Reno Public Art and my appreciation of it

Honestly I saw this among many other pictures I had taken while doing my psychogeographical research and was instantly captivated. The spheres are representational of perfection of the planet, perfectly circular in form and holds a mysterious ora to it leaving the interpetation for the eye of the beholder. The Earth is what holds us and keeps us in harmony with the rest of the universe. And much like the rest of the small spheres they are linear curving slightly as it decends further into the landscape again symbolic for the universe and the planet we stay on. I think of fluidity and ability to move freely when I see this work and it makes me feel as if I could take on the universe one planet at a time with no limit to the possibilities.

Drift Drift and Away!!!!!!!! A Series of Lefts

The first of several pics I took, I thought that the carving of the sun into a side walk was unique as it was also by itself much like the sun that heats up our planet it kind of jumped off of the floor at me and said capture my essence which seems to be a radiant light among nothingness.

The second photo of the big sqaure structure caught my attention because of the shape, in art shapes represent certain aspects or traits and  the shape of a square is symbolic for power and groundedness. Would it be a surprise than to know that this structure is a bank?

Third Photo: Notice the contrast between shapes the circle which represents eternity and calmness triangles represent energy and stimulation. With the big square structure in the back and the mix of different elements and traits in front I thought this made for an interesting layout saying I am multidimensional and I stand out from the norms of society.

The fourth and fifth photo go hand in hand as the first represents to me, the structure that socitey says is acceptable and second is almost an unconscious portrayal of that same social structure through some ones hard labor. The lines the lines the lines, orderly and repititious oh how we love the lines or as I would say the restrictions.

 Six and sven screamed out to me saying take me lol, but in all seriousness this seemingly random splotch of multiple colors on the wall are somone's way of expressing how they feel or even possible vandalism which in return is the same thing; a young adolescent acting out on his/her emotions and I thought it was powerful that this was next to the next two photos all representing some aspect of street art appreciation either indirectly or otherwise.

  

Eight and nine also are representative of street art with the grafitti on the cages which symbolizes the restricted and some what scewed stereotype placed on street art. I think the G is special to me as it is bold and looks to almost defy its cage resulting in defying the stereotypes.

The tenth image captures my attention because I was looking at the contrast of natural and industrial landscapes and how there were some areas that had predominantly structuralized buildings. Any person can tell that the broken pieces of cement in the middle was man made or caused, however the natural earth breaks through this man made boundary (concrete) and splits the ground further as if to say I will be here longer than you. Most of what I looked at was involved with shapes, lines and environment but I have more to share so tune in.

When I looked at this I thought of the memorial for the Vietnam veterans created by Mia Lynn. Even though its nowhere near as impactual as the Vietnam memorial, it captured the essence of the moment for me. Now I can't be sure if the men in the photo are in fact veterans but for them to be setting there enjoying the moment it seemed like a place that serves its purpose. The landscape and the architecture flow well with each other and it depicts a representational form bringing the memory of those who served the country to immortality.

Howling Wolf and John Taylor comparison

Dominick McKinney

Art 160

Professor Nicol

Response Summary

Two artists Howling Wolf and John Taylor had both drawn a depiction of a treaty between the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche Native Americans in October 1867. Both of these pictures are displayed in the World of art text and both are very unique in their own sense Taylor uses a deeper spacial view which take the viewer further into the picture reflective of the traditional western art style in having a symmetrical layout. Taylor also uses the back a view of the treaty signing and seems to pay extra detail to the European peoples placing them neatly on benches side to side perhaps symbolic for an ethnocentric view of the Europeans being more civilized where as the Natives in the picture are spread out. Contrarily this could also be a representation of the different tribes that were in attendance however they don’t appear to have distinctive features that set the tribes apart as we know Natives were very unique in their cultures and as such had very different clothing and weapons etcetera.

            Howling Wolf has a much more ethnocentric view of the Native Americans who were represented at the signing using very specific images and iconography unique to each individual tribe. Wolf’s layout was much more flat or rather horizontal streaming like a river possibly symbolic for the flow of time or the rivers the Natives were used to freely using. Each tribe was separated by bushes where the Europeans are placed at the center possibly symbolic for the Europeans facilitating the treaty. Wolf also places the Europeans in the background and with angry looking faces, its almost as if Wolf is depicting the Nature of the European through their facial features backed up with one of the Men pulling on a horse with no saddle signifying it being a wild horse. In addition to the two artists using their own type of ethnocentricity in their art they both pay a close attention to their peoples distinguishing them from the “other.” I was surprised in Wolf’s lack of nature in his art there is literally no background which seemed odd considering the amount of forestry used in Taylor’s art when Wolf is A Native whom dwelled in the wilderness with his tribesman. The two sides appeared to share rather different customs regarding woman, Wolf has many woman present in his work whom were symbolic for the way the Natives viewed their woman displaying their love and affection for them openly unashamed.

Looking at Taylor’s picture there is a complete absence of woman which seems prevalent because it sends the message that a woman’s voice, nor her presence held any weight in the political arena and was disregarded which in itself is iconographic for the times period in which woman had about as many rights as a slave. To say the least after carefully looking at the two pieces of art Wolf’s art looks more abstract because of the lack of visual imagery but specific detail to symbolize his people where Taylor’s come more representational of the period and time of the treaty and the era in which it took place.       

Great use of the fourth Role

Dominick McKinney

Art 160

Professor Nicol

Role of artist 4

After looking through the sixth edition World of Art book and looking at the images I found one that seemed to attract my attention as soon as I placed my eyes on it. The title of this image was “You can buy bootleg whiskey for twenty-five cents a quart,” from the Harlem series 1942-43 by Jacob Lawrence. I looked on google.com and found out that Lawrence was separated from his mother at an early age, he was twelve when Lawrence and his two siblings were reunited in Harlem New York. Lawrence had taken an interest in painting on cardboard boxes at after school program called the utopia children’s center. Lawrence had to work most of his young life because is mother had lost her job in the great depression. However through the help and persistence of sculpture Augusta Savage Lawrence was able to continue his painting. Lawrence also served as a coast guard in ww2 before coming back to a booming art career. Lawrence captures the emotion and mindset of the time he lived for many African Americans. Lawrence categorized his form of art as that of an expressionist and if you see his “The Migration of the Negro” exhibit, its almost impossible not to get lost in the emotion behind the 60 panel collection.  Below are some links to Jacob Lawrence's biography and art he is responsible for bring to life I hope you find his work as interesting and inspirational as I have. 

  

http://usa-hero.com/lawrence_jacob.html

http://arthistory.about.com/cs/namesll/p/lawrence_j.htm

http://arthistory.about.com/cs/namesll/p/lawrence_j.htm

Chester Arnold Response

Dominick McKinney

Art 160

Professor Nicole

Chester Arnold Response

9-14-10

In my art appreciation class instructed by Professor Candice Nicol we took a field trip to the Nevada Museum of Art. While at the museum we looked at the Chester Arnold exhibit which in this case Arnold focused on religious, political, and environmental based issues in his art. Although there were several pieces that captured the eye, I found myself a bit entranced by the piece entitled “Two Ravens (Two Corbies).” This piece was beautifully constructed and made in 1996. I was taken back immediately by the scorched landscape of a rather large forest with two out of the many trees although scorched standing tall in the midst of their destroyed habitat. The clouds were set up left to right with the clouds appearing serine and blue from the east (left side) to the dark clouds tainted by the carbon in the air on the west (right side). Even with the rest of the forest blackened and burned by fire there was still life in it signified by the stream of water flowing through it, seemingly heading towards a distant backdrop of an enormous mountain unblemished by the fire; accompanied by even more beautiful forest that remained untouched by the devastation. Even though the trees were burned they still stood tall almost as if with a sense of confidence and pride for itself. But even more than the landscape the two ravens hence the title, made me really look deeper into the piece, I read the template next to the piece and discovered that Arnold’s inspiration came from a poem also titled “Two Ravens” which was about two Ravens who laughed at the demise of a man who was caught ablaze in the fire. The Ravens went on to describe the man’s or rather Knights life in detail about him having kids, a wife, and a dog and proceeded to have a comedic dialogue about the knights misfortunes and rejoiced in being able to eat freely.

            In all honesty it was hard to put together what I thought Arnold was getting at, but based off of the theme of the exhibit it was probably a piece of tragic irony where the knight maybe symbolic for mankind; and the ravens were the voice of nature or the forest who laughed at the misfortune man brings upon themselves through our destructive behaviors and intentions. This piece was exponentially powerful to me, thinking of the sun rising in the east and setting in the west much like the painting. Also the ravens cackling at the fact that the knight was about to be food and has lost all that he owned, these elements make me feel like Arnold was trying to convey the power of nature with the burned but still sturdy trees rooted in the earth. The earth was here before us and we should respect its mystical power, the trees and forest will grow back even stronger and more gorgeous than before but man has but one life and it is constantly wavering never to return or grow back. The water flowing seems symbolic to the fact that nature pushes forward and continues to evolve even when tampered with showing an unshakable resiliency for survival. This piece titled “Two Ravens” by Chester Arnold is amazingly simple but deeply heartfelt and full of mystery all in one bundle giving you something to think about and possibly inspire you to create your own work of art. I feel blesses to have been able to be a part of such an experience and to know there is still creativity I the world where people are bold and express their ideals and opinions freely.