Robyn's AVT 180 Blog

[robynmeier180]

Week 11: Mariko Mori in the series Pureland or Burning Desire explores a Relationship with Japanese popular culture, Elaborate on the use of parody by the artist.

In the series Pureland and Burning Desire, we can see that it is based off of Japanese pop-culture.  However, there is a bit of a parody aspect to this work that can be seen by what I think looks that bad special effects.  These works look a little bit "cheesy" due to the use of added figures.  See below:

Burning Desire

Pureland

[robynmeier180]

Week 10: Based on Martina’s work, develop the use of memory and narrative in her work.

In these images, we can see that there are real photos pasted on top of backgrounds that appear to have been fabricated.  By using these real images, but not real backgrounds, it may be signifying that these memories are indeed real, however, they may be remembered slightly differently than someone else.  These variations are demonstrated by the background.

[robynmeier180]

Week 9: In the series Dystopia, what do you think are the main concepts, in relation to the digital effect and process?

In this series, Dystopia, by Aziz and Cucher,  I think that the main concept is the way that digital art is effecting the subjects.  In the following images, we see that they are missing key features of their faces.  This may be a way of saying how the use of digital manipulation is, in a way, stripping the subject of his or her identity.

[robynmeier180]

Newspaper Project

[robynmeier180]

Week 8: Scanner as a Camera

[robynmeier180]

Week 7: Construction of meaning: Describe, location (actual) and (social), the age, expression of the body (look for information in reference to the country where the photos where taken), light, etc, and articulate the meaning that you think this series has.

These images were taken in a grocery store setting where everything is extremely organized.  The contrast between the position of the bodies and the monotonous store around each person is intriguing.  The store looks like it is somewhere in Europe, the labels on the items do not look familiar to me.  It may have something to do with the way that humans are slaves to consumerism.  Although we are so very different from the organized shelves, we are forced to take part in the ritual of shopping.

[robynmeier180]

My Magritte inspired collage.  Lady Gaga. 

Robyn Meier

[robynmeier180]

Week 6: Could describe how Teun Hocks makes his photos? How may this be linked to the history of his country Holland?

Although I am not entirely sure how he creates his photos, it looks to me, that he paints, or somehow otherwise creates the backgrounds of his image, and then overlays a photograph of himself on it.  Below are my favorite from his website:

[robynmeier180]

Week 5: What do you think are the concerns about the environment and landscape in his work? Narrative? Do you see the influences of Magritte and Escher in his work? Name examples.

In the following two photos, there is a clear expression of the concern for the environment.  

In the first image, it shows a man draping an asphalt road across a field.  This is a perfect representation of how humanity has changed the landscape of the earth without regard of its original condition.  In the second photo, it represents the way that we are ignoring the problems that our environment is facing.  We are simply "covering up" what we don't want to address.  By ignoring these conditions, we are creating even more problems.

The surrealism of these photos is similar to those of Magritte and Escher.  This image by Escher is similar to the following image by Johansson.

[robynmeier180]

Digital Manipulation, especially when distorting body image, is something that I have a pretty strong opinion about.  I understand, that there are certain times that digital manipulation may be necessary on an image, however when taken to extremes, this is not only annoyingly unrealistic, but it can be harmful to the thought processes of young, impressionable people.  Mental illness, especially eating disorders can be a horrible outcome of this destructive advertising technique.  According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, up to 24 million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States.  95% of those people are between the ages of 12 and 25.  The products of digital manipulation can create unrealistic goals for people that are exposed to them.  In the video above, it shows a French-Hungarian singer getting a real-time makeover.  While this software may not exist, it perfectly expresses the differences between the way that people actually look and the way they are often portrayed.

ANAD Website

[robynmeier180]

Creatures transferred to Wood

Robyn Meier

[robynmeier180]

Define Estrangement

From what I have found, I think estrangement is the idea of taking something that seems normal at first, and making it different.  Not different in a traditional way, but in a strange, even uncomfortable way.  The audience may feel a bit uncomfortable with the piece because it is so detached from the version they are familiar with.

[robynmeier180]

Creatures with Color

Robyn Meier

[robynmeier180]

Week 4: Define Intertexuality. In the following case, could you name the original reference in these images (pick 3), and describe how the original text influences (content wise) the new image.

Intertextuality is creating new art within the context of old material, without losing the meaning of the original piece.

In Kehinde Wiley's Rumors of War series, intertextuality is used to create these new piece.  In the following three pieces, this is demonstrated.

Link

This first piece uses the work of Charles Le Brun with a new subject.  However, it is now done with someone who is not necessarily a royal public figure.  Here, a famous athlete and his group are the subjects of the piece.  This shows that in our society today, we treat athletes and celebrities as royalty.  This is evident in all of the pieces in this series.

The Chancellor Seguier on Horseback, 2005

Original: Pierre Séguier entering Paris withLouis XIV of France in 1660, 1670

This next piece is similar to a piece by Anthony van Dyke.  It relays the same message as above.

Prince Tommaso Francesco of Savoy-Carignano, 2006

Original: Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano

This last piece has the same message and is similar to a very famous painting by Jacques-Louis David in 1801.

Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps, 2005

Original: Napoleon Crossing the Alps 

[robynmeier180]

Joseph Stalin Trace

Robyn Meier

[robynmeier180]

Postcard Self-Portrait

Robyn Meier

[robynmeier180]

Week 3: In the series Drop Dead Gorgeous, what do you think are the links between the objects, gender, and context?

In this series, it demonstrates a link between the way certain routines or ideas are so driven into the heads of women, that they are killing them.  Not literally, but making them numb to living a full life.  In the image with the slimfast, it is showing that the obsession with weight and dieting is a dangerous habit for women to have.   These aspects are taking over, and to society, it is completely acceptable.

link