings, drawings, collages and even a hand-painted do-rag, to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona and the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation."
http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/articles/2010/03/25/20100325wrestlemania-art-in-phoenix.html
Here we see an interesting combination of celebrity status with artwork. Are the fans buying the work because of the talent/meaning behind it? Or is it solely because it was produced by their favorite celebrity? Where is the intersection between auctioning art for art's sake vs. auctioning art produced by celebrities?
So, can we just put value on anything produced by celebrities and use their celebrity status to increase the value of the art work? How does this work?
"Location-Based Virtual Art: Curation Turns to Augmented Reality"- "The art world is finally understanding that the idea of art in a gallery holds increasingly less value in an instantly gratified and visually saturated society...
An interesting experiment that bridges the gap between the gallery and the real world is the Virtual Public Art Project"
http://www.psfk.com/2010/03/location-based-virtual-art-curation-turns-to-augmented-reality.html
http://virtualpublicartproject.com/Virtual_Public_Art_Project/Virtual_Public_Art_Project.html
This new advancement in the realm of art allows millions of people with access to the world wide web the opportunity to experience virtual art. This site is a project geared towards providing a platform for "the public display of digital works of art." This project shows the advancement in presentation of artwork alongside advancement in technology. As our society becomes more and more advanced, will artwork of the early turn of the century still be valued as these that are presented in the virtual world?
The New York Times
Art Handling Olympics
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/03/22/arts/20100323_HANDLER_SLIDESHOW_index.html
Working class artists poke fun at gallery owners, curators, collectors, critics, fellow artists, and group themselves into teams with one member inside of a taped box and wheeled around the city. They then have to perform tasks like wolfing down Chinese pork dumplings and downing shots of whiskey. This article takes the concept that art is a aristocratic undertaking and makes it seem that anyone can engage in art.
Mashable: Social Media Guide
New York’s Museum of Modern Art acquiresthe @ symbol.
http://mashable.com/2010/03/22/at-moma/
This article is about N.Y.’s MOMA using the @ symbol in various ways. It can be looked at as taking every day symbol usage and creating an art form around it. I interoperate this as looking at art in a different way. When we think of art usually classic paintings, sculptures, and the famous artists that have created these works are thought of, yet in this case the @ symbol is given a place in the world of art at a museum.
Video: Piano Stairs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw
This video is from thefuntheory.com. It consists of videos of various kinds of public art installations, the one above is in Europe. A majority of the Art is created under the theory that making something fun can change lives for the better.
In the clip above, a stair way is turned into a piano so that whenever someone walks up the stairs, the pressure on the step activates a note. The video serves as evidence of "the fun theory" in which 66% than the normal number of people will use the stairs over the escalator. This follows the logic that if one makes something "fun" it has the potential to improve the lives of those who are exposed to it.
In this context, art is comprised of two qualities:
1) Art is free and fun. it can be fun and centered around the idea of "play." There is no structure and no presupposed skill or knowledge needed prior to engaging in the play. art for genuine pleasure, no agenda except to better the lives of people. it's also free and put in a public space.
2) Art has an impact on people. The art installation exists as an anonymous gift to the public. It really bring art to the people.
Last things I have to say is about art and capitalism. The art industry exists to have artists get paid to do what they do. My question is, does the positive impact of this art installation override the necessity for artists to be paid for their work? Is the ideal society a place where art is appreciated without having to pay for it or get it funded, or is the ideal society a place where art can be recognized as an actual profession? Does art have rightful place in capitalism?
<3 Batoogs
"London’s NDI Gallery Features Recycled Art Made from Discarded Objects"-
"Assemblage or recycled art is all about creating a three-dimensional artistic composition using found or discarded everyday objects. This specific art form originated in the early Twentieth-Century under the influence of artists like Marcel Duchamp, Robery Rauschenberg, Man Ray and of course Pablo Picasso.”
http://greenopolis.com/goblog/green-groove/london-s-ndi-gallery-features-recycled-art-made-discarded-objects
http://www.ndigallery.com/
One man's junk is another man's treasure! Or... in this case, one man's junk has the potential to be transformed into treasure. This non-profit art gallery presents original art work that has been created/designed from discarded items. Here, even mundane and ordinary items such as spoons and forks have the potential to be transformed into works of art! Art is used to support and raise awareness about recycling. It's about being eco-friendly. Art as a means to promote important, underlying issues.
"Watchdogs Barking at Taxpayer-Funded Traffic Barrier 'Art'"-
"It's dozens of feet long, weighs over 35,000 pounds, lights up at night and cost Austin, Texas, about $4,300 in city funds. But the question remains: Is it art, or a sprawling waste of taxpayer money?"
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/17/watchdogs-barking-taxpayer-funded-traffic-barrier-art/
This article on fox news website discusses the controversial art project that involves 50 traffic barriers in the city of Austin, Texas and focuses on the question 'What is considered art?' Varying opinions are illustrated in the article. Opponents see the project as a waste of money, whereas proponents think it is a worthwhile investment. This makes me wonder... If a person considers something a work of art, does it automatically make it art? What gives art value? Are the traffic barriers considered art?
"Art of the Steal: On the Trail of World’s Most Ingenious Thief"-
Wired Magazine online article
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/03/ff_masterthief_blanchard/all/1
Art is defined by:
i. Skill in doing something, esp. as the result of knowledge or practice
ii. An acquired ability of any kind; a skill at doing a specified thing, typically acquired through study and practice
iii. Cunning; artfulness; trickery, pretence; conduct or action which seeks to attain its ends by artificial, indirect, or covert means.
This was one of the most intriguing articles I've read so far. This article details the heists of Gerald Blanchard, dubbed as "a true mastermind who orchestrated never before seen high tech crimes crossing 3 continents and brought thievery to a whole other level." This is shocking especially when we discover that he was a "slim, short, bespectacled Canadian, who suffered from severe dyslexia and a speech impediment." He truly mastered the 'art of the steal'- Art here alludes to skill of this particular trade; art as human agency; art as mastering a particular field; art as practice and humanly engineered.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/arts/music/14gil.html?_r=1
With growing popularity in the 1990’s, Brazilian rap music distinguished itself from its commercial U.S. counterpart by addressing the social conditions that affected young Brazilians, such as lack of opportunity, institutionalized racism, and ever increasing violence. As recording companies were reluctant to promote Brazilian hip hop, rappers had to create their own networks to promote their craft, leading to highly organized and committed hip hop enthusiasts. This organization was eventually tapped into in the early 2000’s under the Lula regime. Lula’s appointed minister of culture, Gilberto Gil, a highly respected musician and himself a former member of the Tropicália movement, took the unorthodox approach of using hip hop as a means to redirect disaffected, urban youth away from a life of crime. The government began giving out grants to create community centers where hip hop as an art form and a means of expression could be learned and applied to improving the lives of young people. This is a good example of a government being proactive in addressing the needs of marginalized youth. By embracing hip hop as a legitimate form of self-expression instead of demonizing it, Lula's government hopes to help young people cultivate the necessary skills to help them overcome poverty and violence. While this is an admirable and effective approach, Brazil remains the most unequal nation in the hemisphere. It will take a profound social and economic change to truly address these issues.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/mmagowan/detail??blogid=188&entry_id=59116
here's an interesting opinion piece from the SF Chronicle. It addresses the so-called controversey surrounding the recent Oscar nomination of actress Gabi Sidibe for her lead role in the film "Precious." While Sidibe did not win the Oscar, her co-star Mo'nique did win for a supporting role. Many within entertainment news have suggested that Sidibe's large size is an empdediment to her acting carrer, pointing out that it will be difficult for her to transcend her role in "Precious" and acheive steady work in other films. Radio DJ Howard Stern made some particularly rude comments. In the article, Macgowan argues that the larger issue that is not being addressed is that Sidibe, an African American, is in fact too Black for Hollywood. Macgowan goes on to explain that Hollywood is controlled by rich white men who rigidly dictate standards of beauty and norms on the big screen. It is intersting to consider that, film, an artistic expression, has been completely corporatized, almost exclusively reflecting euro-centric standards of beauty. This narrow view is especially hard on women of color trying to break into the industry. This is one reason why the survival of independent film is so crucial as a means of expressing underrepresented voices in an industry dominated by the "mainstream".
www.loscenzontles.com
Started as a youth group in 1989 by guitarist, Eugene Rodriguez, Los Cenzontles, which means “mockingbird” in the indigenous Mexican language of nahautl, was created to give the youth in the San Pablo community of California a creative outlet that would not only be fun and engaging, but would also build a sense of pride in their Mexican roots. The group focused on learning and performing traditional regional styles of Mexican music. In 1994, with help from the community, Rodriguez decided to open up a center in San Pablo, in order to have a stationary location where students could come to learn. The venture proved successful as enrollment grew. In 1998, the community center moved into its current location, housed in what was once a liquor store. They now have 200-plus students coming through the doors every week and a growing faculty. They also have a thriving touring group, which is made up of students who have been with the program since the early 90’s.
One of the key elements to the education provided at Los Cenzontles is the participation of maestros or masters from different regions of Mexico, whom provide a direct link to their respective traditions. They have brought maestros from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Veracruz, and Michoacán to provide instruction for their students, further exemplifying the diversity within Mexican music. The touring group has also collaborated with many notable artists from the United States, such as David Hidalgo from Los Lobos and Linda Ronstadt, all the while staying true to their goal of promoting the community center.
By providing disadvantaged youngsters with a bridge to their own rich cultural heritage, Los Cenzontles help to cultivate a strong sense of pride and purpose in their students. Kids come to see the value in their own culture, despite the mainstream influences that consciously and sub-consciously seek to discredit and diminish its legitimacy. This is a beautiful example of art used to empower community.
The San Diego Union Tribune
High-Stakes art controversy ‘steal’ missing a piece
By Alison Gang
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/26/high-stakes-art-controversy-steal-missing-a-piece/
This is a movie review for a documentary that centers on the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. It’s about the founder, Albert C. Barnes and how he created a collection worth more than $25 billion. The article goes on to state how he left control of the collection to a small African American college and instruction that his collection was never to be sold. I think that this points to how art is considered something that is of value, a commodity that can be bought, sold, and stolen.
31 Women in Art Photography series!
website: http://hafny.org/events/31-women-in-art-photography-installation-images/
While in NYC, I visited the Affirmation Arts building, which was showcasing "31 Women in Art Photography". The exhibition aims to highlight innovative and interesting examples of fine art picture-taking--it also features up & coming photographers. Click on the website to see the actual photographs!
And Brian, I think certain types of "art" gets more recognition than others. In an ideal society, I think art should both be appreciated and recognized as a legit profession. However, my main concern is which types of art fits into the idea of capitalism? Why do we need to fragmentize types of art? Are photographs worthless in the art sense?
By the way, this exhibit was free.
Poor Magazine.org
Art Black the Land- A Sidewalks are for people event
http://www.poormagazine.org/index.cfm?L1=news&category=39&story=2471
I just so happen to get this in an email; it’s for an event that is sponsored by the POOR magazine based in San Francisco on 16th street. It says to bring cardboard, markers, crayons, drums, and guitarras. While this is an announcement for a protest I think that it depicts how art can be used as a form of protest and resistance. This places art away from the art gallery setting and bring all art forms, whether music or signs etc to the people
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/
It is what it says it is. The Artcyclopedia is a way to find certain works of art by artists name, artworks title, or by Museum name. There is also other more specialized ways to find works, yet while playing around with the site I noticed that mural pieces and community art was missing. Art in this case is looked at through the lens of enlighten hierarchical tradition.
Free exhibitions via the New York Public Library (NYPL)
website: http://www.nypl.org/events
Again, while I was in New York this past spring break, the New York Public Library offered a wide range of free exhibitions.
However, most of these exhibitions were photographs coined as "artworks". Why is photography so depreciated? =( All the the NYPL events including photographs are free.
Free exhibitions include: Taiwan Sublime: Photography Masters' Visions of the Treasure Island (March 26 - April 15)
Picture Perfect: Laurie Simmons, Photographs 1976–78 (March 19 - May 23)
For Taiwan Sublime, the exhibition comprises photographs taken by Taiwanese photographers who for many years have crisscrossed Taiwan with the aim of creating a record of its natural and human wonders. This exhibition is part of the "Faces of Taiwan" series.
For Picture Perfect, Laurie Simmons explores the theme of the figure in domestic space with seminal body of black-and-white photographs. In them, she recreates a mythic 1950s suburbia in makeshift scenarios involving a solitary female figurine.
The site continues to describe her exhibit: "Sharing an artistic lineage that Simmons traces to the set-up photographs of Man Ray and Wols, the studio work of Paul Outerbridge, and the art of closer contemporaries like John Baldessari and Jan Groover, these early works—as vital today as when Simmons first created them in the 1970s—paved the way for an entire generation of artists concerned with staged photography, personal narrative, and conceptual approaches to the making of art."
At the exhibition, there were free postcards of her black &white photographs. Simmon's photographs were extremely empowering; it kept me curious, disturbed, and compelled to learn about the dark secrets beneath the picture-perfect veneer of domestic life.
Text Art
http://th00.deviantart.net/fs28/300W/f/2008/045/2/6/More_than_Words_by_jonsibal.jpg
Also known as typography, this art form uses font manipulation as its medium. From my understanding, it is a direct reflection of the rise in technology and the digital arts unique to our current society in its rush to create faster, more powerful computers and software.
In this website, the person who composed the picture is considered the artist. He writes:
"All the words I used are words and phrases that has meaning to me and our relationship. These are words that reminds me [my wife]. These are words that makes sense to just us and carry such fond memories. And when I put all these words together, it's more than words... I see a picture of my wife."
In this case, art has the capacity to be incorporated in what is available at the artists disposal. Just as clay or marble were media for renaissance artists such as Michael Angelo, for this particular artist, font strokes inside a computer is at his disposal. Through the use of technology, he is able to sculpt a picture of his wife that depends on the concept of reading between the lines, or getting the bigger picture. The power of art, in this sense, is the ability to begin with detail and individual uniqueness and end with a cohesive and broader statement. He started with phrases and words that individually provide context into his relationship with his wife, but together paint an image of her for other to see--and he does this quite literally.
Reading between the lines becomes seeing between the strokes.
In general, I've always personally appreciated font and digital means of recording thoughts (i.e. typing, word documents, etc.) regardless of the uniformity and standardization that seems to come with computer literacy. The art lies in how one can sculpt and craft the combination of strokes on the screen. Instead of creating in the "real world," there seems to be a new frontier in its digital reality.
< batoogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_tW9UMMV80
here is another example of youth empowered through music. Two Venezuelan girls interpret a classic piece from the "joropo" tradition of music, which is indigenous to regions of Venezuela and Colombia. They are very skilled harp players, which places them outside of traditional roles for women in Latin America. Also, the cultivation of an appreciation of traditional music helps build a sense of pride in ones origins in the face of western driven corporate media. This performance can be seen in part as a response to the over saturation of Latin America with one dimensional, commercial pop music and a rejection of prescribed cultural norms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qfTB-ITh2U&feature=PlayList&p=987F5D50BEC3A31D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2
young musicians (Los Cojolites) in Veracruz,Mexico embrace their cultural musical heritage and exhibit incredible talent and mastery of the regional style of music known as "son jarocho." while many youngsters seek to be more "American," through consumption of US popular culture, which is significantly prevelant in Mexico, these youths choose instead to preserve cultural tradtions, although it may not be broadly considered as "sophisticated" or "modern," Los Cojolites demonstrate the profound complexity of the genre while exuding confidence and pride...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/world/asia/26myanmar.html?pagewanted=2&sq=art&st=cse&scp=6
The people in Myanmar live in a very repressive society where every individual is closely watched and controlled. However, young people in Myanmar are "pushing the limits of what the military government, let alone their parents, considers acceptable art and entertainment." Art serves as an avenue for them to express their thoughts and feelings since they have very limited opportunities for any form of free expression due to tight governmental control.
U Thxa Soe is "a popular artist who mixes traditional “spirit dances” with something resembling techno music." 9 out of 12 tracks in his album were banned and he is constantly under the government's watch. However, his art is still able to escape from governmental control. His fans include the military intelligence officers who are supposed to limit his activities. This proves that art is not a tangible item that can be controlled and molded. It freely travels and brings people together, even those who are trying to suppress the movement of art.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/technology/personaltech/25pogue.html?scp=4&sq=art&st=cse
This article features a "state-of-the art" technology called Line 2. It's an iPhone application that allows you to set up "a second phone line, complete with its own contacts list, voice mail, and so on." The term "state of the art," according to Wikipedia, is the "highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time." As our society becomes more and more infused with new technologies, technology has also become described as an art form.
http://www.bellagio.com/amenities/gallery-of-fine-art.aspx
Bellagio is one of the most popular hotels at Las Vegas. One reason for its popularity is its "fine arts" collection. Fine art describes an art form that was created purely for aesthetic purposes. It is the opposite of creating art for utility, to gain satisfaction from its consumption. Bellagio claims to showcase fine art, but it is actually defying the concept of fine art. The art works require a fee to be seen. Only those who pay that fee can consume the showcased art. Also, people who are able to pay this fee may enjoy the artwork for its aesthetics but there is also a high potential that they will enjoy it knowing that they are being included in the elite population that can pay to consume this supposedly "fine art."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDZs__m5iAI
This video shows "Latte Art." The hand in the video creates art with milk foam and a silver stick. In this video, "art" is depicted as certain shapes and prints that are recognizable such as butterflies and rabbits. After seeing this, I questioned the value of the term art as it is so profusely used and is created so easily. Almost everything can be labeled as "art" since there is no one person who can legitimize what is and what is not art since art is very subjective. Is there a problem with almost everything such as a shape that resembles a heart made with milk foam in a latte being called art? Or is it art's purpose to be free to be created from any inspiration?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/comments_blog/2010/04/erykah-badus-window-seat-video-too-far-or-artistic-expression.html
Here is an op ed piece from the LA Times.
R+B singer Erykah Badu's new video is causing a bit on controversy. In it,she walks down a Dallas street in slow motion while she gradually removes off all of her clothes near the location where JFK was assassinated. Perplexed bystanders look on, some apparently in disgust. At the end of the video when she has completely disrobed, she is shot by an unseen gunmen. A voice over speaks, "They play it safe. Are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs, ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on each other. They feel more comfortable in groups - less fear guilt to swallow. They are us. This is what we have become. Afraid to respect the individual. A single person without a circumstance can move one to change. To love ourself. To evolve." I found it to be a powerful piece of performance art, but apparently it was too shocking for many in mainstream America. They initial uproar came at the shooting of the video, as Badu reveals in Twitter message. Apparently many were offended by her public display of nudity. It's a shame that there is still so much stigma attached to the display of the human body, especially those of people of color. The second wave of controversy stems from what some interpreted as a blatant disrespect to JFK, which Badu adamantly denies. The message at the end of the video speaks to the manipulation of the masses and the need to break free form subjugation and fear. This piece does what all effective art should do - it is both thought provoking and provocative.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/07/BA841CQLBF.DTL
here's an article from the SF Chronicle dealing with the lack of funding for the arts in Oakland. The city is halving its budget for community arts programs. Art is an invaluable outlet, especially for young people. Without these crucial programs, many young people will not experience the immense satisfaction of the creative process. It's a shame that a city like Oakland, with such a rich and diverse artistic legacy is slowly defunding its very soul.
I just posted that last one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0b90YppquE&feature=player_embedded
here's a trailer for a new film about a growing street art movement that is the contemporary progression of graffiti. artists come up with highly conceptual art pieces, usually executed on public walls and spaces, and often, but not always,containing social and political messages, usually anti-corporate and anti-imperialist in nature....many of the pieces are astonishing in their vision and scope, and it is a great example of art existing and thriving outside of its prescribed boundaries. I thought this was really cool...very anti-establishment!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0b90YppquE&feature=player_embedded
here's a trailer for a new film about a growing street art movement that is the contemporary progression of graffiti. artists come up with highly conceptual art pieces, usually executed on public walls and spaces, and often, but not always,containing social and political messages, usually anti-corporate and anti-imperialist in nature....many of the pieces are astonishing in their vision and scope, and it is a great example of art existing and thriving outside of its prescribed boundaries. I thought this was really cool...very anti-establishment!
In Berkeley, every day is an arts festival...
via http://www.berkeleyartsfestival.com
This website has been running since 1997, after the first successful, one-month long Berkeley Art Festival.
This website documents and shares information about the activities/events happening in all the Berkeley arts organizations year-round!
They continued the website to serve as a guide for the arts-loving people of Berkeley and in appreciation of the City's continued support.
I think this website is really organized and serves as a resourceful place to find all the ARTS in Berkeley. Currently, the site has information on exhibitions like "A History of Human Stupidity", "Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West" (at Berkeley Rep), etc.
check the site out if you ever want to see innovative ART in creative action!
check the Berkeley Art Center out ---> http://www.berkeleyartcenter.org/aboutus.html
"Collect" at the Berkeley Art Center [April 10 - May 2, 2010]
This is an exhibition and silent auction Fundraiser featuring over 75 Bay Area artists (The names are listed on the website).
This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see and purchase work by many well-known Bay Area artists. These selected artists have kindly agreed to donate their work in support of the Berkeley Art Center.
"Collect" was opened to the public since yesterday, April 10, and will close with a final bidding party (ticketed) for participating artists and bidders on Sunday, May 2, 5-8pm.
You can also view the works online at berkeleyartcenter.org via flickr. My favorite one is titled, "Larkspur" [http://www.flickr.com/photos/49111176@N06/4508594719/in/set-72157623681911797/]
I think these artworks insinuates powerful images- & leaves me in thoughts. Overall, it's really empowering. If you can spare 20secs, check out the thumbnails of the Collect exhibition!
Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St.
The Art Exhibition That May Knock Your Socks Off!!
via npr: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125732182
Posted on April 8th, this article talks about the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto and its yearlong exhibit, "Socks: Between You and Your Shoes"
Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack says as far as she knows, it's the world's first sock exhibition. Crazy, huh?
The exhibit is a sock anthropology,-- a walk through history. It begins with a replica of a shoe worn by the 5,300-year-old Neolithic man discovered in the Alps in 1991!
Highlights also include pink stockings worn by Queen Victoria [=O!!] and socks made out of human hair [eeee!]. I wish I lived in Toronto to check this out!
How about that? sock as an artwork..and art as an avenue to express socks in a new, innovative way. Time to take socks more seriously!
via Toxel:http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/06/16/creative-food-art/
CREATIVE FOOD ART
This site blogs about creative food art. The goal is to prove that it is possible to create amazing art with just simple food ingredients!!
It's too bad these comments don't allow me to post photos---but PLEASE PLEASE check this photos out!
There's tons of beautiful, EDIBLE art. =D My favorite includes: blue guitar, a giraffe, the frog, and the frappuccino!
These food art are so pretty--it will be difficult for me to eat!I don't want to ruin the artwork.
Incredible art made from food. Wow. It's so clever and so aesthetically-pleasing. Did I mention...delicious as well? =D Food and art combined is the perfect pair.
CHEW ON THAT! http://www.chewonthatblog.com/tag/food-art/
Sorry! Food art is fascinating me so here goes another comment!
Are you a gummy bear lover? How about a gummy chandelier?? I'm not joking.
Designer YaYa Chou has made numerous creations out of gummy bears but this chandelier definitely is an jaw-breaking moment.
Food-made housewares is a very different art, one that I'm not often expose to... This definitely surprise me to know that art transcends a new breakthrough in home decor.
Check out http://yayachou.com/ for more exhibitions on her sculptures, paintings, installations, animations and collaborations.
If any of you are coming back to socal after school ends, definitely check out the Venice Art Walk in LA. More info can be found here: http://www.venicefamilyclinic.org/index.php?view=art_walk_auction
http://tattoo-art.com/catalog/
This site is cool it’s a tattoo-art site that looks like its suppose to help one decide what type of tattoo to get. The reason I picked this site is further the idea that art is not just Picasso, but can take up many forms, and body art is defiantly an art form.
The New York Times
Jessica Reaves
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/us/28cncgraffiti.html
This is a news article about the search for a graffiti artist named Snacki. Snacki is a very popular artist from Chicago and is part of the underground culture. Reaves points out that in Chicago “taggers” that get caught face high fines and possible jail time. Reaves seem so enamored with Snacki that once she finally meets him she is highly disappointed with his attitude.
The Mission Local
Amanda Martinez
http://missionlocal.org/2010/04/sirron-norris-studio-vandalized/
This article is about the new mural on Walgreens at 23rd street and Mission in San Francisco that has been empty for some time. Apparently two hipster white kids threw a brick into the artist’s gallery window. If you click on the link within the article it takes you to another article that continues
The New York Times
Artists Embellish walls with political visions
Simon Romero
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/world/americas/12caracas.html
This article is found in the New York Times, yet it is originally from the Caracas Journal in Venezuela. This article is about a graffiti artist from Venezuela Carlos Zerpa. Zerpa does lots of political graffiti with a primary focus on antagonism towards the United States. Moreover, this discusses how the Chavez government sponsors mural and graffiti work. This article is interesting when contrasted with the Snacki article.
U celebrates hip-hop culture: A variety of artists attended a weekend conference to discuss hip-hop culture.
By Mackenzie Collins
http://www.mndaily.com/2010/04/11/u-celebrates-hip-hop-culture
This article talks about the hip-hop conference that was held at the University of Minnesota. “This room is so diverse with Asians, Hispanics, blacks, and whites talking about gender and class… there aren’t a lot of classrooms out there that look like this room.” This conference sounds like a interesting event that had spoken-word, breaking, rappers, poets that was open to the community.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgI-Ge-lF6U&feature=player_embedded
here's another video of marginalized communities expressing their identity through art. Young afro-peruvian kids show their percussive prowess as their father, master percussionist, Chocolate, looks on. Many people aren't even aware of the profound African presence in Peruvian society,often thinking only of the indigenous nations of the Andes, all the more reason why it's so important for these communities to carry on their traditions and connections to ancestral pasts....so as not to slip through the cracks of contemporary society...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojo3I59Gn6c&feature=player_embedded
here's an example of how art was used to forge a national identity in the 1940's in Brazil. Carmen Miranda, who would later go on to become a caricature of herself in the United States, is seen here where the traditional costume of Afro-Brazilian women in the city of Salvador de Bahia. The music she is performing, samba, is also highly African in origin. You'll notice that no Afro-Brazilians are actually in the video. Embrace of African cultural expression was highly popular in Latin America and the US, so long as African people weren't the ones doing it. During this era you have the appropriation of many afro-american derived artistic forms by the mainstream entertainment industry which was (and continues to be)highly segregated....
This is from the Anzaldua readings that we did. I had been meaning to post on this for some time now...
In "Speaking Across the Divide," Anzaldua writes, "An exchange of energy is what the process of creation is all about. Art is an exchange of energy and conocimientos (knowledge and insights). Writing, nature, and images gives me a deeper connection to the sources of life, enable me to connect to certain energies" (292).
Anzaldua talks about art as static; continually in movement. It is an exchange of energy, but what energy is she talking about? And does this exchange take place consciously?
It's interesting because we as readers will no doubt interpret the meaning differently, depending on our background, our experiences in the arts, and on what meaning we want to take away from it.
Even as she writes this, an exchange of insight into Anzaldua's mode of thinking has already taken place.
From Anzaldua's "Border Arte," she writes "As a people who have been stripped of our history, language, identity, and pride, we attempt again and again to find what we have lost by digging into our cultural roots imaginatively and making art out of our findings" (176).
Here, she uses art as a means of re-establishing an identity that has long been stripped from her & her people. She uses art as a tool to search for the lost culture. Art here is not a means to an end, but is a way to reclaim culture, heritage, and identity.
http://digdug1.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/3779887.jpg
http://beyondasiaphilia.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/samurai.jpg
The first picture is an advertisement of the new samurai exhibit at the Asian Art Museum. The second picture mocks the first ad for exoticizing the samurai culture. The original advertisement strongly resembles the darth vadar from star wars. This may have been intentional to utilize as a marketing strategy or it may have been an actual artifact available to bee seen and it just happens to look like darth vadar. Anyways, the point is that many people have been finding it offensive. Also, they find it ridiculous that the samurai is so attractively exoticized, especially after the Tom Cruise's infamous role in The Last Samurai. Samurais caused a lot of destruction throughout Japanese history. They're not as heroic as they are often publicized to be.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ndsp=20&q=asian+wall+art&revid=113443199&ei=TdfDS_3qE4vYngfY2sSrCg&sa=X&oi=revisions_inline&resnum=0&ct=top-revision&cd=2&ved=0CBMQ4QIoAQ
When I googled Asian wall art, the searches I saw were mostly associated with the term "oriental." I see this word very frequently when I see Asian art. It is a popular description of Asian art. The more oriental it is, the more Asian it is supposed to be. Also, Asian art is very homogenized even though different ethnic groups have different forms of art under the large umbrella term of Asian art.
Anzaldua writes:
"Border art remembers its roots- sacred and folk art are often still one and the same" (178).
"I think of how border art, in critiquing old, traditional, and erroneous representations of the Mexico/United States border, attempts to represent the "real world" de la gente going about their daily lives."
Anzaldua's writing about "Border Arte" is rich with meanings about what she interprets art to be. Here, she discusses the difference between border art that is genuine in heritage, as compared to the artwork that is placed in museums by western curators. Her writing constantly refers back to colonization and how it "influences the lives and objects of the colonized and artistic heritage is altered" (179).
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=oriental+art&aq=f&aqi=g2g-m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&start=0
I then googled "oriental art" and when I clicked images,I saw types of art that were also categorized as Asian art. It seems to me that Asian art is perceived to be backwards, traditional, and oriental as if Asian art remains stagnant and has not have experienced advancements and progress in exploring new art forms.
I looked up the definition of graffiti. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/graffiti?&qsrc=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graffiti
None of these definitions suggests that grafitti can be an art form. This is perhaps because graffiti is characterized as deviant in regards to a normative view of what art is supposed to be like. Most of art forms that are recognized in museums are art that has been approved by Western scholars. Also, graffiti is usually found in more urban centers near and/or within poorer communities. Often, the art that is produced within these communities is not recognized or given credit. It makes me question, who has the right to recognize what is and what isn't art?
Question, who or what makes art? Is it the person or the thing?
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bCShCcD3N0
Alexander McQueen was a world renowned British fashion designer. His pieces were famous for us innovative designs and his unique approach of presenting them.
The clip depicts a woman in a white gown being spray painted by two robotic arms as she rotates in the center of the room. The white gown is an allusion to a blank canvas, while the paint and the robotic arms represent an origin of control. This image parallels a human artist in their blank canvas, but re-imagines the roles of art production. What happens when the human that creates becomes what is created and the object that is created becomes the creator?
In this sense, this video complicates the subjects of art production. Given the technology of today, art has expanded its levels to include other mediums. Art reflects not only the ideas of the time, but its creation correlates with the tools and resources that the artist has access to. For Alexander McQueen, robots and spray paint are objects of the late 20th century, especially with the development in the animatronic technology and graffiti art.
producers - Brian Batugo
Link: http://magandamagazine.wordpress.com/about/
{m}aganda is an arts organization at UC Berkeley. According to their website, the magazine aims to foster "critical dialogue" through the arts, literature and education. The organization also believes that art is a means for inspiring social change.
What I want to highlight is the intersection between art and culture within the context of political and social awareness in this particular organization. Through their open mics, decals and other art spaces, they are able to provide a space to implement their mission as an arts organization to the Pilipino community, while also being open to other communities.
Historically, this organization came to be because of a lack of art spaces for the Pilipino community at UC Berkeley. Its incorporation of many different forms of art reveals an open ended definition of what art looks and sounds like. The overall commonality is what all these forms of art can do, and that is to inspire social change.
- Brian Batugo
http://www.deviantart.com/
Deviant art is a website where people can post up their own artwork. It has been growing rapidly with new users everyday. One reason why it is so popular is maybe because people feel free to express art, even if it defines the norm. The fact that it's called "deviant" art appeals to people.
LINK: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~paa/pcn/
Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) has been a student phenomenon across college campuses in the United States. This culture show combines various art forms such us theatre, music, dance, poetry, videography, costume design, light design etc into a production run entirely by students.
Art in a PCN context helps students connect to a performative aspect of themselves the relies on the practice and effective execution of talent and skill. Through dancing between bamboo sticks, hug leaps, wonderful song solos and touching monologues, PCN participants are able to excercise other parts of the brain and body that are less explicitly emphasized in the classroom.
Through art, whether in the form of music, dance and theatre, students are able to view and create a personal histories and ways of understanding culture. As students learn, they also create and reinterpret for an audience to witness and interpret just the same.
The first PCN started in the early 1970s at San Francisco State University. This piece of history, however, is contested by other schools and universities since PCN in its current form emulates a theatrical production on a proscenium stage when in the past, community dinners with performances were the origins of these extravagant productions.
- Brian Batugo
for the above, look up "Theodore Gonzalves"
LINK: http://www.likha.org/index.php?id=2
LIKHA - Philippine Folk Dance Ensemble.
What is interesting to note here is the use of dance as an art form that deals with authenticity and artistic creativity. The interplay between the two is complex in that sometimes, authenticity places limitations on the creative aspect of dance.
LIKHA is tagalog for create. Yet in their mission statement, they claim to be educators of Philippine culture to diverse audiences.
This poses problems with cultural image production. Individuals who are outside the culture often times do not always understand the significance behind the origins of a particular cultural dance. For example, if the dance is performed in an indigenous tribe for healing purposes, a new dimension is created when the dance is performed on stage and the roles are enacted. The context of the dance changes and for who or what that dance is performed for also changes.
Although there is positive intent in preserving Philippine culture, I believe that a majority of folk dance companies fail to deal with the politics of cultural dance especially in the more exotified aesthetics of indigenous culture that so many of us find exotic because we have never been exposed to it. The next question is to ask why there seems to be such an emphasis on indigeneity by individuals who are willing to consume its otherness, but not willing to understand the struggle of the people whose culture they are consuming.
- Brian Batugo
LINK: http://www.fanpop.com/spots/beyonce/images/7947327/title/beyonce-art-byrose
Fan Art
While looking up other things that have to do with art, I came across this website fanpop.com. In this website, individuals recreate pictures of celebrities and other popular culture references to pay them homage.
This goes back to how art was used historically in Europe how art was used to pay tribute to or idolize important people of power. The biggest differences in fan art is that people create this from already existing pictures or images of celebrities voluntarily and they do not sell it for profit. In this way, art is used to pay tribute to important people in society while also allowing fans to have the creative agency and visual culture production.
- Brian Batugo
Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGjxI_5MPUY
power of images, rethinking museums as think tanks, spaces that allow artists to change communities.
- batugo
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