Stewart Readings 357-370

As I mentioned in other blogs I like installation art. I like the combination of space and objects. I like how scale can vary as well as the medium. I like that its interactive and that you have to enter a space to see the installation. My very first memory of seeing an art installation was at the Henry Art Gallery
when I was touring the University of Washington campus about 12 years ago. Wolfgang Laib was exhibiting his work there at the time. The one piece I enjoyed most was this large bright yellow square that was glowing on the floor. Turned out it was pollen that was sifted and laid out carefully into a square. It was pretty neat. So then on, I had an appreciation for installation art.

Stewart Readings 331-357

I liked the section on commercials. I don't mind commercials when watching TV.  Some of them can be pretty silly, I guess it's a successful commercial if I can remember it. It's interesting to know the different approaches commercials take to get the viewer to pay attention like the hard-sell and soft-sell approaches. Out of the 6 contrasting strategies listed for conveying strategies I would have to say that I like the humorous strategy the best. Super Bowl commercials may be the reason why. For example the E-Trade Baby Commercials are pretty brilliant.

stewart reading 311-331

In all the films listed in this section, I went ahead and you tubed Un Chien Andalou which is a film by Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel. Its a silent film. Which I think is pretty cool because the film maker has to rely on its actors to communicate different types of emotions and body language when its needed. The intensity of the music also guides the viewer of what's about to happen. This film had lots of weird stuff going on like surrealistic imagery, Salvador Dali's style. Great film!

Reading for 287-311

What was interesting to me in this section of the reading is about Tatana Kellner in the Props and Costumes section. Her book, Fifty Years of Silence, 1992 looks very interesting. Makes me want to read it. The props that go with the book does give it a great deal of personal and emotional touch. Here is the crate that isnt shown in the book. I believe props help tell a story. Its the much needed visual element to art.


This artist does a whole lot with props with meaning behind them. In fact she isn't limited to just one style. Aside from her books, she also does installations, drawings, and photography.
Here are some of her other works:



 

Stewart Readings pgs 256-287

In this section i was interested in the artist George Segal, The Subway. I stayed longer looking at that artist. So i went further and wanted to see more of his work. It was neat to learn that he was the first to use gauze strips with plaster as a sculptural medium. He would wrapped  models with bandages in sections, then removed the hardened forms and piece them back together with more plaster to form a hollow shell. The hollow shell itself became the final sculpture leaving the rough texture of the bandages as part of the art. I like this guy. Here are more pics:

Readings POL 337-343

Very neat to read about Robert Venturi and his partners. Did not know that he was the guy responsible for the architecture that became the Las Vegas Strip. He really embraced visual culture. People to this day love going to the Vegas Strip to have a good time. The use of iconography and signage is what makes the strip. These postmodernism architects were brilliant. After reading this, it makes me want to go now, i want to participate in the tacky and crassness of Vegas.  Who's with me?

Geocaching a Triptych

This cache is placed somewhere at the top of Badger Mountain. Its a fun place to hike and many people know this area. The shoe laces i placed in the cache represents a tiny part of what i like to do, which is outdoor activities like hiking and running. So i hope someone that finds this cache enjoy the same things as well.