Mythology in the Art

The presence of supernatural beings have been depicted uncountable times through the pass of time in the history of art. This exhibition presents some artworks that form part of the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which illustrates ancient and contemporary cultures from all regions of the world that have represented mythological gods, fantastic creatures and legendary events on a wide variety of media. The purposes of creating those artworks probably were to express some believes and interpretations of the metaphysical world, which is an universal mystery. No matter how hard we try to explain if these allegories were real or not,  they still remain unanswered.

In the Greek culture, many gods and mythical stories were represented in marble sculptures, and scenes painted in terracotta vessels. Greeks believed in the presence of gods living with humans on earth, yet even though they looked in the same way, gods were immortals, had supernatural  powers and could change their form. The "Marble Statue of Aphrodite" depicts how the goddess of love and beauty looked like. She was a symbol of well being and fertility, who had emerged from the sea. In her story, she fell in love with a mortal man, and gave birth to a semi goddess. People who were devoted to her, were favored with charms, beauty and protection. Aphrodite represents one of the deities of the Greek mythology, which was a great influence in the European culture, presented in the fine arts and literature.

However, in the oil paintings of the European fine arts, there are present figures of angels. These celestial beings were connected with the idea of  spirituality. Angels were the messengers of god, and were guardians and protectors of people as well. In  the painting "Joan Of Arc" the scene depicts the martyr in her parent's garden  when she encountered a divine revelation. According to her story, she was instructed by a divine guidance and lead the French army against the English crown. Later, she was captured and accused of heresy. She died burned at the stake when she was 19 years old. Moreover, Joan of Arc was beatified and canonized in the years to come. Joan of Arc is a mythological figure that lived some legendary events and who also has been a big influence in the European paintings and literary works..

Therefore, in the Asmat culture of Indonesia, drums made of  wood, lizard skin, bee wax and leaves, were mythical objects used in ceremonies and feasts. According to their believes, the "Drum" beats, and the rhythm of the sounds made some craved sculptures to dance and become alive. They had a connection between the idea of the creation of mankind and drums. These objects were the only musical instrument that they played, since they had a spiritual character. Drums were not only a tool to communicate with their ancestors, but also to  guide the traveling spirits to the intangible space when they die. For the Asmat culture, craving statues and playing drums were a mythical act of creation.

To sum up, mythologies are present in all the cultures around the world. Ancient and contemporary civilizations have found their way to express their concerns about the ethereal ideas of spirituality through complex artworks, such as marble statues, oil paintings and crafted musical instruments, between others.

"Marble Statue of Aphrodite" 1st or 2nd Century a.d, Marble. Greek and Roman art

"Terracotta Kylix: Eye Cup" CA 530 b.C, Terracotta, Paint. Greek and Roman Art.

"Marble Capital and Finial in the Form of a Sphinx" CA 530 b.C, Marble, Parian. Greek and Roman Art

"Elderly Man Flanked by Egyptian Gods" A.D 250, Tempera, Sycamore. Egyptian Art.

Pietro Di Cristoforo Vannuci, "The Resurrection," 1502, Fresco. European paintings

Abraham Van Cuylenborch, "Bacchus and Nymphs in a Landscape" 1640,Oil on wood. European Paintings

"The Unicorn is Attacked" 1505, Wool. Silk, Silver. European Paintings

"Seated Figure Enser (Incensario)" 5th-6th Century, Ceramic. Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

"Ornamental Mask" 2nd -3rd Century, Silver, copper, shell. Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

"Masked Figured Pendant" 10th- 16th Century, Gold. Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Chief Omas "Drum" Mid 20th Century, Wood, lizard skin, bee's wax, sago palm leaves, fiber, paint. Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

"Krishna Subduing Kaliya, the Snake Demon" CA 1785, Ink, Watercolor, Paper. Asian Art

Hans Baldung, "The witches Sabbath" 1510, Chiaroscuro, woodcut blocks, gray and black print. European Paintings

Paul Gauguin, "Ia Orana Maria" 1891,  Oil on canvas. European Paintings

Jules Bastien-Lepage, "Joan of Arc" 1879, Oil on canvas. European Paintings

Chelsea Galleries Reaction

In my recent visit to some of the galleries in the art district in Chelsea, I saw various exhibitions which were remarkable. One of theme was"New Paintings" by Brice Marden, that was on display in Matthew Marks gallery. The other exhibition which I enjoyed was "London Pictures" by Gilbert and George, presented in Sonnabend gallery . One important aspect that I noticed was that all the artworks were excellent and really suggestive, yet some of them were difficult to consider as an investment because of their explicit content.

In my walk around Matthew Marks gallery, I discovered the artist Brice Marden and his exhibition "New Paintings."  Most of the artist's artworks were paintings in oil and graphite on marble, one large oil on linen and one ceramic glazing. His artworks in marble were focused in reflecting the light and the landscape of the island Hydra in Greece, which the artist accomplished notably. His artwork "First Square" for example, was one of the pieces that transmitted the calm and beauty of the foreign place, since the strong  marble stones, their shapes and vibrant colors created an atmosphere composed by sun, ocean and sky. Therefore, another piece of work that I found interesting was "Ru Ware Project" in which nine small panels of ceramic were painted in different tones of  pale blue, in  reference to the colors of the sky. The artist's artwork was  inspired in the ancient Ru ware Chinese pottery that is considered the finest and rare pottery ever made.
However, I was surprised for my own choices.  I never imagined that I would be interested in investing on marble pieces that resemble the coasts of Greece, or a big panel inspired on some Chinese pottery that looks like a piece of sky. Somehow I made a connection with these pieces of art, and for sure I would love to have them in a spacious room with big windows and natural light, so I could read, relax and meditate comfortably.

On the opposite, the exhibition "Gilbert and George: London Pictures" on view in Sonnabend gallery, consisted in a series of huge photographs and graphic design that exposed some of the contemporary issues in London's life. Black, white and red were the chose colors of the exhibit that  presented some controversial themes. Money, murder, religion and sex may are taboo in many societies, yet in the headlines of some newspapers appear everyday as any other common event, so this exhibition has taken some titles and phrases from the most important news to recall people's attention. These works of art are loud,  raw and intend to create some conscious about how dangerous are the streets of our cities. One of the works called "Hell" describes some happenings in which life seems to be a hell, a nightmare that ends, or stories that involved people in negative situations. Other  photograph called "Banker" refers to crimes that are related to people who are professionals in that market institution, and are guilty of murder and rape. Nevertheless, the artworks in this exhibition are interesting, and although they contain an important message that all viewers can appreciate I would not invest in them because displaying these artworks in my environment won't be beneficial for me. These words are charged by a negative atmosphere of violence and reading those photographs constantly could make me feel annoyed.

To sum up, to invest in an artwork to display at home or any other personal environment requires an objective decision. We should consider how the piece of art will look in our space,  if  is something that would ad harmony, and most important, we must observe how that piece of art make us feel.

Brice Marden
First Square
2011

Brice Marden
Ru Ware Project
2011

Gilbert and George
Hell
2011

Gilbert and George
Banker
2011

Art 21: History Reaction

Glenn Ligon is an abstract expressionist artist, who is concerned with the American black history. In his artworks, he examines the cultural and the societal identity of this nation by looking into photographs, literature and historical episodes such as slavery and the civil right movements in America. He uses oil crayon, painting, neon lights and literary texts as a media to reach the attention of the public. The reason why the artist does not uses his own words in his artworks and takes quotations from literary sources, is because he is more interested in reading what people have to say about the issues in respect with the american black community. However, Glenn Ligon's photographs, neon lights, childish drawings, jokes, texts and paintings are created with the aim of discovering  what America is, and how the society has evolved through the pass of history.

Sculpture Center Reaction

The interaction between art and space plays a significant role in an exhibition.  The Sculpture Center in Long Island City is an industrial building that currently exhibits "Bill Bollinger: The Retrospective." The installation, which was a former trolley repair shop, seems to be the perfect place to arrange and show some sculptures made of  industrial supplies. Moreover, there is an  harmony within the space and the artwork, so the outcome of this rare installation is reinforced.

The sculpture "Cyclone Fence" was located in the building's first floor. This large aluminium wire mesh was arranged with a particular shape that challenged gravity and resistance. It considered the dimensions of the space where was exposed because the sculpture interacted in accordance whit the architectural materials of the building, where high ceilings, glass, metal columns and cement floors created a balance between the sculpture and its surroundings. All those elements made the fence to be appreciated as an original sculpture in its natural space. The industrial building and the rough materials of the sculpture, created a positive environment for the installation.

Another artwork  located on the main floor of this interesting venue was "Graphite Piece," in which this carbon derived mineral covered most part of the floor's room. This material is generally used for drawing on paper, but the artist challenged the use of  this dry media, and created a piece that had a correlation with some of his works on paper. As paper holds media, this cement-grained floor held a great amount of graphite creating this dark shade. However, material and space were the concepts of this artwork that were enhanced by the atmosphere of the specific place, and which had a realistic view of how the trolley repair shop could have look when it was active.

On the other hand, "Oil Drum" was presented on the basement of the building. An oxidized drum filled up with water was arranged in one of the isolated rooms downstairs. The room was reduced, the air felt humid and dense, and lights were low. The atmosphere of the wet- cemented space, the rustic look of the bricks and the stares did have a significant influence in the artwork, as well the artwork did have a sense of belonging to that particular space.

To sum up, because of its architecture, dimensions of the space and arrangements of the artworks, this venue was the perfect place to exhibit Bill Bollinger sculptures, so the installation was enhanced by the atmosphere of the ex-trolley repair shop.

Bill Bollinger
"Cyclone fence"
1968

Bill Bollinger
"Graphite Piece"
Graphite powder
1969

Bill Bollinger
"Oil Drum"
Oil drum, water
1968

Quiz Make Up

Tim Hawkingson is one of the artist that features Art 21: Episode Time. He is an artist who I gave credit for his rare creation and his particular way of expressing his concerns about the relationship between body, movement and sound in the space. He created a complex and giant kinetic sculpture made of simple means and new media, which also was a musical instrument. In his installation "Uberorgan" he used a space of a football size field where an "organism"  made of some huge inflated balloons, big pipes, fishing nets, gears , an a keyboard connected to some photo sensitive switches, formed this amazing installation, which suddendly reproduced some church hymns that the artist listened when he was a child. It seems that the artist created an extraordinary airy creature that breaths and exhales a choreography of sounds with the aim of "bring some memories back and reflect faith" acknowledged the artist. Moreover, people who walked around the installation looked amazed and captivated by the sculpture. However, I believe that the artist did a great job expressing his unique view about art, and also sharing his particular interest about music by creating a sculpture that is strange, but somehow resembles a living organism. The motion and sounds of the sculpture made me think on our respiratory system, in which oxygen is aspirated through the nose and passes through the mouth, the thorax and inflates our lungs, so then when the air is released, it creates vibrations and sounds  through our vocal folds. On the other hand, the scale of the sculpture, the use of technology and some synthetic materials such as plastic and wires, gave to the artwork a completely artificial aspect, so I mostly perceived the sculpture as a huge musical instrument.Tim Hawkingson is a talented and innovator artist who used new media to create a kinetic sculpture that impresses the viewers for its strange form, its peculiar sounds and its coordinated movements.

Tim Hawkingson
"Uberorgan"
Technology, plastic

Design in Our Lives, The Museum of Modern Art

Design is an important aspect in our lives that has simplified our past and also has evolved for new necessities in our contemporary world. In the galleries of  the Museum of Modern Art, many examples of old and new designs can be found in the exhibitions "Born Out of Necessity" and "Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream."  Both exhibitions remark that designs are the final process of  some creative minds that are looking for solutions to the many flaws that affect our lives, as well as for creating some original objects that can be usable to perform certain activities or not. However, some designs seem to be more indispensable than others when their functionality can dramatically change the life of the human beings.

In the the exhibition "Born Out of necessity" I found very interesting objects that captured my attention. Some of them were: a plaster sculpture, some electric light-bulbs, and a water collecting cone. They were created in different times and used for different purposes. The first design is the sculpture created for the artist Antoni Gaudi. The white and big sculpture called "Stars and Doves" did have an apparent low functionality in terms of how a person could use it,  yet that  artwork did change the landscape in which we are living. Instead of  walking around on an empty space, people who visited the church in which the sculpture was placed could gather around the object and admire it, so when I think in those elements, I realize that the sculpture was functional in that environment. I think that the presence of art in our lives adds harmony in our space, and that makes our lives more interesting.

The second design I founded interesting was these old and huge light- bulbs. Although these objects continue to be one of the greatest inventions of all times, and people use them everyday, these particular type of light-bulbs are due because they do not meet our necessities today. Yes, we do need light at night to read and to see in the dark, but the world today demands a lower consumption of any kind of energy including electricity, so  new bulbs use lowest watts, have a better light output and save energy costs. Despite that these giant old-bulbs look great and could still function, the time in which we are living determined that these bulbs are outdated and that they waste our energy resources as well as our money.

On the other hand, the third design I found was this amazing device shaped as a cone, which collects water from the rain and the moisture of the environment. This cone has been designed to aid people who lives in remote places and who do not have access to any source of  potable water. Now, thanks to this device, drink water, prepare a meal, or wash some hands are not a struggle anymore for many people. This brilliant design solves a big problem for many people who lives in the dessert or in extreme latitudes, so I consider it as a great design, it is simple but combines a perfect balance between a creative mind and a high functionality that assists  people's basic necessities.

The fourth design that I found outstanding was located in the exhibition "Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream." When the economical crisis started in the U.S years ago, many designers and artists combined their efforts to find solutions  to some issues related with housing and lifestyle. This incredible project called "Nature-City" combines the urban life with the health benefits of the country living. Some of the features of this ambitious project were: housing affordability, an ecological infrastructure with access to agriculture, public open spaces, renewable energy and natural processing of waste. This project is the perfect solution for the issues that our society is living today, since cities are overcrowded, houses are expensive, there are not enough green spaces and pollution continues growing steadily. Because this design addresses all those problems, I believe that it could be the city of our future. There is not doubt that art and design are blended together to create a highly functional city like this.

In short, art and design are not two separate ideas, they create objects which are indispensable, usable or not.  We tend to categorize these designs and their functionality depending on how well they assist  our necessities.

Antoni Gaudi
"Stars and Doves"
Plaster
1883

George Agule, Charles V. Weden
"Electronic Tubes"
Rhodium-Plated Cooper, Other Metals, Heat-Resistant Glass
1954

Stephan Agustin
"Water Collection Device"
Plastic Water-cone
1999

Amale Andraos, Dan Wood
"Nature City"

Illustrate a Story

This is the story of Grant, a brave and strong child who has healed from a terrible and mortal illness. He has overcame a sad period of pain and fear in his life, which now he remembers with his mother. Thankfully, all now is in the past, and Grant has became a wise person a his short age, so he embraces the gift of life with joy.
The drawing below represents Grant's process of healing, while his mother cries and hopes for his well being.

Fabiana Grosso
Untitled
Acrylic paint, paper
2012