About Me

My photo
Writing connected to the Visual Learning Community and Jamie Bianco's seminar in composition class at the University of Pittsburgh. wiki-http://emilydoerfler.pbwiki.com/

Monday, November 3, 2008

Storyboard 1 Emily Doerfler

First image- video of a group writing the title Chalk Art in the Quad in front of the stairs with just the chalk art visible in the morning and the workers constantly going on and off screen.
Transitions- fade to black and
Effects- fast forward. Make the video speed through the production of the Chalk Art title.
Voiceover- no voice over
Soundtrack- Drums based sound with the high hat and bass more prominent.


Second image- images of chalk art around the campus, starting at the cathedral and ending at the towers.
Transitions-
Effects- focus in on one image, screen in and then focus out on the next and repeat.
Voiceover- Chalk art or graffiti chalk has been around the university system since the first eventually developing in the histories of universities around the world as both a blessing and a curse.
Soundtrack- softer music maybe piano or classical music

Third image- Show photos of the different types of chalk art available meaning explicit photos, slogans, university pride, and party locations.
Transitions-
Effects-
Voiceover- Chalk art is used as a means of communication across largely concrete campuses. The messages can sometimes be explicit or harmless, challenge the university or cheer on the university on. The University of Pittsburgh’s chalk art is no different from other universities; it tells messages of when and where events are taking place, displays slogans for upcoming elections, and makes comments towards the success of the university’s sports teams.
Soundtrack- play hard scratchy loud guitar, then switch to a song that sounds like the university fight song.

video contract for interviewees

I ___________________________ hereby give my full permission to Emily Doerfler to use in the production of a mixed-media video my voice, quotations, comments, visual evidence, and video of myself in understanding that the video will be made available to the public.
Signature_____________________ Date_____________

Revised Script

Chalk art or graffiti chalk art has been around the university system for as long time eventually developing over time to become in histories of universities around the world a blessing and a curse. Chalk art is used as a means of communication across largely concrete campuses. The messages can sometimes be explicit or harmless, challenge the university or cheer on the university on. The University of Pittsburgh’s chalk art is no different from other universities; it tells messages of when and where events are taking place, displays slogans for upcoming elections, and makes comments towards the success of the university’s sports teams. But like any other university there are times where the chalk art becomes graffiti chalk, and it no longer is a contributing part of the university but a bleak spot on an otherwise white canvas.
The main spectrum of chalk art on the University of Pittsburgh campus is located around the Cathedral, in the Quad, and around the Towers. All of these places provide the greatest amount of viewers in the shortest time. The locations are both sought after for the amount of viewers and to comply with the wishes of the university. The university may not have a strict no chalk art policy but it does dictate some control over the content and location of the chalk art. Chalk art is to be non-explicit and only in certain areas that are either easily removed through wear and tear during the day, the elements, or a simple blast of a hose.
All the work that goes into chalk art and it is simply washed away in a matter of minutes. (show video of chalk art production outside the cathedral). The first step to creating chalk art is to have a clear concise idea of what needs to be written down and where. Then the next step is to pick up a piece of chalk and begin to write the message down as large as possible in the space provided.
So why is chalk art essential to the university system and what influence does it have on the student body? Lambda Sigma recently created chalk art around the campus advertising free food and fun on October 30th. Lambda Sigma said…(use interview recording or if the information from this interview is insufficient use the interview recording from Sigma Chi or Haunted Holland).
Chalk art is not just messages, it is an important part of university culture both good and bad. The chalk art may disappear after a time but, like any performance art piece, it can leave a lasting impression on those who have seen it and allowed it to influence them.

notes and annotations

Graffiti chalk art has been condemned on its content not on its use. Graffiti chalk art is less likely to be condemned on its location, due to the nature that it washes or wears away rather quickly. Most examples of disciplinary action for graffiti chalk art have been due to what is written. These cases mostly consist of graffiti art where expletives were used or crude obscene drawings were displayed. There have been rare cases, from different parts of the world, where graffiti chalk has been condemned for other reasons. In Bangor, a small university city in the United Kingdom, two girls were fined for creating chalk art of rainbows and hearts. The girls were charged due to an increase in chalk graffiti around the university and it appears that any type of chalk art, even that which is in a residential area and made up of hearts and rainbows, is considered to be dangerous (“Girls”).
Chalk art is used to convey several different things in the university spectrum. The main use around the University of Pittsburgh Oakland Campus is to display times and places where events are being held. Chalk art is not limited to this idea in any means. It can be used as a form of protest, such as when the Georgetown University students used it to advertise their disagreement with the university’s policies on the Georgetown University apparel. The students used chalk art to advertise the sit in they had to protest the university’s policies on where, how, and who makes the university’s apparel. Chalk art was used to show anti-sweatshop slogans and it also should the names of the students involved in the sit-in (Williams).
Williams, Kristian. “Reflections on the Georgetown Sit-In.” Z Magazine. 01 May 1999. 30 Oct. 2008 .
“Girls Fined for Pavement Drawings.” BBC News. 29 April 2007. 31 Oct. 2008. .

interview scripts

Haunted Holland Advertisement Committee script
Q: Why did you choose to advertise the Haunted House in chalk form?
Q: Was there any specific reason you choose that particular location in the Quad?
Q: What were you hoping to gain by advertising the Haunted House there?
Q: Did you have any contact with Pals and Lambda Sigma in coordination to the chalk advertisement in the Quad?
Q: Do you think that advertising there brought the activity to the attention of more students?
Q: Who did the actual chalk writing, was it the Holland committee or the Pals and Lambda Sigma?
Q: (if they performed the actual chalk writing) Did you have to get permission to write the chalk message in the Quad?
Q: How long did it take to do the chalk writing?
Q: When did you make the chalk writing?
Q: Were you aware of any consequences that could arise from chalking the floor of the Quad?
Q: What do you think is the importance of the chalk writing around campus through your personal experiences with creating it and seeing its affects on activities?

Sigma Chi Fraternity
Q: What is the purpose of chalk messages when your fraternity creates them?
Q: Do you receive special permission from the school to create the chalk writings?
Q: Are you only aloud to put messages in certain areas and only aloud to write certain information down?
Q: What is the information usual present in a chalk writing?
Q: Do you feel that the chalk messages help to inform people of what is going on around the university?
Q: What is Sigma Chi’s personal policy on the use of chalk art?
Q: Who is actively involved in the creation of chalk art?
Q: When do they usually create the chalk writings both time of day, day, and occasion?
Q: Is it usually a group assignment or an individual assignment and why?

Lambda Sigma
Q: Lambda Sigma was recently involved with the chalk art in the Quad for Halloween correct?
Q: Was Lambda Sigma responsible for the creation of the multiple chalk drawings around the Cathedral and Towers advertising Free Food and Fun?
Q: Who created the chalk writings?
Q: Was it a joint effort with Pals and Haunted Holland?
Q: How long did it take to create the multiple chalk writings?
Q: Was special permission needed to create the chalk writings?
Q: What were the reasons for the locations?

list of interviewees

Interviewees…
The Haunted Holland advertising Committee November 6th in the Holland Hall Lounge
Sigma Chi Fraternity Representative in Front of the Cathedral on November 8th
Lambda Sigma Representative in front of the Cathedral on November 9th
Dean of Students interview pending an opening in his schedule 

Production shots

Production shots…
Video of the creation of chalk art in front of the Cathedral of learning entrance early morning on November 7th.
Photos of examples of chalk art around the campus showing where the chalk art is located. Locations include around the Cathedral, in the Quad, and on the Sidewalks around the Towers. Some of the photos were already taken and others will be taken on Friday, November 7th and Saturday, November 8th. The photos will be taken in the morning at 9, the afternoon at 12, and at night at 8.
Photos of chalk art as it begins to wear down. The photo locations will be around the Cathedral and around the Towers. The photos will be taken November 8th. Some will be taken at 8 in the morning, 12 in the afternoon, and 3 in the afternoon, 6 in the evening, and 8 at night.
Video of the fading chalk art over time. The photo would be taken outside the front entrance of the Cathedral of Learning, and it would be a combination of videos starting at 8 am and going till 10 am. It would show people walking over it and whatever elements, such as rain or wind, happen to be in affect that day. The video will be taken November 8th.
Video of interviews with the creators of the Haunted Holland chalk art. Video will be taken November 6th inside the upper lounge of Holland Hall at 8pm.
Recording of the morning sounds of Pittsburgh would take place at 7 pm November 7th by the Cathedral front entrance.

notes other students video ideas

Sarah
The topic was on Light Up Night with a focus on the fireworks on Friday. It is hard to tell what the exact topic is from the beginning, because the way that it is set up it could be just the Cathedral or Light Up Night. There needs to be some kind of transition from the Cathedral history to Light Up Night and how they are connected. Also, provide a lead in sentence to the topic and history of the Cathedral.
Gill
The topic is very interesting with the focus on music, but what exactly is the project saying about Pittsburgh? Maybe use music from local artists around the area and use more than four volunteers so there is a variety to pick from for the video.
Ariel
Try and find a commonly tattooed cultural aspect of Pittsburgh to help tie in the idea of tattooing and culture. Also, talk about why tattoos are considered taboo and then back up your point of why they should not be taboo.
Julie
Try and find specific examples of the artists and artworks on the sides of buses. Also, try and explain where the idea for the bus art came from and how it affects the city.
Colleen
The topic was the Silver Eye Center for Photography with a focus on the history and cultural signifigance. Provide specific examples of other artist who have been featured in the center, and talk about the local artists who have been in the center. Explain why a local artist is always featured in the center.
Jenna
The Doors of Oakland Public Art Project is a great topic to focus on art in Pittsburgh. An idea would be to focus on the history of one door design and explain how this history parallels with the other doors. Also this might help condense some of the information, instead of focusing on the overall history and explaining each door.
Alejandro
Provide some connection between the billboards and the culture of downtown Pittsburgh. Maybe find out if only local artists worked on the billboards or if artists from all over were commissioned to create the billboards.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

notes on narrations for video

Hannah’s notes…
Don’t use whatever, say the whole law. How are all these facts related to your topic. Practice to not stutter. Good argument but cut short some of the material. Slow down in your speech and try to make the argument more apparent and maybe focus on the idea of the graffiti standing up there with murderers. Somehow draw on the idea that graffiti is art and not a crime.
Kate’s notes…
Sprout fund. Is it a narrative or a question? I like the specific examples that you give. Combined with pictures it will make the narrative very interesting. Explain how the murals are different from graffiti and how you can tell what a sprout mural is. Explain how each mural had an impact in the area it is placed. Maybe explain the process of a specific mural and how it came to be.
Patrice’s notes…
Try note to be so broad with the idea of in the world. Provide some specific examples of fountains. Maybe focus more on the fountain as a whole instead of the water by itself. The work focuses mainly on the water and not the architecture. Maybe bring to light the architectural nature of fountains and how they affect the landscape.

narration script rough drafe

Everyday there is a new story to tell… Everyday the story is wiped away to become just another memory. All over the grounds of the University of Pittsburgh Oakland Campus, there are chalk drawings, sometimes just arrows, other times just words. But either way the chalk drawings create a story for the life at the University.

In the dead of night and the early morning dawn, the artists leave the warmth of their beds. They work in teams with group assignments or they work alone, fulfilling their own need to tell the natives of the Oakland Campus just what is going on. In its simplest form, the chalk drawings around campus could be conceived as just a message system. They tell people where to go, how to get places, and when they should go. But the system is not as simple as a messenger. The messages are changed daily, sometimes wiped completely from the ground and the memories of the people they tried to reach or sometimes leaving faint traces of themselves for days on end. Yet despite how the messages are so easily changed and forgotten their appearance on the campus is a record of the events that happened there. The chalk drawings are like an invisible scrap book upon the walls and floors of the campus. They are a record of events to come, events gone past, and the events taking place at the present time.

Like any piece of art, the chalk drawings around campus reflect the context of the area time they find themselves in. Some of the messages pertain to not only the immediate area, meaning the Oakland campus, but to the world at large.

The chalk art is similar to an exhibition style or performance style of art. The art is on display for only a short while and is changed by the things around it. The art is forever lost and can never be repeated unless the chalk art is recoreded. Also, the chalk art is open to interpretation in many instances. Arrows could be pointing to places that lead to something good or bad. The arrows path can be taken differently from person to person. Some of the messages that the chalk art displays can be interpreted by the average person in several different ways. The messages are not always clearly written out in standard English language. They sometimes make use of a jargon that only a select people would be able to understand or left in an open ended style of writing that leaves the meaning of the words open to several meanings.

Meaning or not, the chalk drawings around the campus are art not only due to their nature of living in the realm of context but because they are interpretable pieces that combined form a whole piece that reflects the life of the world around it. Art is not always what is visible but what is beneath the surface or left behind.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Lonelygirl15

Lonelygirl15 created a mystery for the audience to solve and this also kept the audience interested. The clips are mysterious from the very beginning. You never see whats outside of the door to Bree's room or where her supposed window really is. Also, there are weird objects in the background that look out of place in a teenagers room. Mainly the candle holder, the picture beside it, and the picture on the wall. The camera is never close enough to get a clear picture of the images in the picture frame on the bookshelf or the picture on the wall, so the audience begins to wonder what they could be. The mystery evolves with the mentioning of her religion, which is never really clarified what it is and what it entails. Bree also seems to have more scientific knowledge about obscure topics then a normal teenager would. At that point, it makes the audience wonder where she is getting this information from. Lonleygirl15 used clips from different characters that just randomly appear through the first season. Opaphid's videos seem random, but they connect back to Bree's video by using clips of her voice. These videos provide further mystery into Bree's life. Lonelygirl15 created mystery by leaving pieces of information out, like where Bree lives, what her religion really is, what do her parents look like, who is Cassie, along with several other facts. Then, Lonelygirl15 provides pieces of information that make no sense, therefore causing more mystery, such as with the pictures in Bree's room, Bree's scientific knowledge, the information about the temple in Egypt, and other info that provides further mystery. The way the videos are shot at some points makes them seem too professional, while at other points they look choppy. The lack of consistancy between the videos makes them mysterious.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Comparison annotation for Diamond Dust Shoes and A Pair of Shoes

Andy Warhol’s Diamond Dust Shoes and Vincent van Gogh’s A Pair of Shoes share some similarities but are defined more by their differences. Diamond Dust Shoes and A Pair of Shoes both feature the obvious, shoes, but while they share the same subject matter, they do not share much of anything else. Warhol’s Diamond Dust Shoes features women’s shoes, all of different colors, and none of them the same style. Vincent van Gogh’s shoes are only a single pair of men’s shoes that are the same color. Warhol’s shoes, though they appear to be randomly dispersed throughout the piece, all have the front of the shoes pointed towards the center of the piece. Van Gogh’s shoes are located in the center of the piece. The brushstrokes within each work provide the most dynamic contrast. Warhol’s brushstrokes are almost nonexistent, except for the occasional cosmetic fix, but Van Gogh’s brushstrokes are clearly visible. Despite the fact that both pictures have nondescript backgrounds, Van Gogh’s background does provide a sense of depth for a three dimensional object, which Van Gogh’s shoes are created to be. Warhol’s shoes, on the other hand, appear flat and two dimensional. The black and diamond dust background does not provide a way to make the shoes appear in a three dimensional space and causes the flat shoes to become nothing more than two dimensional objects. This idea of two dimensions is further justified by the idea that the image represents the reproduction of a photograph of a shoe rather than the actual shoes. Van Gogh’s image, though, appears to represent the reproduction of the real thing. Van Gogh’s picture shows worn shoes representative of hard work while the other displays fancy shoes in a sea of diamonds, representative of fame and fortune. The first image represents hard work while the other represents easy reproduction.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Vincent van Gogh, A Pair of Shoes

A Pair of Shoes by Vincent van Gogh displays the strikingly static yet kinetic type of brushwork that Vincent van Gogh is known for. The piece is a painting of a pair of black worn shoes, most likely male shoes, lying on a nondescript surface. One shoe is standing upright, while the other shoe is upside down with its sole in the air. The shoes appear to be very realistic in the use of texture and light on the objects. The piece makes the greatest use of shadows and highlights to create its realistic appearance. The shadows and the highlights give the piece a three dimensional depth, despite the lack of an apparent background outside of black nothingness and a tan surface of some kind. But while the shoes obtain an air of realism, they also display an impressionist style. The brushstrokes of the piece are quick and chunky. They give the piece a look of being fuzzy or blurred while still retaining the overall realistic notions of the piece. These erratic brushstrokes also provide the image with a type of kinetic feeling. The brushstrokes are all different from one another and their placement gives the appearance of a flow in the paint. The overall effect of this is a paradoxical image. The brushstrokes are implying movement while the actual image the brushstrokes are conveying is of a static object.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Andy Warhol, Diamond Dust Shoes

Diamond Dust Shoes (Random) by Andy Warhol is a prime example of commercialization in the pop art area, consistent with the style that Andy Warhol came to perfect. The piece is made up of silkscreened shoes painted with acrylic on a linen background with diamond dust spread over the images. There are fourteen shoes each a different color and slightly different style from the rest, yet despite their differences the shoes have a few things in common. The shoes are all women’s shoes, and they all have the points of the shoes pointed towards the center area of the piece. In between the shoes the image is covered with black and then sprinkled over with diamond dust. The diamond dust also appears in any area of the shoes that is shaded or black. Casual observation of the piece revealed that anytime shoes overlap the area they overlap at becomes straight and strays slightly from the original shape of the shoe. It also appeared that either the shoes were painted over with acrylic after the black background was added or minor improvements to the shape and appearance of the shoe were added after the addition of the black background, due to overlap of paint on closer observation between the shoes and the background. Also, in some instances the brushstroke on the outer edge of the shoes does not match the inside of the shoe indicating that the stroke was added later for more cosmetic circumstances. The shoes appear like photographs in the piece; some shoes have shadows, textures, or even words. All of the diamond dust appears to have been added to the work after the painting, due to the fact that it is visible, and if it was added first it would not appear as well as it does, and because some stray diamond dust appears in areas of the shoes where it should not. The overall affect of the diamond dust on the black background gives the piece a sandpaper like look. Even the wear and tear on the piece lends itself to this idea, because the right side of the painting has less diamond dust than the left. The right side looks streaky or worn down, where some of the linen underneath the black is becoming visible.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Monday, September 22, 2008

methodology 1

The ideas of” Work” and “Text” are crucial in the interpretation and conceptualization of art, especially in the works at the Carnegie International. Specifically, Bruce Conner’s works can viewed using Barthe’s ideas in “From Work to Text” to create distinct interpretations of the art that are forever changing. The idea behind Barthe’s work was that “Text” was a reaction to work that could never be repeated or interpreted (157-58). Essentially, “Text” is something that is forever changing with the conditions it is presented with. It is not something that is meant to be interpreted, but it is meant to provide the idea of interpretation. The “Text” is not the physical aspect but the process. In Barthes’ “From Work to Text” he writes, “the work can be seen (in bookshops, in catalogues, in exam syllabuses), the text is a process of demonstration.” (157) Bruce Conner’s “works” are the physical pieces of art which he displays. In the case of the Carnegie International, his photograms featured in his series, Angel, would be his “work.” But the process of viewing and the whole display in itself would combine to form the “Text.” The idea behind “Text” for Bruce Conner’s work would be to combine the ideas of both viewing and the creation of the pieces. Instead of focusing on the interpretation of the piece, the “Text” of the work would be the overall effect created immediately upon the combination of the viewing process and the construction of the work. In simplest terms the “Text” would become the feelings the work evokes. Each “Text” is different from person to person. The overall feel of the work is never the same, due to the layout, the day, the person, the place, and several other factors. The factors are ever changing and therefore the interpretation is forever changing. The feelings can never be interpreted because they are distinct to that day, that hour, that minute, and that second. Without feelings the work becomes boring, just as without the idea of “Text” books can become boring. It is the changes that make something interesting to continuously read or look at. The “Text” brings pleasure to a work just as the feelings bring pleasure to a piece of art. The process of creating new interpretations and ideas causes the something to become more than just mundane.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments
Barthes, Roland. Image Music Text. Trans. Stephen Heath. United States of America, 1977.

Andy Warhol, Dollar Sign

Dollar Sign is one of several pieces Andy Warhol made depicting a dollar sign during his career. Warhol made several of these dollar Signs each with its own unique feel. This particular Dollar Sign shows a black, gold-brown, solar sign on a white canvas. In the image, the black is taking over the gold-brown. There are several drips and splotches on the piece that make it appear unique in a series of several others. The black overtaking the gold could show the corruption of money. It could also signify how money is controlled by the wealthy, gold, and the powerful, black. The white background represents the everyday man that is being taken over by money and greed.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Andy Warhol, Myths

The piece, Myths, by Andy Warhol is more of a self portrait then a traditional piece of Warhol’s art. The piece features ten images of iconic figures of the time. The tenth image of the work is of Warhol himself, yet unlike the other images that have clear head or body shots from straight on, Warhol’s image is on the side. The main feature of Warhol’s tile is his shadow. Each image is replicated ten times, focusing on the idea of repetition and image reproductions of idols to the masses. The image is more symbolic of a self portrait because Warhol is saying something about himself in the piece. He is grouping himself with well known idols, yet he is making the focus on his shadow and not on his real face. This tends to bring the point of view that Warhol considered that he is believes that what he leaves behind, his shadow, is actually the idol and the real man is off to the side of the spotlight.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Keith Haring, Untitled (Elephant)

Keith Haring’s Untitled (Elephant), makes use of a childlike material to convey an adult idea. Haring’s Untitled (Elephant) is a white statue of an elephant covered with the outlines of stick figures in black. The elephant has no eyes, its tusks are red, and it is standing on a red platform. The basic color choices, black and white, could show the idea of a contrast or disagreement. The elephant itself is symbolic of the Republican Party. If the work is analyzed in a political sense, the elephant represents the Republican Party while the people inside are those under its control battling it out. The missing eyes could show either the blind following of the republican supporters or the blind leading of the party. Overall the piece has a political nature to it that is just under the surface of a simple childhood arts and craft object.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Andy Warhol, Typewriter [2]

Andy Warhol’s, Typewriter [2], focuses upon the concept of when is a work of art finished? Typewriter [2] shows the image of a typewriter drawn on a large canvas with only the bottom half of the typewriter painted in, while the rest of the work is drawn in with pencil. The penciled area shows lines for reflections and shadings; the thought put into the authenticity of the piece is clearly obvious, yet the piece remains unfinished. It could be construed that if the piece were finished it would have been just a very good painting of a typewriter and nothing else, but the fact that it looks unfinished makes it unique and intriguing for the viewer. It poses a question to the viewer, why is this piece left unfinished, what is the meaning behind leaving it incomplete? The incomplete image provides a more riveting subject to consider and analyze. Perhaps Warhol was making the statement that art can be considered anytime the artist believes it is finished or perhaps he was considering the idea that a piece of art does not have to be finished at all.

back to blogs

back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Andy Warhol, Frog

Andy Warhol’s Frog shows his return to a more commercialized, catalog style of art. The piece was made in 1983, yet it is reminiscent of Warhol’s early catalog work, with its use of contour lines and childlike qualities. The piece features two images of a frog superimposed over each other and off set by an inch. This idea of superimposition gives the piece a feel of movement to it. The movement is further symbolized by the colors of the piece. One of the frogs is red while the other is white, and both appear in a black void. Warhol is making use of contrasting colors, black and white, and yet adding red to create an emphasis or a focal point in the piece. The obvious subject of the piece is the frog, but why is the frog changing color and why is it in a black void. The answers to the questions can merely be construed through observation of the work and general interpretation.


back to blogs


back to Andy Warhol and Warhol Museum Assignments

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

From Work to Text summary

Text is not a physical manifestation, but rather Text is a produced experience. It is a demonstrational process that is a force against old classifications. Instead of fitting into the ideas of hierarchy and genre, Text is a process all on its own. Text is only a deferred reaction to a work, and as a deferred reaction, the Text is experienced and created as a response to a work in a single moment in time. It is ongoing; disconnections, overlapping, and variations in nature cause Text to span across Marxism and Freudianism. It is a complex idea that is meant to be thought about and interpreted, yet it cannot be interpreted because of it exists beyond boundaries. It is something that is meant more for the practice of writing and the enjoyment of it more so than the interpretation. Text is simply itself; it cannot be interpreted beyond the idea of Text.

back to blogs

back to Reading Assignments

Monday, September 15, 2008

In class writing #5/ ip#1

Umberto Eco’s Travels in Hyper Reality focuses on the idea of making the work going on in America today worthy of the history of America in the future. Bruce Conner, the American artist, portrays the idea of American art today creating its own history. In the Carnegie International, Bruce Conner’s work, the Angel series, makes use of entirely unique mediums and ideas, but is using a universally known subject. Bruce Conner is already a part of art history in America, but his work will hold greater significance in the future. Instead of being linked to a universal style or era of art, Bruce Conner’s style is uniquely his own. His style and medium is ever changing, so he can never be linked to one single movement. Instead, Conner’s work will be linked to only himself and through him his work will connect to American art history. The idea is that Bruce Conner is making American art history and in the future his work will be part of American art history, but he is also making use of universal history. His use of angels is wholly a universal subject but his techniques and styles are his own, and therefore part of American art history. Bruce Conner is looking towards the past but is also striving for the future. In a sense, Bruce Conner is using the ideas of “ever forward” and the “backward march” in Eco’s Travels in Hyper Reality (11). He is working towards further revolutionizing art and yet his subject is universally renowned and revered in the past and into the present. The idea of the angel is linked to the past and was a popular subject throughout the history of art.



Eco, Umberto. Travels in Hyper Reality. Orlando: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1986.


back to In Class Writings

back to blogs

back to Interpretive Project Methodology Project