*Class Blog* Sydney @COFA 1002

nancy leung | hong kong | fine arts

[awesomewashingtonjcfan]

Process of mixing the materials".

[nancyleung]

great gif 💙💙💙💙💙

[spotlightjapan]

Wabi Sabi 侘寂 - Perfectly Imperfect

In a world were everything is ranked according to social standards of what is “beautiful” it’s hard to appreciate unevenness, blemishes and decay. However, in the 15th Century, a practice that rooted from Zen Buddhism influenced the Japanese culture immensely, so much so that this aesthetic does not have an exact translation to any language.

Wabi-Sabi is embracing imperfection as a part of this world and therefore normal. According to a Japanese legend, an young man named Rikyu wanted to learn the way of tea was tasked to clean the garden. If he is able to impress the master, then he will gain apprenticeship under him. So what Rikyu did was tend to the garden, tidied it up. But after everything was cleaned, he shook a tree so some of its flowers would fall on the ground like how they naturally would’ve if some wind blew. Thus we owe Rikyu the concept of wabi-sabi.

An example of how this idea applies could be observed in Tea Ceremonies. Chipped or unevenly glazed or crooked cups are always used. And you’d think that in such a strict ritual, participants would be obsessing over tiny details. But they do not because they accept these imperfections as normal. They are not fussing over it because there is no reason to be.

This whole concept comes from nature. Laws such as the Law of Entropy or the lack of geometric and exact shapes in nature serve as a template for wabi-sabi. Because materials naturally get thrown in disarray after some time, aging wood floors are beautiful. There is a sense of mortality in nature as plants don’t last forever and everything is constantly changing. In other words, wabi-sabi strives to represent nature in man-made structures. The deformities remind us that crooked shapes comparable to that of tree branches are beautiful and normal because we see it everyday! This is the main essence of wabi-sabi. Furthermore, if we break down the characters 侘寂 it literally translates to “simplicity” and “beauty of age and wear”.

If we observe the very teachings of Zen Buddhism however, actually defining the word is a distraction from what wabi-sabi is. It’s very hard to really integrate this idea in our daily lives because of the age we live in. But I believe there is sense and truth to the concept of wabi-sabi. Who said walls need to be spotless? Who dictated that the plants in front of your porch should be a foot apart? Why so exact and calculated when we are part of nature that is completely unpredictable yet beautiful? Most importantly, wabi-sabi teaches us to love ourselves, complete with our quirks and unique imprints from nature.

[wreckingly]

[awesomewashingtonjcfan]

Finally my box is now “Human"🎉🎈🤓✌️😁😊👍🍻

[nancyleung]

after reading all your experimentations and iterations , I do think u are really going "crazy for Art" 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 well done !!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[awesomewashingtonjcfan]

PPE always"👍👍👍🤓😊

[nancyleung]

ADAD1001 hash tagged 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 awesome and handsome look haha

[nancyleung]

[nancyleung]

After the presentation, Mell suggested us to take a look at Abdul Abdullah’s art works. I guess our PDF has probably reminded him of this artist’s work?

ARTIST RESEARCH : ABDUL ABDULLAH

Abdul Abdullah is a multidisciplinary artist who has stated that if there is a ‘bad guy’ in the current popular imagination it would be a Muslim. Growing up as a Muslim in a post September 11 world Abdul Abdullah has felt like an outsider as his Muslim identity has been politicised. Abdul feels that he has an obligation to defend his Muslim heritage by shining a light on the nationalistic, sometimes fascist, behaviours of sectors of Australian community contributing to the division of Australian and Muslim identities.

A monkey mask is featured in his current work as an abject representation of ‘the other’. The last image is one of the 12 PDFs we created, I can see the monkey mask we made is more humorous and funny compared to Abdullah’s while he’s talking about culture and identity.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/arts/ArtXWest/video/Abdul-Abdullah-The-Bad-Guy-140808/default.htm

[nancyleung]

How could a dragon eat? Take a look at Sarri!

[nancyleung]

Mell: can you guys seriously eating like animals for ten seconds?

[nancyleung]

Brief introduction

[nancyleung]

Preparation of the performance

Class was divided into 12 animals according to month (instead of year)

[nancyleung]

PRESENTATION DAY - 28/10/2015 (WED)

Our group decided to present the concept and PDF art work in a performance engaging all the audience. Thank you Niki for such a creative idea and getting food prepared.

[nancyleung]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Concept: A futuristic vision of a new world consisting of 12 human-animal hybrid due to advance technology of Genetic Engineering, with cultural (Chinese) appropriation and perspective.

Format of 12 pages of PDF: Creative Art Work 

References for Concept Research and Artist Research (Total: 40)

Ai Weiwei Zodiac Heads Chinese Art Sculpture. (2015). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.phxart.org/exhibition/zodiacheads

Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.zodiacheads.com/about_exhibit_bronze.html

Ai Weiwei: Zodiac Heads. (2013, August 23). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from https://youtu.be/u1f_HmoT7bM

Art Oriente Objet: Performances About Transformation. (2013, August 9). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from https://artistbestiary.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/art-oriente-objet-performances-about-transformation/

Art-Sci. (2010, November 1). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://art-sci.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/meow-cats-with-tattoos-or-tattoos-of.html?m=1

Artist Focus: Helmo Knows Best. (2012, May 8). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.serialoptimist.com/gallery-art/on-point-helmo-7812.html

Artist implants 'third ear' on his own arm. (2007, October 11). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-487039/Artist-implants-ear-arm.html

Barnes, S. (2013, December 13). Grotesque Human And Animal Hybrid Sculptures By Liu Xue. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://beautifuldecay.com/2013/12/13/grotesque-human-animal-hybrid-sculptures-liu-xue/

Bizarre Graphite Drawings of Baby-Animals by Nathalie Lagacé. (2015, August 5). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://hifructose.com/2015/08/05/bizarre-graphite-drawings-of-baby-animals-by-nathalie-lagace/

Britain votes to allow human-animal embryo research. (2008, May 19). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://en.trend.az/world/other/1203079.html

Carlson, K. (2015, July 24). An Artist’s Twist on Taxidermy Blurs the Boundaries of Humanity. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/24/a-twist-on-taxidermy-blurs-the-boundaries-of-humanity/

Charlotte Caron. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.artandsciencejournal.com/post/27908016596/charlotte-caron-in-this-series-of-portraits

Chinese Artist Liu Xue’s Sculptures Are Terrifyingly Beautiful. (2014, January 6). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://smatterist.com/545/chinese-artist-liu-xues-sculptures-terrifyingly-beautiful/

Chinese Zodiac: 12 Animal Signs, Love Compatibility, Calculator, Origin. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/

Correspondent, N. (2007, May 18). Scientists allowed to experiment on hybrid embryos. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1551913/Scientists-allowed-to-experiment-on-hybrid-embryos.html

Daniel Martin for the Daily Mail. (2011, July 23). 150 human animal hybrids grown in UK labs: Embryos have been produced secretively for the past three years. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2017818/Embryos-involving-genes-animals-mixed-humans-produced-secretively-past-years.html#ixzz3paGCFxLb

Davis, N. (2015, January 26). Human Animals by Kate Clark - beautiful.bizarre. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from https://beautifulbizarre.net/2015/01/27/human-animals-kate-clark/

Detained Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei’s CIRCLE OF ANIMALS…ZODIAC HEADS Sculptures Unveiled At The Pulitzer Fountain Outside The Plaza. (2011, May 4). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/ai-weiweis-circle-of-animalszodiac.html

Fearon, P. (2007, September 4). Brits Approve Experiments on Human-Animal Embryos. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.newser.com/story/6878/brits-approve-experiments-on-human-animal-embryos.html

Fierce Fashion Animals by helmo. (2012, May 4). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://belopotosky.com/2012/05/04/fierce-fashion-animals-by-helmo/

Helmo @ Galeries Lafayette. (2008, March 30). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMTBtcw-BHs&feature=youtu.be

Human Admixed Embryos. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/Policy/Spotlight-issues/Human-Fertilisation-and-Embryology-Act/Stem-cell-basics/WTD040073.htm

Human-Animal Chimeras. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://stemcellbioethics.wikischolars.columbia.edu/Module 7 - Human-Animal Chimeras

Human-animal Embryos Move Nearer to Reality. (2007, May 18). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-455642/Human-animal-embryos-nearer-reality.html

Layton, J. (n.d.). Why would scientists want to create a hybrid human-cow embryo? Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/human-cow-embryo.htm

Man-Animal Hybrids Photography. (2014, October 17). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from  http://www.designstack.co/2014/10/man-animal-hybrids-photography.html

Michael, L. (2003). We Are Family: Patricia Piccinini at the 50th Biennale of Venice. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/writing/27/144/39

Mouse Ears2.flv. (2011, February 9). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Wiysb3MeE

Nafziger, C. (2015, September 11). Nathalie Lagacé Renders Delicate Creatures Stuck Between Human And Beast. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://beautifuldecay.com/tag/animals/

Olda, D. (2013, May 31). Photographed Portraits And Painted Animal Masks By Charlotte Caron. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://beautifuldecay.com/2013/05/31/photographed-portraits-and-painted-animal-masks-by-charlotte-caron/

Patricia Piccinini’s Mythic Imagination | Weird Fiction Review. (2012, September 11). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://weirdfictionreview.com/2012/09/patricia-piccininis-mythic-imagination/

Sandhu, B. (2009, October 16). Interview: Meet half-man, half-platypus and 100 percent artist David Chan. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://travel.cnn.com/singapore/play/david-chan-interview-294092

Scientists Create Bizarre Human/Animal Hybrids. (2015, January 24). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://topinfopost.com/2015/01/24/human-animal-hybrid-scientists-creates

Splice (2009) review. (2015, April 1). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://thatwasabitmental.com/2015/04/01/splice-2009-review/

Stelarc, Performance Artist, Has Third Ear Implanted On His Arm - uInterview. (2015, August 14). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://uinterview.com/news/stelarc-performance-artist-has-third-ear-implanted-on-his-arm/

Surreal Half-Animal, Half-Human Portraits. (2013, August 27). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.mymodernmet.com/members/Pinar/content?type=BlogEntry&context=all&page=23

The Wonders of the Zodiac. (2003, November 19). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2003-11/19/content_44290.htm

The Carrier a Hyper Real Sculpture by Patricia Piccinini. (2013, February 27). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.designboom.com/art/the-carrier-an-animal-and-human-hybrid-by-patricia-piccinini/

Totally Obsessed Catman - Fred Willard. (2011, March 7). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRr94ssnQo

Venugopal, V. (2014, August 30). Creepy Human Animal Hybrid Sculptures by Chinese Artist Liu Xue. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://netdost.com/m/blogpost?id=2956620:BlogPost:769553

[nancyleung]

Ai Weiwei: Zodiac Heads

[nancyleung]

[nancyleung]

12 CHINESE ZODIAC - ARTIST RESEARCH: AI WEI WEI (CHINA)

Ai Wei Wei: Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei took as his inspiration for his twelve Chinese zodiac bronze sculptures from those that once graced the Qing dynasty fountain, in an eighteenth-century imperial retreat outside Beijing. 

Like other ornate objects, the original pieces were looted by the British and French troops in the Second Opium War in 1860. Viewed as a symbol of “cultural theft”, Weiwei re-created the gold-plated sculptures in 2010 as a subversive commentary on the nature of looting and repatriation. Using these recreations on a monumental scale, Ai Weiwei raises issues of cultural patrimony, national pride, and China's ongoing relationship with its own history.

It is a global, multi-year touring exhibition around around the United States, Europe and Asia. The official world tour for Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads by Ai Weiwei launched in New York City at the historic Pulitzer Fountain at Grand Army Plaza in May 2011.

Source: http://nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/ai-weiweis-circle-of-animalszodiac.html

http://www.phxart.org/exhibition/zodiacheads

http://www.zodiacheads.com/about_exhibit_bronze.html

[nancyleung]

RESEARCH: 12 CHINESE ZODIAC - Relationship with Human

People born in a certain animal year are believed to have attributes of that animal. The year of a person's birth is considered the primary factor in determining a person’s personality, physical and mental attributes, ability and level of success and happiness throughout his or her lifetime. Events and occurrences in a given year are influenced by the nature of that year's animal.

Animal: Rat

Year: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. 2044 Characteristics: ambitious, overly critical, power-hungry, honest, generous, quick-tempered and thrifty; gets along with dragons and monkeys but not horses

Animal: Ox Year: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033, 2045 Characteristics: unyielding, upright, inspiring, easy-going, reliable and dependable; gets along with snakes and roosters but not sheep.

Animal: Tiger

Year: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034, 2046 Characteristics: aggressive, charming, emotional, courageous; gets along with horses and dogs but never a monkey

Animal: Rabbit 

Year: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2036, 2047 Characteristics: talented, good-tempered, conscientious, successful in business, cautious, clear-sighted; gets along with sheep and pigs but not roosters 

Animal: Dragon 

Year: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048 Characteristics: bossy, energetic,flamboyant, determined, lucky, a leader; gets along with snakes and roosters but not sheep 

Animal: Snake 

Year: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2015, 2037, 2049 Characteristics:  passionate, determined, romantic, careful, refined; gets along with roosters and oxen but not pigs

Animal: Horse 

Year: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038, 2050 Characteristics: intelligent, talkative, popular, impatient;gets along with tigers and dogs but not rats

Animal: Sheep 

Year: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039, 2051 Characteristics: artistic, passionate, timid, fastidious, indecisive; gets along with rabbits and pigs but not oxen

Animal: Monkey 

Year: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040, 2052 Characteristics:  witty, popular, good-humored, versatile; gets along with dragons and rats but not tigers

Animal: Rooster 

Year: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041, 2053 Characteristics: talented, alert, hardworking, shrewd; gets along with snakes and oxen but not rabbits

Animal: Dog 

Year: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042, 2054 Characteristics:  intelligent, generous, stubborn, loyal and faithful; gets along with tigers and horses but not dragons

Animal: Pig 

Year: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2020, 2031, 2043 Characteristics:  reliable, sincere, tolerant, shy, productive, kind, and short tempered; gets along with sheep and rabbits

Source: http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2003-11/19/content_44290.htm

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/