Loading...

Extra Credit

Sixth Six weeks Extra Credit Instructions

Instructions for posting:

  • Number and Title of the Artwork in the post title
  • Include a picture of the artwork
  • In the paragraph body under the artwork, write the Title of the Work (yes again), Artist, and Date (of creation)
  • Write a brief physical description of the image (form and content)
  • Write a description of the function.
  • Write a brief description of the image’s historical and social context
  • Include a Works Cited at the end (MLA format), you must include at least 2 sources (one being Khan Academy)
  • Put your name AND the time period/culture of origin in the Tag (its on the right underneath the format pane)
  • Here’s a link to all 250 images for your reference.

238. Electronic Superhighway, Nam June Paik

Image result for electronic superhighway

Electronic Superhighway

Nam June Paik

created in 1995

The Electronic Superhighway was created by Nam June Paik in 1995. As seen in the photo, the piece incorporates electric neon piping alongside extremely precise placement of the piping to create the image of the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Because of the neon piping, it accentuates the bright and lively culture of the American people and the American dream. Paik incorporated the flashing images “seen as though from a passing car” with audio clips from the movie The Wizard of Oz alongside several other American classic films, suggesting that our picture of America has always been influenced by film and television. Today, the Internet and twenty-four-hour broadcasting tend to group together the customs and accents of what was once a more diverse nation. Paik was the first to use the phrase “electronic superhighway,” and this installation proposes that electronic media provide us with what we used to leave home to discover. In addition to the artwork displaying the culture of the United states, the Electronic Superhighway helps depict the slow watering-down of american culture due to the creation of the internet. What us Americans did prior to the internet, such as travelling to new places, meeting new people outside our homes, having fun with friends have now all been replaced due to the creation of the internet. All the things that America was known for has now been replaced by fads created by the internet. Rather than travelling for our enjoyment, we travel to brag about where we’ve been by posting the best pictures on social media like Instagram and Snapchat and even Twitter. The different colors suggest the different cultures of each state. For example, Texas is orange so it represents a more outdoor society, while California boasts a purple border, to represent the chill vibe its culture gives off. Lastly, the TV’s in the background represent the old American culture. As seen in some of the tv’s, there are pictures of people surfing and people communicating with each other.

citations

Paik, Nam June. “Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii.” Smithsonian American Art Museum, americanart.si.edu/artwork/electronic-superhighway-continental-us-alaska-hawaii-71478.

“Nam June Paik, Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/paik-electronic-superhighway.

“Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii [Nam June Paik].” Sartle – See Art Differently, 24 June 2015, www.sartle.com/artwork/electronic-superhighway-continental-us-alaska-hawaii-nam-june-paik.

250. Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds)

Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds)
Ai Weiwei
2010

This artwork was put into the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern museum in London. It consists of around 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds, each handmade by more than 1,600 artisans in the “Porcelain Capital” of Jingdzhen, China, which altogether weigh in at around 150 tons. The porcelain seeds are especially realistic, with fine details that make them very closely resemble real sunflower seeds. They are spread out across the floor of the building in a neat rectangle.

The use of sunflower seeds has a variety of purposes, according to the artist. For one, they evoke warm childhood memories of eating them with friends and family as a treat, which the poor of China often did. Additionally, they further reach into the artist’s childhood life by commenting on popular political imagery that was common when he was a child. Communist leader Mao Zedong was often depicted as the sun and the PRC’s citizens as sunflowers, who turned towards and followed their leader. Moreso, due to the sheer magnitude and expanse of the installation, along with its uniformity, the piece comments on the conformity and censorship which is prevalent in Chinese culture, as the individual seed is lost among the millions. Even international commerce is discussed with Ai Weiwei’s art. This piece comments on the importance of porcelain to Chinese history, in addition to the use of Chinese labor which has essentially become vital to the world’s economy due to its cheap and fast nature. It asks viewers to attempt to realize how consumerism affects people around the world.

As aforementioned, this piece comments on Communism. Communist China existed when Ai Weiwei was a child, so many memories of this regime, along with various leaders, policies, and most likely difficult times, were kept by him. The sunflower archetype was prevalent during Communist China, as citizens had to strictly follow the government/leader, just as Sunflowers follow the sun. Ai Weiwei has been seen to frequently make art which addresses human rights as well.

Works Cited

“Ai Weiwei, Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/sseeds-ai-weiwei.

Tate. “The Unilever Series: Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds – Exhibition at Tate Modern.” Tate, Tate, www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/unilever-series/unilever-series-ai-weiwei-sunflower-seeds.

227. Summer Trees

This artwork is created by Song Su-Nam in 1979.

The art piece is created using ink on paper. The piece has vertical brush strokes of ink that have softened edges. It was created on wet paper. The form also relates to the content, which is abstract and formal, Black and charcoal gray mixing ink. The art’s context is also rooted deeply in tradition. It has various shades of black and gray. The forms drawn overlaps each other and there is a sense of shallow space.

The fact that the art piece was created using ink and paper is very important. Song did not want to use oil paint because it was western and would not represent what he was trying to achieve well. That is why he used the traditional east Asian style of using ink.

Work Cited

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/song-su-nam-summer-trees

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=267937&partId=1

233. Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), Jaune Quick-to-See Smith

Image result for 233. Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), Jaune Quick-to-See Smith

Trade

Juane Quick-to-See Smith

1992

The sculpture the Trade by Juane Quick-to-See Smith was made in response to the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the new world and the Americas. It is in the form of a large-mixed media canvas. It is from the Confederated Salish & Kootenai American Indian Tribes of the Flathead Indian Nation. Juane Quick-to-See Smith focuses specifically on the American Indian social issues of poverty, unemployment, disease, & alcoholism (all of which was caused by European settlement and contact). It was made to emphasize the lack of equality between Europeans and Indian Americans throughout history and still today. It is in some regard anti-exploration propaganda and promotes the viewpoints of those supporting the Native Americans in history. It is divided into three pieces (a triptych ) similar to medieval devotional triptychs in the past. There are collage elements like newspaper clippings, images of conquest and abstract expressionist painting like geometric shapes and “prominent brush-strokes and dripping. The Trade is multi-layered to emphasize the history of the occupation and the complexity of the situation. It also includes many items that represent how the American Indians have been represented by the Europeans like symbols of sports teams, toy arrowheads & tomahawks, pages from comics. Juane also makes use of images of Indian American men in historical dress smoking and photos of deer and buffalo as well. The canoe represents the possibility of trade and cultural connections but in this piece, it’s actually blunt and lifeless. Also, the red paint represents American Indian blood and the violent actions the Europeans took to acquire the New World and warfare & Smith’s heritage & anger.

Citations

Fricke, Suzanne. “Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/jaune-quick-to-see-smith-trade-gifts-for-trading-land-with-white-people.
“Gifts for Trading Land with White People.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId.

237. Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000)

Pisupo Lua Afe

Michel Tuffery

1994

Pisupo Lua Afe is a sculpture of a small cattle beast made out of flattened corned beef tins joined together with dozens of rivets. It is a static sculpture and it has small wheels at the feet to move it easily. Pisupo Lua Afe is a life sized artwork. This artwork’s theme of recycling is emphasized by the reuse of cans. Pisupo, a word now commonly used in Samoa to mean canned food, is an object in Samoa that is exchanged at special occasions. Though cattle are raised on many pacific island, pisupo is also exported there. This sculpture represents the replacement of traditional items (cattle) with imported items (pisupo) and the impact of global trade colonial economies on pacific island colonies. The reason it’s called pisupo is because the first import brought to Samoa was canned pea soup, which the Samoans called pisupo (Pea-soup-o). The ‘un-Polynesian looking’ bullock raises the issue of whether foreign intervention encourages independence or actually fosters dependency. Michel Tuffery is one of New Zealand’s best-known artists of Pacific descent, with links to Samoa, Rarotonga and Tahiti. Alongside Pisupo Lua Afe and his other tin can bulls, Tuffery has produced many artworks that address challenges to food sovereignty and the continued exploitation of Pacific Island resources.

Lythberg, Billie. “Michel Tuffery, Pisupo Lua Afe.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/the-pacific/a/michel-tuffery-pisupo-lua-af.

“Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000).” Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/235630.

228. Androgyne III, Magdalena Abakanowicz

During WW2, Abakanowicz witnessed atrocities by the  Germans. After the war, her family had to hide their aristocratic background in Communist Poland. Abakanowicz learned how to create art in the Social Realism era. In 1967 Abakanowicz began creating artwork made with fabric and tapestry. She became well known for a series called Abakans, which were monumental fiber sculptures that created the framework for her later work. For Androgyne III the body as a structure became an important aspect of the work and she often visited laboratories to learn more about the human body. It uses the same molded-torso that Abakanowicz used in another series. This piece is made out of burlap, resin, wood, nails, and string. The artist wants the viewer to focus on the humanity of the figures rather than their gender. And the fragmentary nature of the figure is a reflection of the time she spent working in a hospital during World War II and her memories of the attack on her mother. Abackonwicz utilizes her personal history but her sculptures possess an ambiguity that encourages multiple viewpoints that speak broadly about human experience. “It alludes to the brutality of war and the totalitarian state. The body is a husk without arms, legs or a head. It is an expression of suffering that is mournful and disturbing” (Khan Academy).

“Magdalena Abakanowicz, Androgyne III.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/abakanowicz-androgyne.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The Met Museum, www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1986.221a,b/.

242. Lying with the Wolf, Kiki Smith

Image result for 242. Lying with the Wolf, Kiki Smith

The title of this artwork is Lying with the Wolf. The artist of this artwork is Kiki Smith, and the artwork was made in 2001, showing that the artwork made was very recent and only around 17 years ago, while the other artworks we view are centuries old. This quality of the artwork helps show the possibility of it portraying recent events and having more contemporary ways of thinking. The form and content of this artwork are simple, but have meaning behind the reason why they are chosen. The artwork is made from ink and pencil on paper. This means that the actual form of the artwork is ink and pencil on paper as well. This is a factor that portrays the artwork as being contemporary because many of the paintings seen have been made from rock or other objects while this painting is made from contemporary objects : ink and paper. the image in the artwork shows a nude woman who is reclining against a whole. The woman seems to be very comfortable and also appears to be intimate, or close with the wolf. This hints that the content of the artwork is also a woman who is reclining intimately against a wolf. The function of the artwork has many different purposes, but the main purpose is that the artwork is to show the interdependence between humans and prey. The connection between humans and predators is shown and the reverse relationship between the predator and prey. This is seen from the close intimacy of the woman and the animal in the actual artwork, showing that the artist aspired to highlight the connection between animals and humans. The artist could have had inspiration from the own personal connection with animals, showing the function of the artwork. There is a small portion of historical context of this artwork that provides insight into why the painting and the reason over the content for the painting. The artist was inspired by a woman who was the protagonist in stories such as little red riding hood. As many individuals know, the girl in this story is associated with a wolf and they are seen discussing different matters. When the artist read these stories, she gained inspiration from them and decided to make a painting similar to the plot line of those stories in that the relationship with the humans and the animals are very close. More historical context is that during this time period, there was a rise in women identity, so more women were comfortable with stating their wants and ideas towards a particular subject. Some social context in the artwork shown through the use of religion and how it has affect her through the use of making this artwork. As one knows, nature and region are closely related, as many gods or deities are related to the different forces of nature. The artist was strongly religious, and this helped her fascination of nature increase. When her interest in nature rose, she also began to make more artworks based off the forces of nature. In this, that is why the artwork show exhibits nature and the close relationship to humans. This is the historical and social context of the painting.

 

“Kiki Smith, Lying with the Wolf.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/kiki-smith-lying-with-the-wolf.

 

“Kiki Smith Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-smith-kiki-artworks.htm.

236. En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop)

Image result for 236. En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pepon Osorio

En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pepon Osorio, 1994

En la baraberia no se llora is a mixed media installation located in Hartford, Puerto Rico. Osorio engaged the public by collaborating with local residents through conversation and workshop. This work has a lot of “chucherias”, essentially objects that are characterized by their bad taste. These serve to both localize the work and raise issues of social class and distinguish between high and low art. This installation also features men in “masculine poses”. By implementing people from many generations, he presents the issue of machimo as multi-generational. Although Osorio conducted many workshops where they discussed how the idea of masculinity shapes their personal relationships, many of the visitors to the barbershop were women. Through all ideas, he has implemented into this installation he also brings up the idea homophobia, violence, and infidelity.

“Osorio, En La Barberia No Se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/osorio-en-la-barberia-no-se-llora.

“236. En La Barberia No Se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pepon Osorio – AP Art History.” Google Sites, sites.google.com/site/adairarthistory/x-global-contemporary/236-en-la-barberia-no-se-llora-no-crying-allowed-in-the-barbershop-pepon-osorio.

246.Stadia II

Stadia II. Julie Mehretu. 2004

This artwork is a modern painting which was created in 2004. This masterpiece shows different kinds of themes such as nationalism and revolution as they occur in different parts of one’s daily life with arts, sports, and modern politics. This image also shows the frenzy of a competition held in a circular space surrounded by all the different international images and the competition by showing the sweeping lines which creates a pulse. The projection of the maps, traces, and marks and more figures with the depth of the photograph and the color all add an emphasis for this artwork

Mehretu was born in 1970 in Ethiopia and lives in New York. Through this painting it shows that Ethiopia is New York. She has been using this idea of abstraction in her artworks. Overall, this shows the metaphor for history, memory legacies for past cultural events.

Summer Trees #227

This artwork is called Summer Trees by Song Su-Nam made in 1979, so it is modern. The form of this artwork is arguably the most important part of it. It is made with ink blending and bleeding together. It had to have been done on very wet paper. The ink blogs overlap and don’t touch the bottom of the paper which suggests that the space would be difficult to enter. It is a little more than two feet high. The form also relates to the content, which is abstract and formal, Black and charcoal gray mixing ink. The art’s context is also rooted deeply in tradition. Specifically, the artist was a leader for the Korean Sumukhwa, Oriental Ink Movement, and literati paintings which symbolized scholar poets, the ideal Chinese man. In China, mountainous landscapes serve as metaphors for the ideal loyal intelligent and spiritual man. The function is purely decorative, and it also provided he artist with a way to express his Korean identity.

“Song Su-Nam, Summer Trees.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/song-su-nam-summer-trees.

Collection Object Details.” British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=267937.

Skip to toolbar