Ripples in the Tides

                   For this exhibit I would put it at the poolside cafe. The reason I would put the exhibit here is one because of the name and its association with water. Since my exhibit has to do with the water it seems like the perfect place for it. The second reason for choosing the poolside cafe is that its big and spacious. It has enough space to accommodate all of these pieces of art. The third reason I chose the poolside cafe is because that it is always crowded. This area always seems to be packed with people, more so than the other buildings.
                 
                  The theme of the show has to do with the water. As the title seems to imply it has to do with ripples in the tides of the water. I came up with the ideas after I picked the venue. I figured it went hand in hand. Poolside cafe with the word pool in it and it's location near the pool has do to with water. When I think of water I think of the ocean, a river, lake, pond, or pool and all of these things are somewhat soothing and  relaxing. Whether you are on a boat sailing, swimming in the water, or just simply relaxing and listening to water move or flow. As for how I came up with the main title of the exhibit, the paintings that seem to entice me the most are those of the ocean. I just find them interesting to look at especially the detail in which they are painted and I also find them soothing to just look at. This show is important because of the potential it has to draw an audience. If these pictures are in fact soothing then if students are having a somewhat stressful day they can simply come and check out the exhibit and it would help them relax a bit.

                   As curator of the show I picked the pieces because they all have to do with the theme of the show. The first painting is called Estaury at Day's End and it was painted by Simon de Vleiger in 1640. This painting captures the everyday life along the Dutch coast at the time. In the picture you can see the boats sailing along the coast. The one boat is sitting at the dock while two people are applying tar to it. You can also see black smoke from the fire that is heating up the tar rising up towards the clouds. The second painting is named Seaport with the Embarkation of Saint Ursula and it was painted by Claude in 1641. According to legend, St. Ursula made a voyage to Rome accompanied by 11,000 virgins and returned with them to Cologne where they were all martyred. In the painting you can see the girls carrying bows and arrows, symbols of their martyrdom. The building on the left is based on the Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio, Rome. The canvas was painted in 1641 for Fausto Poli, who was made a cardinal by Pope Urban VIII in 1643. Onece again you can see the tide in the water and the ripples.

                   The third painting is named the Red Rigi and it was created by J.M.W. Turner in 1842. The painting was created with watercolor, wash and gouache with some scratching out. In this painting you can see  people in a small boat in the front. In the background you see another boat with one person in it. This painting is attracting by the light watercolors that were used. If you look at it you can almost envision a peaceful day out on the lake. The water seems calm with not too much of a strong tide and the ripples can be seen from the boat moving. The fourth picture is named Morlaix, Entrance of the River and it was painted by Paul Signac in 1927. It was created using black crayon and water colors. This painting is very different from the others in the way it was painted and the detail that the artist put into this work. It show one boat in the water with the ripples and tides going towards what looks like an island in the middle of the river. Just by looking at this picture you seem to get lost in it's details and color. The fifth and last painting is named Green Line with Green Eyes and it was painted by David Reeb in 1952. This is an acrylic on canvas painting. I picked this painting because it just seemed to jump out at me and it also seem a little random. In this painting, the Green Line passes between a tranquil and hedonistic world, represented by the hotels along the Tel Aviv beach, and a world suffused with fear and violence, represented by the masked Arab youth and the two (human or animal) figures standing behind him. The Green Line both unites and separates the two decorative patterns in the painting: the x pattern that appears against a pale blue sky, and the eyes blazing against an intensely colored red ground. The hotels and the Arab youth are copied in a similar manner from photographs, and are depicted in black and white. They create a uniform, non-hierarchical visual continuum, analogous to random channel surfing on TV or to flipping through
newspapers that depict harsh scenes from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and neutral scenes from everyday life alongside each other. The emphasis on eyes as a recurring motif in this  by Reeb is intended to rehabilitate a communal, collective form of vision. I found that this painting with all it's detail told the most intriguing story out of all of the other paintings. It also stays in the concept of the exhibit with the hotels overlooking the ocean with the ripples and tides.

Final

"Raven Girl"

"Garden" by

Irene Gennaro

"White Shadow" by Joann Goetzinger

"Succulence" by Susan Ryan

"Hybrid" by Kathleen Spicer

WOOD FANTASY: Art works with wood and oil

s a curator I want to arrange an art exhibition. In that exhibition all works will be in same medium which is wood and oil paint. All of them will be sculpture and wood made sculpture. Wood sculptures are really impressive when artists use colors in wood and make something meaningful, it makes me surprised. For this exhibition I will choose the place just in front of the library of LaGuardia Community College. I will choose this place because there are some showcases which are already known to everybody as sculpture showcase. In every semester different types of artworks have been presented there. Personally, I always wait to see new artwork in that place. Now it’s my turn. Next exhibition will be occurred with my fantastic wood creation collections. Another reason to choose that place is, this is the only most visited place in LaGuardia College.  People go to the library for many purposes; also there is a cafeteria, many cultural programs take place there. In addition, many internal and external college programs also held there. So, it seems like I will able to get different types of audience. Obviously, those people who are really interested with art they will be my main audience also might be other people will see the exhibition because of the place. May be they will feel interested of art after seeing those fabulous works.

          The theme of the show is “Art on wood”. I come up with this idea because I feel that a sculpture is more high level art work than other types of arts. 3D is really a powerful art creation. It is not easy to create something in a 3D format. People will see the art in different way. This type of show will make people think.

          I choose works by different artists with different themes/concept, but they used almost same elements. The first work is called “Raven Girl” by of Audrey Niffenegger. The artist used Oil on wood pane. He made the face of dream girl in the wood.The second sculpture is called
"Garden" by Irene Gennaro. This artist also used wood and oil. here also he used with wax, clay, and plaster as a medium. He created some elements of a garden in a piece  of wood, such as bird, fruit, tree, flower and so on. The third sculpture is called "Succulence" by Susan Ryan. This piece is made from paper mache pulp. The paper mache was sanded, gessoed and then painted with oil glazes. The forth sculpture is called "White Shadow" by Joann Goetzinger. Oil on wood. The last one is called "Hybrid" by Kathleen Spicer.
Hybrid, 2010. Oil on wood 40′ x 6′ x 6′. This sculpture is not that old.

Now let’s see those works linked together. I already talked about the medium of the works. If we look closely we will see different artist made different amazing sculptures using same medium. Also if we look for visual elements of the works we will see, all of them are in same shape which is 3D. They all have length, width and depth. In first two works there are no negative spaces, but rest three works have some. They used primary, secondary and tertiary colors.

           

SHATTERED LIGHT: Stained-Glass Windows From Around The World

There's quite a buzz over at the LaGuardia Community College campus these days as word has spread of the controversial art exhibit currently in development. 

For this exhibit I have removed numerous tall windows- in and around the E-Building, to display the dazzling stained glass that we have acquired from around the world. These brilliant works of art are all on loan from multiple countries. They include stained-glass from cathedrals, government buildings, as well as private residences. I have long admired the beauty and magnificence of this often overlooked artform, and I'm simply ecstatic at the magnitude and diversity of our pieces.

For a moment I would like to address the controversy surrounding the cafeteria-level viewing gallery. While I understand the importance, and need, for there to be a separation of church and state, I do not believe the inclusion of several religious themed stained-glass panels violates that law. When did we become so politically correct as a society that we are incapable of appreciating a work of art for what it truly is? It would of been irresponsible of me, as exhibit curator, to disallow any and all panels that had even a hint of religious imagery. When I came up with the idea for this show, it quickly became imperative that I take the audience: our student-body and staff, through the history of stained-glass, and it's use as an art form. That absolutely must include pieces acquired from religious institutions.

As stated above, the show has two primary themes, or purposes. In fact, I can even add a third, which is too put a well deserved spotlight on the stained-glass medium. My other goals are to showcase some of the most amazing pieces from around the world, while educating the audience on the lengthy history of the art-form; and assembling the panels in a way that guides you through that journey. I want there to be a very natural flow for this exhibit. Nothing should be forced, and I have gone through great lengths to ensure that. When a student or staff member enters the main lobby of the E-Building, they will come face-to-face with stained-glass portraits of Moses, Daniel, and other biblical figures from the historic Augsburg Cathedral, that date all the way back to the 11th century.

From artists unknown, these panels are literally some of the first examples of stained-glass being used for decorative purposes. They are bright and colorful, with a heavy reliance on reds and greens. Due to the times, these pieces look very two-dimensional. Actual outlines are utilized in a way that I believe showcase the emotion behind the work, and the windows have a more rough and rigid texture. 

As the audience makes there way to the cafeteria area, they will see a magnificent piece by William Morris of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot on their right. Mr. Morris, who was an English textile designer, poet, novelist, and social activist, created this piece in 1862.

  

The lovable fictional characters from English literature are brought to life with this wonderfully bright and colorful panel. The piece has an almost playful theme, in which the two look to be sharing in a laugh. I absolutely adore Sir Lancelot's' armor and shield, which has a monotone look. I especially love the patterned motif behind the two characters. These trees and bushes create an almost 3-dimensional feel to the work.

Up next we have a few panels from famed architect and artist Frank Lloyd Wright.

Named the Playhouse Windows, which adorned an addition to the Avery Coonley estate, it was the architect's first commission following his return from Europe in 1911. As was most of Wright's early ornament, the glass designs were usually derived from natural forms. The Coonley windows, however, are purely geometric in form, recalling the abstract compositions of contemporary European painters. The use of primary colors instead of earth tones was also unusual for Wright at that time. 

Now we get to a couple of real gems in our collection. Make your way through the doors to the garden area where we have assembled a 960 piece, one-ton tribute to America. Created by Stained-Glass Overlay's Steven Stepaniack and his team in 2003 for the Dole Institute of Politics, this piece stands 36 feet tall and is held in place by steel columns recovered by the World Trade Center.

The red and blue colors in the flag were custom-made for the project, and most of the 960 pieces were hand painted to add texture to the flag and make it look more like fabric. The sections were soldered together and put into 27 panels to make this jaw-dropping piece. It will look spectacular in the afternoon, with the natural sunlight shining through it's panels and draping the audience in red, white and blue. 

The last piece that I would like to speak about today is the window that we have acquired from the Grossmunster Cathedral in Zurich, Switzerland. It is, in my opinion, the perfect way to end our tour, as it combines the new, with the millions of years old. 

Created by Sigmar Polke in 2009, a post-modern anarchist if ever there was one. The artist has succeeded in producing a miracle of luminosity that combines originality with a deferring bow to tradition. He has impregnated the window with thin slices of agate, and it's surely a sight to behold. The agate stones, which are of course millions of years old, are arranged like translucent mosaics joined by strips of lead and have been treated with pigments to ensure an almost chemical transformation. 

That might be the end of our journey, but there are quite a few other works that I have failed to mention along the way. In order to see them all, I advise you to make your way to LaGuardia Community College sometime during the month of December. This exhibition, unlike the agate stones, will not last long.  

   

In the Waiting Line

A Month of Drawings in the Cursive Style (no. 9)
By Roy McMakin (2002-2003)

A Tale of Two Cities
By Chris Burden (1981)

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

smoking girl
By pukilin (07/23/2012)

A Point of Interest
By Steve Schrepferman 

Water Lilies
By Claude Monet (1920)

“In the Waiting Line,” is a show for the people that will spend hours standing in line waiting outside of room C-107 at LaGuardia Community College, before the Spring 2015 semester.  The hallway outside of room C-107 is full of students every day for weeks before the beginning of each semester.  I think that it would be very uplifting for the people standing there, waiting forever to have a five minute conversation to have something interesting to look at besides their cell phones.

The first piece, “A Month of Drawing in the Cursive Style (No. 9)” by Roy Mcmakin, will greet you at the start of the line.  The piece is a drawing that is full of erratic and crazy lines.  There are a few shapes and some letters, and there is what appears to be a scroll with the words “hi there” centered about 2/3’s of the way up.  This will serve as a pleasant greeting for each person as they enter the line.

The next thing they will see is a very large installation called “A Tale of Two Cities” by Chris Burden.  This piece is what looks like two warring cities made up of a huge assortment of old toys set up into several battle scenes on a beach/mountain land scape made of sand and plants.  This piece will run almost the entire length of the line and will be against the wall on the other side of the hall from the line.  I chose this installation because it is large so it won’t go unnoticed.  There is no way to avoid it and it is a very visually engaging piece.  I saw it in person at the New Museum and spent easily 45 minutes looking at it and could have spent another 30 minutes without getting bored.  The piece has so much going on and so much to look at that it should keep people’s attention for much longer than a smaller, simpler work could. 

The next piece will be hanging on the pillar that is next to the doorway to the waiting room.  It will be a black-and-white photo of a woman smoking a cigarette called, “smoking girl” by the Flickr user pukilin.  This piece is basically there to be a siren calling to the smokers in the line and trying to tempt them away from the line they’ve been waiting in for so long at this point.  I know this isn’t the nicest thing ever but maybe they’ll have a friend to save their place in line.

The fourth item in the show will be a sculpture of two horses looking at something called, “A Point of Interest” by Steve Schrepferman.  This will be sitting on a stand right outside of the door, and positioned in such a way that the horses are looking into the doorway.  This is to peak the waiters’ interest as to what’s going on in the room they’ve been waiting so long to get into.  This is also to try to act as a counter balance to the temptation of leaving the line for a cigarette that the last piece stirred up.

The final work will be on the inside of the waiting area.  It will be “Reflections of Clouds on the Water-Lily Pond” by Claude Monet.  It should take up the entire wall and I want it to be inside the waiting room because there is still a good deal of waiting to be done after you’ve been called in.  I chose this piece because I find it to be very calming and I also find that I need to be calmed after I’ve stood waiting in line forever only to be called into another waiting area.  The deception of getting all the way to the end of a line to see that you’ve only made it to the beginning of another line is quite frustrating and I think that having this huge, calming, and beautiful work of art there to meet you will do a lot for people’s spirits.