What's the Backstory??

Marlenes Rodriguez

December 3, 2013

What’s the Backstory?

          My exhibit What’s the Backstory?  Is based on how on how art objects have a meaning and story behind them.  What motivated me to come up with this idea was thinking about how music brings out emotions through lyrics and sounds which can affect or impact us. Each work of art in my exhibit bears a message, either one is based on an individual’s personal story or the objects own historical significant. The exhibit contains a variety of distinct works containing musical instruments, Modern photography and Egyptian art. Three of the works of art that captured my eye was The Bathrobe, The Archtop guitar and the Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street Manhattan. All come together with a story reflecting the life experiences of others.

          The Bathrobe, Sophie Calle 1989 is a photograph based on an eighteen year old girl and her relationship with her first love. The young lady requested to her first love not to let her see him naked for a year. Her first love would hide inside a white robe when she would come and visit in the mornings. According to the plaque at the Met “when it was all over he left the bathrobe behind with me”.  This was said by the young lady which symbolized the serious step she took in the relationship with her first love after one year.

The Archtop guitar (1932) by John D’Angelicon was a guitar maker who spent most of his life and career in the Lower East (NYC). He had a passion for making guitars and specialized in the creation of the Archtop guitar.  The Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street, Manhattan, Bernice Abbott is based on an eighty-seven year old barber August Pingpank who owned a barbershop in NYC. According to the plaque at the Metropolitan Museum of Art August was the oldest barber in the city. August thought it was time to retire after he found out about the invention of the safety razor. Instead of men coming to the barber shop for a shave they had the razor right at their own home.

Nan Goldin, "Heart Shaped Bruise", 1980, Modern Photography 

James D’Aquisto, "Archtop Guitar", 1993 , Musical Instruments

John D’Angelico, "Archtop Guitar", 1932, Musical Instruments

"Akhtihotep Reliefs", Egyptian Art

Sally Mann, "Jessie at Five", 1987, Modern Photography

Philip–Lorca diCorcia, "Brian", 1987,  Modern Photography

Berenice Abbott ,"Pingpank Barbershop, 413 Bleecker Street, Manhattan", May 1938, Modern Photography

Sophie Calle, "The Bathrobe", 1988-1989, Modern Photography

"Flying Horus with Shen Sign", Egyptian Art

   Roger Mayne, "Goalie, Street Football, Brindley Road, Paddington", 1956, Modern Photography 

Extra Credit #1

Marlenes Rodriguez

"Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary"

 “Young girl eating a bird” (1927) oil on canvas by Rene Magritte’s shows a young girl devouring a bird. This painting I encountered caught my eye because of the action that is being conveyed. The young girl in this painting is eating up a bird which seemed very strange and kept me skeptical. The way Magritte painted the young girl eating a bird depicts a form of fantasy because humans are not really seen eating birds. This can relate to reality and might symbolize the way people can be cruel towards others. The world we live in has good and bad with many different intentions. In this case Magritte is possibly representing the young girl’s action as cruelty. Fantasy is shown by the way the girl is eating up the bird careless with her hands covered in blood.    

“Field Trip 3”.

Marlenes Rodriguez

“Design in Our Lives”

We are all surrounded by many objects that contribute to our daily routines and also objects that seem useless to us, lacking function. Low and high functionality refers to the study of ergonomic. Ergonomic is the tool or what accommodates human performance and has function. There are everyday ergonomics such as cell phones and cars which are considered high functionality.  The tools we utilize with high functionality benefit us in various ways with our daily activities.

“The Table Clock” (1930) made by Marianne Brandt is painted and made of chrome-plated metal. When I first encountered this object I thought of low functionality because of its features and lack of function. This clock had the appearance of a clock however was not ticking  like a clock does. The two hands of the clock were not active and the medium of the object which is paint proves that it is low functionality. Observing the object makes me understand the meaning of what function really is and how it contributes to our lives. “The Honey -Pop Armchair” (2000)  by Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka is also a piece that contains low function and was created out of paper.According to the information displayed at the MOMA the paper utilized for the design is also used in Chinese lanterns. A chair made out of paper seems very fragile and delicate which does not convey any function. This specific chair would not accommodate or bring any use to a human.

There are many ergonomics that contain high functionality which help us out daily and during many other situations. Tools such as computers and electronic devices are ergonomics with function that are utilized by humans because of its own actions.”The Cobra Lighting Fixture” (1948) at the MOMA by Greta Magnusson Grossman is made out of Enameled aluminium, enameled sheet and chrome - plated sheet. This is a great example of high functionality because the lamp contains light source which is vital and necessary  in our daily lives. The Cobra Lighting Fixture is active showing light, a lamp can be turned on and off which depicts its function. “The Museum Dinner Service” by Eve Zeisel shows us a set of plates, cups , trays made out glazed porcelain. The set shown By the American artist contains high function, dinner sets will always be utilized by humans. The dinner set displayed at the museum has function because plates and cups are where we eat from.  The high functionality is shown in these examples by their qualities and actions.

Art and design are very distinct from each other, both can be combined however have different meaning. A design in my opinion is shown to us only by appearance and its features as oppose to art it shows action and more than a design. The difference between low and high functionality is that objects or tools with high function help us and are utilized.  Objects containing low functionality can be like design, the design is just there on a surface with a lack action. A design can be a still object with many different shapes and we are intrigued by designs however a design is not involved with daily activities.  

High Functionality objects and tools create a big impact in our lives by helping us out during activities and in our own lives. Low Functionality objects are not that much of a help to us however we are intrigued and amused by these objects. Art and design can be both combined into a creation but in my opinion art  has much more to offer. We as humans use a lot of high functionality objects and without them there would be a big difference.

Marainne Brandt

“Table Clock”

Year -1930

Medium- Paint / Chrome-plated metal

Tokujin Yoshioka

“The Honey -Pop Armchair”

2000-Year

Medium- Paper

Greta Magnusson Grossman

”The Cobra Lighting Fixture”

Year-1948

Medium- aluminium, enameled sheet and chrome - plated sheet

Eve Zeisel

“The Museum Dinner Service”

Year- 1942-45

Medium- glazed porcelain

WCOUNT-661

"Illustrate a Story" "Project 3"

Harley Spiller

What intrigued me from Harley Spiller's  story was how he enjoys collecting objects. He lives in a small apartment filled with millions of objects also known as his collections. Chinese menus are ones of the many objects part of his collection. Spiller has his Chinese menus under his bed and has gained knowledge from these objects. The only thing Spiller does not collect which is common, are stamps. Spiller says stamps are difficult to collect because there are so many and different ones. Everyone has a hobby and collecting objects seems to be Spiller's passion. 

http://storycorps.org/?s=Harley+Spiller&term=story

Field Trip 5

Marlenes Rodriguez

                                          “Chelsea Galleries Reaction”

            Observing all the works of art through the art galleries of Chelsea opened up my imagination and thoughts. There are all types of art and a diversity of many different styles in each of the artists art work. Many of these art pieces have meaning however some bring confusion and questions concerning the art work. The art galleries in Chelsea contained art work that almost seemed mysterious because of its style. Phil Collins and Torben Ribe were two of the artists who I analyzed.

           

            Phil Collins installation “This Unfortunate Thing Between Us”.  At the Tanya  Bonakdar  Gallery captivated me as soon as I saw it. This installation contained two old fashioned RVS with TVs inside, which showed a live broadcast of German national television. I found this installation intriguing because the artist is trying to depict a message through an installation and objects.  According to the Gallery Phil Collins work represented “the language of reality television” and its grammar. Collins installation makes me want to find out more and is an installation I’ll be interested in as a buyer. The artist is creative with the installation however at the same time there is a message behind it.  Phil Collins also had an installation of booths with old records and turntables inside the booths. This installation brings me to another time period and also going inside these booths to listen to records reminded me of a teleporter. Phil Collins work was good art in my opinion, because the artist was creative in his own way and had an idea that worked to capture the viewer’s attention.

            Torben Ribe art work did not really amuse me like Phil Collins installations because of the difference in style. Torben Ribe art work did not make sense to me and it seemed like there was not much effort put into the art. Ribe’s composition of a tree was of an art work and a artificial tree blocking the art work. The tree was right in front of the art piece which made it difficult to observe the art work. When I first looked at this I thought to myself what was the artist thinking? The art piece behind the tree was made out of acrylic, coffee and milk. This shows the imagination the artist had however in my opinion as a buyer I would not collect or buy from this artist. The untitled piece by Torben consisting of pizza menus was very plain when I saw it face to face it did not intrigue me.

            Both artists have different styles in their art work and these styles can grab any person’s attention. Everyone has their own perspective and can view a work of art in a very different way than someone else. As a buyer or a collector I would want to be intrigued and amused by an art work. Meanings, creativity, representation in art are three things I would look for as a buyer.  Creativity captures our attention and meaning in an art work opens up our ideas and our own thoughts.

Torben Ribe

“Composition with Tree”

Year – 2011

Torben Ribe

Untitled with Pizza Menus

Year- 2011

“Art and identity: The Museum of Modern Art”

Marlenes Rodriguez

October 2,2013

      “Art and identity: The Museum of Modern Art”

       In every work of art there is meaning and a message behind the art work. An art piece can be viewed in many different ways by a person’s perspective. An art work can have a variety of different meanings however only the artist knows what he or she created. In art individual, cultural and historical identity contributes to art. These three identities are incorporated with what the art work symbolizes

“The Man in a Green Coat” (1921) is an oil on canvas painted by the French artist Chaim Soutine. This painting conveys an old man slouched showing very little emotion and lacking energy. The old man shows sorrow and seems to be in a difficult situation by his expressions. This painting can have many different meanings; it might also show the old man as tired, someone who has gone through a long day. This art work by Chaim Soutine embodies identity by how personal is it because of the main focus which is on an individual.

“Three Musicians” (1921) oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso embodies cultural and historical in my opinion. This painting is based on Picasso’s personal friend a poet that lived during the time of World War two. A “singing monk” is also shown as a representation of Picasso’s other close friend. The instruments and sheets of music might symbolize a time in Picasso’s life and his Mexican culture. The figures shown in the painting are historical because they are based on real people and historical events that took place.

“Zapatistas” (1931) oil on canvas by Jose Clemente Orozco is a historical identity. This painting symbolizes a time during the Mexican revolution and the revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata. The others shown in the painting were known as Zapatistas, Zapata’s peasants and followers. This painting shows a historical event that took place during the Mexican Revolution in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The attire shown by the Zapatistas can also represent cultural.

All art has meaning that contributes with Identity cultural and historical identity. Each work has its own representation of a time in history or a moment in someone’s life. These three paintings reflect on personal situations and also historical events like the Mexican Revolution. The artist is the only one that knows the meaning of their art work because the massage originates from their own life and experiences.

Chaim Soutine

         “Man in a Green Coat”

 Oil on Canvas

1921

Jose Clemente Orozco

 “Zapatistas”

 Oil on Canvas

1931

Pablo Picasso

“Three Musicians”

 Oil on Canvas

 1921

“Narrative Digital Collage”

This picture here conveys my own happiness and passion for singing.The background shown is on a stage and myself performing with singer Alicia Keys. Alicia Keys has always been one of my favorite singers and inspiration. I have performed on a stage but never like this, that is why i  created this image. We all have a dream and a goal to pursue,  mine is to sing and make others smile through music. I inncorporated the piano and the guitar player to make the image feel more alive and bringing out other music instruments that create the beautiful melodies in music.