Week 9 Art Making

The hand sketching project turned out not to be as intimidating as I thought it was going to be!  In fact, I almost found it easier to sketch with my non-dominant hand.  I started sketching with my dominant hand first and then moved onto my non-dominant hand.  At first, it was weird to hold the pencil in the other hand and I wasn't even sure where to start.  However, I actually think my drawing with my non-dominant hand came out better - possibly because I had to focus more.  It was pretty amazing!  Both were successful studies.

I chose to use pencil because if I used charcoal it would be too tempting to blend it and it would not be as defined.  It was interesting to use my hand as the subject of the drawing - I have never paid that much attention to the detail of my hand before!

Week 9 Video Review

I chose to watch Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance because I am very interested in Da Vinci’s work ever since reading about the supposed symbolism involved in The Da Vinci Code.  The video reviewed his entire life, including his exceptional intelligence since infancy and how he embodied The Renaissance in his quest to understand humans.  However, the most important part for me was learning about Da Vinci as an urban planner, since that is the field I am going into.  This part was especially interesting to me as I have spent a few days in Milan.  Also, I had no idea that Da Vinci was one of the first to secretly perform dissections.  I thought this film was very comprehensive, although the continuous music almost took away from that.  The film definitely related to everything we have discussed about the Renaissance and Renaissance from the text.

I watched The Night Watch because I was interested in the title although I had no idea what it would be about.  I have to admit I never heard of Rembrandt before this class, but after watching the film I can’t believe I have never heard of The Night Watch before since it is so important to the Dutch people; the sheer size of this painting is amazing.  It seems like this painting was very controversial because it has been stabbed and attacked with acid.  I learned that one of the achievements of Rembrandt in The Night Watch was the allusion of movement throughout the painting, unlike paintings before his time.  I most enjoyed learning about the small details of the history of the painting, such as how it had to be trimmed to fit in the door (“the greatest act of official vandalism in Dutch history”) and what the x-rays reveal.  His use of light and perspective reinforced the concept of chiaroscuro in that his use of light was very important to the overall mood of the piece.

I was attracted to La Primavera for no other reason besides that shrimp primavera is my favorite dish at Olive Garden.  It ended up being very interesting as I learned about how controversial and mysterious this work is.  I learned that there are many different interpretations for what the painting represents, including sex or humanism and neo-Platonism.  However, the nine figures in the painting represent mythological characters, including Venus.  This painting also has a lot of associations with marriage, as the themes of rape and violence are common in paintings for newlyweds since they show that adversity ends with a happy marriage.  Also, many of the flowers depicted are associated with marriage.  After watching the film, I still do not have a clear idea of what the painting is about, but maybe that is what draws people to it.  Also, this film went over some elements of the Renaissance discussed in the text, such as humanism and neo-Platonism.

I chose Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master after reading the description because I was interested in learning about the printmaking aspect of the artist’s work.  Durer is credited with bringing Renaissance art to Italy during the time of gothic art in Germany and is known for his skill in portraiture.  He is also considered the first landscape artist.  I was most interested in the fact that Durer’s woodcuts portraying angry images played a role in supporting Martin Luther because I remember learning about that in traditional history classes.  I found this video to be interesting and helpful as it tied in some of the discussions about religion that the text includes.

Week 8: Video Reviews

The first video was More Human than Human and focused on artists’ obsession with human form.
I liked the video because of the angle it took on works of art about the human body – I agree that the world’s most popular images of the human body are popular because they are unrealistic.  As an anthropologist, I loved that the video involved archaeology!  The most interesting part for me was learning about different version of Venus figures – I had formerly only learned about one version of them in my anthropology classes and was fascinated by the fact that they were found in numerous cultures.   This video related to much of the content in Chapter 14, such as the section on the Venus of Willendorf figures.

I chose to watch The Illuminated Manuscript because I was very interested in learning about it when it was presented in Chapter 15.  I very much enjoyed the Irish accents, especially since it is St. Patrick’s Day!  I learned about the life of people during the Middle Ages (especially illuminators), a period I am very interested in.  It was interesting that few people knew how to read and write besides scribes, monks, etc.  I can’t imagine what life would be like if I were illiterate!

I chose to watch Cairo Museum because I once had an exchange student from Egypt and with everything that is going on in Egypt right now, I thought it would be a good one to watch.  And of course, I have always been interested in ancient Egyptian culture!  I liked this video, especially because it was directly related to anthropology.  I love learning about how anthropology, especially archaeology and museum studies, are connected to art and art history.  I think this video made a good point that the mystery of ancient Egypt is what draws many people to it.  The video definitely added to what we learned about Egypt in Chapter 14.

The last video I watched was Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany.  My sister is studying abroad in Rome right now and she just went on a weekend trip to Tuscany.  The pictures I have seen of Tuscany from her intrigued me because of the small towns Tuscany seems to be made up of, so I wanted to learn more about it.  Although the video was a little depressing, it helped me to understand more about the art of the Renaissance that we learned about in Chapter 15.  It was interesting to see more examples of how artists were less interested in the natural world and more focused on the divine world, such as the Christian mosaics depicting the motif of the second coming of Christ.

Architecture Video Review

This week I got to learn more about architecture, which I have been fascinated with for the past couple of years.


I was very excited to watch the Prairie Style video about Frank Lloyd Wright, my favorite architect.  This video explained how this architect changed American architecture in his attempts to reconnect us with nature.  His prairie style is recognizable in the layering of horizontals which give the impression of "growing out of the land."  The video essentially discussed Wright's influence by examining his prairie house designs and the experiences of two of the architects he has inspired through the idea of organic architecture.  The video built upon the idea of organic architecture introduced in the text and the section on Frank Lloyd Wright found on pg. 309.  One fact that surprised me from the text, especially while I was watching the video, is that Frank Lloyd Wright was not very educated and did not even finish high school.  Overall, I enjoyed this video, especially because it mainly consisted of tours of the houses discussed.  It was also interesting to see how other architects have been inspired and interpreted Wright's designs into their own work.  It makes me wish that one of our field trips had been a trip to the Darwin Martin House!


In Architecture: The Science of Design, I learned about how technology is applied to the design of archiecture.  For example, wind tunnel research can help sciencists and archiects plan skyscrapers.  The video built upon the ideas that were introduced in the book, such as how architects choose different materials and structures based on the location and environment.  Furthermore, this video also focused on the application of concrete to architecture, which the book explained was one of the primary materials used in Greek and Roman architecture.  This video was interesting to me because I like to know the science behind things and what leads people to make the decisions they make.  I find it fascinating how science and technology helps us to continually improve and innovate architecture.


Classical Architecture discussed how some of the features of what is thought of as classical architecture is still applied today, such as Renaissance architecture in England.  Moreover, I learned that the idea of solar panels is not at all a new idea, which related to the idea of "green architecture" that was discussed in the text.  This video also reinforced what the text introduced about the infleunce of Greek and Roman architecture.  I liked this video because I have always wanted to travel to Greece and see the architecture that orginally inspired much of the modern classical architecture.


I chose to watch Last Call for Planet Earth because sustainable development and architecture will be my main focus in my studies next year when I go for my Master of Urban Planning at UB. 

One of the most important facts I learned from this video were that it would be easy to build buildings that use 20-30% less energy.  Sadly, it was also mentioned that greenness is less hopeful in capitalist countries because of the challenge of coordinating private companies.  I learned many techniques that can be used in green architecture, such as windows, solar energy, and underfloor heating or cooling.  I was surprised to find out that high ceilings are actually more sustainable because they allow more light and warmth, while I formerly thought that it would make it harder to heat a room if it had high ceilings.  I think the section in which the French woman architect discussed sustainable practices for water, air, and energy really encompassed the possibilities of green architecture.  This video obviously went into further detail on the green architecture section in the book.  This video was really great for me to watch, and I enjoyed it as well, especially hearing all of the different languages of the architects; it showed how environmental issues are a global problem and emphasized that we all need to work together.  In the words of one of the architects, “Today architecture is global.”

Art Installation Project

This week I finally figured out what installation art is; a work of art that has been arranged in a place by the artist or as specified by the artist.  The work may be site-specific or not, and can be indoors or outdoors.  Installations may be temporary or permanent.  Most installation pieces are 3D, therefore, many of the materials used are 3D as well.  Ultimately, any material can be used for art installation.  Artists make installation art in order to convey a message or create a feeling in the viewer.  I was very interested in Untitled (Paperbacks) by Rachel Whiteread, which I found on the ArtLex site.  The work gave an impression of a negative cast of the interior of a library.  I related this work to the fact that libraries may be dying out because of the internet.

After reflecting on all we have learned about installation art, I began planning for my own piece.  I remember feeling a connection with Matthew Ritchie’s work at the Albright-Knox, which involved an art installation in conjunction with a wall painting.  The artist had ideas about the complexity of the universe.  So I also wanted my work to connect with a larger idea.  From there, I decided on a theme to explore in my installation.  I chose consumerism and its relation to environmental degradation.  I wanted to install my piece outdoors to emphasize the connection with the environment.  I finally decided to create a “snowman” out of waste and recyclable products that would convey the message of how the American lifestyle is essentially trading in snowmen for landfills via climate change.  The materials I used were a garbage can full of garbage, many plastic bags, duct tape, marker, and aluminum cans.  See the final product below:

I am entitling my work Garbageman.

You could describe my installation as an artwork made from what others might see as garbage.  Speficially, it is household waste and recyclables in the shape of a snowman with dollar-signs for eyes. 


The primary principles in this piece are variety and unity; various related materials were used to ultimately become a unified piece with a distinct message.  This work also involved the elements of form, space, and space. 


Overall, I thought creating an art installation was fun!  I had many ideas, so it was hard to pick just one.  I thought I chose a pretty decent day to do it, but it turned out to be more difficult than I thought due to the wind - the plastic bags were flying everywhere.  After this project, I definitely give a lot of credit to artists who do large-scale works such as art installations.

Video Reviews

This week we watched three videos focusing on sculpture, craft, and installation.

Through the Eyes of a Sculptor discussed becoming a sculptor, from apprentice to master, as well as the steps of “immortalizing a work in marble.”  I also learned about the different types of work that sculptors do, such as helping with restoration of monuments, buildings, bridges, etc.  The video outlined the entire process of developing a sculpture, including from sketches, models, molds, casts, and selecting the limestone.   One of the most interesting facts I learned was that limestone must be stored at 12 degrees Celsius to have a consistent climate. 

Through the Eyes of Sculptor went deeper into the techniques and everything that is involved in sculpting, which was a nice addition to what we learned about sculpture from the book. 
I really liked that the video focused on the day to day life of a sculptor, how he got started, and the various projects sculptors work on, such as restoration.  It was very cool to see famous landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral through the eyes of someone who worked to restore them

Glass and Ceramics discusses the many applications of glass and ceramics and their role in art.  For example, the video went through the process of glassblowing and stained glass, as well as the use of glass in architecture.  It was interesting to learn that glass is a viscous liquid that stiffens when cooled, and is thus not truly a solid - I had no idea!  The video also overviewed the steps that go into creating a piece of ceramics, as well as the various uses of ceramics.  I learned that cars may be made more efficient by using ceramic engines.

Once again, this video expanded on what was introduced in the text.  I appreciate that the videos go more in -depth about many of the techniques the book touches on.  Glass and Ceramics was a bit cheesy, but I found it interesting.  I enjoyed the scientific approach of the video.

The Installation Art video emphasized the variation of installation art, as well as talking about some specific pieces and the possible processes involved in installation art.  The video talks about how installation art combines elements of architecture, sculpture, painting, video, music, and performance.  My favorite definition of installation art from this video is "Installation art defines the space."

Installation Art definitely related to the readings from the text because it specifically talked about environmental and site-specific art.  Despite the low audio quality of this video, I definitely learned a lot about installation art and got some ideas for my project!  I also of course enjoyed the narrator's accent.

Reflecting on Peer Responses

The assignment this week encouraged me to take a look at the work my peers have been doing.  The blogs I reviewed for Project #1 were: http://shivencm01.blogspot.com/ and http://kellmr35.blogspot.com/.  The blogs I reviewed for Project #2 were: http://jbkelsch.blogspot.com/ and http://shivencm01.blogspot.com/. 

For the elements and principles project, I agreed with all of Christina’s images.  I also thought that her image for “variety” could also fall under the “texture” category, and I noticed that shape and form underlie many of the pictures.

For Melissa’s pictures, I agreed with some of the elements and principles they were supposed to be demonstrating; I thought the dart board was a great idea to show rhythm and the Coca-Cola bottles were an example of proportion.  Her “texture” and “color” pictures were also very straightforward.  However, some of the pictures had a lot of other objects in them so the entire picture did not seem to symbolize these ideas.  For instance, the “balance” picture was not very effective because of the background.  Of course, many of the pictures overlapped in the elements/principles they were representing – I think this was partially the point of this project, to show that a work of art combines many elements and principles.  I definitely think the colored flowers for “unity” also represent balance, color, texture, shape, and form.

It was interesting to see what works of art other people chose from the Albright-Knox.  I noticed that the works of art Christina focused on were not the same as my own.  However, she included an extra section at the end of three works that were her favorites, one of which was “Morning War” by Matthew Ritchie, which I had focused on as a work I would I like to know more about.  So in that way, we had both selected that work as one of our favorites, but I was interested in learning more about Ritchie’s ideas behind the work, while Christina mainly was attracted to the aesthetic elements of the work.

As for Jim’s blog, we both talked about Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawing #1268.  I would not be surprised if this was one of the most memorable works of art at the gallery for all of us, since we had learned about it beforehand.  However, I chose it because I felt a connection to it because of the anticipation of getting to see it in person, while Jim chose it as one of the works he was most interested in.

After reflecting on others’ blogs, there are some artworks that have piqued my attention although they did not necessarily upon my first encounter with them.  In Christina’s blog, she talked about “Untitled” by Fernand Leger as a work she would like to know more about.  I actually do not remember seeing this work in the gallery, but as she pointed out, the piece looks 3D so I would like to know more about the technique used for this effect and also what exactly the artwork represents, because I see many things in it, from the devil to a cartoon character.
I am interested in Urban Landscape Buffalo by Zhan Wang after reading about it in Jim’s blog.  When I saw it at the museum, I was just overwhelmed by it and did not even notice the title.  Now after knowing the title, I am more interested in the concept behind it and what the artist was trying to say about our society.  I also would be interested in finding out if any of the elements used were from Buffalo, since it is part of the name.

I really enjoyed reading others’ blogs and seeing their pictures.  It was especially helpful to see their slideshows of the elements and principles of art because it was like a refresher to me.  I liked hearing other peoples’ opinions of the gallery and the artwork there.  It is nice to get some feedback from my peers!  It was also good to know that we are all in the same boat; Lindsey commented that she did not know where to start with the elements and principles project, until things started popping out at her.  Overall, reading and interacting with each other’s blogs made these assignments more meaningful and memborable.