The Body of Jewels

The Body of Jewels

        What impresses me in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is what we call nowadays “bling.” All different cultures around the world are creative in the way they adorn the body. My exhibit comes from different period of time from 1^st century to the 19^th century. During those centuries, different styles of jewelry were a creative way to beautify a human body. Different cultures in history such as Ancient Egypt, Africa, Rome, or American has its own styles of Jewels. The basic types of jewelry that every culture has are earrings, necklace, rings, and bracelets. Some jewelry fascinates me as well because not only are they made with metal, copper, or silver but Africans use animal bones as well. What is also beautiful about jewelry is the time and effort that was put in to make this type of work of art. The “bling” has a symbolic meaning that gives a person a better feeling on the outside because they feel enhanced. Human body sculptures also amazed me because not only did they make a body sculpture but it was made showing the specific male and female body parts. The creators in history chose to make the human body sculptures without clothes that give me an aesthetic emotion because of the relation that jewelries and human body has. Jewelry is a precious work of art that also provides connection to the human body because of how treasurable it is. This strikes me the most because a human body, male or female, should be respected as much as people have respect and care for a valuable object. 

 Marble Statue of Aphrodite
1st or 2nd Century A.D.
Roman
Marble

 Skirt
1969, American Culture
Metal

 Andromeda and the Sea Monster
Domenico Guidi (Italian, 1625-1701)
Italian, Rome
Marble

 Jewelry Set
Early 20th Century
African
bone, raffia, cotton

 Marble Torso of a boy
1st-2nd Century A.D.
Roman
Marble, Pentelic?

 Fragment of the Marble Stele
ca. 530 B.C.
Greek, Attic
Marble, Hymettian

 Jeweled Bracelet
6th-7th Century
Byzantine
Gold, silver, pearlm amethyst, sapphire, glass, quartz, emerald plasma

 The Prayer
Auguste Rodin
(French, Paris 1840-1917 Meudon)
modeled in 1909, this bronze cast in 1980
French
Bronze

 Gold Signet Ring of Michael Zorianos
Ca. 1300
Byzantine
Gold

Heraldic Chain with Pendant Badge

Michael Botza

Early 17th Century, German Dresden

Partly enameled gold, pearl

Performance Art at the Whitney Museum

We visited the Whitney Museum for our fifth field trip and I discovered different types of work of art. Not just drawing or painting but it shows performing arts. It gives out different types of documentations as well and shows a story behind it. One work of Art was called the Kipper Kids which was a boxing ring that has two boxers standing in the ring. This will be a social reference that i will identify in this piece because it can be for entertainment. Even when that work of art is occurring in real life, they are made for entertainment for the people. Although this piece is hard to explain and understand why it's made, it still can give interests to people that likes to do that certain sport or action.

The second performing art that interest me was from Michael Smith. This performing art shows a documentary of an adult that acts like a baby in the street which also gave an entertainment to others. This art will also be a social reference that i can identify in this piece because of how a human person act. Some people's minds function abnormally and does not grow as you are becoming an adult the way its supposed to. If i were to attend the actual happening, it would be easier for me to understand the situation because you are able to see face expressions and more actions that occurred.

The third performing art that I saw was from Vito Acconci and it shows a person who became crazy in the basement. He didn't want to come out of the basement and becomes crazy. In my opinion, i would be merely scared to even get close to that person. It is a certain the way a human's mind function why they become that way. So for me, this will be a social reference as well.

LES Galleries Reaction

 

 

 

Our last class field trip was in the "LES" Galleries. This Gallery was very different from the other Gallery that we also went to which was the "Chelsea Galleries." The LES Galleries was more spaced and abstract than Chelsea. The works of art were also different from each other. In the Chelsea Gallery, it showed more "sexual vibe" rather than the LES Gallery which showed more abstract paintings or works of art. I believe that people do not cater to the same type of collectors because it shows different interests with the works of art. Unless the collector has interests in different kinds of art. The surrounding area of the LES affect how I view the work in these galleries because of the spaces around it. It doesn't make me so much focused on the works of art because of the spacing area. The area of Chelsea also affected how I viewed the work of art in LES because of how crowded with the works of art it is in Chelsea and more works of art was shown which gives a person more options rather than LES which gives less options and less works of art.

 

CHELSEA GALLERIES

 

LES GALLERIES

 

Design Our Lives

"Schroder House, Utrecht" (1924)

Wood and paint

Gerrit Rietveld with Truus Schroder-Schader

 

This art work gives a high functionality because it can be used as a draft of a type of house that you want. It is very detailed which gives a look of a natural house that people live in. This "house" that was made shows a front porch, a roof, and inside it looks as if it is built with details as much as how detailed it is on the outside.

"Veryround Chair" 2006

Steel

Louise Campbell

 

The "Veryround Chair" art work gives a high functionality because its something people are able to use on a daily basis. Although, it does not look very comfortable or a "normal" chair that we use, people are still able to use it for that matter and it is made for people to actually sit on.

 

"Pop and Plastic"

1960

 

This art work gives out a low functionality because people are really not able to use them. The only way to make them ergonomic is if it can be used as toys for example or maybe if the title was different. The title can maybe give this art work more of a useful substance.

 

"Josephine Anthropometric Chart from The Measure of Man: Human Factors in Design"

Offset lithography

Henry Dreyfuss

 

This art work in my opinion has low functionality because the measurements are only from one specific individual. This art work is not very useful for most people. It would be more ergonomic if it was accurate for most people.

 

In my opinion, just because an art work gives a low functionality it is not a good design. Time and creativity is still taken out from the artist and you have to give credit when it's due.

 

 

Chelsea Gallery Reaction

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 1990-92

Framed: 31 3/4 x 44 3/8 x1 5/8 inches

This photograph is a type of illustration I would like to have for myself to keep. The reason behind it is mostly because I love tacos. With this being said, it's more of something personal and the way I would like to decorate my home will be based on my temperament. 

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Los Angeles, California

Chromogenic print

Framed: 31 3/4 x 44 5/8 inches

This photograph is also coming from my own personal view. The way the person is situated in his bed like if he doesn't want to do anything, describes myself in varies of ways. This photograph gives out a "feel at home" and relaxing view when you have company in your home. It is very calming and would not make people or guests feel too chaotic or out of place when they are around.

This work of art on the left side gives out too much colorful and gives you too much energy. Personally, having this in your house would make me feel as though I am out of place. This type or work of art would also make my home feel unorganized and having guests will give them a shocking view.

This work of art of the right side gives out too much "sexual" vibe. It can make anybody feel uncomfortable just the way I felt seeing this at the Gallery. It gives off an inappropriate view especially with my type of religion. In my own personal view, people who would come over to your house and sees this hanging as a display would definitely give them an awkward vibe. 

Field Trip #1

"Fantasy of Figuration"

Created during the later 1990's

Created by European and American artists

This art work "Fantasy and Figuration" shows a personal illustration because the artist gives out a "physical and psychological details of human character". It is a 3-dimensional illustration that shows how humans act or work on a regular basis in the late 1990's. Even without the faces shown, you can tell their expressions by the way they are working. This European and American artists might've had this experience which is why this illustration was built. You can tell some struggles shown in this illustration as well, where the child does not have clothes on and his/her face is being wiped. 

"Flower Festival: Feast of Santa Anita" 1931

Diego Rivera

Mexican, 1886-1957

This painting is showing the Mexican tradition in the years of the Mexican Revolution (1910-20).  Diego Rivera paintings are concerning the "history and social problems" of Mexico. In this illustration you can see that the people are kneeling down in front of a person that's holding a big pot with flowers which sort of indicates a type of Mexican tradition. There also people behind the person holding the green pot looking at the ones that are kneeling down. This illustration can be more about a religion in Mexico and the people kneeling down are worshiping what they believe in. 

"Departure"

Max Beckmann

 Frankfurt 1932, Berlin 1933-35

This painting shows a historical event although the artist was in denial about it, it sort of shows the Renaissance event. The picture is able to show torture to people and what were done during the Renaissance. It is a response to Hitler's Germany. The people are being tied up and on the left side it looks like the person is being hurt. The Renaissance is one of the most known event in history that was never forgotten. 

Mayim's Narrative Collage

A small college that describes the things that i please. Although i'm not a big fan of lions, it was put up there to describe that Kobe Bryant from the NBA LA Lakers team has always been an outstanding and a strong player for his team.