DOGA COBANOGLU
DOGA COBANOGLU
VISUAL ART
VISUAL ART
E-PORTFOLIO TRIAL
Statement of inquiry: Art distorts, abstracts and blends space and time
PRESENTATION
Mind Map of thoughts:
Questions regarding abstraction:
How do artists convey a sense of space and time?
In what ways can art distort space and time?
What role have the arts played in turning points in history?
How do artists create alternative perspectives?
How do the arts transcend actual or perceived boundaries?
To what extent do the arts blend the past, present or future?
Examples for each question:
note: at times more than 1 question was conveyed but the dominant question was displayed in description
Artist: Cornelia Parker
Title: Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View
Date: 1991
Medium: Garden shed contents
Regarding abstraction:
"How do artists create alternative perspectives?" distortion of how we see matter, matter in an explosion. Parker was able to explode her garden shed contents through the aid of the British Army. She used the remains to create a light filled three dimensional split second recreation of an explosion. The outcome creates an alternative perspective as we no longer look at the explosion itself as one, but a scene of the process.
Sources: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/cornelia-parker-2358
Artist: David Hockney
Title: May Blossom on the Roman Road
Date: 2009
Medium: unstated (chalk or acrylic)
Regarding abstraction:
"In what ways can art distort space and time?" distortion of how we see a space, in terms making it "perfect" too good to be true; too green, too colourful, a sense of deception. Hockney deceives us of the reality - what is 'meant' to be seen, you see deception of perfection.
Source: http://www.davidhockney.co/
Artist: Tate
Title: The David King Collection
Date: original: 1926 - edited: 1949
Medium: original: photograph - edited: drawing
Regarding abstraction:
"To what extent do the arts blend the past, present or future?" To be able to blend not only the past, present and future can be done to blend the perception of a person among all three stages. Stalin, a historically dominant person was perceived in the time as an average component of the government vs how the society wanted him to be perceived now; to be more "powerful" and an individual rather than the socialist he was. A rather change of political perspective as how they want him to be seen implicated into one photograph.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20171110-the-early-soviet-images-that-foreshadowed-fake-news
Artist: Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum
Title: Panthea 01 and 02
Date: 2016
Medium: unstated (marker?)
Regarding abstraction:
"How do the arts transcend actual or perceived boundaries?" the boundaries of movement are surpassed, the artist states they (subjects which is actually herself) are questioning who they are, what the boundaries of themselves are and further the combination of geometrically shapes with an ungeometrical body enables a transcend or transition between he set figures, specifically in movement.
Artist: United Visual Artists (UVA)
Title: Momentum
Date: 2016
Medium: space and light
Regarding abstraction:
"In what ways can art distort space and time?" I believe this project or further exhibition puts you in a state where you are no longer unsure of the time or space you are set in. The feeling of unknown. To be "unset".
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPNbH4gRqFM
note: no image as it is in a video format
No specific artist - just a thought upon reading texts regarding topic
Regarding abstraction:
"What role have the arts played in turning points in history?"
A large role. Art depicts not only the situation but the components of that event in history through the peephole of the artist themselves. This depiction could be a bias upon the political and economical view of the artist in terms of the outcome of the event.
INVESTIGATION
First Piece: 'Untitled' in 2005 by Yue Minjun
questions; in what ways can art distort space and time? & how do the arts transcend actual or perceived boundaries?
Part 1: Initial response
Introduction: The relevance of Minjun to the topic of abstraction is that he has abstracted (distorted) what we see of a face; exaggerated the emotional structure of the face and created doppelgängers or clones of the same emotion. He has transcended the boundaries of the face through exaggerating what we perceive to be the "set" face e.g. 26 teeth in total, we see here more than 30 teeth on the top jaw. Personally, I chose this piece as I would like to know about the actual meaning behind the piece, why his skin is pink, why has he placed himself as a state of happiness, why are there swans and so on. I am curiosity driven.
Visual: My first reaction included as stated above; curiosity, the piece made me laugh yet I considered the psychological thoughts or process gone through to create a piece so unique to what is interpreted of a face or further the emotion. The first word that came to my head was not a word but pure laughter, a general happiness, the piece is a hyperbole of what we perceive of human happiness. I noticed the pink skin before anything else even the facial emotion came last. As I looked more clearly, the faces drew my attention to the outmost as they are firstly all identical in the same state of emotion and further repeated. I noticed the hands and the background with swans last.
Emotional: The piece evokes a feeling of happiness as I am seeing a constant feeling of happiness within the piece through the faces of the clone like men, very repetitive throughout. The more dominant emotion is curiosity, I am curious about why it is untitled and why are all the components are set to be in that form. Is it a self portrait? My main question and if so, why has he depicted himself in this state of constant emotion and constant figure.
Memory/Experience: The peice reminds me of the late 1950's pop art, due to the use of bright colours and the minimal objects, as pop art is not overcrowded, like the Marlin Monroe famous pop art piece. In terms of the emotion of happiness I have never experienced at such a high frequency.
Part 2: Contextual Understanding
The artist: The Chinese artists Yue Minjun is labeled to be a "cynical realist"(implicating personal perspective of artist of the 1989s (he himself rejected the title), born in 1962, Minjun is a contemporary artist based in Beijing. Minjun grew up in Heilongjiang, China and graduated high school in 1980. His family at the time was in the oil business hence his childhood including various types of oil painting. Further after high school he worked in the Tian Jing National Company. In 1983 he moved to He Pei and worked as an electrician while painting as a side hobby, painting subjects such as the people around him, including co-workers. Throughout the decade he was constantly painting and further while he was working at an oil drill, many of his paintings were inspired by the sea around him. Further, Minjun moved to Hongmiao in 1990, Hongmiao is known to be the 'art district'. Once he moved his style developed as he was surrounded by inspiring artist of his time, he became part of the Chinese art revolution in which artists moved from old art to contemporary ideas. This was the pinnacle of Minjun's art perspective as he broke out of his protected shell. At this point, Minjun lives in Songzhuang Village in China where it is a home to many chinese artists. His work is exhibited and sold worldwide, for example his piece 'Execution' in 2009 sold for 2.9 million pounds.
Background: The personal context of Minjuns life in terms of the work he created displays that his contemporary influence is due to his move to the 'art district' in which he developed his artistic perspective from a more "safe zone" to a growth and further new openings. Further, his fathers influence in the oil department may have grew his interest towards his majority only oil paintings, I myself can say due to my fathers petrol job (oil) I enjoy the smell of petrol! In terms of personal relationships, within the art district, Minjun may have developed personal relationships with dominantly artist living population in Hongmiao which may have influenced his outlook upon displaying cynical realism in his art but additionally I believe the fact that he went from an average part of society to a billionaire implicates upon why he is able to see that side of society and the political situation as at times politics can be impacted by class. - In a wider context, Yue Minjun is known to be and further has explained he has been impacted by the Chinese movement that he himself took place in with a large role; "cynical realist". The movement took place within the 1990's in China and consisted of a artist revolution after in the 1985-1989's many contemporary art exhibitions were shut down! The "norms" of Chinese art changed from the centuries of typical cultural boundaries hence led to a new socio-political art due to the neglect ion and ignorance of it before hand. Cynical realism is an emptiness or void that discusses in a "cynical" hence sneering method the politics and "real" components of the set structure of society, specifically the events in china post 1949 republics to a communist world influenced by the western society - the cultural - societal and political rules are mocked. Yue Minjun was the first of a handful of artists to take place in this movement and his art reflects this through the display of humour towards what they see of the society and its philosophy, distorting the political ideology.
Associations & Influences: Minjun is related to the artistic revolution in Beijing at his time as stated in detail above to be a time of cynical realism, he is associated with it as he was the first to depict this ideology in his art at the time. Although he rejects the label, many state he is a cynical realist under the genre of socio-political art. He uses oil as type for the majority of his pieces. He is influenced by the various contemporary artists around where he lived in the art district of Hongmiao in 1990's, the artists displayed cynical realism, for example "the god father" of cynical realism Li Xianting at the time. His art can be regarded towards the disciplines of politics, culture and influential development of his home country China, as his work mocks the structural components that at times set the country as side from what the people want. Specifically, in 1989, he was inspired by a painting by Geng Jianyi[2] at an art show in Beijing, which depicted Geng's own laughing face.
Ideas & Intentions: I believe with the brief research above, Yue Minjun is attempting to communicate his view and the overall cynical realist view of the Chinese communist ideology and western influence post 1949 war through a humorous oil painted outlook. He is trying to say that his own view in terms of the destruction of a communist world specifically the political restrictions. The moral could be to bring socio-political change and bring up the topic and overall the cynical realist movement. I believe Minjun has been extensively successful at doing this! He has become part of the top 3 artists in the movement and further earns million for each exhibition and piece hence he is recognised for what he does -> the morals are given attention = further implications can be higher of the movement hence a success of bringing attention.
Part 3: Formal Elements
- Name of artist: Yue Minjun
- Name of piece: 'Untitled'
- Date: 2005
- Place: Hongmiao
- Materials: Oil + canvas
- Size: 220.3 x 200 cm
Subject matter: Five pink smiling men who seem to be clones or doppelgängers in blue white embroidered party hats on the right side, 6 visible swans while some have body parts in the background with a blue & green background. The focal point of the piece is the bright eye catching men. He has depicted I believe the "fake" happiness as it is too much to be true, the exaggerated teeth and the doppelgängers.
Composition: Nothing is symmetrical but not asymmetrical as components correspond to each other. To explain the piece; the whole piece is majorly of a background green with blue seeping through at the top and bottom left corners, on the right hand towards a bit of the left are the 5 identical men, their gestures seep around the piece and are the dominant composition. Intertwined between the people and directed into the left hand of the piece are the birds, directioned left. Composition: big background, people on right and birds in between.
Materials/Techniques/Processes: Use of oil upon canvas, less emphasis on brushstrokes but blocks of colour with shading.
Colour: The colours used are blue, green, pink, white, red and black. The background is a mix of blocks of less dominant green and blue both calming soothing colours that contrast with the bright pink men wearing blue and white hats. Additionally, with white, red and black swans intertwined between the 2 areas. I believe through placing an eye catching colour upon the doppelgängers he places attention to them and the colour enables them to be the focal point. The contrast with the calm mellow background gives emphasis to the men. Very carefully designed, much like pop art, the subjects are popping. + Minjun states and relates that he depicted himself hence the pink is more like red rawness from "working" that he has reached this position due to his work.
Mood/Atmosphere/Environment: The mood creates happiness, joy, laughter, funny vibe and overall generalised happiness through the emphasis on smiling and repetition of it, along with an oddness, why are they all smiling? why are they identical? why are there so many teeth? I believe this creates a fake or confused atmosphere.
Space + Shape/Form: Two dimensional, the illusion of space is given by the use of shading and tone to give dimension to the subjects hence can be differentiated by the blank space around them blocked with colour. While the birds have very minimal use of this through their feathers and skin, it enables them to be much more "flat", the people have extensively applied the shading and toning in terms of the "oil" and skin change to further themselves be seen vividly. There is a large amount of empty space filled with green and blue, both calming colours, hence veiling what is there. The positive space is filled with the 2 types of subjects which make up 3/4 while the remaining 1/4 is filled with negative space of the background.
Size/Shape: Around 2 by 2 meters hence around a human size considering the average 1.5 meter to the tallest 2.5. The size could play a role in the person seeing it as them or further not being intimated or underestimating the piece. It is a "human" size maybe related to displaying the human related propaganda.
Pattern: The background has an irregular pattern while all the birds are identical to the movement, colour, brushstroke everything. While although all properties in terms of emotion, shape, colour, size are the same for the doppelgängers, their hand movements are different. One makes the rocker symbol while the points to our right - his left and so on there are various hand movements. Pattern can be seen in their composition as as subtext in both the humans and birds.
Surface & Texture: The background itself seems smooth while contrasting against the birds seem unnatural or further odd, the doppelgängers have an oil plastic like texture. Brushstrokes have not been used to implicate texture, most areas are blocks of colour while some are shaded. The bird vs. background contrast along with the oily addition to the people adds to the overall mocking or "unreal" outlook as the dimensions of norm in terms of the environment and how the people look are distorted - distortion of space.
note1 why is it labeled 'untitled': theory; does not want to relate to the real topic as his work is famous and further the Chinese government might legally patronise and state it as offensive, better no name than fake to protect?
note2 why are there many hims: theory; to represent society or communism
note3 why is the skin pink: in relation to red; hard working raw, redness represents a hard working flesh
Part 4: Concluding Response
Value: I believe the primary value of the artist himself and his choice of expression in the piece for me was previously due to the unfamiliar perspective but now it is the distortion of a political situation of country without directly regarding it. The most important component I have learnt through this analysis is the Chinese history, without a doubt it was necessary for me to have read somewhat upon it to understand the context of this piece but now it has led to be large component of my understanding; the communist views and further unlasting republic after 1949. Personally, I really like this piece as it is a great example of being original terms of how the message is conveyed but further is a secretive piece as the artist does not state anything in relation to it. In most examples, the value of the artist and in specific the piece is the meaning behind it for me, it does not matter what the outcome is as long as something is conveyed. Before hand, I imagined the artist to be a causal pop artist who had created a self portrait of his happiness but now I have found two theories of what he could be conveying as he has not made it clear. The first is a theory many sources state; the meaning of the piece is to question life in terms of the existence of life. The men represent the Buddha we know from the Buddhism culture and apparently the smile represents the famous Alfred E. Newman smile, a mix of eastern philosophy and an American theory. Hence depicting an unrealness to both figures that represent a lifestyle further questioning the realness of existence as the theory is 'faked'. On the contrary, I believe although the first theory is an extensional reason it would be more appropriate for the piece to be related to the movement Minjun took place. Hence my thought about this piece is that it is questioning or further 'cynically' mocking the Chinese communist structure. The use of exaggeratedly happy doppelgängers in both the birds and the men represent the fakes that all are not the same that we cannot all feel the same, be the same or earn the same for doing unequal work (note2). The pink men are a display of the handwork as the society as red represents raw work (note3). Further the ideology of the piece is to question the propaganda implemented into the politics of what is expected or placed to be believed by the society. Additionally I believe that artist would not regard this no matter how much he took part in the cynical realist revolution as he is well known and could be criminally charged in an undemocratic country (freedom of speech - note1). Hence both theories are applicable and none has been stated to be correct by the artist themselves although most sources discuss the the questioning of life with a touch of "chinese folly', politics? thought so.
Applying Knowledge and Understanding: Through the potential political aspect of this piece and the artist's relation to the political: 'cynical realism' movement, I would like to have a political impact in my work and intend to display my OWN political view upon a topic regarding politics I am educated about. Through what I have learnt, I also would like to display this through an indirect manner where nothing regarding the painting is directly related to the actual message or topic but where little components have meanings behind them. The subject matter and everything I use will not be restricted by this choice but further I can make anything but still implicate the message. Yue Minjun has shown be how to respectfully implement a political or on the contrary religious (life existence) views with care and secrecy.
sources:
http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/yue_minjun_untitled.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yue_Minjun
http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/yue_minjun.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynical_realism
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/cynical-realism.htm
http://blog.luofei.org/2012/07/revisiting-political-pop-and-cynical-realism/
https://www.widewalls.ch/cynical-realism/
http://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/cynical-realism-new-chinease-middle-class/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/arts/design/13smil.html
Second Piece (video): 'Jaguar E-Pace Transposition' in 2017 by Chris Labrooy
questions; how do artists create alternative perspectives? & how do the arts transcend actual or perceived boundaries?
Part 1: Initial response
Introduction: The relevance of this series to abstraction is the implementation of distorting the physical laws of an object or objects to surpass perceived boundaries and create a new perspective. A per the name, Labrooy has transposed the gravitational relation of any car but specifically the Jaguar E-pace through the digital display of tricks the car could do without its weight limit or further gravitational position and inertia. Personally, I am a great fan of anything do with physics hence why this series caught my attention.
Visual: My first reaction to this piece made various assumptions, I thought the digital recreations were real and further a monogamous piece and not a series. I found the gravitational distortion to be extremely interesting and original. I thought of the term "explicit" as this perspective was one of a kind, too good to be true. Of course I noticed the car first but more specifically what it was up to, for example in one image as you can see the car is upon a staircase, a very unusual place to be a for 3000 ton weighing object with a large gravitational pull. The use of colour is also very noticeable as there is large contrasts of colours that pop but are not neon.
Emotional: The piece makes me feel a sense of illusion or confusion as what we known is being contradicted further a sense of unease. This can be due to the positions of the car as they are about to fall or about to crash, more dominantly I also feel a sense of power as due to the use of red but further because of the "power" over the car.
Memory/Experience: The series remind me of any action movie with a scene regarding a car flip or further any car action. As in these scenes the cars reach potential points of destruction through surpassing something that should not be done, the outcome of distorting a known physics. The outcome is unseen in these series and more of the pre part of the scene.
Part 2: Contextual Understanding
The artist: Labrooy is a Scottish, Aberdeen born artist whom has rather shared minimal information regarding his life or on there other hand, it has no been covered as much. From what I have in-depth research, Labrooy was born in Aberdeen in October 1985. Growing up he graduated from the university; RCA - Royal Collage of Art in London, specifically with a major in design products. From then on not much has been stated of what he did in-between jump starting his career but at this moment he is a very successful artist known to sell his graphic designs to companies such as jaguar, apple, nike, porsche and so on. The series we are analysing were commissioned for Jaguar under ' Foxtrot Papa London / 3D design and production'.
Background:
Personal context: I believe by Labrooy's education in a respectable college for the major of design products impacted his life to the outmost as it brought him to a position where in many of his works he incorporates architecture, visual art and much more to create a sign of the product. This displays that his education was all round as he can incorporate so much into something that could be taken for a monogamous perspective. No personal relationships or other influences were stated.
Wider context: Labrooy's art is majorly commissioned for large brands for the purpose of digital promotion, I believe this historical context of his surrounding impacted "why" he created his work and for whom. The digital factor of the last 50 years may have led him to go within that direction and further implicate it into the specifics of his work. It is significant that the time he was born (1985's) was a time in which the electron revolution was taking place (1960's-80s) with big influencers such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were revoluting a new perspective. he was born into era that could use technology within art. In all, the historical context largely impacted his work.
Associations & Influences: I believe Laboory is part of the digital movement, the movement of implementing art through technological portals creating a new imagination, a new media. I would associate his work with landscape art as although it is promotional for a subject it largely implements the surroundings and what is going on, as you can see in this series. His work links to the technological and industrial development of his time, as he is creating art towards companies who need well produced compositions for their successful enterprises, where the industry is going, he is creating digital compositions for the industrial direction of the people in terms what is "industrialised" or being sold in other words. He may have been influenced by the previous promotional creators as many of his pieces uses vintage American cars for modern promotions.
Ideas & Intentions: I now know that the artist is trying to communicate the importance and value of a product in his art. This is done for a promotional purpose for companies who commission the artist for selling purposes. He is representing this through a digital platform in forms of photoshop and distorting what we know the object can do in "real life" applications. I believe there is no symbol meaning of his works as at times it is commissioned but it could be seen to represent much more when taken out the component of being "hired" to do it. For example surpassing the physics laws. I believe the work is susccesful as conveying the artists creative outlook upon a product but is not successful at incorporating the artists own opinion or something personal.
Part 3: Formal Elements
- Name of artist: 'Chris Labrooy
- Name of piece: 'Jaguar E-Pace Transposition'
- Date: 2017
- Place: Digital.
- Materials: Digital Video.
- Size: Unstated.
Subject matter: The jaguar E-pace, the focal point of the piece is the car. It is displayed in various colours, positions and actions. Other objects include discos, robots, stairways and landscapes. No specific narrative, "the life" of the car is being displayed; waiting in queue, going downstairs, moving along, seeing bigger cars (family?) and so on. The artist is choosing to depict the cars capabilities and display the product.
Composition: Throughout the video in any scene, the car is the brightest colour or largest object or the only moving, one factor is always present to be the "best" hence drawing the attention. The work is asymmetrical and organic, human like, a natural state of mind, to show it will fit in? The other objects are arranged "around" the cars metaphorically as if they were side piece, for example they are rolling under the car or moving it, the doing is happening always upon the car itself. I believe it is carefully designed a sit is first artificial further "perfect" all transitions, movements run smoothly with no error displaying correction but in an organic state as the surroundings in the video are not abnormal other than the cars ability to pass gravitational force.
Materials/Techniques/Processes: I believe the artist has used artificial videography to photoshop a video through use of architecture of the builingds and other objects, the specific physical proportions and properties of the car and further the topography of the whole video. The techniques must have taken elimination processes, many plans, comparisons to the product and implementation of various aspects considering how it fits in to the surrounding. A key technique highlighted was the use of any factor (colour, size, lighting, position, action etc) to highlight the importance of the car.
Colour: The colour of the cars are dominantly red, white and grey. To contrast, the sky is always a deep blue creating a minimal yet greatly diverting aesthetic. The buildings and less important objects are colours such as brown, white, blackish gray and so on to camouflage and fulfil its purpose as a "background". Additional objects with a purpose such as decibels, robots and son or eye catching colours dependent on the scene such as bright blue or shining white. The last scene makes a great move with a red bold car on a silent background, everything is pointing towards the car. The colours are well defined on objects including very real life shading and toning as if the object was 3D and real.
Mood/Atmosphere/Environment: The atmosphere is modern, clean, dimensional, artistic, new, fresh, artificial, unknown and different. The mood is very minimal and very classy, keeping the video clean. The music enables build up but with class as it is slow yet in the pace of the car. I believe the artist would want you to feel empowered or attracted to the car, to be in like with it, awe. Done through creating an artificial tone through the digital use and bringing attention to the care through the use of colour, size and contrast. I believe everything is so real it is as if you are in it, you can hear the skids of the car and see the clear movements, as if you were in it, a realistic perspective.
Space + Shape/Form: A lot of the buildings and surroundings are a three dimensional geometric, the majority of the video is solidified objects with defined properties done through lighting, tone, and realistic figuration. The fact that it is so similar to the original world and cars around us enables it to be dimensional, to have purpose. Even though actions are unrealistic the way they are done with surpassing what cars can do, the use of space and constant correct proportion enables it to look "smooth" as if it was not abnormal for the car to go down a staircase. The positive space is filled with what he car or cars are doing with additional objects which at times take up 1/2 of the screen or all the way to 1/4. The remaining negative space is filled with the background including buildings, tress, the sky and the ground. Space is constant created remained with as stated; the use of proper proportion that des not constantly change but when does is purposeful such as a change from small car to big car.
Size/Shape: The piece itself is a video and can be video on a digital device. This type of view ability enables the mood to be expressed as the modern theme is ongoing with the digital use and further it does make the view feel powerless as something so great can be created artificially, it is powering.
Pattern: Geometric patterns found in buildings and how they are displayed repetitively along withe the properties of the car, robots and dsicos are found to be a set format in terms of how its three dimensional in which properties of the size may change.
Surface & Texture: None as digital - everything is smooth (to display perfection as it is a product) other than the pavement! Rough outlook through the use of cracks, colour layering and overall threadlike texture, different from the other components = a realistic pavement.
Viewing Environment: Blend around the subject to make the car the focal point. Blending through the colour scheme (neutral tones) vs bright shiny colour, textures such as pavement and overall less lighting or size attention is placed upon the surroundings.
note1: everything is wanted to look "normal" so the abnormal surpass of gravity is seen to "fit" in or blend to be a smoother process through change of a physical outlook on how an object should move.
Part 4: Concluding Response
Value: The value of this artist towards abstraction of time and space is that the artist was able to so smoothly surpass the "norms" of a car through the use of special effects, colour scheme, proportion and much more. Although there is no depth to the piece other than the endorsed product, it is a great example of surpassing a physical norm without bringing attention to it which is the key component of it to me. I believe I like the piece as it is a modern perspective upon a mechanical device and has creatively incorporated various aspects of photoshop! My opinion has greatly changed upon how I see the piece in terms of its purpose, before hand I had not known about the endorsement but now as I do, I still see it as a piece of art as he has created it himself out of creativity.
Apply Knowledge & Understanding: The artists play in the use of how the object is displayed influenced me to implement a change of a physical concept in my piece, to change the norm! To bring a various perspective to the physics we know, either as the major focal point or a sub change. This will change the media I use dependent on which physics law I choose hence the materials will be the outcome of how it is displayed in the composition. None of the subject matter, colour or so on will be impacted as that is subjective to the topic. Looking at this artists work has enabled me to grow upon how objects can be seen in art or displayed in endorsement, still a debate.
http://www.chrislabrooy.com/work-2#/jaguar/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/pills-arent-kicking-distorted-cars-just-art/
http://www.chrislabrooy.com/about-1-1/
Comparison of 'Jaguar E-Pace Transposition' & 'Untitled':
While both artists implemented separate questions of distortion of space and time into their pieces; Minjun's appliance of "in what ways can art distort space and time?" and Labrooy's "how do artists create alternative perspectives?" , both apply 'how do the arts transcend actual or perceived boundaries?" In my opinion to transcend "actual" or "percieved" boundaries in art is to doubt or to act to doubt is placed to be a "norm", this can be placed in many perspectives either politically or physical and so on. From the art below, in comparison
Untitled' in 2005 by Yue Minjun
'Jaguar E-Pace Transposition' in 2017 by Chris Labrooy
Artist does not discuss openly what the painting or even the general purpose of his art is publicly, very secretive -> state of country creates secrecy or un-open behavior?
indirectly brings attention to surpassed boundary
Created in the 2000's (21st century
Focal point emphasises the boundary being surpassed; car and people through the use of bright colours and abnormality; pink people vs car going up stairs
Transcended through motion; video format of boundaries of cars being surpassed
Still painting of boundaries of humans; identity being surpassed
physical boundaries are being transcended; the boundary of motion, gravity and how cars are meant to behave
Political perception can be transcended through how the "society" is shown to be in terms of the people and birds in picture
Discussed publicly in terms of why, for who and overall purpose of giving this perspective
Many scenes of the perceived boundaries placed in to action
Made for financial reasons
Made for personal reasons but sold for financial income
Boundaries distorted relate to all inanimate objects such as cars, machines, statues etc - specifically ones that are technological are emphasised while non-technological are also there
Boundaries distorted relate to people, actual reality such as "society"
Many perspectives can be taken on what the artist intends to do so
Direct reason behind art
"modern" concept being looked at; coloured people & technology, cars
PROPOSAL
I would like to distort, abstract and blend the political ideologies and influences of a Turkey in a distorted state; what we see to be democratic Turkey through the current president Erdogan and his "lack of democratic" political party the AKP -> controlled media, lack of free speech, fraudulent elections, government and religion are intertwined and much more. I will display this in the form of a painting of a normal modern Turkish government office including Erdogan that from afar looks too good to be true, its too "perfect". There will be incorporation of elections, speeches, criticised newspapers, propaganda and much more within the painting that is "masked" it is to not put this as the obvious, as the scheme we see of the AKP is also very "unverified".
This is inspired by Minjun's piece "Untitled" as he incorporates his view on the anti-communist agenda in China without "trying", one could have never guessed the ideology from the painting without research or further relations to the artist as the painting is "too perfect" from the smiles of the subjects to the use of colours.
In my outcome I would like to have: (1) depiction of the AKP without in-depth understanding or "views" , just a normal political party out to develop the country (2) depiction of the AKP with evidence and examples to support personal view of fraudulencey (3) clear understanding that what we see of a groups "political outcome" is completely biased and can be masked to be something else to the "public" or supporters (4) in name of Minjun, not use real names, nicknames, or flags of the country the piece is directed to, as if it were to be 'fictional'.
Inspiration and Ideas:
Sources:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/07/artist.yue.minjun/index.html
https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/469429961131494187/?lp=true
https://www.widewalls.ch/political-art/
http://www.finance.gov.pk/press_releases.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cabinet-green-lights-bill-to-increase-number-of-ministers/
Mind map of potential 3 compositions to be developed + must have components of final piece
Monday 9th April 2018
Use of colour blue: The colour blue will be the skin of the people in the piece along with their suite colours as blue displays piece and loyalty hence I am juxtaposing their peace and loyalty to the "development" of the country as it is no longer a secular place. Additionally blue is the colour of conservatism = non-secularism.
Why the stated components in orange? There will be much more to the content of the piece in depth but the ones stated are the "base" of the painting as they display the ideology of what I intend to place.
The display of Erdogan within the minister room with the use of a table with the Prime minister in the discussion which enables the social atmosphere of the AKP hence they are "dominant" which is what I would like to display. The papers on the desk are the disabled medias that once again show the negative implementation of the AKP on free speech, along with this the photograph of ataturk well some form of him will be displayed to emphasis on the "previous" ideology or propaganda that developed the country greatly from the islamic state and westernised them. There is specifically no flag in relation to Turkey as the piece is an indirect message. Lastly, as stated blue is the "emotion" I would like to convey in the skin of the people whom have participated in this photograph and have them all smiling to depict them as "one" rather than separate
Monday 9th April 2018
PROCESS
Implication of one practice design in a somewhat detailed format to see how it can visualised in terms not a "basic" composition but the small objects are placed such as the papers, hand movement and so on. Through this trial I am confident in the composition but I clearly need to work on the detail of faces, the faces I will further experiment on in terms of expression, proportion and the ratio between the size of the "main" subjects and the other "people"/
Monday 16th April 2018
Implication of two practice designs seen on Monday 9th Aprils class. By creating more details representations of the three visions I had in my mind of what I wanted the painting to be like in terms of composition, I can decide which is best fit for the purpose of the outcome and further my liking.
Personally, I pick the portrait trial 1 as the length of the table enables it to be "ongoing" like an illusion which is essentially what we are doing, "distorting" or making an illusion of what is the "norm".
I believe although I picked the first trial, through making these two other trials I was able to see a recreation of a potential idea hence by not liking it I know I have tried it and move forward.
Wednesday 18th April 2018
As through previous processes I have decided upon the overall composition of the piece and further the colour of the subjects, I was able to apply this on the colours used in mild detail. I have chosen to place them in slightly unstructured ways as detail was not the key of this experimenting but more to see the contrast between choices of colour and what fit the most.
The people are blue as chosen previously as blue juxtaposes the whole ideology of who the people represent. Also contrast very well with the black floor giving depth and outlining them.
The yellow and black walls enable the direction towards the "head" of the table to be clear and further more casual as although yellow is bright it is not dark and eye catching, it can be overlooked and further casual bring eyes to the direction of the line.
Lastly, the choice of a red chair highlights the subject sitting on it as it contrasts with the blue subject and the yellow and black walls.
I believe these choices of colour can still be modified but at the moment are the "bases" of what I would like to intend to do. The colour plays a huge roll in how the piece is overall depicted along with each component. In this case the attention can be placed upon the "leader" while having a pleasing aesthetic of contrast.
Monday 23rd April 2018
In todays lesson I have commenced with my final piece upon a 120X40 cm piece.
The process began with measuring out the dimensions of the area using a large ruler and my given template created for the composition of my choice.
I then lightly with a pencil drew out details but did not have time to finish which will be finished next week.
In relation to my statement of intent: the image above the man has been placed in a canvas with "dinosaurs" very much alike to the dinosaur that pops up when something in google does not load, signifying the image of "Ataturk" should be there but instead does not "load" as their propaganda at times is contrary to Ataturk who is preached around Turkey to this day, recently 23rd April his chosen "Children's day" was celebrated as he imagined the future of the country should be celebrated to take reign or "develop". Additionally, as shown in the plan the man at the top of the painting is larger in proportion to other subjects at the table, to show the dominance he gives off.
Monday 25th April 2018
The outcome of this lesson includes finishing off the vague base outline with all subjects in the piece facing the man at the front except the painting itself above the man, as it represents a whole other ideology to the AKP. Additionally, due to my uncertainty I have not given any of the human subjects faces as its is unclear to me if I require them to have one other than the "master" as he changes individuality to a whole belief of community.
Moving along, I followed the paint scheme made previously to start painting areas needed with yellow and black, this will be followed up on next lesson.
Monday 30 April 2018
I have finished painting the floor with black paint, additionaly as mentioned before on the right hand side the floor is cut off to be symmetrical with the left, I personally believe a large component of this peice is perfection to convey the sense of "peace" or "development" or "all is well" scheme to be placed to the public to cover up so I will place another person or increase the size of a person to match the other side. I have also nearly finished one wall of the piece using the linear method to bring attention to the man at front of the table, it is important lines are "perfect" which I consider greatly even with my reduced time I am attempting to make them proportionate and straight cut. I have made a mental note to go back to fix them.
Wednesday 2nd May 2018
In today's lesson I have been extremely productive, this includes finishing off one wall and finishing a whole other one! A large improvement to Monday's less where it took me a lot of time to do one without even finishing it fully. I believe the trick this time was painting a) downward it is easier to make it clean cut and b) to go from left tor right so my hand may rest on the piece to stabilise it hence reducing the "shaking". This enabled more clean cut lines at times and was less deafening on my end of the painting.
Although from afar the lines look adequate to some degree, up close there are various slits, colour mixes and an overall lack of clean cut painting. The requires me to come back at the end and fix these up but at the moment my biggest priority is to paint! Still much more to cover.
Monday 7th May 2018
I have completed the walls officially! Although needs lots of small fixings it is finished. In general, once finished I believe it optimises the space given to make it an illusion.
An illusion that the room or area is directed to the "president" which is what was intended a this goes parallel to how the country is going his way and his 'direction.
Next class, I will move to painting the chair and hanging portrait of dinosaurs using red, white and green.
Wednesday 10th May 2018
In this class, I have painted the chair red in a "block" manner to fit in: the block of the walls and further to contrast with the blue people that will be painted further on. I also believe red fits in with the "presidents" chair indirectly, all other chairs will be a dark shade of brown.
I have begun painting the hanging portrait with read and need to do a couple more layers to darker and finished up and paint the dinosaurs green.
Additionally, due to there being 2 more doubles left I have chosen to take my work home to finish off and further critique in class and improve with my teacher to make the best possible vision alive.
Sunday 13th May 2018
Censorship in Turkey: (shut down or handling changed media)
Cumhuriyet (yazarlir) --> Çünıüsjzfu
Zaman (yazarlir) --> Abnbo
Huriyet --> Iüsjzfu
Milliyet --> Njmmjzfu
Star Gazette --> Subs Gbafuuf
Posta --> Rösub
CNN --> COO
Wikipedia --> Vikipedia
'Gay and Trans Pride marches' - June 2017 --> written as stated
Deniz Yücel (GERMAN REPORTER) --> Efoja Zvcfm
Miss Turkey --> Miss Uuslfz
Send him a post card! --> written as stated
150 Journalists Persecuted --> 150 Journalists Rfsfduefed
Sources:
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/turkey
Turkish alphabet encryption:
a b c ç d e f g ğ h ı i j k l m n o ö p r s ş t u ü v y z
Move media char one to the left:
e.g: 'dog' --> çnf
I believe context is vital to understand the piece but as stated in my statement of intent I am a strong believer of making this piece indirect hence encrypted text is incorporated. Words done on the left will be written in that form.
Monday-Wednesday 14th-16th May 2018
I have accomplished painting the background of the portrait in two layers! Additionally, in these two lessons I have blocked all the arms, shoulders, faces and hands of the people in the painting in white and shades of blue
As stated before blue is used firstly as a distortion that the people are brainwashed and coordinately blue is a colour of peace hence juxtaposing how less tranquil state the people are in vulnerability and censored under their power or further brainwashed.
Blue can be sadness or fear I believe it is both in this context reflecting their state.
Friday-Saturday 18th-19th May 2018
Within this week i have painted the shading and base of the paper and further placed the encrypted text on the table. The table is lit up by the papers lighting up the faces of the people which i have shaded with various shades of blue to give texture. The dinosaurs have been painted dark green.
Monday 21st May 2018
In todays last class I have done 2 awaiting tasks which is to fix the black and yellow lines along with the side and to paint the portrait white.
I have chosen to change the portrait as I believe two reds clashed and did not have the diverse appeal to the portrait but more like a relevancy to the red chair. This is why I believe the white will bring out the dominancy and the fact that it is different.
Additionally, I added light green to the dinosaurs to give texture and less of "blocked" green.
This was the lasts step.
FINAL PIECE:
COMMENTARY
From the repercussion of finishing my piece I would like to discuss what I have learnt through the process, the meaning of my piece in application of transferring Minjun’s influence, how I will hope to impact the world, and what I have done and could have done better in terms of distorting history, abstract and blend space and time.
Firstly, through the process of creation I have learnt two fundamental techniques and concepts. For the first time I researched and gave thought to the use of colour and how the colour’s tone, shade and emotions will play a role in what I create other than intuition and taste. My use of colour reflects what I attempted to convey and further a piece of what I have learnt is that no matter what research is done and the colour shade chosen to be applicated, how you place it really matters in real perspective. Something I would like to work on. Additionally, this process is very different from the others as I learnt something about myself: I can’t always be the idealist time manager I am normally, for next time I have learnt that time is very dependent on the piece not the creator themselves. Overall, a lot of time into colour, its emotional value and the recognition of how time management may not define how long a piece may take.
One of the artist's I previously analysed was Minjun and his piece ‘Untilted’, many theories and ideas sprouted from the pieces derivation but what it taught me as an analyser was that to convey something “well” it is not needed to be direct all. Minjun to me displays - Minjun although he himself has not stated it - that his piece shows his opposed view to communism and the thought of moral equality of what we deserve to have materialistically from the situation in his homeland China. Beforehand my piece was going to have the Turkish flag and an image of the memorable commander and post ottoman moderniser Ataturk, but Minjun showed me I did not need to, that indirectesy is a work of art in itself, to show but not tell and to leave with questions. The true meaning of my piece is not a couple people discussing over a table in a yellow room with a painting of dinosaurs but to show the state of Turkey politically. The political situation in Turkey has a large inufelnce in the direction of the country, the leader of AKP and the current president does not incorporate factors I would like to see in the country but further other directions including religion, which must not be intertwined with the government but a personal choice. Minjun has influenced me to leave clues that could potentially inscribe a million messages but only I and the reader of my process would know what it is. I have included: all objects directed at the main man —> presidents powerful stance, painting of dinosaurs is directed other direction to main man —> Ataturk whose picture normally stands there is still alive in his ideology and that it can never be replaced by the googles still loading famous dinosaur game when the internet is too slow, all blue skin —> my colour of brainwash, encrypted text that makes no sense at times but some do —> headlines and messages that include newspapers that have been handled due to open speech, balls in hands and importance of pointing to them —> the misdirection of the country when the real issues at hand are at the paper, the main mans hand motion —> he takes no responsibility of the wrong doings but is smiling at the rest meaning he takes charge of the ‘not important’ issues but the important are misdiagnosed or missed and finally the hands of the people —> some care for the balls and some care for the context of the text. The meaning is to display my perspective on Turkey’s current situation of development and misusage.
Through this meaning I hope to shed light on change in my country or any country which is suffering from a near lack of different opinion than the dominant. I would like to bring out the truth of the AKP party and that in the forthcoming elections hope to display their position in the country in the light it should be seen on. Politics and religion do not mix, freedom of speech is but an expression but not a crime.
Finally, I believe for next time or if I had more time I would firstly for every part of the piece go back and give more detail, I feel as if I could have conveyed more or that the message inside of me or the emotion is not fully placed in the piece, this may not be directly correlated to the piece itself but the derivation of my message but in all I would like to add more colour, detail, fix it up and add more. Maybe my next piece will be about the same political issue but in a different context this might enable me to feel satisfied. Additionally, I would like to give more detail to the dinosaurs as they were a large component but I have not shed much time on it hence I would like to add ears, eyes, shading and more to the dinosaurs. Lastly, I would like to make the font of the text on the papers thicker as from a distance it is not even obvious there is text and I believe it is a vital component. A large repetitive issue was time, for next I will overestimate the time needed as I used up much more than expected which is totally okay but just a reflection as stated before of the lack of control the creator has over the piece.
Personally, I am pleased to some degree of the creation of my outcome. From the beginning I had the vision and now it has come alive. Although I need more time I believe there is implementation of my perspective on what is taking place and hopefully for the audience looking at it aswell. I am happy with the implementation of corruption, colour, contrast and somewhat extent of detail. In summary I have to some degree conveyed the message of this piece and am near to satisfying my own emotion and anger upon what is taking place in Turkey, the piece displays my personal learning of time and colour, Minjuns influence over the meaning, my potential impact and further has enabled me to reflect on the process.