?'s

Julius Koller
Instruction
1996
Cut out question marks from various newspaper or magazine texts. Then, during your walks in a city, stick them onto public texts wherever you will consider it to be important.

Theory Writing

Subject: Identity

Much of my work is centered on my own identity and what distinguishes me from others, or my art from that of other artists. I typically turn inward, and look for a unique or defining characteristic or experience about myself that can aid in this.  I want to contribute something else to the art world, not more of the same.  This strive to find and create something original is one of the defining characteristics of my work as an artist.  My cultural and social identity are also very influential on my work.  I am a young woman, living in America. This makes my work very different than that of someone from another country, or a less privileged socioeconomic background.

My work often deals with my stuttering, or personal challenges I have. While I’m presenting a challenge that I deal with, others can relate to my work in terms of challenges of their own.  There is no limit to the impact our personal trials have on our lives and our work as artists.  I am mainly attempting to solidify my artistic identity in my work, while exploring ideas that interest me.
Identity can be viewed in many different ways, including individual and communal identity.  Previously, my work with Identity has been very individual and personal, with working towards finding my identity as an artist.  This has been done through looking at previous styles and ideas in art, and finding what I want to address in modern terms.  Alphonse Mucha is an artist I have been extremely inspired by and whose work I find appealing and intriguing.  I love his style and art nouveau technique and have found inspiration for many pieces in his lithograph prints.  Alternately, modern artists such as Shepard Fairey and Bill Viola have also have work that inspires me and influences my choices in work.  By looking at the work of others, and testing what ideas I like, I can make progress in determining who I am as an artist, and what issues I want to address in what way.

Theory: Process and Material

            Process is important in my work, as it is in many.  While the process my not always be visible in the completed piece, the way it was created is often part of the piece.  The materials used, and the manner in which I used them often are very influential on the final product. Creating a piece out of wood, versus plaster are very different projects.  Similarly, creating a drawing or painting results in a much different product than using video or photography.  These influences are all important in my work, and whether or not the process of making the piece is visible at the end depends on the content and nature of the art. 

Images from my Exhibition Review

Andrej Krementschouk 
No Direction Home
Color Photography

Concept Map

The things that influence me as as artist!

This is a map of things that influence my work as an artist.  Everything that I encounter has some impact on the art I create.  Certain things, like the music I'm listening to while creating a piece, end up influencing the final outcome.  Alternately, beliefs I have and things I believe in also have a great impact on the content and reasoning behind my work.  

Artist Statement - Revised Again

Art is personal.  As an artist everything I create is influenced by my experiences and view of the world.  I make work about what I know. At this point in my life I’ve centered most of my work on one of my personal challenges: stuttering.  I sometimes stutter when I speak which is an emotional and physical experience and the causes of speech disorders are widely misunderstood by others. Through my art I hope to communicate my personal feelings so everyone can understand it.  We should make art about what we know and what affects us personally; in my case, I know about stuttering, so I’m making art about it.

I’ve been exploring multiple different approaches to my art.  The use of technology in art is one that highly intrigues me, so I’ve explored computer animation and modeling, as well as video art.  This time-based media gives a new dimension to my work that I find exciting.  I’ve also explored the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture. By exploring different methods and mediums I hope to broaden my perspective, and learn more about myself as an artist.  This exploration of techniques is vital to my perspective on art.

A Different Artist Statement

Art is personal.  As an artist everything I create is influenced by my experiences and view of the world.  I make work about what I know.  Simple interactions between people, the subtle differences in the ways we look at the world, and the small everyday joys of life are all aspects of the world that inspire me as an artist.  What we experience is all we know for certain, but by keeping an open mind, and letting ourselves experience the world, we can learn even more.  I think we should make art about what we know and what affects us personally, so that is what I do.

I’ve been exploring multiple different approaches to my art.  The use of technology in art is one that highly intrigues me, so I’ve explored computer animation and modeling, as well as video art.  This time-based media gives a new dimension to my work that I find exciting.  I’ve also explored the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture. By exploring different methods and mediums I hope to broaden my perspective, and learn more about myself as an artist.  This exploration of techniques is vital to my perspective on art.

The Body (chapter 3)

This past week in class we’ve discussed the body and its relationship to art. Our bodies have a large impact on who we are as individuals and how we go about making art. The body can inspire one’s work, but it also determines the limits of the artist.

Many performance art pieces deal with the body.  Janine Antoni’s piece “Loving Care” was one that caught my attention.  She challenges the male dominated art world with her piece that utilizes her female body. In particular, she uses her long hair as a paintbrush.  Another of Janine Antoni’s performance pieces intrigued me.  It was called “To Draw a Line.” The piece was completely based around the limits of her body.  Her physical ability to walk on a tightrope was put under critical attention as she walked across a tightrope made of hemp suspended on two large spools.  This was a test of the body and her ability.  I think art that tests the limits of the body is very interesting, though I don’t know if I could physically put myself through those pieces. 

Chris Burden is an artist who deals with this concept.  He has done many pieces testing his physical limits, though many of them are painful and dangerous.  This is one aspect of performance and body art that does not appeal as much to me.  When someone puts themselves in such danger, I find it unappealing.  One such piece by Chris Burden was called “Through the Night Softly” where he tied his hand behind his back and crawled across broken glass.  He’s also done several pieces where he stayed in the gallery for days at a time and didn’t move, testing how long he could physically survive or how long until someone else stepped in to help.  While these are very intriguing pieces, as an artist I could never do them.  Art involving the body is wide and varied, but this is one avenue that intrigues me.

While the body has not heavily influenced my personal work there are some aspects of it that relate.  For example, when I create art about my stuttering, I often address the physical feeling and experience of stuttering, which influences my body and it's limits.  I address the event, and what it feels like, which is inherent in the body and my experience of it. Also, in order to create art we must use our bodies.  Whenever I create a sculpture piece for example, it is influenced and changed because of my physical limitations and the tools I use.  In these ways, the body is a relevant theme when discussing my work.

Artist Statement - Revised

Art is personal.  As an artist everything I create is influenced by my experiences and view of the world.  I make work about what I know. At this point in my life I’ve centered most of my work on one of my personal challenges: stuttering.  I sometimes stutter when I speak which is an emotional and physical experience that is widely misunderstood by others. Through my art I hope to communicate my personal feelings so everyone can understand it.  We should make art about what we know and what affects us personally; in my case, I know about stuttering, so I’m making art about it. 

There is no one medium I use for my work.  I’ve been exploring multiple, different approaches to my art.  The use of technology in art is one that highly intrigues me, so I’ve explored computer animation and modeling, as well as video art.  This time-based media gives a new dimension to my work that I find exciting.  I’ve also explored the fields of painting, drawing and sculpture. By exploring different methods and mediums I hope to broaden my perspective, and learn more about myself as an artist.  This exploration of techniques is vital to my perspective on art.

Identity Discussion (chapter 2)

In class we’ve been talking about many facets of the modern art world.  All of this combines to give us a more holistic understanding of the trends and current focal points of modern art.  Of the many themes we’ve discussed, one that appeals to me is identity. Whether that involves racial, cultural, gender or even personal identity, I think it is one of the more important movements in art.  Everyone is constantly looking for themselves, and if art can represent at least a part of that in their work, it’s intriguing.  Identity is complex.  We are many things all at once. 

I find it interesting that artists are currently working towards communal identity, versus personal identity.  People can relate to the work on a much larger scale, and appreciate it in a different way. While one representation of identity may not relate to our personal experience, it relates to many others.  That is the nature of the work.  This trend into the exploration of identity on a large scale and the search for what it means to be human is a compelling idea.

I particularly enjoy the pieces dealing with what it means to be a woman, and those that address the issues of gender discrimination.  Laura Mulvey’s article is very important on this subject because she draws attention to the role of the female in film is often representational of the role of women in other forms of expression.  By examining the “gazes” present, one can determine whether the female figure is being objectified, or treated with respect.  This is true in film and in art.  Many examples of art, which deal with identity, are centered on this theme of gender.  This is something I find compelling in my work: what does it mean to be a woman, and how does the world see the role of the female.  By creating contrast between the role of women in film and the reality of being a woman in modern society, important and distinct points can be made. 

This plays into the idea of the personal versus communal identity.  Is what one artist says about gender a statement about the communal identity of women, or a personal statement about themselves? We can find out more about ourselves, through looking at modern art.  This is one of the ideas that has influenced my thinking and my art the most this semester.

Other Artists of Interest

Cory Godbey

Cory Godby uses images from myths, fables and history and to inspire his graphic art. He combines art and technology, and often uses computer graphics to create his pieces.  He works in animation and illustration as well, and has done covers for companies such as HarperCollins, Random House and Marvel.  He pieces have a are whimsical, and have a lightness about them that is intriguing. 

Cory Godbey, Untitled, 2010

Cory Godbey, Untitled, 2009

Justin Gerard

Justin Gerard used to work with Cory Godbey, and while the images for their inspiration are similar, their techniques are very different.  Gerard utilizes computer graphics as well, but his composition and approach are different.  His pieces have such detail that they immediately draw the viewer in.  He is and interesting and exciting artist.

Justin Gerard, The Reluctant Dragon, 2009

Justin Gerard, You've Been Warned, 2009

Artist's Statement

Art is personal.  As an artist everything I create is influenced by my experiences and view of the world.  I make work about what I know and experience.  This means that my personal challenges and understanding influence my work greatly.  I’ve been working in a wide variety of materials, but recently I’m exploring the art of sculpture.  By exploring different methods and mediums I hope to broaden my perspective, and learn more about myself as an artist.  This exploration of techniques is vital to my perspective on art.

At this point in my life I’ve centered my work on one of my personal challenges: stuttering.  I sometimes stutter when I speak which is an emotional and physical experience that is widely misunderstood by others.  I use my art to bring light to this condition and hopefully spread awareness and understanding of it with others.  I hope to communicate my personal feelings so everyone can understand it.  We should make art about what we know and what affects us personally; in my case, I know about stuttering, so I’m making art about it.  In the past this was not my focus. I made work about other things, like music and growing up.  Our inspiration is always changing, and I believe that by sharing our personal struggles we can learn to better understand others and ourselves. 

Elizabeth Harney, Music Series, 2009

Artists of Interest - Revised

Shepard Fairey

He is widely known for his work during the 2008 election, especially his "Hope" poster of Barrack Obama.  His style is very graphic and bold, and many of his works focus on anti-war statements.  He works in poster formats, which enables wide distribution of his art.

Shepard Fairey, War By Numbers, 2009

Shepard Fairey, Make Art Not War, 2007

Becca Bernstein

Her works are primarily paintings, centered around the "awkward dance of human interdependence." She uses bright, bold colors and studies human expression. She explores human relationships in the contemporary age, and the influence of generational differences on human interaction. 

Becca Bernstein, Artist, 2007

Becca Bernstein, One Was Hazelia, 2007

Ron van Dongen

He takes beautiful and seductive photographs of flowers and the human form.  His emphasis on shape and color are truly beautiful, and he explores the aesthetic appeal of art in intriguing ways.  He conveys emotion and visual sensations through the simplicity of form.

 

Ron van Dongen, Untitled, Polariod Positives series

Ron van Dongen, Untitled, Polariod Positives series

Artists of Interest

Shepard Fairey

He is widely known for his work during the 2008 election, especially his "Hope" poster of Barrack Obama.  His style is very graphic and bold, and many of his works focus on anti-war statements.  He works in poster formats, which enables wide distribution of his art.

Kara Walker

She works with messages surrounding the issues of race, gender, sexuality, violence and slavery.  Her pieces are most often installation based, with life sized human silhouettes.  She uses graphic and bold colors, and an exaggerated style of drawing the human form.

Becca Bernstein

Her works are primarily paintings, centered around the "awkward dance of human interdependence." She uses bright, bold colors and studies human expression. She explores human relationships in the contemporary age, and the influence of generational differences on human interaction.