1. The second world war caused many European artists and art collection to evacuate Europe, many settled in north America, a more direct relationship between France and Quebec was cultivated. Paul Emile Borduas taught and lectured at the Ecole du Meuble on the contemporary art scene, particularily challenging and criticizing the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His students grew into a close community, exhibiting along the lines of Borduas lectures, they began an informal relationship and where active in their community. In this way Borduas’ students were equally or additionally important to the inspiration and spread of these enw artistic movements. Borduas was the initial spark, however his students were the ones who brought his lectures and opinions to the public. 2. The manifesto itself was an artistic piece, being printed by hand and including not only the views of artists, but also other works. While it was well accepted by the public, selling out quickly, it was not well accepted by the government or other conservative groups. Christians in particular seemed to challenge and persecute the opinions of Borduas, publishing in local papers and magazines their own editorials, the bantering the occurred was described as a “war of words”. Borduas was eventually fired for his radical convictions, which then lead to more protesting. More importantly the Automatists seemed to have been torn apart over the opinions and interpretations of Borduas’ writing, they all had opinions that varied in extremeness. As the group fell apart which ended the power of the pamphlet. 3. The Automatists were great admireers, and influenced by the Surrealists, Dadaists, and Futurists. Pierre Mabille, a surrealist psychiatrist, was a particular influence. He wrote on the theoretical rise and fall of civilization, Borduas wrote on the history of Quebec as a nation. Borduas described Quebec in terms of historical events and then analyzing it in psychological terms, he concluded that Quebec was a nation born from fear, ripe for revolt. He described creativity in terms of psychology, however in a much more articulated manner, while the surrealist writing was more ambiguous leaving the psychology to the art. The Automatists described all events in life, and in history as a spark for the release of creative impulse. They also advocated the viewing of art in an experiential manner, releasing emotion and sparking realization. The Automatists were similarly born out of emotion, expression, and psychology.
Rachel Lauzon – “Returning Home, Regina, Emma Lake and the Close of the 60s”
1. The Thesis of the article is that the close of the 1960s ushered in a new period of art in Saskatchewan and an end to the Emma Lake Workshop’s influence on the art scene of that time. The main questions the article tries to answer are why the workshops were originally so important and how over time their influence waned.
2. Space for early participants of the Emma Lake workshops was about isolation and aloneness. The space they referred to was both physical and cerebral. The physical isolation of Emma Lake was needed in order to access a spiritual space necessary for creativity. They valued the concept of a metaphysical space needed to create an image from the artist’s subconscious. In the space of aloneness the artists could create meaning by accessing their subconscious, the abstract artwork recorded this meaning in the process of its creation. In contrast the idea of space for the ceramicists was more connected to the physicality and community of Saskatchewan rather than an idealized intellectual space.
3. The verb transcend for Abstract Expressionists meant to leave reality behind and access the spiritual. To transcend the physical or literal was to access a meaning beyond pictorial references and traditional techniques of representation. The artist was connecting the experiences of life with the “intuitively felt life” (page 3).
4. There were many differences between the abstractionists and ceramicists approach to art. Mainly the ceramicists valued art for its real connection to place and common people. The mud used to make the clay was from the physical earth, the craft explored was traditional to the area and had been around for a long time. The approach of the ceramicists is described as “playful” in the article as opposed to the seriousness of the abstractionists. The ceramicists had a connection to place, history and people. The abstractionists were the opposite in their quest for the spiritual they wanted to transcend the physical accessing a non-representational celebration of art for art’s sake. Surfaces, the flatness of canvas, the colors of the paint were used to explore and express something beyond the physical.
5. Summary:
The artistic workshops known as the Emma Lake Workshops held in Saskatchewan lost their influence after the 1960s. The workshops initiated in 1955 were important to connect the rural, isolated artistic community of Saskatchewan with the developments in art happening in New York. The workshops were led by some well known individuals in the art field such as Clement Greenberg and exposed local artists and university students to the ideas of Abstract Expressionism. In 1964 there was a push to reorganize the Emma Lake Workshops which had become very exclusive and formalist in nature. By the end of the 1960s new faculty associated with the University of Regina began to push for recognition of art as something which could be accessed by all people an approach more welcoming of folk or craft art. This rejection of formalism and authority in art along with a decreased sense of isolation for the artistic community in Saskatchewan reduced the influence of the workshops which were relocated to Saskatoon.
1.What is the thesis of the article? What are the main questions that the article seeks to answer?
The thesis of this article is to sketch out the dominant issues of dispute in the Regina community at the close of the 1960s in relation to the immense influence and impact of the workshops that were developed in this area. The two art communities had major differences between them and each sought to answer fundamental questions such as what was a sense of space? What composed an artist’s subject matter? What did tradition mean? These questions are answered in succession through the article as a means of illustrating the differing positions within the community as well as showing why Emma Lake no longer was an important means in the Regina community beginning in the 1970s.
2.What did space mean for early participants of Emma Lake workshops?
The early participants of Emma Lake workshops accepted the concept of a sense of place. They viewed place in a metaphysical sense that involved one to encourage and experience the release of an inner image. In this way, space was defined by an inner confrontation. The position of Emma Lake itself in regards to its isolation from any urban center encouraged this reading of place. In 1959, when Newman travelled to Emma Lake, he believed that the location brought him closer to the Arctic tundra. For Newman, place located a moment of awareness. It proclaimed that moment in the viewer’s consciousness when works of art as physical objects revealed a man’s metaphysical relation with the world.
3.What was the meaning of the verb ‘transcend’ for Abstract Expressionists?
For Abstract Expressionists, to ‘transcend’ was to go beyond the confines of place as a location in order to go beyond the specifics of a particular history to a point where one could escape self-consciousness about tradition. Clement Greenburg argued that while one should acknowledge the ties between recognizable images and conceptual meaning, we cannot tell whether the addition or subtraction of conceptual meaning will increase or diminish the aesthetic meaning of a work of art. Greenburg’s claim reiterated the argument’s where he privileged the authority of the picture plane for the first time. Greenburg also referred to visual experience to assert the primacy of each unique media – canvas as flat, painting as flat. He argued against the prevailing popularity of a representational art, believing that it was not true to the medium.
1. McLuhan gives numerous examples to support his main argument. What in your opinion is most efficient? Why?
The most efficient example that McLuhan gave in regards to his theory of the medium being the message, was the example of the electric light. The clarity in the idea of the electric light being disregarded as a medium until it glows the word of a name brand, helps to understand the theory in regards to many other mediums. Without content the light is ignored as a medium, yet once a word is glowing, it wouldn’t be recognized without the light. This was also a strong example because electric lighting has been something this generation has been accustomed to since birth and the lighting of a room or a dark street at night is never recognized in the way that a glowing word is.
5. General Question: Do you agree with McLuhan “Medium is the Message”? Give at least one example to support your answer.
I do agree with McLuhan’s “Medium is the Message”. I believe it can be used in many situations to understand the greater purpose of something. For example, an instance that supports this theory is a television commercial. If a commercial is promoting a new two-in-one kitchen cleaning product, the resulting message isn’t necessarily the information given throughout the commercial, but the fact that this commercial was broadcasted and viewed numerous times a day in numerous households all over the country. The commercial being the medium, it holds more importance in itself than the actual information provided. Without the commercial, the product would be less known and therefore less purchased. This strategy can be seen in every form of media, every day, all over the world.
Northrop Frye, “Preface”
2. What does Frye think about Canadian identity?
Frye looks at Canadian identity as something that troubles everyone who questions it. He sees it as something quite imaginative and cultural, regarding the question as to “what is Canadian identity?” Importantly, Frye noted that Canadian identity is regional in context, because growing up in one part of Canada during the earliest years of one’s life would greatly impact that person in different ways than a person growing up in a very different Canadian location. This difference, he believes would be clear in their creative output, whether it be painting or writing. The example he used regarding the Maritime University undergraduate painting class and the student from Ghana clarified this notion of geography and how important a role it plays in one’s identity. He also strongly promoted the difference between unity and identify, unity being a national reference rooted in political feeling where as identity is local and rooted in the imagination and works of culture.
Images as Identity: Aspects of Twentieth Century Canadian Art, by Ann Davis
1. What is the thesis of this article?
The thesis of this paper focuses on the contributions of Canadian art and artist in putting forth ways of seeing and understanding this country and what it is to be a part of it. She uses the three themes of place, mind and body to conclude “Canadian”. The three groups of artists she chooses to reflect the works of are the Group of Seven, the Automatists in Quebec and two contemporary artists, Jana Starbak and Attila Richard Lukacs. By looking at the focus of their works, the drive behind their intentions and their ideas regarding identity, she puts forth examples of different groups of artists in different time periods in Canada and the connection of social questions and political realities
2. What was the attitude of the Group of Seven to urban life and to nature?
Historian Frank Underhill saw in the works of the Group of Seven that the harshness of the landscapes in their paintings were a representation of the “waste land of Toronto”, therefore expressing their dislike towards the urban lifestyle. He also believed that the Group of Seven began to use to Northern landscape as an escape from urban life, rather than using it at an instrument to express their vision of Canadian life. Underhill noted these negative statements, while the Group of Seven had never expressed a negative outlook on the urban life. He also ignored the positive elements the Group saw in nature. They felt that nature held all the knowledge and mystery necessary to humankind, that it was the foundation and origin of spirit for life to grow. Overall, the Group of Seven found an appreciation for the Northern wilderness and were drawn to it as a form of inspiration for their paintings and a subject of identity for the nation. They did not promote a dislike for the urban life style in Toronto; rather they found a love for the Northern wilderness.
6. Do you think the article has an adequate focus? What do you think of its conclusion? Do you think the Place, Subconscious, and the body an enough in common?
I do think the article has an adequate focus, though in general, the themes can be seen as very broad and general. It is through her thesis that these areas of concentration are brought more closely together. The concluding paragraph actually summed the majority of her thoughts up in unity for me as a reader. Previously all the information was scattered more in terms of the Group of Seven, Automatists and then Sterbak and Lukacs, and then the conclusion unified the three categories in to the purpose of one essay. Generally speaking, the place, subconscious and the body are all very different topics, but the way in which the author unites them through art works and the focus of a Canadian origin and the theme of political subject matter, brings the three categories into focus as a group.
1. “Imaginary Indian” functioned as a “negative space to a ‘positive’ force of colonialist hegemony”. Please explain based on the reading.
The “Imaginary Indian” is the western perception of how Indians have acted in the past or should behave in present day society. For people who have a limited idea of their heritage, learning of it from a western perspective can be a good learning process because the author as well as many others, were not exposed to this knowledge prior to their education. The fictional Indian is the European way of representing Canadian Indian culture in a negative light; however, it’s documentation provides a good starting point for others who want to learn more on the subject The concept of the Indian is placed in a negative space because it does not always record the Native’s perspective correctly, demonstrating that the ‘Imagined Indian’ is a representation of what the western culture perceives them to be. These negative assumptions placed against actual reality, clearly shows that the Native never functioned within these specific and narrow parameters.
2. What is Crosby’s opinion on the works of Paul Crane and Emily Carr? Do you agree? Why?
Crosby believes that Emily Carr and Paul Crane portrayed Indians in a way that reflected the hegemonic European view of how Indians behaved according to ‘documented’ history. Paul Crane’s work has transcended throughout history and is now used as documentation for some governments to explain why they think Aboriginals should not have ‘special’ rights in Canada. I agree with Crosby because a lot of ‘documents’ have been used in the exact way that he has stated. Even Emily Carr’s work portrays the Indian people as a ‘dead phrase’ and so Crosby enforces the stereotypes of a European hegemonic mind that the Aboriginals are still dealing with today.
3. This article reads as a ‘position paper’. Do you agree? Why? Yes, I believe that this article is a ‘position paper’ because it demonstrates the way the author feels that aboriginal art is expressed. He also places a lot of his personal experiences into the paper; making reference to ‘I’, as well as the overall tone of the essay clearly reflects his opinion. I like his analysis of the ‘Imaginary Indian’ because it brings to light issues that I have never considered, regardless of the fact that I have engaged in several post-colonial classes. For example, I was not aware that people used paintings to defend 19th century ideals of the Indian and how they applied those paintings to the present day.
1. How does Larsen understand the association between homosexuality and textiles? Larsen uses history to look at the relationship between homosexuality and textiles. She reflects on the connection between femininity and homosexuality and how they both have a history of being associated with emotions, ideas and objects that are thought to be “feminine”, textiles being one of them. I found it interesting how she brought up the dichotomy of craft and trade, and how we associate craft as being feminine, while we think of trade as masculine. Larsen looks at textile as an expression of the many points of view regarding homosexuality and how it is represented in society and in history. In Boys with Needles, four different artists are represented and they all have two things in common, needlework and homosexuality.
2. How do the works discussed in the article explain the identity of the artist (discuss at least two works) All four men discussed in the article use a similar medium to communicate thoughts and experiences associated with sexual identity, in particular, homosexuality. The works contributed by Patrick Traer reflect his notions of homosexual stereotypes. His untitled sculptures referencing male genitalia, baby-blue balls for example, is composed of material that references sports gear and at the same time is the colour blue, a stereotypically male colour. The sculptures material also brings to the table, ideas of interior design and leather fetish toys, which are both two very obvious stereotypically homosexual. From the information given, this reflects the artists awareness of stereotypes and his thoughts on the ways in which homosexuality is represented in society. These views are presented as a celebration of male genitalia. For David Grenier, in 366 confessions, he uses textiles as the objects that cover our bodies and can sometimes identify who we are. The artist interacts with the piece and thoughts of the sexualized male body are evident. The sweaters become representations of him and who he is day to day.
3. Do you agree with the argument of this article? In other words Larsen takes three homosexual artists and attempts to connect between their sexual preferences and their work. Do you think this is sufficient basis for analysis? I do think the argument of this article is accurate, as Larsen connects the artists with their sexuality as well as with the materials they choose to use in making their art. It seems to be a sufficient basis for analysis as each artist puts forth different notions of homosexuality and its relationship to society through different forms of needlework, which in itself creates a connection between textile and homosexuality.
1. Larsen understands the connection between textiles and homosexuality to be seen by the general public as quite significant. Because being homosexual is often likened to things like femininity, it is also likened to textiles, which is a highly feminized field and activity. This reminds me of a piece that we studied earlier in the course, Joyce Weiland’s Reason over Passion. This statement by Trudeau was embroidered onto a quilt by Weiland, and took on an entirely new meaning. This piece brought forth the idea of the difference a statement makes if uttered by a woman, as opposed to a man. I think that this article relates to this piece, because people react differently to a piece of art when they know it is done by a homosexual male. Larsen states that there are several forms of textile work that are seen as acceptable and masculine, such as crocheting a fishing net, but when it comes to using textile as a means of art, is seen as purely feminine.
2. All of the artists that Larsen mentions utilize textiles as a means of communicating their homosexuality within their art. Thomas Roach’s piece deals with Catholicism, and the Catholic mass. He uses text from the Bible and the Catholic mass, as well as garments and gothic windows to create the aura of a Catholic church. This piece highlights the notion that if he were not homosexual, he would be quickly accepted into the Catholic church. A second artist, Patrick Traer, gives a more outright message with his pieces like Baby Blue Balls. This name plays on the sexual terminology “blue balls”, and the giant sculpture uses materials that make viewers want to touch them, heightening the sense of sexuality. The material that Traer uses to create this piece is often found in sporting gear, which creates a contrast between the “alpha male” who is into sports and the homosexual who enjoys arts and crafts.
3. I definitely agree with this article and the argument that Larsen uses, and I think that she chose a highly interesting topic to write about. I like that she chose three different artists who displayed their work in very different ways. This in turn emphasized the completely different attitudes that they held toward their sexuality. I think she created a great basis for analysis, and it would be a good topic to further look into.
1. What are the goals and the objectives of the articles? In this article, Wark attempts to discuss Canadian performance art in which she feels has not gained enough attention, similarly to a majority of Canadian art in general. The goal of this article is to both recognize and investigate some of the key conceptual concerns and different approaches that have distinctively been used in Canadian performance work during the past thirty or so years. A very important element in this article is costume, attire and props in performance work and recognizing the ways in which they have been used to help generate meaning within these art works. In discussing costume, attire and props, she also brings up the importance of what these things do to the body and the way it is represented and the ways in which appearance and its meaning can be manipulated by them.
2. Explain the significance of Lady Brute’s leopard spots and their fetishist qualities. Lady Brute, being an invention of Kate Craig, was known for her noticeably lavish symbol of the leopard spot. Throughout her vast collection of leopard print paraphernalia, associations could easily be tied to camouflage, sexuality and kitsch, all things that bring up commentary on heavier topics in society. Glamour, power and the banality of mass culture were three important themes that Wark brings up when discussing underlying commentary regarding Lady Brute’s leopard print paraphernalia. She makes an important association also to female sexuality which lead to this notion of leopard print and fetishism. Naturally associated with the appearance of leopard print and women, a crazy side along with exoticism come to surface. Craig used this leopard print as a statement, and instead of becoming this persona she invented, she used it like a mask in which she could put on and take off as she wished.
3. How and why the idea of parody informs Wark’s understanding of performance art in Canada? Wark looks at parody in the history of Canadian performance art as a sort of commentary in a humorous way, regarding popular culture and the issues to question regarding it. Parody is used as a criticism in performance art, a criticism of growing issues in popular culture, of power and capitalism, gender and sexuality.
Larson understands textiles and homosexuality as linked because homosexuality and textiles are both associated with femininity. Most jobs in textiles are only acceptably held by women, if a man does the job they are considered homosexual. The exception to this is jobs that are associated with masculine jobs or ones that require a lot of physical strength. For example, net making is associated with sailors and furniture reupholstering requires a lot of strength. Larson also believes the association with textiles and homosexuality is similar to the split of fine art and craft, the later is deemed only to be defined as decorative. Homosexuality is also associated with the decorative. I think the mention of the split of fine art and craft is interesting to mention here because speaking of homosexuality with the use of textiles or “craft” is a good way to breech the split. The artist is using textiles to speak of something deeper in his own life that brings the work into the realm of fine art.
The works in the article explain the identity of homosexual men by the use of textiles and the use of particular objects and events that speak of homosexuality, poke fun at heterosexuality or try to make people accepting of homosexuality. For Thomas Roach, his work shows homosexuality by its inclusion of garments and his specific reference to the Christian event The Eucharist, an event that is meant to celebrate the love of god to everyone. In this the only other link we have to conclude anything is the fact that the artist is homosexual. From there the viewer knows his goal is to make the church re-evaluate its mandates to include homosexuals because god loves everyone. Patrick Traer’s work shows his identity also with the use of fabrics and needlework and also with the attention to surface detail. His works are large vinyl leather testicles that have had their outsides altered to invoke a sports identity. The vinyl leather fabric used in the work is usually used in sports but his concentration on surface detail turns the testicles very decorative subverting this idea of sports heterosexuality into something questionable. The use of testicles and not the phallus also points to this idea because testicles are more decorative and feminine then the phallus and because of their vulnerability.
I agree with the premise of the article because I think the reading of the artists’ sexuality into the work is inevitable whether it is the goal of the artist or not. I think a lot of artists take advantage of this inevitable reading and work with it to add increased depth to the work. I would say the artists in this article have done this. Female artist who make works with textiles usually use their sexuality and gender to add depth to work. Their goals are to subvert the split between fine art and craft, to subvert the idea that women’s craft isn’t as critical as male craft or to show their small inclusion in the cannon. An example of this is in Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach. It is a quilt that shows her life as a young woman growing up in the city and also as person of colour. Her goal is to make people question women’s status in the canon and the privileges of those of colour. The artists in the article use materials that are not considered fine and question male heterosexual power/ideals or societal conventions to try and make more people accept heterosexuality.
1. The second world war caused many European artists and art collection to evacuate Europe, many settled in north America, a more direct relationship between France and Quebec was cultivated. Paul Emile Borduas taught and lectured at the Ecole du Meuble on the contemporary art scene, particularily challenging and criticizing the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His students grew into a close community, exhibiting along the lines of Borduas lectures, they began an informal relationship and where active in their community. In this way Borduas’ students were equally or additionally important to the inspiration and spread of these enw artistic movements. Borduas was the initial spark, however his students were the ones who brought his lectures and opinions to the public.
ReplyDelete2. The manifesto itself was an artistic piece, being printed by hand and including not only the views of artists, but also other works. While it was well accepted by the public, selling out quickly, it was not well accepted by the government or other conservative groups. Christians in particular seemed to challenge and persecute the opinions of Borduas, publishing in local papers and magazines their own editorials, the bantering the occurred was described as a “war of words”. Borduas was eventually fired for his radical convictions, which then lead to more protesting. More importantly the Automatists seemed to have been torn apart over the opinions and interpretations of Borduas’ writing, they all had opinions that varied in extremeness. As the group fell apart which ended the power of the pamphlet.
3. The Automatists were great admireers, and influenced by the Surrealists, Dadaists, and Futurists. Pierre Mabille, a surrealist psychiatrist, was a particular influence. He wrote on the theoretical rise and fall of civilization, Borduas wrote on the history of Quebec as a nation. Borduas described Quebec in terms of historical events and then analyzing it in psychological terms, he concluded that Quebec was a nation born from fear, ripe for revolt. He described creativity in terms of psychology, however in a much more articulated manner, while the surrealist writing was more ambiguous leaving the psychology to the art. The Automatists described all events in life, and in history as a spark for the release of creative impulse. They also advocated the viewing of art in an experiential manner, releasing emotion and sparking realization. The Automatists were similarly born out of emotion, expression, and psychology.
Rachel Lauzon – “Returning Home, Regina, Emma Lake and the Close of the 60s”
ReplyDelete1. The Thesis of the article is that the close of the 1960s ushered in a new period of art in Saskatchewan and an end to the Emma Lake Workshop’s influence on the art scene of that time. The main questions the article tries to answer are why the workshops were originally so important and how over time their influence waned.
2. Space for early participants of the Emma Lake workshops was about isolation and aloneness. The space they referred to was both physical and cerebral. The physical isolation of Emma Lake was needed in order to access a spiritual space necessary for creativity. They valued the concept of a metaphysical space needed to create an image from the artist’s subconscious. In the space of aloneness the artists could create meaning by accessing their subconscious, the abstract artwork recorded this meaning in the process of its creation. In contrast the idea of space for the ceramicists was more connected to the physicality and community of Saskatchewan rather than an idealized intellectual space.
3. The verb transcend for Abstract Expressionists meant to leave reality behind and access the spiritual. To transcend the physical or literal was to access a meaning beyond pictorial references and traditional techniques of representation. The artist was connecting the experiences of life with the “intuitively felt life” (page 3).
4. There were many differences between the abstractionists and ceramicists approach to art. Mainly the ceramicists valued art for its real connection to place and common people. The mud used to make the clay was from the physical earth, the craft explored was traditional to the area and had been around for a long time. The approach of the ceramicists is described as “playful” in the article as opposed to the seriousness of the abstractionists. The ceramicists had a connection to place, history and people. The abstractionists were the opposite in their quest for the spiritual they wanted to transcend the physical accessing a non-representational celebration of art for art’s sake. Surfaces, the flatness of canvas, the colors of the paint were used to explore and express something beyond the physical.
5. Summary:
The artistic workshops known as the Emma Lake Workshops held in Saskatchewan lost their influence after the 1960s. The workshops initiated in 1955 were important to connect the rural, isolated artistic community of Saskatchewan with the developments in art happening in New York. The workshops were led by some well known individuals in the art field such as Clement Greenberg and exposed local artists and university students to the ideas of Abstract Expressionism. In 1964 there was a push to reorganize the Emma Lake Workshops which had become very exclusive and formalist in nature. By the end of the 1960s new faculty associated with the University of Regina began to push for recognition of art as something which could be accessed by all people an approach more welcoming of folk or craft art. This rejection of formalism and authority in art along with a decreased sense of isolation for the artistic community in Saskatchewan reduced the influence of the workshops which were relocated to Saskatoon.
Beth Pufall
ReplyDeleteMatthew Teitelbaum, “Returning Home”.
1.What is the thesis of the article? What are the main questions that the article seeks to answer?
The thesis of this article is to sketch out the dominant issues of dispute in the Regina community at the close of the 1960s in relation to the immense influence and impact of the workshops that were developed in this area. The two art communities had major differences between them and each sought to answer fundamental questions such as what was a sense of space? What composed an artist’s subject matter? What did tradition mean? These questions are answered in succession through the article as a means of illustrating the differing positions within the community as well as showing why Emma Lake no longer was an important means in the Regina community beginning in the 1970s.
2.What did space mean for early participants of Emma Lake workshops?
The early participants of Emma Lake workshops accepted the concept of a sense of place. They viewed place in a metaphysical sense that involved one to encourage and experience the release of an inner image. In this way, space was defined by an inner confrontation. The position of Emma Lake itself in regards to its isolation from any urban center encouraged this reading of place. In 1959, when Newman travelled to Emma Lake, he believed that the location brought him closer to the Arctic tundra. For Newman, place located a moment of awareness. It proclaimed that moment in the viewer’s consciousness when works of art as physical objects revealed a man’s metaphysical relation with the world.
3.What was the meaning of the verb ‘transcend’ for Abstract Expressionists?
For Abstract Expressionists, to ‘transcend’ was to go beyond the confines of place as a location in order to go beyond the specifics of a particular history to a point where one could escape self-consciousness about tradition. Clement Greenburg argued that while one should acknowledge the ties between recognizable images and conceptual meaning, we cannot tell whether the addition or subtraction of conceptual meaning will increase or diminish the aesthetic meaning of a work of art. Greenburg’s claim reiterated the argument’s where he privileged the authority of the picture plane for the first time. Greenburg also referred to visual experience to assert the primacy of each unique media – canvas as flat, painting as flat. He argued against the prevailing popularity of a representational art, believing that it was not true to the medium.
Marshall McLuhan, “Medium is the Message”
ReplyDelete1. McLuhan gives numerous examples to support his main argument. What in your opinion is most efficient? Why?
The most efficient example that McLuhan gave in regards to his theory of the medium being the message, was the example of the electric light. The clarity in the idea of the electric light being disregarded as a medium until it glows the word of a name brand, helps to understand the theory in regards to many other mediums. Without content the light is ignored as a medium, yet once a word is glowing, it wouldn’t be recognized without the light. This was also a strong example because electric lighting has been something this generation has been accustomed to since birth and the lighting of a room or a dark street at night is never recognized in the way that a glowing word is.
5. General Question: Do you agree with McLuhan “Medium is the Message”? Give at least one example to support your answer.
I do agree with McLuhan’s “Medium is the Message”. I believe it can be used in many situations to understand the greater purpose of something. For example, an instance that supports this theory is a television commercial. If a commercial is promoting a new two-in-one kitchen cleaning product, the resulting message isn’t necessarily the information given throughout the commercial, but the fact that this commercial was broadcasted and viewed numerous times a day in numerous households all over the country. The commercial being the medium, it holds more importance in itself than the actual information provided. Without the commercial, the product would be less known and therefore less purchased. This strategy can be seen in every form of media, every day, all over the world.
Northrop Frye, “Preface”
2. What does Frye think about Canadian identity?
Frye looks at Canadian identity as something that troubles everyone who questions it. He sees it as something quite imaginative and cultural, regarding the question as to “what is Canadian identity?” Importantly, Frye noted that Canadian identity is regional in context, because growing up in one part of Canada during the earliest years of one’s life would greatly impact that person in different ways than a person growing up in a very different Canadian location. This difference, he believes would be clear in their creative output, whether it be painting or writing. The example he used regarding the Maritime University undergraduate painting class and the student from Ghana clarified this notion of geography and how important a role it plays in one’s identity. He also strongly promoted the difference between unity and identify, unity being a national reference rooted in political feeling where as identity is local and rooted in the imagination and works of culture.
Lisa Muzzin
ReplyDeleteImages as Identity: Aspects of Twentieth Century Canadian Art, by Ann Davis
1. What is the thesis of this article?
The thesis of this paper focuses on the contributions of Canadian art and artist in putting forth ways of seeing and understanding this country and what it is to be a part of it. She uses the three themes of place, mind and body to conclude “Canadian”. The three groups of artists she chooses to reflect the works of are the Group of Seven, the Automatists in Quebec and two contemporary artists, Jana Starbak and Attila Richard Lukacs. By looking at the focus of their works, the drive behind their intentions and their ideas regarding identity, she puts forth examples of different groups of artists in different time periods in Canada and the connection of social questions and political realities
2. What was the attitude of the Group of Seven to urban life and to nature?
Historian Frank Underhill saw in the works of the Group of Seven that the harshness of the landscapes in their paintings were a representation of the “waste land of Toronto”, therefore expressing their dislike towards the urban lifestyle. He also believed that the Group of Seven began to use to Northern landscape as an escape from urban life, rather than using it at an instrument to express their vision of Canadian life. Underhill noted these negative statements, while the Group of Seven had never expressed a negative outlook on the urban life. He also ignored the positive elements the Group saw in nature. They felt that nature held all the knowledge and mystery necessary to humankind, that it was the foundation and origin of spirit for life to grow. Overall, the Group of Seven found an appreciation for the Northern wilderness and were drawn to it as a form of inspiration for their paintings and a subject of identity for the nation. They did not promote a dislike for the urban life style in Toronto; rather they found a love for the Northern wilderness.
6. Do you think the article has an adequate focus? What do you think of its conclusion? Do you think the Place, Subconscious, and the body an enough in common?
I do think the article has an adequate focus, though in general, the themes can be seen as very broad and general. It is through her thesis that these areas of concentration are brought more closely together. The concluding paragraph actually summed the majority of her thoughts up in unity for me as a reader. Previously all the information was scattered more in terms of the Group of Seven, Automatists and then Sterbak and Lukacs, and then the conclusion unified the three categories in to the purpose of one essay. Generally speaking, the place, subconscious and the body are all very different topics, but the way in which the author unites them through art works and the focus of a Canadian origin and the theme of political subject matter, brings the three categories into focus as a group.
1. “Imaginary Indian” functioned as a “negative space to a ‘positive’ force of colonialist hegemony”. Please explain based on the reading.
ReplyDeleteThe “Imaginary Indian” is the western perception of how Indians have acted in the past or should behave in present day society. For people who have a limited idea of their heritage, learning of it from a western perspective can be a good learning process because the author as well as many others, were not exposed to this knowledge prior to their education. The fictional Indian is the European way of representing Canadian Indian culture in a negative light; however, it’s documentation provides a good starting point for others who want to learn more on the subject The concept of the Indian is placed in a negative space because it does not always record the Native’s perspective correctly, demonstrating that the ‘Imagined Indian’ is a representation of what the western culture perceives them to be. These negative assumptions placed against actual reality, clearly shows that the Native never functioned within these specific and narrow parameters.
2. What is Crosby’s opinion on the works of Paul Crane and Emily Carr? Do you agree? Why?
Crosby believes that Emily Carr and Paul Crane portrayed Indians in a way that reflected the hegemonic European view of how Indians behaved according to ‘documented’ history. Paul Crane’s work has transcended throughout history and is now used as documentation for some governments to explain why they think Aboriginals should not have ‘special’ rights in Canada.
I agree with Crosby because a lot of ‘documents’ have been used in the exact way that he has stated. Even Emily Carr’s work portrays the Indian people as a ‘dead phrase’ and so Crosby enforces the stereotypes of a European hegemonic mind that the Aboriginals are still dealing with today.
3. This article reads as a ‘position paper’. Do you agree? Why?
Yes, I believe that this article is a ‘position paper’ because it demonstrates the way the author feels that aboriginal art is expressed. He also places a lot of his personal experiences into the paper; making reference to ‘I’, as well as the overall tone of the essay clearly reflects his opinion. I like his analysis of the ‘Imaginary Indian’ because it brings to light issues that I have never considered, regardless of the fact that I have engaged in several post-colonial classes. For example, I was not aware that people used paintings to defend 19th century ideals of the Indian and how they applied those paintings to the present day.
Lisa Muzzin
ReplyDeleteAnna-Marie Larsen, “Boys with Needles”
1. How does Larsen understand the association between homosexuality and textiles?
Larsen uses history to look at the relationship between homosexuality and textiles. She reflects on the connection between femininity and homosexuality and how they both have a history of being associated with emotions, ideas and objects that are thought to be “feminine”, textiles being one of them. I found it interesting how she brought up the dichotomy of craft and trade, and how we associate craft as being feminine, while we think of trade as masculine. Larsen looks at textile as an expression of the many points of view regarding homosexuality and how it is represented in society and in history. In Boys with Needles, four different artists are represented and they all have two things in common, needlework and homosexuality.
2. How do the works discussed in the article explain the identity of the artist (discuss at least two works)
All four men discussed in the article use a similar medium to communicate thoughts and experiences associated with sexual identity, in particular, homosexuality. The works contributed by Patrick Traer reflect his notions of homosexual stereotypes. His untitled sculptures referencing male genitalia, baby-blue balls for example, is composed of material that references sports gear and at the same time is the colour blue, a stereotypically male colour. The sculptures material also brings to the table, ideas of interior design and leather fetish toys, which are both two very obvious stereotypically homosexual. From the information given, this reflects the artists awareness of stereotypes and his thoughts on the ways in which homosexuality is represented in society. These views are presented as a celebration of male genitalia. For David Grenier, in 366 confessions, he uses textiles as the objects that cover our bodies and can sometimes identify who we are. The artist interacts with the piece and thoughts of the sexualized male body are evident. The sweaters become representations of him and who he is day to day.
3. Do you agree with the argument of this article? In other words Larsen takes three homosexual artists and attempts to connect between their sexual preferences and their work. Do you think this is sufficient basis for analysis?
I do think the argument of this article is accurate, as Larsen connects the artists with their sexuality as well as with the materials they choose to use in making their art. It seems to be a sufficient basis for analysis as each artist puts forth different notions of homosexuality and its relationship to society through different forms of needlework, which in itself creates a connection between textile and homosexuality.
1. Larsen understands the connection between textiles and homosexuality to be seen by the general public as quite significant. Because being homosexual is often likened to things like femininity, it is also likened to textiles, which is a highly feminized field and activity. This reminds me of a piece that we studied earlier in the course, Joyce Weiland’s Reason over Passion. This statement by Trudeau was embroidered onto a quilt by Weiland, and took on an entirely new meaning. This piece brought forth the idea of the difference a statement makes if uttered by a woman, as opposed to a man. I think that this article relates to this piece, because people react differently to a piece of art when they know it is done by a homosexual male. Larsen states that there are several forms of textile work that are seen as acceptable and masculine, such as crocheting a fishing net, but when it comes to using textile as a means of art, is seen as purely feminine.
Delete2. All of the artists that Larsen mentions utilize textiles as a means of communicating their homosexuality within their art. Thomas Roach’s piece deals with Catholicism, and the Catholic mass. He uses text from the Bible and the Catholic mass, as well as garments and gothic windows to create the aura of a Catholic church. This piece highlights the notion that if he were not homosexual, he would be quickly accepted into the Catholic church. A second artist, Patrick Traer, gives a more outright message with his pieces like Baby Blue Balls. This name plays on the sexual terminology “blue balls”, and the giant sculpture uses materials that make viewers want to touch them, heightening the sense of sexuality. The material that Traer uses to create this piece is often found in sporting gear, which creates a contrast between the “alpha male” who is into sports and the homosexual who enjoys arts and crafts.
3. I definitely agree with this article and the argument that Larsen uses, and I think that she chose a highly interesting topic to write about. I like that she chose three different artists who displayed their work in very different ways. This in turn emphasized the completely different attitudes that they held toward their sexuality. I think she created a great basis for analysis, and it would be a good topic to further look into.
Lisa Muzzin
ReplyDeleteJayne Wark, “Dressed to Thrill”
1. What are the goals and the objectives of the articles?
In this article, Wark attempts to discuss Canadian performance art in which she feels has not gained enough attention, similarly to a majority of Canadian art in general. The goal of this article is to both recognize and investigate some of the key conceptual concerns and different approaches that have distinctively been used in Canadian performance work during the past thirty or so years. A very important element in this article is costume, attire and props in performance work and recognizing the ways in which they have been used to help generate meaning within these art works. In discussing costume, attire and props, she also brings up the importance of what these things do to the body and the way it is represented and the ways in which appearance and its meaning can be manipulated by them.
2. Explain the significance of Lady Brute’s leopard spots and their fetishist qualities.
Lady Brute, being an invention of Kate Craig, was known for her noticeably lavish symbol of the leopard spot. Throughout her vast collection of leopard print paraphernalia, associations could easily be tied to camouflage, sexuality and kitsch, all things that bring up commentary on heavier topics in society. Glamour, power and the banality of mass culture were three important themes that Wark brings up when discussing underlying commentary regarding Lady Brute’s leopard print paraphernalia. She makes an important association also to female sexuality which lead to this notion of leopard print and fetishism. Naturally associated with the appearance of leopard print and women, a crazy side along with exoticism come to surface. Craig used this leopard print as a statement, and instead of becoming this persona she invented, she used it like a mask in which she could put on and take off as she wished.
3. How and why the idea of parody informs Wark’s understanding of performance art in Canada?
Wark looks at parody in the history of Canadian performance art as a sort of commentary in a humorous way, regarding popular culture and the issues to question regarding it. Parody is used as a criticism in performance art, a criticism of growing issues in popular culture, of power and capitalism, gender and sexuality.
Larson understands textiles and homosexuality as linked because homosexuality and textiles are both associated with femininity. Most jobs in textiles are only acceptably held by women, if a man does the job they are considered homosexual. The exception to this is jobs that are associated with masculine jobs or ones that require a lot of physical strength. For example, net making is associated with sailors and furniture reupholstering requires a lot of strength. Larson also believes the association with textiles and homosexuality is similar to the split of fine art and craft, the later is deemed only to be defined as decorative. Homosexuality is also associated with the decorative. I think the mention of the split of fine art and craft is interesting to mention here because speaking of homosexuality with the use of textiles or “craft” is a good way to breech the split.
ReplyDeleteThe artist is using textiles to speak of something deeper in his own life that brings the work into the realm of fine art.
The works in the article explain the identity of homosexual men by the use of textiles and the use of particular objects and events that speak of homosexuality, poke fun at heterosexuality or try to make people accepting of homosexuality. For Thomas Roach, his work shows homosexuality by its inclusion of garments and his specific reference to the Christian event The Eucharist, an event that is meant to celebrate the love of god to everyone. In this the only other link we have to conclude anything is the fact that the artist is homosexual. From there the viewer knows his goal is to make the church re-evaluate its mandates to include homosexuals because god loves everyone. Patrick Traer’s work shows his identity also with the use of fabrics and needlework and also with the attention to surface detail. His works are large vinyl leather testicles that have had their outsides altered to invoke a sports identity. The vinyl leather fabric used in the work is usually used in sports but his concentration on surface detail turns the testicles very decorative subverting this idea of sports heterosexuality into something questionable. The use of testicles and not the phallus also points to this idea because testicles are more decorative and feminine then the phallus and because of their vulnerability.
I agree with the premise of the article because I think the reading of the artists’ sexuality into the work is inevitable whether it is the goal of the artist or not. I think a lot of artists take advantage of this inevitable reading and work with it to add increased depth to the work. I would say the artists in this article have done this. Female artist who make works with textiles usually use their sexuality and gender to add depth to work. Their goals are to subvert the split between fine art and craft, to subvert the idea that women’s craft isn’t as critical as male craft or to show their small inclusion in the cannon. An example of this is in Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach. It is a quilt that shows her life as a young woman growing up in the city and also as person of colour. Her goal is to make people question women’s status in the canon and the privileges of those of colour. The artists in the article use materials that are not considered fine and question male heterosexual power/ideals or societal conventions to try and make more people accept heterosexuality.