Final blog post: What is that art?

After reading the last chapters in Barrett (6) and Fineberg (16), take any work of art from either text or our recent presentations and answer the question, "why is that art?" This is your last entry for the visual journal project. 

Is it possible to value art both culturally and monetarily, or are these values in conflict with one another? Due Monday Nov 19

Artists Presentations on November 12th

In thinking about the work we saw today by artists Kara Walker, Yinka Shonibare, Vija Celmins, Cao Fei and Mark Dion, explain how their works speak to concepts like truth, rejuvenation, globalization and identity? Wy do you think these are issues in which contemporary artists are so interested? 

Postmodern Plurality: Rothenberg, McCollum, Barney

Postmodern Plurality: Rothenberg, McCollum, Barney
1) After looking into their work further, how would you characterize the ways in which these artists think about the creative process and the production of work?
2) What are these artists concerned about communicating through their work?
3) Can you find any commonalities amongst these artists, even in a general way?

Nochlin and Fineberg response

Use Nochlin's claims about the limitations on women as a touchstone as you discuss the work of the artists we looked at today (Christo and Jeane-Claude, Bearden, Spero, Chicago, Mendieta)  How did these artists seem to
1) push against their limitations or prescribed social roles?
2) challenge the viewer to see life from their perspective?
3) use their identities to create an authentic experience with the viewer?
4) think about their role within the broader community?
Due Wednesday, November 7th

Processing our process

During our discussion today about the contemporary Haitian art on display at Crealde, we mainly focused on discovering what connections there might be between Haitian culture and religious practice, and the objects we found in front of us. We did not discuss the artists as individuals with different things to say, rather we painted their intentions with a broad brush. Why do you think this was a natural first step for our group in engaging with this work and what would be the next logical step in trying to gain a better understanding of the work in the exhibition?

Postcolonialism

Why is the postcolonial perspective so important to contemporary art and how does this group of theories fit in with the rest of postmodern theory? How does the work of Kimsooja and El Anatsui seem supported by postcolonialism?