Market Street, Louisville KY

Have you ever stuck out your tongue in a freezer? Well, if you were on Market Street in Louisville, Kentucky on January 24th, then this is what your tongue may have felt like inside your body. It was cold. Let's just say that.

And, we visited many a gallery on ole Market Street, such as the Pyro Gallery and the Zephyr Gallery... stopping along the way to some hole in the wall galleries and such.

If you've ever been to an art gallery, it may be pretty isolating for you as the viewer if you don't already know what you're getting yourself into (or have an art curator there to tell you why these people are making art the way they are and for what purpose). So, let's dive in to see what in the world made sense out there in these art galleries.

"To see is to think," John Begley professes. What do you think...I mean see...I mean, think... and see? So, these two are interconnected in a way. But, there seems to be limitations because you can have "think"ing without the "see"ing part as is shown by the blind, who "see" in different ways than those who "see" with their eyes. So, this seeing finds itself in another definition with thought, then, doesn't it? Seeing. Seeing is the faculty of reason by which one comes to realize a concept as worthy of deeper thought. Thus, you can look at something without truly seeing it. But, to see it in reality is to think about it.

So, after running around that rabbit hole for a while, we leapt over to the Pyro Gallery, where we found natural objects and decaying things that were glorified in molds and folds of paper and flimsy, transparent cloth. For me, as I viewed the Grubola side, I realized the flimsiness of life--these things that decay, but which have within them the capacity for life (or did at one moment in time). But, these things are transient, preservable, like mummies in a tomb, but transient. And, it is in the moment of realizing that ephemeral quality one comes to realize the beauty of the flimsiness--that transparent cloth that wraps through the fall-colored leaves being a purposeful mold that wields a contrast to the colors inside the leaves. The same with our body. It's a flimsy thing, but it is beautiful because it houses one of the most valuable expressions--the soul. And, I think, the soul is something worth seeing.

Greenmuseum Artists

Something intriguing about the Greenmuseum artist, Jim Denevan--he knows his tools very well since he works or plays on them as a surfer/artist. He does large scale sand drawings that almost pass as crop circles. He improvises his works "on the spot," and he utilizes the structure of geometry to give scale to his drawings. "When I'm doing a drawing, I'm personifying the place that is empty." He says it's ephemeral, and that's the beauty of it.

That's the beauty of anything, really, isn't it? Music, at its highest aesthetic quality, is known once the listener grasps that the note is clear only to fade away moments later, thus marking the note at highest value at that point. The transience of an object sometimes marks its aesthetic quality.

Jim Denevan uses anything from a stick to a car to get his drawings down on sand/earth/ice.

Another interesting artist is Albert Flynn DeSilver. He is dubbed a writer and a visual artist. He utilizes both to make a point, while drawing on slides or photographs, or even on the subject in question (i.e. sand, etcetera). His work "calls attention to the simple elegance and genius of the natural world if we only take the time to look." What a beautiful idea. As an artist, our "job" so to speak is to "see" things differently. Here's how DeSilver documents these concepts:

Here is his "Two Foot Water Draw," where the ocean ran over his feet and he took pictures of the lines the water left behind when he drew his feet away. Clever. He says, participating with nature in drawings" is where it's at. ;)

What makes art unique is the intent... the contextualization, if you will, of the artwork. And, the drive of the artist selling the idea.

Natural Found Art?

Found art is defined as,

"A natural object or an artifact not originally intended as art, found and considered to have aesthetic value."

It's interesting that what makes it an art is the intention behind it. Think about it--something previous not considered art (let's take our age-old friend, Duchamp, and peg him as this type of artist who would make a statement like this... because, well... he did)--something previously not considered art (the urinal) can be art (the Fountain)... just because it is found to have aesthetic value or weight.

That's interesting. So, pictures of shadows--shadows are entities that are just "there," but when intended for a deeper purpose, it becomes something more--namely, art.

Is this art? Naturally found art?

A shadow, I think is something natural... and found. And, when composed in such a way that its intended purpose is to show something deeper, it becomes art. Art, what is art? Well, as Webster says, art is, "the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power."

Emotional power. And expression or application of human creative skill.

It's interesting. Most photographs fall under this assumption, don't they?

This brings to mind the question of--is natural art really art? Or, is it the photograph that keeps it framed in such a manner? Because, the only way we see the Spiral Jetty or the pieces of Goldsworthy is by a photograph, if not naturally experiencing them.

So, here's something that when compiled (Rachel, you might like this, since you're super crafty!), looks aesthetically pleasing and mouth watering... I've always been under the idea (since I have a huge Italian German family) that food is always better when it looks good. So, here's some food art:

Okay, maybe not so "aesthetically pleasing" because my bunny cupcake making skills aren't up to par, but you get the gist. Or, maybe it's like with words. Words can be naturally found art because of their intentions...

And, then we get into everything you ever hear about naturally found art--it's ephemeral, isn't it? Sand art, leaf art, shadows, cupcakes, or these little words; all of them are ephemeral, fading, but the concept stays with you.

Why?

Because of order. The human capacity to look for order out of naturally occurring things is artistic. This is an expression that is valued as a commodity of concept nowadays. Adorno professed this in his essays. :) So, there's a lot to chew on. I'll leave you to your own devices. But, for now... I'm going to go look for some shadows...

Naturally Found Objects

So, this is what happens when you mesh wind, vine leaves, and a tree. Chaos, right? It took a little time to see it, but as I strung the leaves on the tree, they started to make sense in unity.

Beginning with the prompt--make something out of found natural objects only, it got my mind working on the meaning of this type of artwork . . . I used to make this art when I was little--stringing together flowers to make crowns, that sort of thing . . . but I wondered: what makes "natural found object art so intriguing?" Well, it's the process of SEEing that makes it unique; the process of seeing something new in something ordinary . . . So, here's what I came up with:

"SEE," when viewed at different angles, looks like chaotic single leaves strung haphazardly on the branches, like so:

But, the beauty behind the art is the concept: to fully "see" something, one has to look through the layers at different angles to get the big picture. It's like understanding the person behind the piece, the "context," so to speak, that makes art most meaningful.

Seeing in this concept = meaning.

From a single leaf to a community of leaves is where that meaning begins to take shape and pronounce itself in context of its other parts.

I've always found art to be a statement of something that says to the viewer, "I am worth believing in." Or, in this case, "I am worth being found . . . or being seen." What makes art beautiful is that there are multiple ways to see something. Isn't that cool?

"We are Art"

You've probably heard it said that, "We are God's art."

We're art. That's pretty awesome.

So, Ai Weiwei said it like this, the nature of art is "to question the basic foundation of being and our state of mind." So, what does this mean in context to being God's art? Anything?

I think it means we have the faculty of art intwined inside us, to use, to create meaningful entities through physical things. How do we do this? Through our own style.

How do we find a style, you ask? Great question ;) Honestly, that's a difficult one--people trying to "make art" usually copy some artist's "style" when aiming at a particular outlet for one's expression. Though, those that "make art" forget, I believe, where art comes from. Art is original, no matter how you look at it. Going back to Ai Weiwei, when asked about the originality and authenticity of a piece, says, "People are looking for something new. But, what on earth is something new? What is the method . . .?" So, people go to art school. . . .

One of the major components of art school is the "education" of art--the Jackson Pollock critique, for instance, or even the field of color abstractions. When an individual outside the education system of the Arts, views a Jackson Pollock, you usually hear, (yeah, you can say it before I spell it out for you, can't you?) "My 10 year old nephew could do that." And, they walk away, unenthused and a little less appreciative of art itself.

This attitude toward art from outsiders has a few of my peers frustrated with how the populace views their "art." And, I understand their frustrations, but I believe art at its finest--at its core value--presents a situation where the viewer can transpose his/her feelings into the art world and understand. That's it. Understand, take something away with you. Art is an expression. Art, some say, is a mode of being.

So, how do we find style? Well, what is original, then?

Anyone?

...anyone?

A human being. A human being is both original and authentic--definitely not a replica (though yes, there are similarities and dissimilarities of the species, granted). But, an individual human being is unique. And, no wonder we make art about us! We can't really do much else, if you think about it. But, you may be thinking--well, similarities can be barriers to originality.

Maybe they are just ways of communicating meaning to others; after all, if we didn't have similarities, we wouldn't have much to converse about. And, art, no matter where you go, possesses similarities. So do humans. :) You get it? The colors, the shapes, the sizes, the depictions, the expressions, the gaits, the gestures, the articulations . . . or inarticulations, sometimes. Art is a fine metaphor for a human being.

So, the unique, autographic styles of famous artists, Van Gogh, say, come with the realization that you and an individual with your own set of perspectives. You see the world differently than everyone else.

Now, use that. You have the advantage of being you.

Art Dichotomies

This was a project based on a dichotomy: text/image.

Right now, I'm working on a novel, and it's based on the images inside one's head and the reality these images construct inside the individual (as well as influencing others). The novel has to do with the solid foundation of the individual, and how suffering happens, and what beliefs and life meanings can come from suffering/experiences.

This is Jacquelyn. I'll let you wonder what her experiences have been...translate yourself into the piece; maybe you'll find meaning.

Art Piece:

Some things get old...

100-200 Words

For this blog, we (all eight of us taking ART 590) are assigned a blog. And, with this blog comes great responsibility because we shall employ our dynamic wit and typing fingers to slay the task at hand, namely--write about "news on the art scene; philosophical, ethical, or aesthetic concepts; or, current news/events relating to" culture, and create art (pictures, etcetera). I type this more for your benefit than mine, as I'm probably boring you out of your chair. So . . . let us begin. :)

Philosophical, Ethical, or Aesthetic Concept: What is art?

“A lot of the time, art is idea.” –Ying Kit (Professor at Hite Art Insitute).

What is art?

As defined by a regular ole dictionary, “Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination…esteemed for its emotional power.” It’s interesting to note that art is an abstract, not a concrete thing (not the surface value of a child’s finger painting).

Art, though, at its core, is a malleable construct, something with the power to move and influence. In contemporary subjects, art becomes philosophy, as philosophy is art. The two can be explanations of the other. Art is the execution of thought to encourage thought. There is always meaning behind art because art is meaningful by nature.

This brings to mind the question of Jackson Pollock’s “art” . . . which I’ll probably ramble about next time. . . .