The Language of Objects - physicality

       To understand what is the language of objects, we may have a look at the artworks of Ron Mueck.

        All of his artworks are using human as the main theme. You can see the artwork on the above is like a real human, it has many details on it. For example, wrinkle, body movement, facial expression, etc. Through observing the body movement and the facial expression, you may tell what is his feeling at this moment. This is the language of physicality. You can see the above artwork, the man seems like worrying something since his body movement and face tell me that he is upset.

        Lets see another example, a couple. you can see the sadness from them through their facial expression. Also, you can see the boy catch the hand of girl firmly, which maybe means he don't want her to leave. Then you may guess the story behind. I think they are sad since they need to seperate for a long time by some reason. The boy doesn't want the girl go away, so does the girl. But the girl knows that she has to go. As you can see you can tell many things only by observing their facial expression, body movement.

        Ron Mueck's artworks are brilliant not only because his technique, but also the detail of human. The facial expression are real enough that you can tell what is his feel. Also the artworks are big, so you may able to observe the detail of that human.

Fluxus

Nam June Paik - Human Cello

        Fluxus don't have unified doctrine and strict system of ideas. At that moment, some people thought art in the past was too specialized, stylized and meaningful. They wanted to get rid of these binding, and made art becomes simpler, easier, and everyone can create art. They believed life itself is already an art. Therefore, they started to create an art call Fluxus in order to express their thought and concept. They didin't have consistency but they did things that others didn't. People were surprised by this kind of art at that time.

Yoko Ono - Cut Piece

        I think this may be the pioneer of performance art. I agree they are good to break the rules and inspiring others, this enrich art. However, I don't think they should against other art culture. I do think every art culture have their value. The arts before fluxus were specialized, stylized and meaningful, thats why they were rare and have appreciation value. Some of the fluxus are just simply againt the rules, it will be no different with slapstick.

Kan Tai-Keung - change in his path of art

        Kan Tai-Keung is a Hong Kong artist, and he start designing in 1967. In the late 60's and early 70's, Kan Tai-Keung tried printmaking, acrylic painting, aquarella and chinese ink-and-water painting. He was pursuing western-style, and he especially loved the simple plane geometry style. Then, he was gradually fascinated by figurative mechanical shape. However, after working for 5 years, he asked himself why was he chasing the trend of others rather than open his own new trend. He want to combine chinese element in to his artworks. In the middle 70's, he finally found out his way, combining chinese ink-and-water painting, lotus and calligraphy in his designs. Then his artworks started to change from mechanical and design composition to natural tradition, using scenic landscapes be the theme of his artwork. Here is some of the designs shown below.

Stamps of Chinese Zodiac Signs Series

Mother

        In the middle 80's, his style was mature. Below are some of the design done at that moment. You can see the different between the designs from both period. For 70's, the designs were puting chinese word on it or using chinese ink-and-water painting. However, for 80's, the designs were combining with some chinese traditional culture or chinese traditional thought.

Logo of Bank of China

The poster of the 3rd Festival of Asian Arts

        In 90's, Kan Tai-Keung wanted to focus on art creation instead of his design business. As a result, he started to reduce his work and spend more time on creating art. In his artworks, you can always see writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and ink stones. Also you can see elements of chinese ink-and-water painting: calligraphy, red dot, and blank.

Walking In The Dream

        Walking In The Dream, a gallery which shows eleven artists' artworks that representing their own dream. I read a book before which said dream is what you think in the day time. However, sometime we may get lost in reality, and forget the purpose of life. In dream, we may find out what we really want or believe in. Some of the artworks catched my attention.

Don't Blame the Moon

Leung Mee-ping

        This artwork is combined by two part, a video on the wall and toys on the floor. On the wall, there is a video about some children from different religions and races saying aloud their dreams in other's houses of worship. While on the floor, there are many broken, old toys inside a circle toy railray.

        Both of them are in shape of full moon, I think there is a connection between the children and the moon. When you see the moon, you can associate it with pure or unpolluted, which is similar to children. Meanwhile, the broken toys are representing the reality, disappeared innocence. Then what is the meaning of the video? I think Leung Mee-ping want us to know the combat between religions and races are killing the innocences and dreams of children. And she is hoping in future, children wouldn't affect by religions and races.

        I think the way of expression is strong since children's words are the best way to show the innocence, you can feel it from their tone and facial expression. Also, using moon as the connection between the toy and the video is good, it connects hope and reality, innocent and common customs.

        Dream is a present of hope. After getting older, dream is the only place you can find your innocence back. Some even can't find it in their dream. Hope children can keep as pure as the moon, don't polluted by this world.

Unbroken Passage

Kacey Wong

        As shown on above, there is a motorcycle in the middle of the room and it is tied up by some wires. In front of the motorcycle is a video projected on the wall. In this video, we can see a motorcycle is going in and out many tunnels, and seems like it is an infinite road. On the right hand side of the motorcycle, there is a telephone in the hole of the wall. You may hear the sound of the motorcycle from the phone.

        In the video, the motorcycle is moving; however, you will suddenly realise that the motorcycle is trapped by many wires and it can't move anymore. I think the infinite road is representing the work that you keep on doing or the faith you are believing in many years. The motorcycle is moving on the road means you are moving on the path of your faith. And the wires that trapped the motorcycle may be the obstacle which makes you hesitate that should you keep on believing your faith. The phone that have the sound of the motorcycle may be a connection of reality and dream. This is because sometimes you may link the sound in reality into your dream and misunderstand the sound is from your dream. For example, I had misunderstood the sound of my alarm to the music that I was playing in my dream. After several minutes, I woke up and realise it was my alarm.

        Everyone may hesitate on what they are doing. In dream, they may struggle about what should they do. But when they wake up, they may find their answer.

Impressionism and Cubism

Impressionism

        After lesson, I understand more about impressionism. Impressionist believe that we can only see color and light. That's why all the painting only have color and light, but don't have any outline. As a result, you may can't see the object clearly, it will depend on what do you think it is.

        I love impressionism, since the color change is beautiful. Although there is no outline, but you still can see many details in the painting. For example, the reflection in the water, weather, etc.

ARMAND GUILLAUMIN - "Soleil couchant à Ivry (sunset at Ivry)"

Cubism

        Cubism is really different from impressionism. Cubism contains sharp outlines, stronger sense of object and volume, monochrome coloring, inconsistent shading and geometric elements. Below is an example.

Cubism by Picasso

        Also, cubism have a characteristic is that cubist will draw it in different angle but combine them together. As you can see the eyes of this girl is observe from different direction, but they connect together.

Cubism by Picasso

        I don't like this style, but I can see it's artistic value. I think Picasso is really creative that he can break the rules and start a new style. Picasso thinks object is not the most important in a painting, but communication. I think this is a good concept in drawing. At that time, most of the artists only draw views that they think are beautiful. However, the painting usually don't have any message carry out. I think this concept is changing the culture of art at that period.

What is Art?

        Art is not a new word to us, but is it everyone can tell what art really is? Is it anyone who call himself artist, their work must be called Art?

        I think Art should be unique. If the work is already done by someone, it is just a replica. The uniqueness is not only talking about the semblance of the work, but also the idea, the way to express, the meaning, etc. Also, I think art is an expression of beauty and this beauty is including artificial and natural. In my view, to judge wherther it is beautiful or not is depend on the audiences. Since beauty means different to different people, we can't universalize what beauty is. In addition, I think art should have some meaning or message to express. Otherwise, meaningless movement can be an art, such as raising up a ball.