Questions for More Is More -- Maximalist Tendencies in Recent American Painting

1. Artist John Chamberlain stated, “car parts were readily available material, as marble was to Michelangelo.” Look at the picture to the left. Chamberlain’s work is an assemblage consisting of melded car parts. This artist’s statement makes the point of explaining how the advent of car culture has affected our perception of the world around us, even our perception of modern art. Can you find another artist’s work in the exhibition whose piece reflects Chamberlain’s statement? Think specifically of materials and car culture as you choose.

2. In this exhibition the idea of America’s “new” emerging landscape is an important issue. Many artists use their work to document our now industrialized country. No longer do images of green fields and nature emerge as the visual embodiment of America. Instead images of cities and crowded roadways pervade our thinking. Find Mara Korkola’s work, No place. What is being depicted in this work? What feeling do you get when looking at the work? Are the colors realistic? Now find Christopher Santer’s work, Instant Harmony. Again what is the artist trying to depict? Study the artist’s use of color. What can his color choice indicate? Now compare these two works. Are the artists portraying the “new” American landscape in a positive light or with negative connotations? Explain your reasoning.

3. The topic of the passage of time is prevalent in this exhibition. Many artists document the experience of travel with the changes that occur when moving a short span from point A to point B. However the larger theme of a long journey is present in some of the artists’ works. For example Justin Rothshank creates works that capture the experience of one’s journey through life with its attendant experiences and transformations. How do you think Rothshank’s work conveys the idea of the “life journey” Can you find any other artists whose work encompasses this same theme? What elements in their work denote this idea?

4. The name of the exhibition is High Roads and Low Roads. Is there a specific connotation associated with the phrase “high road,” for example the comment “Someone is taking the high road?” Is there also a connotation associated with the phrase “low road?” Do you think the connotations of these phrases relate to any work found in the exhibition?

5. Many artists consider the idea of travel as an explicitly American cultural phenomenon. The idea of travel incorporates various realities, for example travel as pleasure or travel as emigration/immigration. Americans can be aliens in their own country when they travel outside their various norms in search of better futures and more advantageous prospects. Now look to the work of Catharyne Ward and Eric Wright. Do you feel this work encompasses the idea of “American immigration?” Why or why not? What elements present in the work make you consider the artist’s reasoning for creating the work?

6. How do the artists combine the formal elements of art (line, shape, space, texture, color, value) with the principles of design (unity, proportion, rhythm, balance, variety, contrast, emphasis, movement) to create their compositions? Line, shape, and color, as well as proportion, rhythm, and movement, seem to play a role in the works of Christopher Santer. Also consider the work of Steed Taylor and notice his use of line, space, value, unity, rhythm, and balance. Choose one of these artists and describe Instant Harmony, Christopher Santer, acrylic on canvas how these elements and principles of design relate with the concept of the road?

7. Consider this quotation by Jean Baudrillard, “Driving is a spectacular form of amnesia. Everything is to be discovered, everything to be obliterated.” Do you feel this is so? Why or why not? Choose an artwork that supports your opinion and justifies your choice. Do you feel artists need to document their travel? Would this record of the past provide insight into future ventures (hint: look at the work of Baggs McKelvey, Mark Marano, and Gary Duehr)?

8. Found object artists incorporate discovered items in their pieces. Find work in the exhibition that mimics but does not use this process. Why might an artist choose to imitate this process of creation? Does photographing a found-object make the image found-object art?

9. Explore the theme of memorial in this exhibition. How many artists can you find that memorialize a certain aspect of American life or the highway? Choose one artist or artwork. Do you feel this is truly a memorial, or an objective study? What feeling does it evoke in you? What feelings could it evoke in others?

10. Generally, Americans love their cars, the highway, the open road, and the freedom they bring. Do you subscribe to this opinion or find it an idealistic oversimplification? Find one artist that portrays this romantic view of the highway and one that does not. Why did you choose these pieces?

1. For this exhibition, the curator, George Blakely, juxtaposes photography with ephemera. What do you think he was trying to achieve by including this? Do you make a distinction between the high art of the photographs and the low art of the bric-a-brac? Is this forced juxtaposition appropriate for a museum installation? Do you think a curator should present an unbiased view of the objects presented, or use an exhibition to make a statement? Which position do you think Blakely takes?

2. Many of the photographs in Heartfelt include text. Find one instance where you think the text detracts from the photograph, and one where the photograph is enhanced by it. Justify your choices.

3. Some portraits in the exhibition include text written by the sitters. Find an example of this (hint: see works by Jim Goldberg or Martin Weber.) Do you feel the sitters exert control over the way they are viewed through the inclusion of this expression? Are the photographers taking an unbiased position by letting their subjects speak directly to the viewer? Could the sitters be lying? Do you agree with this technique, why or why not?

4. Some artists focus primarily on the formal elements of art (line, texture, space, shape, color, value) and the principles of design (unity, variety, rhythm, contrast, balance, proportion, emphasis, and movement) to create a composition. Photographs in this exhibit seem more concerned with narrative qualities, like drama, history, passion, and conflict. How do the elements and principles of art contribute to the narrative of a piece of your choice? How do you know the narrative is the main concern of the artist?

5. Social documentation is strong in this exhibition. Many of these photographs are concerned with anthropology, ethnography, and history. These disciplines can manifest themselves in woks that capture mundane, everyday events or that record a monumental historical episode. Find several examples of these types of photographs. Should these pieces be considered archival documents or pieces of art? Can they be both? Do any of these pieces seem familiar to you? Would they be familiar to anyone else? If given the choice, which photographs would you preserve? Justify your answers.

6. Look at Carola Dredemie’s photo Nikki Recycles. The artist stated that her “Work exposes elements and symbols displayed on the body that provide clues of political dissidence or rebelliousness.” The artist wants to capture evidence of a subversive voice within the sitter. Now examine the photo. Do you feel her quotation applies to this piece? How would you describe Nikki, and what physical characteristics aid in the description?

7. In Love Letters artist installs portraits and love letters from her various boyfriends with a vanity dresser. Do you feel the vanity is a necessary component of this installation? Does it give you more insight into the artist’s motives? Do you feel like you are invading the private place of the artist, or have you been invited? Explain.

8. The idea of personal space is explored in many of the photos and installations in this exhibition. Artists explore both vouyerism and documentation, or the creation of photographic records that are intrusive and permitted, respectively. Find one piece from both categories and explain your choices.

9. Artist Elena Dorfman poses the question of inanimate love. Can the relationship between the man and his doll consist of love? Can it even be considered real? Or is the photo simply a documentation of a sexual fetish? Explain your position. Is it possible to understand what is going on in this photo? Can you think of an example of inanimate love in your own life?

10. What does Heartfelt mean to you? Is this an exhibition based solely on the theme of love? Is it introspective? Select two adjectives from the ones given below and describe how they relate to (or fail to match) Heartfelt. Justify your answers.

* cultural, cynical, documentary, dull , fleeting, humorous, ironic *
* passionate, poignant, scattered, sentimental, special, useless *

Spring of 2005: Questions for "Coming Home ! Self-Taught Artists, the Bible and the American South"

These questions are meant to elicit thought about some of the issues manifested in the work of Coming Home: Self-Taught Artists, the Bible, and the American South. It is not necessary to have background knowledge of art – merely a healthy curiosity. It is important for you to view the show before looking at these questions. Draw your own conclusions before using this to facilitate a deeper understanding of the exhibit. Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to help you in clarifying your own conclusions.

1. Discuss the validity of this statement:
“[The artists’] ideas and images emerge from traditions of evangelical Christianity that are indispensable to understanding the American South.”

2. A typology is a parallel between two similar situations. A biblical typology compares scenes from the Old and New Testaments or draws parallels between a biblical occurrence and a current event. How many of these typologies can you find in the exhibition? Explain.

3. Several artists in this exhibit (Mary Proctor, Howard Finster, Ed Kienholz, Charlie Lucas, Joe Minter) have transformed their surroundings through their art. These ‘yard shows’ are installations of found objects appropriated by the artists to dictate a specific worldview. The yard shows are constructed from found objects such as car parts, wood, and glass, decorated in the most flamboyant ways possible and used to convey the artist’s message. Their complex iconographical details and biblical narratives challenge what the artists see as oppressive, sinful cultural conditions.

 

Howard Finster’s home and yard show in Alabama.

• Why do you feel the artists produced these pieces?
• Are yard shows at all different than pink flamingos and gnomes in a yard or a house overly decorated for the holidays?
• Are yard shows tourists’ stops meant to illuminate wayward travelers, or are they created to enhance the eccentric reputations of these artists? Use pieces in the exhibit to inform your decision.

4. The depiction of religious ideals through artistic expression is not a new subject for artwork. In the Byzantine and early Italian Renaissance periods a majority of the art produced focused on religious iconography that served as devotional pieces in churches and cathedrals.

• Look at Lorenzo Scott’s Reunion in Heaven (of the “House of Prayer Children.”) Could this piece serve as a devotional piece today? Why or why not?
• Now look at J.L Hunter’s sculpture Crucifixation INRI Jesus Saves. Could this piece be used as a devotional piece, why or why not?

5. Often an artist has in mind an intended audience for his or her artwork. An intended audience is a specific group of people who the artist feels will directly understand or have an emotional reaction to the work being presented.

• Look at Mary Proctor’s The Blood of Christ. Whom do you imagine was the artist’s intended audience for this work?
• Now look at Edward Butler’s Black Messiah. Again, whom do you suppose is the artist’s intended audience?

Do you think these works are created in an attempt to convert or appeal to a non-Christian audience? Much of this genre of art is sought after by New York gallery owners and collectors in an attempt to capture the ideal of Southern Christian culture.

• Do you think this aspect of commerciality can alter the authenticity or the artistic intention of the artist’s work? Explain.
• Does it capture the ideal of Southern Christian culture?

6. A common characteristic of self-taught artists is a low technical ability, often referred to as Primitivism. Primitivism implies a desire to start again, unhindered by history. The artist abandons the contemporary sophistication of the trained art world.
Most of the artists in Coming Home did not consciously use Primitivism. They were merely creating. They use techniques and methods that appear more elemental and authentic.

• Look at Coins’ sculpture, Angel, and Butler’s Black Messiah. Which one do you think could be considered Primitive? Could both? Why or why not?
• Now look at Anderson’s painting Mt. Vernon Fire Baptized Pentecostal Holiness Church and Smith’s Hallelujah Lady. Again, which one do you think could be considered Primitive? Could both? Why or why not?
• Do you think the Primitive style, whether or not it was intentional, contributes to the meaning the artist is trying to communicate?

7. Many of the artworks contain images that have specific meanings that may not be obvious when viewing the artwork. These icons can be universal to our culture. For example, a cross is a symbol of Christianity. Icons may be more personal to the artist, like Howard Finster’s “resting souls.” Finster’s “resting souls” are the simplified human figures present in nearly all of his artworks. They represent a vision – while working in his garage the face of a holy spirit appeared on his thumb telling him to make sacred art.

• Do you feel Finster’s work has more meaning after knowing the significance of the tiny figures? Why or why not?

Now consider these questions about the iconography present in the exhibition:

• Find images of black dogs in works by Yvonne Wells and Howard Finster. Do you think the symbolic meaning is the same throughout, or does the icon take on a different meaning in one or more of the artworks? Explain.
• Find an artwork that has an iconic image or images with which you are unfamiliar. Using the context of the artwork, what do you think is the meaning of the image? Explain. If possible, compare your conjecture with another museum visitor’s conjecture.

8. A lot of the works in the exhibit include written narrative along with the pictorial imagery. The majority of the writings include biblical references, actual excerpts from passages in the Bible, detailed descriptions of the images depicted, or personal recounts of the artist’s religious faith.

• Examine works by Sister Gertrude Morgan, such as Poem of My Calling and works by Howard Finster, such as The World Is Now Living Between Two Great Superpowers.

o Why do you feel the artists chose to include large amounts of written narrative on these images?
o Could the artists have felt the pictorial images were not enough, and they felt a need to clarify their works? Or could the artists have felt the need to include written narrative on their works as a new form of an old tradition of passing stories to new generations?

• Now, look at John “J.B.” Murray’s painting Untitled (Purple and Green) and Untitled (Cross.) Both of these works include large amounts of written narrative as well. However these writings are in the artist’s own language. Murray is a member of a Southern Baptist church that practices glossolalia, also known as speaking in tongues.

o Now consider that if Morgan and Finster used written narrative as a way to better communicate their religious faith to the audience, then what could be the purpose of Murray’s use of the written glossolalia narrative in his works?
o Do you feel Murray’s works are less accessible and understandable because of his use of glossolalia narrative? Or do you feel Murray’s works can better communicate the idea of complete spiritual enlightenment through his devout faith and encourage the audience to participate in the religious experience offered in his paintings?

Questions for "Terrestrial Foces"

Produced by Lauren Gleason, Cassidy Follins, and Grace Artl
for the Fall of 2004
Questions for “Terrestrial Forces”

These questions are meant to elicit thought about some of the issues manifested in the work of the Terrestrial Forces. It is not necessary to have background knowledge of art—merely a healthy curiosity. It is important for you to view the show before looking at these questions. Draw your own conclusions before using this to facilitate a deeper understanding of the exhibit. Our goal is not to tell you what to think but to help you in clarifying your own conclusions.

1. Terrestrial Forces, or forces of nature that affect earth, have a long history as a subject of art. The earliest known (and surviving) examples are Egyptian Nilometres: wall art and papyrus recording the cyclic flooding of the Nile. Many murals have been unearthed in areas surrounding Mount Vesuvius, such as at Pompeii. These frequently depicted the mighty volcano that inspired admiration and fear for thousands of years.
           Such art was always related to mythology. Myth was used to explain natural phenomena. For example, an angry Zeus throwing lightning bolts explained lightning. Do any of these myths still exist today in common culture? Can you think of any modern (last 200-300 years) myths that explain a natural phenomenon? Or do you think science has replaced myth entirely? Do these works tend to align themselves with myth or science? Explain.

2. The sublime is a common characteristic in many of the Terrestrial Forces artworks. Qualities that can make an artwork feel sublime are: grandness of scale, mysteriousness, abstraction, and inspiring a feeling of awe in the viewer. The work projects a feeling of something greater than oneself. Find an artwork that inspires a sense of the sublime, and one artwork that does not. Explain your choices.

3. Discuss the destructive and regenerative forces of nature. Can one force have both of these qualities? Find several works that suggest specific feelings about the forces. Describe both their visual and psychological qualities. Can a placid work suggest a fear that something might be amiss?

4. Find Dericott’s Tornado (Gentrification by Nature/ The Tornado Project) and Cooper’s Span and Surge. Consider the medium used by each artist for the following questions.

a. Dericott uses a fragile medium to show a volitale and destructive force. Is there irony in this contrast?
b. What forces do you think Cooper is trying to convey? Explain.
c. Do the artists’ choices of media contribute to the meanings of the pieces? Do these materials contribute to the artists’ messages? Do they create meanings the artists might not have intended? Explain.

5. Several artists in the exhibition, Masumi Hayashi and Larry W. Schwarm for instance, photograph the effects of humanity on nature. Hayashi’s Site 666 depicts one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 888 “superfund” sites. The EPA quarantines these toxic wastelands to protect the public, and surrounding environment. Schwarm has been photographing the controlled burnings of tall grass prairies in Kansas for thirteen years. Think about the role of the artists in these, or similar, works. Do they warn us about the destructive qualities of nature or humanity’s role in influencing terrestrial forces? Do they comfort us following the experience of disasters? Do they merely act as historians, documenting the trials of humans versus nature? What do you feel the role of the artist should be? Justify your answer.

6. Use the principles and elements of design to consider the following:

 

9. Take time to consider Diane Burko’s artist statement: “For over thirty years, I have created images from my experiences with the landscapes of the world. I seek monumental environments that provoke feelings of awe. I imagine myself an explorer encountering terrain that embodies the history of our planet. Volcanoes are my current obsession.
“The construct of a painted reality juxtaposed with the illusion of spatial reality is always in play. How the experience of overwhelming space (as well as geological history), can be physically translated – how the painted mark articulates light and form, and how the scale of the painting transforms discrete visual experiences into images greater than any of their parts, intrigue me.
“My process begins with the onsite experiences of walking, feeling the air, as well as climbing up and along craters and calderas, followed by shooting film and making on site drawings and painting. My memory of the particularities of a place and a time is shaped by these activities. When they combine successfully a painting results.” How would the artist’s work change if she hadn’t spent any time filming and making onsite drawings? Is it important to be at the location, completely enveloped in the surroundings to capture a specific mood or feeling? Could she have captured these emotions without visiting the volcanic site? If so, how?
10. Humanity’s role in the forces of nature is oftentimes dismissed. Find a piece (or two) that shows environmental conditions influenced by people or civilization?

a. Do these pieces evoke different feelings than pieces that depict purely natural elements? Describe. Can you tell the difference? Explain.
b. Weeded Pavers utilizes real plants as part of its installation. Are these actually nature? Has man created a new nature? Is this even art? Defend your answers.

11. At the beginning of the exhibition there are photographs that are documents, not art, of the various terrestrial forces and their effects.

a. Why are these photographs not considered art? Why are the artworks considered art? So, what makes the artworks art and the documents merely documents? Can an artwork also be a document? Can a document also be an artwork? Use examples in the exhibition to justify your answer.
b. Consider how natural disasters and their effects are characterized in the media (movies, television, newspapers, etc.). Compare and contrast this portrayal to the way natural disasters are interpreted in the artworks in the exhibition. Explain or discuss your thoughts.

 

Produced by Oaklianna Brown, Cassidy Follins, and Nicole Stephens
for the Spring of 2004

Questions for “Of Hands and Fire, Masterpieces of Chinese Ceramics: The Koger Collection from the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art”

These questions are meant to elicit thought about some of the issues manifested in the work of the Koger Collection. It is not necessary to have background knowledge of art—merely a healthy curiosity. It is important for you to view the show before looking at these questions. Draw your own conclusions before using this to facilitate a deeper understanding of the collection. Our goal is not to tell you what to think but to help you in clarifying your own conclusions.

1. The current exhibition comes from the collection of Nancy and Ira Koger, two avid collectors of Chinese ceramics, American Impressionistic art, and 18th century furniture. In 2001, the Kogers donated their world-renowned Chinese ceramics collection to the Florida State University and Ringling Museums. The Kogers utilized a “discerning eye” in choosing each piece for their collection. As you look around the exhibit, consider the criteria by which the Kogers assembled their collection. Consider the following:

a. In addition to their Chinese origin, what similarities do the art pieces share? Do you notice any common features? What are the differences? Are there any unique features to a specific piece?
b. Do you think the Kogers selected the objects based on beauty or monetary value? Can you find any objects in the collection chosen for either reason? Why do you think this?
c. If you were a collector, how would the collection differ? Would you base your decisions on beauty or value? What unique or common features would attract you to a piece?

2. Most of the pieces in the exhibit serve a utilitarian purpose, either common or religious; yet, they also show that the artists were concerned with the aesthetics of their work. A piece can have one of three main functions. It can be ceremonial, being used mainly for religious rituals or festivals. It can have a common function, meaning it is intended for everyday usage. It can also be decorative, meant mainly for aesthetic adornment. The function of the object depends upon its culture of origin, the materials from which it is made, and the wealth of its intended owners. Choose three pieces from the exhibit, and consider the following:

a. What is the object’s primary function (ceremonial, common, or decorative)? What makes you think it belongs to this category? Could it have a secondary function? Why or why not?
b. Are there any specific pieces in which aesthetics are more important than function? Why do you say this?
c. How does the application of the elements of design (listed below) change the style of a piece? Considering objects with the same function, how do the elements of design differ? How is this affected by the intended recipient of the piece?

Elements of Design:
Line
Shape
Space
Texture
Color (Hue & Intensity)
Value (Lights/Darks)

3. When European trade with China began, ceramics were one of the popular items shipped from China to Europe. One such type of ceramic was the Ming porcelain. Ming porcelain (made between 1386 and 1644) was known for its uniformity and bold us of colored glazes, especially blue. The Ming porcelains did not remain the same after export from China. Once in Europe, silver bases and handles were often added. This technique of adding silver continued well after 1644 and spread to other types of porcelain.

a. Find an example of Ming porcelain that was not altered to suit European taste and one that was altered. (Hint: Look in the middle room of the upstairs gallery). Compare.
b. Do you think the silver enhances the beauty or detracts from the original beauty? Are there any pieces you think would be enhanced by adding silver?

4. Chinese culture is full of symbolism. A dragon, for example, is a symbol of wealth and wisdom. A benevolent monster, the dragon presides over the four corners of the world. Five-clawed dragons symbolize the imperial court, while common dragons have only three or four claws. However, the dragon is only one of the innumerable supernatural and earthly flora and fauna to which the Chinese associate specific powers.

a. Find an example of an imperial and a common dragon. Are the imperial dragons reserved for pieces with a specific function? Or can any symbol be found on any piece?
b. What other motifs and colors do you suspect to be symbols? What could these symbols mean? Could the shape of the vessels themselves be symbols?
c. Consider the symbols listed below while you look at several pieces in the exhibition. Do your interpretations differ from those of the Chinese? Which interpretation do you prefer? Do you need to understand the symbolism to appreciate the work? Why or why not?

Symbols:
Bamboo – A third century publication, Treatise on Bamboo, listed 1,001 uses for the indigenous plant grown throughout China. It is utilized in all aspects of everyday life: as food, housing, tools and utensils, medicine, and transportation.
Carp – The long-living carp (goldfish) is respected as an emblem of vigor, endurance, and power.
Crane – These icons of longevity and age are often depicted in conjunction with pine trees and are frequently found on coffin lids, because they officially carry departed souls to heaven.
Ferghana Horse – This is a type of horse from Central Asia that was considered larger and hardier than native horses. It was popular for military use and was often depicted carrying warriors in Chinese art.
Flowers – Vegetation is a crucial element in Chinese symbolism; a different flower represents each month and season. Commonly depicted flowers are the lotus, peach, peony, persimmon, plum, pomegranate, and rose. They represent such ideals as abundance, marriage, love, joy, feminine beauty, and even the spirit of the perfect human.
Phoenix – This mythical animal is a combination of the pheasant and the peacock. It rules the southern quadrant of the heavens, is associated with the summer and the sun, and symbolizes eternal love.

Questions for “Trevor Bell: a British Painter in America"

Produced by Julia Giblin and Lauren Gleason
for the Fall of 2003

These questions are meant to elicit thought about some of the issues manifested in the work of Trevor Bell. It is not necessary to have background knowledge of art - merely a healthy curiosity! We think it is important for you to view the show before looking at these questions so you can make your own conclusions before using this as an aide to add to your understanding. Our goal is not to tell you what to think but to help you in clarifying your own conclusions.

*Note: none of the pieces in the show include their titles. Please make sure to pick up a key before you view the exhibition. The key provides titles and dates that correspond with numbers located adjacent to each piece.
*You can find a copy of these questions in the lobby of the museum starting Wednesday, October 15, 2003.

1. Trevor Bell’s body of work is generally divided into three themes reflecting geographical areas he has visited or lived: Himalayas, Florida, and Cornwall, England. Since the 1980’s, he has occasionally spent time hiking in the Himalayas. He absorbed Eastern philosophy, which thereafter affected his art. However, a sublime spirituality can be perceived in all his work. His works are: larger than life, mysterious, unidentifiable, and awe-inspiring – in the sense that they project a feeling of something greater than oneself. Find 35 (1967, early work), 17-22 (1980, Florida) and 15 (1995, Cornwall). Do you feel the spirituality in them? If so, how is it expressed differently or similarly from one work to the next?

2. Trevor Bell is known for creating art using the color field technique. This style of painting, developed in the fifties by artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, differs from earlier methods of painting. Helen Frankenthaler created pieces using the soak-stain technique. Look at piece 16. How is the paint applied to the canvas? Does it differ from other paintings that you have seen? Would you consider it to be a traditional painting? Can you tell where the canvas is devoid of paint? Do the untouched portions of canvas play an integral role in the piece?

3. Color field paintings are generally very large and painted in a way that makes it difficult to correlate a specific depth or distance. This technique is called size-spatial ambiguity and is one of the goals of color field artists. Look at piece 24. Would this painting have the same effect if it was half the size? Can you identify the main areas of focus in the piece? How is the paint applied to create the impression of size-spatial ambiguity? Try looking at the piece from different distances and angles. Does this affect your impression of the painting?

4. Trevor Bell incorporated a unique element into his pieces starting in the 1960’s. Look at pieces 28, 31, and 33. What do these paintings all have in common? Explain how the shape of the canvas affects the color, texture and mood. Examine piece 27. What method is utilized to enhance the shape of the canvas in this piece? How does this method expand the picture space? Does the space created by this method affect the balance of the painting? If so how does this interact with the focal point or points?

5. Find the two works that represent the fiery tail of a space shuttle launch. Try to find them without looking at the titles. Which elements and principles of design have the greatest effect on your perception of the paintings as shuttle tails?

 

Elements and Principles of Design/Art

8. “The titles come afterwards so that I don’t impose myself on the work as it goes along.”
Trevor Bell 2002

Trevor has compared the visual influences that are apparent in his paintings to snapshots mentally taken throughout his life. He says he processes those snapshots through the shredder of his brain. The bits and pieces subconsciously find their way into the paintings, though he doesn’t realize it until afterwards. He is an improvisational painter, which is why the titling of a painting before he creates it is virtually impossible. In fact, he often asks his wife (and fellow artist) to help him with the titles. Find 3 entitled Blue Wedge. Trevor likely titled it himself. Compare it to 4, Mountain Place, likely titled by his wife. How do the respective titles affect your experience of each work? Would you title it differently?

Questions for “Trial by Fire: Contemporary Glass”

Produced by Diane Ahrens and Julia Giblin

for the Spring of 2003

These questions are meant to elicit thought about some of the issues with which glass art deals.  We think it is important for you to view the show before looking at these questions.  Make your own conclusions before using this as an aide to add to your understanding.  Our goal is not to tell you what to think but to help you in clarifying your own conclusions.

1. Today many people consider contemporary glasswork fine art like painting and sculpture.  In the past glass has been considered more craft than fine art.  When do you think the perception of glass as a craft began to change?  With recent developments of the Contemporary Studio Glass Movement attitudes started to shift.  Give some examples of objects made from glass that you would not consider art?  How are they different from the pieces in the show?  Why?  To what extent does the environment in which a glass piece is placed (such as a museum or your house) affect the way a viewer sees it as art or craft?  Give some examples.

2. The terms used to describe the relationship of a glassmaker to one training to become a glassmaker changed during the Contemporary Glass Movement from “master and apprentice” to “professor and student.”  This transition marks a point when glass started moving away from being seen as a craft material to being seen as an art medium.  Why do you think universities helped to spread the understanding of glass as an art form?  Harvey Littleton was a catalyst for the Contemporary Studio Glass Movement and started the first glass art training program in the Unites States at the University of Wisconsin in 1962.  Find examples in the exhibit of his work.  Look at the way Littleton utilizes color and movement in his piece Double Sliced Descending.  Does this piece relate to functional forms traditionally seen in glass such as a vase or bowl?  What is the significance of the two smaller pieces that look like they have been sliced from the elongated forms?  Does this technique of cutting the glass after it has been cooled effectively create a focal point for the piece?

3.  Glassmaking usually involves a team effort.  Look at the label for the piece Animal farm.  Are one or several artists named?  How does this piece differ from most other works in the exhibition?  Do you think the designers of the piece should be considered the artists with no credit given to those who helped, or should everyone involved share the title of “artist” with their names listed as well?    

4.  Why do you think some contemporary glass artists continue to carry on a “dialogue” with the conventional and functional forms that glass can take (such as a vase, bowl or cup)?  Before answering this question consider some works that are of extreme size or attenuation like those of Dante Marioni.  Or consider works that look useful but are not, like goblets too fragile to hold hot liquid.  How do these pieces distinguish themselves as fine art?  Can you see how the glass artists’ references to the traditional functionality of glass parallels the way in which painters throughout history have continually referred to the nude as a point from which to mark their innovations?  Look at Sydney Hutter’s Solid Vase Form #747.  Explain why this piece demonstrates a dialogue by the artist with glass pieces of the past.  What makes it unique?  Find examples of pieces that instead break with the past tradition of glass.  How do they break the tradition?

5. What are some qualities of glass that make it so visually appealing? In what ways does light interact with the glass? Compare and contrast how light affects Sonja Blomdahl’s Cream/Clear/Turquoise with Jon Kuhn’s Star Bright.  Movement is another aspect of glass that is visually appealing.  Compare Harvey K. Littleton’s Double Sliced Descending with Robert Miller’s Block.  When comparing and contrasting these two pieces also explore the texture of the glass.  Does texture effect the way the pieces express movement?  

6. While looking at the pieces in the exhibition, observe the different ways color is used and how it affects the impact of individual pieces. How does color and light interact?  Can you find some pieces in the show that would be dramatically changed by the absence of light?

7. Robert Rauschenberg, an abstract expressionist and Neo-Dadaist, experimented with light and shadow in some work.  In White Painting of 1951, Rauschenberg left the canvas white in order to let the shadows of the viewers become the art.  Do you think the artists in the glass exhibition accounted for the effect of light and shadow on the surroundings of their pieces?  Look at how the piece Solstice by Christopher Ries projects an array of rainbows on the surrounding walls and pedestal.  Find other examples in the show that create intriguing images on the pedestals or walls through shadow or reflection, or by the refraction of light and color through the pieces.  Do you think this effect adds to or subtracts from the artworks?

8. Look at how Mark Peiser’s Pyramid IS760 draws the viewer’s attention to the center of the piece through the use of a staircase incorporated into the glass.  Select other pieces that have an obvious focus on the interior.  How does the artist in each case draw your attention to the center of the piece?

Questions for “Design X: Critical Reflections”

Produced by Matthew Fenner
for the Fall of 2002

Before considering the following questions it is important to recognize your ideas about both design and “high” art.  Design traditionally is thought to exist in areas like advertising, technology, and other forms of mass media.  “High” art is generally thought to be either painting or sculpture.  “High” art is viewed as conceptual and metaphorical.  It is thought to be infused with rather lofty intentions. 

The designs in this exhibition, in fact, incorporate both design methods as well as “high” art ideals.  So then, what is design and what is art?  The following inquiries not only bring into question one’s ideas of traditional media, but also question our ideas about the way art and design “should be,” and what direction both will take in the future. 
 

1. What role does the computer play in the progress of design?  Do you think about computers when you think about art?  What is technology’s role in the history of art?  What are some technological advances in art that we may now take for granted?  In printmaking?  Photography?  Can you think of others?

2. What is the difference between artistic patronage in the Renaissance and today?  Who were the people commissioning artwork in the 15th and 16th centuries?  For what were they doing it?  Why?  Who are the major commissioners today?  What are their purposes?  Why is design so prolific in our culture?