When I visited Ulrich Museum to view the Faculty Biennial Exhibit I had a really hard time choosing just one exhibit to blog about. They were all very unique and each one expressed their own version of the inspiration and innovation that can be found here at WSU. There were 2 that I was particularly fond of, first Annies’ wax table with the image projecting into the tea cup really stood out from all of the rest, and the Pop-Cycles Series because it seemed relevant to what we have been learning from Keith in class, because it used LED’s to create color.

I also had the opportunity to stop by Shiftspace for the last final friday to check out the exhibits by Brady Hall & Mike Wood. It was interesting how Brady & Mikes’ pieces worked off of each other, each one of Brady’s pieces seem to have some kind of movement and/or mechanical operation associated with it, whereas Mikes’ pieces where all stationary. The dynamic that was created by the two different sets of artistic styles was almost a high/low effect where at one piece you are thinking in terms of how did he do that, then at the next piece you are thinking what does he mean by that.

Last, but not least, I attended the Mel Chin Artist Lecture at McKnight. I was very impressed by Mel Chin right off the bat because he is quite obviously a well educated man, but he also exudes a sense of sincerity that I could feel all the way at the back of the room. To me, the highlight of the lecture was when he started discussing the “fundred” project. Which is a result from the disaster in Louisianna know as Hurricaine Katrina. This project is based on the fact that there was a “known malevolent presence” as Mel Chin stated, that existed in New Orleans, LA from before Hurricaine Katrina hit. What Mel Chin was referring to was the high content of led found in the soils of New Orleans, LA. The hurricaine also brought that led towards the surface, and even though it was affecting the children of New Orleans, LA before, it is at an all time high now and is even more dangerous. So through this project, Mel Chin hopes to persuade our government to actually do something about it. You can get all of the details of the project at: http://fundred.org You can also learn more about Mel Chin at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Chin

After Images
by: Ronald Christ

1. Create places for some human purpose:
It looks like humans are the one who “unsymmetrized” symmetry in the picture. Probably to show that humans do not do everything symmetrical but sometimes do.

2. Create extraordinary version of ordinary objects:
Nothing extraordinary from ordinary there.

3. Record and commemorate:
This work shows that humans do not live symmetrically but has a tendency to arrange things symmetrically probably a trait passed down by ancestors for reasons we can’t work out today.

4. Give tangible form to the unknown:
I think trying to order things gives it a feeling of being artificially made by humans. It could also be showing how civilization is made in order but humans are not always in order.

5. Give tangible form to feelings and ideas:
I think the artist is showing us that the world is not perfect even though it seems to be.

6. Refresh our vision and help us to see the world in new ways:
I don’t think this is refreshing our vision because what we see now in the world is the same thing. This work is only redefining it in another less violent way.

Description:

I got to see various displays and paintings in the art museum, but the piece that I liked the most was ‘Unnamed’ by Ted Adler. It was a display of ceramic vessels that the artist labeled as Unnamed (Vessels I, II and III).

1. Create places for some human purpose:

The artist wanted to portray biological and cultural diversity in the human world, through these ceramic vessels. The artist tries to reference different aspects  of life through these vessels.
2. Create extraordinary version of ordinary objects:

I believe the artist tried to show how different humans are from each other and how we come in different shapes and sizes, through these unnamed vessels. I feel the artist also chose the title as unnamed because we see all kinds of people everyday and do not know who they are, but we can often be a little hasty in judging them based on their external appearances, without really know the person inside them.
3. Record and commemorate:

Through a small display of vessels, I believe the artist is trying to portray the huge population of human beings in this world. The artist tries to commemorate how each individual in this world is unique by showing the different colors on each vessel, but at the same time in a large group we are all the same, by having the vessels on the rack, of the same size and pretty much same general shape.
4. Give tangible form to the unknown:

The unknown here could be what was actually in the mind of the artist when he decided to make these vessels. We do not know whether the artist was trying to compare it to humans, or was simply trying to reference them to various biological models in general.

5. Give tangible form to feelings and ideas:

I believe the artist tries to show how everyone in this world is born equal despite the various differences in color, height, size, features, etc. The artist does so by placing the various Unnamed vessels on the same platform, without discriminating them or placing them on platforms of different height or material. They are all present on the display as equal.

6. Refresh our vision and help us to see the world in new ways:

I believe the artist tries to instill in the viewers, the feeling of unity in diversity. He tries to show that all of us should learn to coexist in this world despite the various differences that exists among each one of us, just like the vessels that have the same general shape and size, but minor changes and different colors makes each one of them unique, even though they are all made of the same ceramic material.

After browsing all of the art displayed at the Ulrich museum, the piece that really stood out to me was After Vermeer, I by Devorah Sperber. The piece was constructed of 4669 spools of thread (still on their spools), hung from an aluminum beam in a circular shape using vinyl tubing. It was a completely unrecognizable image when looked at straight on, but when viewed through a 4 inch clear acrylic sphere, a very visible image appeared: a painting called The Music Lesson by Johannes Vermeer from 1664. After closer inspection, I could tell that the sphere was inverting the image from the spools which made it so hard to picture without it.

1. Create places for some human purpose:
This role didn’t stand out to me much in this piece except the fact that the image portrayed is a student sitting at a piano with their teacher by their side.
2. Create extraordinary version of ordinary objects:
I think this was the strongest role portrayed. Using full spools of thread and some tubes, this artist was able to very clearly represent a famous painting. This was very amazing.
3. Record and commemorate:
Devorah was obviously inspired to recreate the picture by Johannes Vermeer. The fact that one work of art is represented within another certainly seems to indicate some commemoration.
4. Give tangible form to the unknown:
This role was also strongly portrayed. I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at until I got close enough to the sphere to notice how it was morphing everything around it. So, when I circled around the sphere to get the art piece in view, I was astonished. The image became clearly visible without any effort. I can really appreciate art with such complicated construction.
5. Give tangible form to feelings and ideas:
Along the same lines, the piece gives form to ideas, but I didn’t notice this too much.
6. Refresh our vision and help us to see the world in new ways:
This was certainly true. Eyes alone are not the only way to look at the world. I really liked the inclusion of a visual modification: the acrylic sphere. This provided an entirely new way to look at art. It was refreshing to say the least, and I hope to see more art with creative visual enhancements.

Create a place for some human purpose:

Almost looks the the old dragon dance for the Chinese New Years to me.  Although I see arms so maybe not but something similar.  Either way, looks like a celebrating at a festival full of fun and activities.

Create Extraordinary …….

Looks like it take ordinary things to build this big dragon looking creature.  I count 20 teeth on the top and i see what looks like fake smoke coming out the nose

REcord and commemorate

Everything has a history.  Looks like a yearly ritual especially if it is the dragon dance.

Give tangible form to the unknown:

I still don’t know what this means

Refresh our vision:

Its not everyday you see a big dragon looking thing with 20 different colors to it.  I think it shows how different different cultures are.

Emily and Her Pink Things

By: JeongMee Yoon

Create places for some human purpose.

The artist displayed this image next to another imaged titled, “Yerim and Her Pink Things.”  Both images resemble each other im almost everyway.  The only difference was wear it was taken.  The artist protayed that there is a place for human purpose by exposing us that there are people all around the world that are similar to us and that we all can share a sense of life.

Create extraordinary versions of ordinary objects.

Just simiple everyday objects for these girls were all the same.  Each had their own version of their lunch pails and toys.  Both girls shared a common theme which was pink.  Putting all the girls favorite color with there toys and everyday objects, the artist captured an image that resembles any girl in there age.

Give tangible form to the unknown.

The way I saw this question is that this opens the eyes to us people the unknown.  That seeing this images open our views that their are other people around the world that may speak a different language but in reality they share the same interest and do own common items as we do. 

Refresh our vision and help us to see the world in new ways.

As described above, it does open our views.  We might be different in some ways but everybody do share a common interest.

When I went to the Ulrich museum this is the one piece of art that grabbed my attention the most

2-Create Extraordinary versions of ordinary objects:

This classic Vermeer is remade from 4,669 spools of thread arranged in a pattern to make the picture which is hung upside down and subsequently viewed right side up by looking through the sphere placed in front of the art work. It is a mixture of art and technology playing with pixels. Above, I included the picture through the sphere, the threads close up, and the actual picture as whole from outside the sphere.

6-Refresh our vision and help us to see the world new ways:

The artist made me personally see the world in a new way by creating an image from objects which are not only ordinary themselves, but which are ordinarily not used in this specific manner.  I have seen many tapestries, rugs, and cloths with intricate thread designs, but I never thought before of using the vast rainbow of thread colors to create a detailed image while they are still on their spools.  The artist “wove” a design without ever unwinding the thread.  To hang the image upside down, thus making it visible and recognizable by having to look through the sphere first is also a good idea because this makes the piece  much smaller and more visible on a whole while making the individual spool entities blend together.

“Divergence Pop-Cycle Series” by Lisa Rundstrom was an interesting work exhibited at the Ulrich Museum.  The work consisted of unfrozen popsicle sticks mounted in a translucent box.  I would have to classify this piece of art as, “Create extraordinary versions of ordinary objects.”  A popsicle stick is definitely an ordinary object, yet the artist literally put them in a new light.  Arranging the popsicles in a unique fashion and creating a colorful and enjoyable display with them.  To further quantify the, “Roles of Art,” I would not think that the piece could be put in the category of creating a place for human purpose, as it did not really create a place of any kind.  Secondly, the artist did use this piece to record or commemorate a point in time.  I do not believe that the artist, through this piece, gave a tangible form to the unknown or form to feelings and ideas.  Although the thought of popsicles could invoke a sense of nostalgia in some people as they remember back to childhood.  It could be argued that the artist may be trying to refresh our vision or help us see the world in a new way, but I’m not convinced that this was the intent of the artist.  What would be the refreshing vision of a popsicle look like?

After Images by Ronald Christ

Create reason for some human purpose:

I do not think that this painting portrays any reason for human purpose.  It seems that everyone is just standing around and one person is even sleeping under a tree. It seems to me that the artist is trying to do the opposite by showing how lazy people are.

Create extraordinary versions of ordinary objects:

I also do not think that this role is fulfilled because there is nothing extraordinary in this painting.

Record and Commemorate:

I think that this painting could be commemorating human accomplishment because of all of the straight lines and geometric shapes used.  It seems that everything in sight has been planned out and altered by humans.  Even the trees are precise geometric shapes.

Give tangible form to the unknown:

I believe that this painting shows how strict the world is.  All of the precise lines and shapes are very rigid in the painting and there is nothing in the painting that I think could be said to be a random shape.  From the mountains in the background to the trees in the front there is no relief from the strict way that this world is shaped and formed.

Give tangible form to feelings and ideas:

Once again, I think that this painting tells us something about human innovation and accomplishment.

Refresh our vision and help us to see the world in new ways:

This painting made me realize that the world is structured in a certain way and that it is very difficult to change or go against the structure.

There was a piece in the main room that easily escaped notice to the casual eye. This piece gave the sense of mobilized, structural support.

This object gave the sense of being in a structure with a mobilzed roof, given that its support was mobile, and thus the floor being the only surface with solidity. It brought to mind the earth sitting on the backs of four elephants facing in founr different directions, with everything being mobile……lacking a solid foundation, and thus possessing a state of immobility.

Unfortuantely, I had to return the borrowed camera. However, this piece was well placed and rightly lacking any plackard crediting the artist or a name. It was obviously meant to have every appearance of being a part of its surrounding structure.

The aesthetic appreciation I had for that piece far surpassed all the other pieces. It was simple, and yet bold. It resonated, and yet didn’t move……even though it was on four wheels, it had a sense of the same measure of stability as our surrounding, every-changing world. It exhuded a healthy respect for restraining one’s hand from daring to touch the very strength of the ceiling above. Daring to do so could spell certain disaster to those within.