Reading #6

1) He mentions that interactive art is not physical art.  But how is it not, interactive means to play with the art or be part of the art in a way. Isn't that physical?
2)Manovich states that new media is not too different from old media.  Well of course it isn't, it made from one idea, it just got more advanced and easier.  He compares video recording from now to then, and explains that it was possible, just took a lot longer and only few with the skills could do it.  So what exactly is Manovich arguing?

Final Essay

I am a dual major in Mathematics and Art.  I love doing math problems and anything in general that has to do with math.  I also love art, the feeling of art in general is amazing to me.  I love to paint, make sculptures, and make clothing, those are my favorite forms of art and of course movies.  Which is why I have decided to write this paper on these two particular artists.  Pipilotti Rist and Bogdan Soban each represent what I love most about art and seem to imagine it the way I do and hope to demonstrate in my voyage of becoming an artist.

    Elisabeth Charlotte Rist aka Pipilotti Rist was born in 1962 in Rheintal, Switzerland. Pipilotti mainly focused on video work making odd yet interesting videos and playing with projectors. She loved to make videos because she could incorporate everything she loved about art, such as painting, music, acting and language among many other things. Pipilotti believed in avoiding clichés and regular ideas and make odd artwork that stroke curiosity as soon as one of her pieces are seen.

    Pipilottis’ work is very impressing to me, she did not seem to care what others thought and truly did what she wanted to without a care in the world, yet she included beauty. Personally, when I look at art, I want to see some sort of beauty. It does not have to be obvious beauty that just stands out, any kind of beauty works. Her artwork is colorful and intriguing. Another piece of hers that I would love to see for myself is “Layers Mama Layers.” This piece of art consists of 4 projectors (2 moving, 2 fixed) on curtains, 2 moving mirrors, 4 players and a sound system. At first glance it looks like a beautiful space ocean of some sort; colors of bright blue, green and purple. You are able to walk through the maze of curtains and feel the art piece; possibly not exactly physically but in a mental way that feels physical.  

    The curtains are made with a soft, cooling fabric that gives you the chills once your arm or hands graze the curtain; however, as soon as you get the chills you begin to feel comfortable and at peace therefore causing your temperature to rise again.  The lighting is absolutely perfect, not too distracting or obnoxious, but set up so that you feel like you are in the sea at peace.  To me it reminds me of the Little Mermaid due to the colors and ambience.  I have not seen it in person but I would love to experience the emotions that come with the beautiful sight.

    I love this art piece in particular due to the fact that it is interactive and the colors.  The colors one uses means a lot in art pieces in so many different ways.  Obviously if you want to give your audience the sense of fear or anger, you’d use a bold, chilling red or piercing black that gives one the chills. The colors she uses give one a sense of comfort yet awe. They are not so bright that it may be hard to look at, and they are not so dull that they will lose your attention after five minutes. You want to wander in the maze of curtain and lights for hours and just take in everything she is trying to convey.  Which is a tactic I truly try to stick to in my own paintings and sculptures. Her art works are also beautiful in a subtle way, which draws even more people to look closely at her art work.

Bogdan Sobans’ artwork also shows beauty, uniqueness, and intelligence. He makes beautiful art work solely with his computer and algorithms.  His main medium of art is Digital Media.  He never plans out what he is going to do next, there are no storyboards or even meaning behind his artworks.  Although I feel all art should have actual meaning (and if not then absolute beauty), he still does make the art with another form of art; mathematical algorithms.  Math alone is quite complicated for many people, and even for those who do seem to understand it.  Although one is very good at math, does not mean it is easy for them, it just means that they love the challenge and the complexity of it all.  

Bogdan Soban was born in Vrtojba in Slovenia on December 10, 1949.  After graduating from grammar school, he earned a degree in engineering.  He always worked as a computer programmer and it never left his mind.  He began to play with the idea that he could program the computer to make amazing, unique artworks that could never be recreated due to the program and could be lost forever if not saved or printed.  Bogdan never really named any of his artworks due to the fact that they weren’t exactly made out of his own inspirations but made from algorithms.  There are a few pieces that are titled, but are titled after what picture he manipulated. For example, he manipulated a picture of the statue of liberty and a picture of the coliseum.  

My favorite piece from Bogdan is entitled, abstraction C/08.  It contains beautiful colors of violet, plum, electric blue, sunrise orange, and bright yellow.  All swirled together joining in a center focal point of bright yellow.  The picture looks like you are looking up at the surface from under the sea.  Sorry to reference Little Mermaid once more, but it truly looks like a drawing from the movie.  The colors are blended in layers and give an allusion of rippled water. I understand as to why he called the piece an abstract due to its lack of form and layout; however, it is so beautiful and entertaining to look at that I feel it truly could be a painting made with purpose and form.  

I would truly love to make artwork out of mathematical equations, that is truly a dream of mine.  The fact that he is so advanced in math and computing is so inspiring to me, also that he took his love and created a new love for art. The designs will never be repeated and cannot be repeated, therefore making them truly unique. I am sure there are many other artists that have created programs to make artwork like Bogdan; however, the equations would not be the same unless shared identically, and even so, it could not be recreated due to the way the computer programming works.

    Pipilotti focuses more on representation, pop culture, and emotions.  She physically plays with her artwork and creates them by herself trying to portray how she feels and how she wants the audience to feel. She incorporates her heart and soul into her artwork in a very obvious way; however, the beauty and meaning are a little less obvious and need several different views to truly grasp what she is trying to say.

    Bogdan focuses more on the algorithms that create the artwork.  He may not physically touch his artwork and create the masterpiece; however he does put his heart and soul into the thought process of building the program and the algorithms.  Unlike Pipilotti, Bogdan incorporates his logic and intellectual mind into his art work.  It may seem as if it were created on photoshop or another program like that; however, it is a much more intricate process than that.

These two artist portray their uniqueness and talents in two very different ways, yet they both make their artwork with their unique passions.  Pipilottis’ passion for the lack of cliches and capturing her odd ideas and Bogdans’ passion for computers, mathematical equations, and art  is quite unique as well.  They both create beautiful artworks, with vibrant colors, and the ability to give you sense of emotion and reference pop culture.  Learning more about these artists has influenced me to think a certain way and gave me ideas on how I can combine my two loves. Although I am studying to make a career as an Actuary, I will never give up my love of art, nor will I give up my love of math.  Bogdan has showed me that you can combine both, and Pipilotti has shown me to not be embarrassed to make any odd art.  Such as my desire to make sculptures and paintings from human teeth.

I tried to contact both Bogdan and Pipilotti to thank them for the inspiration they have given me and to learn a little more about both of them.  Sadly, neither of them has written me back.  I asked Pipilotti and Bogdan when they first began to truly realize their talents and exploit them.   I know I would be able to find when their first exhibit happened;however, that is not what I am looking for.  I have loved art ever since I can remember; however, I did not know that it was my absolute desire to become an artist.  I also asked if they ever truly desired to become famous artists?  Although it would be nice to become famous, if I do not, I would still paint and love art no less.  

Works Cited

Augustine, Luhring. “Pipilotti Rist”. Luhring Augustine. n.p. 2010. Web. 23 April 2012.

Yelen, Dave.  "Portfolio of Bogdan Soban". Gallery Portfolio.  n.p. n.d. Web.  1 April 2012.

Exhibit Essay #2 (Baroque)

      I am a Fine Art major and my primary focus is painting and my secondary focus is sculpture.  So obviously I had to go to the Baroque exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art.  The exhibit was incredible with a small collection of paintings that honestly said it all about the era of Baroque; however, I wish fancy King Loui was there showing that amazing leg. 
         The exhibit consisted of a collection of about 15 or so paintings. Each any everyone where so intricate in detail and absolutely beautiful.  The hands were nearly perfect, as if photographs.  The volume and color of the hair were so well done that it looked so realistic, almost like you can feel the softness and smell the hair.  I could not believe it and I secretly filled up with envy and hope that one day I may be able to paint the perfect hair and hands. 
         The paintings were so live like that it almost looked digitally made. Very similar to a character made on Photoshop.  The skin was so smooth and the appearance of actual flesh.  Which is what many digital artists try to succeed in when they make their characters or edit a photo. I loved the exhibit and may go back a second time, and highly recommend to anyone to lay their eyes on the luscious hair.

Exhibit Essay #1 (Franklin Evans)

      I went to the Nevada Museum of art to see an exhibit that I had heard was a "not to be missed" display.  With high hopes and excitement I went to Franklin Evans exhibit "Time Paths". I read his artist statement for his work and the little about himself. He went to school in Reno for a very short time then transferred to California.  He was probably in Nevada for two years max, yet the museum called him "An artist from our hometown of Reno".  He talks of nothing but how his work is supposed to express his voyage as a child to student to artist.  That these pictures truly represent his life and his past. 
       I walk through his interactive maze of photos on the ground that you step on almost slipping, the curtains of ribbon and more photos all while looking at the walls and your surroundings in general trying to see how the pictures represent this man and his past.  Sadly, the pictures did not correlate with each other or what he had said in his artist statement.  I was confused as to how any of these photos were supposed to represent his life.  They were of naked people, old people, and random not even interesting photos.  The lay out was quite colorful, but hard to look at.  None of it made sense.  Unless there was more to it that he had forgotten to mention, which is careless.
        I honestly did not care for his work, pointless art with no meaning and just put together to have at least something to show is undesirable.  But of course only my opinion.  He considered himself a digital artist, although there wasn't really anything digital other than the photos and little mustache drawings. His other artworks are also a jumbled mess.  To each is their own. 

reading #5

1) Bishop mentions that most art comes from a digital inspiration. We get our ideas for the type of medium we use and the idea in general from our digital world. I want to disagree due to the fact that I dislike the new digital world;however, we are influenced on multiple levels from the internet or some form of digital device. Why did this happen?

2) Can we actually avoid a digital influence in our art? Maybe if we keep ourselves isolated from the world in an empty room.

$Vogue$ Project #6

I believe that big corporations even little boutiques over price their clothing.  Even though they are a well known designer, does not mean that they should charge and arm and a leg for a simple A-line summer dress that can be made with $25 and a max of 4 hrs of work.  And with the factories that make their dresses are even less than that.  So I made the infamous Vogue magazine into what they are really representing and selling.  A price for fashion? Do it yourself!

This is the original magazine cover...

                                       

reading #4

How can one truly make tactical art effective?  There are some pieces that are simple and bland yet have a characteristic to them that makes you really look into the picture and understand what they are trying to get across.  There are also the playful, colorful, and satirical pieces that engage you from the very moment that get their point across in a humorous way.  AND then there are the ones that are way to busy and try to hard to get the point across that many miss it because there is too much.

What kind of tactical art do you think is more effective?  There are many different kinds of media you could use, such as: video, painting, charcoal, graffiti, music, web design, etc.  I feel paintings and videos are more effective.