Bunny Phone Pouch

Yet another phone pouch..this one took much longer to make cause of the colourful stripes.

Dinosaurs vs Monsters

2nd experiment with painting shoes.  This is done for my sister, she wanted something along the line of monsters and dinosaurs :) I suppose it turned out pretty well.

Felt Stuff

Keychain I made for a friend to match her carrot pencil case

Phone pouch for my sis :D its a raindeer

wanted to use a red button but couldnt find any…

EOY 2008

1. Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley by Dorothea Lange 1935 Gelatin Silver Print

(a) Describe the subject matter of the painting.

The painting Migrant Mother is painted in grey scale. The painting shows the image of a woman up to her waist level and two children sitting beside her. The woman who is the main subject of this painting is wearing clothes that are old and tattered. Her head is prompted up by her night hand and she is in a sitting position. Her face is also full of wrinkles, suggesting that she could be quite old. Her expression shows her two eye brows pulling together into a frown. The two children sitting beside her who are back facing the viewers are probably her children. Both her children are wearing clothes that look rather old and dirty. Their hairs are also in a mess. Both their heads are resting on their mother’s shoulder. This painting shows the three figures cuddled together in a small cramp area which could be their house.

(b) What does this work suggest about the lifestyle of the people depicted?

The work probably suggests that the people in this painting were very poor. From the title ‘Migrant Mother’, we could also infer that the woman in this painting was a migrant. This also suggests that migrants in this country were not very taken care of and as a result, they had to live in poverty. From the woman’s and the children’s old tattered clothes, we could infer that they were poor and had no money to afford new clothes. From the slouching position of the woman and the frown on her face, we could then tell that the woman is unhappy and probably worried for hers and her child’s future. The three figures are closely cuddled together, suggesting that the family’s living space was very small as they could only afford to live in a small house. Bothe children are resting their heads on their mother’s shoulder, showing a form of reliance and dependence towards their mother. In conclusion, the work suggests that the lifestyle of the family portrayed was simple and that they are in poverty.

(c) How effectively has the artist used proportion and emphasis in this photograph?

The artist has chosen a colour scheme of black and white to emphasize on the living condition. The colours used were mainly dull colours, which evoke a sense of sadness and sympathy. By placing the woman in the centre of the work and showing her front view also puts emphasis on the appearance of the woman. The image of the woman is shown at eye level, from her head to her waist. This proportion used also emphasis on the woman’s facial expressions and also appearance in the form of the clothes that she is wearing. Further emphasis shown as front view of the woman is contrasted with the back view of her child; this directs the viewers to the woman rather than her children. The whole work is covered by the woman in the centre and her children at the side, thus not much background is shown. By placing three figures closely huddles together to fill up the whole photograph, the artist is able to give an impression that house in which the family is living is a stuffy and small place. That is why the three figures have to huddle together.

3. Another place by Antony Gormley 2005-6                                                                                                      Cast iron, 100 figures, 189×53x29cm each                                                                                                                 Cosby Beach

Age of Bronze by Auguste Rodin 1876                                                                                                                      Bronze, 175×60x60cm                                                                                                                                                  Rodin Museum

(a) Discuss the theme, in relation to the artists’ intention of these two works.

‘Another Place’, an installation by Anthony Gormley shows 100 figures,189cm in height being scattered in the sea. The figures, being life sized, looked like they are standing on the surface of the sea facing outwards into the vastness of the sea. The figures are all made from a cast of the artist’s body. The flowing of the waves in the sea and also the tides will then cause the figures to be submerged into the water. In this installation, the artist is trying to show the theme of the human’s impact on the environment and probably also the environment’s impact on the humans. The sea is a representation of human beings. Due to industralisation, humans are constantly harming the environment: pollutions due to the release of toxic substances from factories and deforestation which causes soil erosions are a few example of the impact of human on the environment. Environment also has an impact on humans. In Anthony Gormley’s installation, the sea causes the figures to rust and then submerge. Environment also has the power to destroy humans, as many lives are lost when natural disasters like earthquakes and floods occur. “Age of Bronze” by Auguste Rodin depicts a man standing upright and looking sideways, the figure has an arm placed on his head and another lifted up, as though it is grabbing an object. The posture of the figure looked rather relaxed and elegant. The theme shown in this work is that of a soldier coming back from a war. We can tell from the work that the statue has well built and muscular body suggesting that it could be a soldier. The figure is in a relaxed pose showing that he was relieved to come back from war. The figure has his head tilted upwards, showing that he is far away, this suggest that the man thinking of his future or he could also be thinking of his family.

(b) How does each work make use of form, scale and texture?

In Anthony Gormley’s “Another Place”, the form of the figures is a man standing in upright with both hands placed at the side. This form is also the neutral form of a person, when one is relaxed not doing anything. The 100 figures all have the same neutral form. This allows the viewers to look at installation as a whole and not just as individual figures. The figures are also around life sized, giving the impression that they really do represent humans. The figures are also casting from a model of a real body; this makes the figures more life-like and more believable. The figures are all made from the iron; this material gives a strong yet rough texture. The texture of the figure would also become even rougher as the sea water causes the figure to rust, the texture reflect the destruction of human. In the “Age of Bronze” the form of the man is that of a standing and relaxed position, the scale of the work is life-sized. This makes the sculpture more life-like. The texture of the sculpture is smooth and shiny bronze. This helps to emphasis on the well built and muscular body of the figure. It also shows a sense of perfection due its shiny and smooth texture.

(c) Which of the work(s) are site-specific? Explain your answer, beginning with your definition of site-specificity.

Site specifity is something that applies to installation and sometimes conceptual art. Site specify means that the place or the environment in which the artwork is place, is very important and also contributes to overall effect of the artwork, the theme, and the meaning of the artwork. The installation ‘Another Place’ by Anthony Gormley is an example of a site specific art work. The site which is specified to this artwork is the open sea. This location contributes to the theme of the artwork, which is the impact of human on the environment. Without the intended location, the artwork would only be a bunch of figures without a meaning and a theme, the location, which is the sea, is the environmental factor in the theme, therefore is it very important and thus this artwork is site specific. Tin Auguste Rodin’s ‘Age of Bronze’, the artwork is not site specific, as the artist wants us to focus on the sculpture and not the location of the artwork which it is placed in. thus for ‘Age of Bronze’ the location of the artwork is not important, as the theme of ‘Age of Bronze’ only applies to the sculpture and not its location.

Block Test 2008

2 (a) Discuss the compositions of the two images.

“Family Portrait” by Georgette Chan, shows Georgette Chan, his husband Eugene and three of her children sitting on a traditional chinese sofa. She is sitting in the centre holding a newspaper and is dressed in a Cheong Sam. Her husband stands beside her, showing only his upper body is dressed in a white collar shirt. Two of her daughters are sitting beside her on the sofa, one of them is knitting while the other is lying down and reading a book. Her son is sitting right in front holding something that looks like a white stick.

“Ponding Rice” by Lai Foong Mooi, depicts a scene with Indian women pounding rice. In this painting, there are four groups of Indian woman pounding rice in a huge pot with long, thick poles. They are all wearing the traditional Indian costume, with their hair tied up in a bun. A woman, right in the centre of the four groups is squatting down and holding a white object in the centre of the large plate . In the left foreground of the painting, a pot and bananas are left on the table, and in the background, two animals which are probably donkeys, are grazing the grass.

(b) What does each work suggest about the relationship between the people who are depicted?

In “Family Portrait” by Georgette Chan, the people in the painting are probably from the same family, with a mother, a father and three children. From the painting, we could infer that the people are closely related to each other from the proximity. They are relaxed and sitting on the sofa as if it was a family gathering. We could also tell that they are a family, as from their faces and skin colour, we know that they are from the same race and the clothes they wear are also quite the same, being chinese clothes.

In “Pounding Rice” by Lai Foong Mooi, the people in the painting are probably related as fellow workers. They are not likely to be a family, as they are all women. From their solemn and tired expressions, we could also tell that they must be tired from the days of hard work and also that they are not closely related to each other. Pounding rice is probably part of their job and thus the woman in this painting are most likely workers who pound rice for a living.

(c) How does each work make use of colour, perspective and texture?

The colours used in “Family Portrait” are mainly warm colour like yellow and orange, and dull colours like grey and black. It is taken, probably in the perspective of a observer. The colours from the painting are well blended with no traces of brush strokes. The objects in the painting is also outlined with a black line.

The colours used in “Pounding Rice” are mainly warm and earthy colours like orange and brown. The objects and people looked rather flat as the shadows are not painted in. The figures also looked very rigid and flat. The brush strokes in the painting cannot be seen. The artist also made use of pure and unblended colours which also makes the painting look 2-dimensional. We could only tell the depth and the space in the painting from the size of the people  and that they overlap each other. The perspective of this painting is near eye level.

Feng Zhengjie

I agree with the interpretation from the curatorial statement that states that the works of Feng Zhengjie examine “consumer society while engaging with a spectrum of folk art mortifs and popular culture as a response to the new issues that are confronting China.”

The extract from FORBES list of most powerful women in the world states that with China’s fast annual growth in more than a decade, it is set to displace Germany as the world’s third largest economy. However, along with China’s flourishing economy, it also has to deal with a growing host of problems, one example being China’s rickety society.

In many of Feng Zhengjie’s artwork, traditional symbols are shown in form of the “double xi” and the traditional Chinese medication. These symbols are combined with western elements, to show that the western influence in China is becoming increasingly popular. In one of his artworks, a Chinese couple is standing side by side, with the man wearing a tuxedo and the woman wearing a wedding gown. The background consists of a fusion of the many different landmarks from all over the world. In another artwork, a man is shown with his head in a huge balloon and being lifted above the ground. It depicts the current contradicting state in which China is in.

His paintings critique the excesses of contemporary China, it brings out the problems faced by China caused by western influence. Consisting of both the western and the Chinese elements, his paintings point out the contradictions of a society that trends uncomfortably between the dual systems of capitalism and communalism.

I agree with the interpretation that states that women Feng Zhengjie paints being charming, capricious and contradictory present an ambivalent answer to the question of nature and artifice that continues to captivate.

The source entitled “Advice on Looking for a bride Abroad” states that younger woman these days are becoming more westernized, gradually loosing their traditional values. They are no longer faithful to their marriage vows and often seek divorce as the solution to their problems. This reflects the changing mindset of modern woman affected by westernization who are becoming more frivolous and elusive.

Feng Zhengjie paints portraits of women only up to their shoulders. This compliments with size of his artwork to attract the attention of viewers. The colours used in his artworks being mainly pink green and white display emotions of joy and elation, but also creates feelings of misgiving and unease.  His artworks are rendered with almost air-brushed precision, free from any brush strokes. These enticing hues attract the viewer’s contemplation, however at a glance, the acidic tones create a sense of unease and raise qestions about the definition of beauty and its relationship to surface and vanity.

The diverging eyes of the women in Feng Zhengjie’s artwork make their expressions difficult to read, creating a mysterious aura around them. Simultaneously enchanting and repellent, these portraits suggest the contradictions of emotionally complex individual existence in an superficial consumer society. There is also a Chinese belief that shifty eyes equates to untrustworthiness.

Joseph Beuys and Montien Boonma

Discuss the similarities and differences between the works of Joseph Beuys and Montien Boonma. You may cite examples for your answer.

Both artists Joseph Beuys and Montien Boonma make use of materials that are symbolic to their artworks. Montien Boonma uses local materials and motif as means to evoke traditional culture and religion. An example would be his artwork “A Pair of Water Buffaloes”, 1988, where materials like feathers, unhusked rice, horn, leather and baskets were used. These local materials are utilized, tied, sewed and knotted together to symbolise Thailand’s culture. Joseph Beuys also uses symbolic materials in his artworks. The use of fat and felt are especially dominant as it relates to his personal life. In his artwork “Felt Suit”, 1970, felt was used to construct a suit which symbolises protection, insulation and spiritual warm.

The influence of religion is especially obvious in Montien Boonma’s work. However Joseph Beuys works are mainly influenced by experiences from his personal life. The religion of Buddhism can be seen rather consistently throughout Montien Boonma’s work. (Incomplete)

Christian Lacroix

An exhibition at National Museum of Singapore. I am sure you are quite familiar with this one, so I shall not say too much.

I just like the fancy and flamboyant  feel of the fashion designs done by Christian Lacroix. Daring use of bright colours and and a variety of fabric texture. I rather like the white dress at the bottom, volume is created by adding many layers of fabric. This style resembles that of the olden english, where women wear cossets and exaggerated make up and hair ornaments. Considering that he designs mostly for performers, the “in you face” feel is very appropriate.

His designs inspire me to think out of the box and not be afraid to do things that are considered unconventional.

Bobsmade

This is another artist which I found on Deviantart. She customizes designs for shoes, earphones and many other things. I find her designs rather cute and innovative, especially appealing to teenagers.

Some of her works:

She uses Acrylic paint and markers to colour her shoes. I like her clean lines as well as the vibrant colours. She doesnt quite plan for the designs and would let her ideas and creative juices flow naturally, I really admire her for this point, as I often put too much thought into what I do. I would need to have more confidence in myself and let loose when expressing my ideas in art. Her designs had inspired me to paint my own shoes, the “L shoe design”. It was only then that I realize it really isnt easy painting on canvas shoes, you would have to paint a layer of white before adding any other colours, otherwise the colour would sip into the canvas. To achieve such flawless lines and perfectly blended colours would be all the more impossible.

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