Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture Anish Kapoor

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012

Week 6- Anish Kapoor Sculpture

Anish Kapoor

Cloud Gate (2004), Millennium Park, Chicago

Celebrated for his gigantic, stainless steel Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, Anish Kapoor is changing the cultural environment with his public works.

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss whether it is conceptual art or not. Explain your answer, using a definition of conceptual art.

conceptual art

n.

Art that is intended to convey an idea or concept to the perceiver and need not involve the creation or appreciation of a traditional art object such as a painting or sculpture.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

When asked in an interview with CNN what his work meant, and who it was meant for; Anish Kapoor replied by saying: "It's useless, it's for no one!". Kapoor's work has been described as "sterile" by art critic Jonathan Jones saying that "it leaves nothing for the imagination.... It's this absence of effort from the viewer, of doing any work, that makes looking at Kapoor so sterile."

In my opinion Kapoor's work is conceptual because it is what it is. Its mechanical with no evidence of process to show the making of the work. As viewers we don't have to 'think' and build up our own ideas as to what it means. 

2. Research 3 quite different works by Kapoor from countries outside New Zealand to discuss the ideas behind the work. Include images of each work on your blog.

Leviathan' by anish kapoor grand palais, paris

A video of an interview with Kapoor about the Leviathan:

The 'Leviathan' is found in Paris in a grand cathedral it is this great red balloon like structure in which viewers enter into. Kapoor wanted to created the feeling of being swallowed by this large sea monster. On the outside viewer get to walk underneath the "labyrinth" to experience the space between the sculpture and the ground. He also deals with the idea of this monster that is massive and cannot control itself. Kapoors 'Leviathan' also touches on the state of mind that all humans have, the fragility and vulnerability of or thoughts.  

Anish Kapoor- Sky Mirror

A video of the Sky Mirror in Rockefeller Center

2. Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror was exhibited in New York's Rockefeller center. Kapoor's sculptures are left to run wild in the viewer imagination, his sky mirror is large scale and makes the viewer feel as though they are in another realm, it makes you forget that you are in this big busy city. It engulfs you draws you in. It reminds me of the story of Snow White and her evil stepmother who like into the mirror and talked to it. Once again Kapoor plays with our psychological state.

Anish Kapoor's Recycled Steel Arcelor Mittal Orbit Tower Provides Views of London's Olympic Park

This tower was built as a observatory for the London Olympics stadium the magnificent structure is taller than the Eiffel tower.

Discuss the large scale 'site specific' work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

This particular work by Kapoor is called 'Dismemberment' and it can be found on the Gibbs Farm in Kaipara Bay. The Farm is owned by a wealthy entrepreneur he bought the farm, having in mind the potential of making a place for a sculpture collection. "The Farm" feature works by many famous sculpture artists.

4. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

Kapoor's work can be found in Kaipara Bay, north of Auckland, New Zealand. It is made from fabric and steel, Kapoor has used PVC coated polyester fabric manufactured by Ferarri. Both openings are made up of ellipses when horizontal and the other vertical. The vertical ellipse shows the view of the beautiful Kaipara Habour on the other side the horizontal ellipse feature the rolling hills. 

This piece was inspired by the Greek myth about Marsyas who played the flute better than Apollo, this made Apollo very angry he flayed Marsyas. The red fabric used in Kapoor's "Disememberment" is like skin and symbolises Marsyas' skin. 

5. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favourite, and explain why. Are you personally attracted more by the ideas or the aesthetics of the work?

Personally I was intrigued by the Leviathan the most. I'm just amazed by the whole structure and the experience that it gives you on the outside as well as on the inside. It would just be breathtaking to be there and actually being able to stand  underneath the giant 'beast'. It also taps into the psychological aspect of the human mind, which I find fascinating.  

http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0110_sk_sculpture.html

http://www.criticalmob.com/culture/more/anish_kapoor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Ni0c4D27Y

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-reviews/8506594/Anish-Kapoor-Leviathan-Monumenta-2011-Grand-PalaisParis-review.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/sep/14/anish-kapoor-art

Posted by

Jonathan Jones

Monday 14 September 2009 12.25 BSTguardian.co.uk

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-05-17/world/anish.kapoor.interview_1_cnn-sculpture-and-architecture-anish-kapoor?_s=PM:WORLD

www.royalacademy.org.uk › 

http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/thefarm.htm

http://www.billslater.com/cloudgate/ 

Dismemberment of Jeanne d’Arc- 

Old Municipal Market Building Brighton

Week 5 - Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012

Week 5 - Pluralism and the Treat of Waitangi

Pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi

In teaching week 5 you will discuss pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi in your tutorials.
Use this discussion, the notes in your ALVC book and the internet to respond to the following
questions;

1. Define the term 'pluralism' using APA referencing.

pluralism - The doctrine that numerous distinct ethnic, religious, and cultural groups should and do coexist, and that no single group is superior to others. This is very similar to multiculturalism. The opposite is particularism.
>>> http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/Pin.html

"Pluralism in art refers to the nature of artforms and artists as diverse. The cultural context of art is all encompassing in its respect for the art of the world's cultures. Inclusion of individuals of differing ethnicities, genders, ideologies, abilities, ages, religions, econimic status and educational levels in valued. Pluralism honours differences within and between equitable groups while seeing their commonalities." (Caldwell 1999)

2. How would you describe New Zealand's current dominant culture?
New Zealand is a multicultural society,  there is a mix of many different cultures. We have all intergrated very well generally people are very excepting of individual cultures. To me there is no clear dominant culture in New Zealand, however I think the Kiwi culture is still slightly dominant. Many immigrants have come here and settled and their children adopt the New Zealand culture and therefore become a kiwi. From perosnal experience; my family is from Singapore and we moved to New Zealand when I was nine years old. I feel like I'm a kiwi.

3. Before 1840, what was New Zealand's dominant culture?

Before the 1840's New Zealand's dominant culture was the Maori culture. Before the 1840s to 1970s the main source of immigrants were the British. 


4. How does the Treaty of Waitangi relate to us all as artists and designers working
in New Zealand?

Many young artists and designers have taken the abstraction from European art and mix it with Maori art which is geometric and symbolic. The techniques used by young designers often derive from European art, however the themes and motif reflect the Maori belief system. The result of this is hybridity in their art. 

I think the Treaty of Waitangi has influenced us as designers and our art in a good way, beacuse we see the mix of two very different styles of art come together and create exciting and modern art. European art is more abstract and 'secular' on the other hand Maori art has quite a lot of symbolism with the use of patterns and geometric shapes. As artist we use these different elements in our work which helps to build a diversity n our art.

5. How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on 'regional diversity' that leads to a 'homogenized world culture' in New Zealand in particular? (ALVC2 handbook page 52, http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/globalization)

In my opinion globalization might be viewed as having a negative effect because various culture a no longer clearly defined. Strong cultural roots are watered down, and all cultures begin to merge into one; which therefore leads to homogenized world culture. 

In New Zealand we experienced world culture because of all the different races that we have in our society there is no clear line between cultures. This is a shame because people loose their "roots".

6. Shane Cotton's paintings are said to examine the cultural landscape. Research Cotton's work 'Welcome'(2004) and 'Three quarter view ' (2005) to analyze what he is saying about colonialization and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Shane Cottons painting examines New Zealand bi-cultural landscape. Cotton focuses on the Maori moko face tattoo in his paintings. In the 'Three quarter view' the man depicted in the painting is off European descent his name is Bernett Burns, he had spent a lot of time with the Maori people in fact he lived among them in the 1830's; which led him to get the traditional Maori moko. There are also targets, a sparrow and a goldfinch in the painting, the goldfinch symbolises Christianity. 

In 'Welcome' Cotton deals with a similar idea where he has faces of Maori men and juxtaposes it with the symbol of an goldfinch and sparrow. Again he shows the bi-cultural New Zealand landscape with his subject matters.

Both of his paintings show the complexity between Christianity, colonialism and contemporary culture. His painting analyses the idea of the Western and Maori culture integrating together.

Here is a informative video about Cotton's 'Three quarter view':

 

'Welcome' (2004) Shane Cotton 

http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/catalogues/work/52293/shane-cotton-welcome.aspx

  

'Three Quarter view'(2005) Shane Cotton

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=149998 

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-cotton-paintings-examine-cultural-landscape-126412

7. Tony Albert's installation 'Sorry' (2008) reflect the effects of colonization on the aboriginal people of Australia. Research the work and comment on what Albert is communicating through his work, and what he is referring to. Describe the materials that Albert uses on this installation and say what he hopes his work can achieve.

Albert is trying to communicate through his work the history behind the relationship between the Aboriginal people and Australian's. He uses faces of Aboriginal people on plaques and attaches these within the word 'Sorry'. I see this piece as sort of a commemoration of the Aboriginal people who had injustices done to them in the past. However now the issues have been resolved and an apology has been issued as illustrated in big letters SORRY. To me this pieces has a piece and calm to it, it draws a conclusion the things that have happened in the past; it marks a new beginning.

 A short video featuring Tony Albert:

8. Define the term 'kitsch'.

kitsch [kɪtʃ]

n

a.  tawdry, vulgarized, or pretentious art, literature, etc., usually with popular or sentimental appeal

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kitsch

9. Explain how the work of both artists relates to pluralism.

Both Cotton and Albert's work relates to pluralism because they deal with the  mixing of cultures, and the complexity of our society today. They show the unity between different ethnicities and cultures and how in our day they are able to co exist. Their work shows the progress that has been made between the relationship between native people and western people.

                                       Tony Albert | Australia b.1981 | Girramay people | Sorry 2008 |

                                               Found kitsch objects applied  to vinyl letters | 99 objects :    

                                               200 x 510 x 10cm (installed) | The James C Sourris Collection.

                                               Purchased 2008 with funds from James C Sourris through the 

                                               Queensland Art Gallery Foundation | Collection: Queensland Art Gallery

                             

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6afMy0rlqq8

http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/indigenous_australian_art/tony_albert
http://www.realartroadshow.co.nz/essays/Cotton%20Shane_Kenesis-Kotahi%20Ki%20Kotahi.pdf
http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php&aid=24&type=video&video_id=118

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012