This week’s guest lecture was one of my favorites so far. It was all about Environmental Art, something I have seen very little of. I am a huge partaker of nature so it was amazing to see some of the pieces of work Carla showed that integrated nature into works of art. I love the idea that she shared with us that “Land is not a setting for the work, but a part of the work itself.” All of the works she showed us I absolutely loved, especially the piece where a man created a circle of good soil in a site of toxic waste and eventually plants and life started to form in an otherwise desolate and sick area. I think that piece did a great job at not only creating something beautiful, but at making a powerful statement as well. Another work that I found very interesting is the “Spiral Jetty” by Robert Smithson. At first I was unsure if I could like something that was pretty obtrusive of nature. I was also unsure if I liked the immense contrast of a lake so natural combined with such a planned and human element like the perfect spiral. The more I looked and thought about it, the more I liked it. The way it has weathered over time and how it has become part of the environment is beautiful. I also would love to go there at some point in my life and walk on it and experience the journey around the spiral. It really is quite an interesting piece of art. I also really enjoyed Carla’s work that she showed us at the end. The part I loved about her ant paintings the most was when she talked about how she blew them up so that the viewer can understand the perspective of an ant, with the pixilated paper and the large “footprints” of the ants. It was quite fascinating to see.
This week’s multimedia was challenging for me however, after listening to Ty explain Barthes a little bit I understood it more. The main thing I took away from the reading was the idea that no matter what each viewer will bring their own meaning to what they see and that sometimes anonymity, of the author, allows for more interpretation on the viewers part. This is what “the birth of the reader comes at the expense of the death of the author” means to me. Kiki Smith also had a quote that resonated with me. She said “Art is just a way to think… like standing in the wind and letting it pull you in whatever direction”. I think this is very true. When I read this the analogy of an essay prompt came to mind. Art is kind of like a prompt in a way. It can guide your way of thinking and make you think about things you might not have thought about.
One connection I found throughout all the media this week was actually the idea that I just stated; that art can guide you. I think the quote by Kiki Smith is definitely applicable to the works of art that Carla showed us this week. Some of these works can actually physically guide you, like the Spiral Jetty or the two lines in the desert that are a mile long. Others can emotionally and mentally guide you and I think that is a very powerful quality. Another connection I made is kind of a general connection, but still a connection. This idea that Barthes has about how regardless of the intent of the author everyone will form his or her own unique interpretation. Just as I formed my own interpretation of the Spiral Jetty, someone else will have a totally different take on it. Any work of art is subjective and no two people will have the exact same view of something.
A piece of work I chose to share this week is just something I believe illustrates the idea of different interpretations or takes on the same thing. It is more a quote than a piece of art I guess.
Nice job Lena!
ReplyDelete