DIF FC U LT A RT S & CRAF TS
D I Y D i f f i c u lt art M onthly a n ony m o u s e ss ay s o n d i f fe r e n t D if f ic u l t A r t Fe atur e d int e rv i e w s W / : C i ndy S h e r ma n & Jo hn B a ld e ssa ri D ecem b e r 2 012
TABLE OF IDEAS 1 In the Nude 4 Fresh Hybrid 5 Difficulty Factor 6 Difficulty of Sculpture 7 Stereotypes 8 Cindy Sherman
Word Search 9 John Baldessari 10 DIY Difficult Art 11 Coloring Page 12 Will Pergl Instillation 13 Difficulty of Memory 14
in the nude Nudity can be tough! Seeing naked people in art is a weird experience and can be very difficult to process sometimes. It makes you question everything youʼve ever learned, going all the way back to first time your mom yelled at you for taking off your pants in public. Letʼs face it: people have always been taught that being naked is bad. But when it comes to art, it’s just not true. Like a lot of great moments in art, it gives you something to think about. Why is this person naked? How does their nudity inform the piece? Are they trying to shock me? How does this relate to my own body? There exists an endless world of readings which can only be opened up by removing clothes from the picture. In some cases, the uniform we put on each day can be very blinding and inhibitive. Clothing is often what makes a person who they are, so taking taking that away makes them every person. They can stand in for anybody, because when you remove the clothes, you are left with the purest form of human being. You have a human in its most natural state, the state in which it was born into this world. So, don’t let history tell you that nudity is bad. You were born naked, and you’ll surely be naked again sometime soon. What’s so wrong about a person spending some of their naked time in a piece of art?
- D.A.C.
FRESH
HYB
BRID
FRESH
HYBRID
Sandy Skoglund’s Fresh Hybrid is an art piece that is considered both installation and photography. This installation consists of fabricated figures and human beings interacting in a man made space. The sculptures and atmosphere have all been made out of colored pipe cleaners and wool fibers. The thing that i find most difficult about this piece is that they’re are so many juxtapositions being created all in one that it is hard to be able to form a distinctive concept quickly. Several of these comparisons include the materials being used and the real world, fake figures to real humans,
from plant form to human form and bright color to natural color. Fresh hybrid has difficult subject matter but the piece feels inviting and I’m able to invest myself in it because I am able to relate to the actual living humans that i see in the picture. I’im left questioning what exactly is going on with interactions and why everything is placed the way it is, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I want to keep coming back to this image and keep investing more time because it is so visually interesting. Overall difficulty i would give 3.5.
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- D.A.C.
DIFFICULTY FACTOR! WALL OF LETTERS: NECESSARY REMINDERS FROM THE PAST FOR A FUTURE OF CHOICE Andrea Bowers, 2006 In this installation, a series of letters from mothers-(who-don’twant)-to-be to a small group of female abortion doctors are hung on the wall. These letters are full of very deep and personal stories, giving the viewer a feeling similar to the one you get looking into your sister’s diary: one of intrusion and violation. The names may be crossed out, but you still feel that you’re looking at something that no one wanted you to see. This piece brings up a lot of political debate, being a strongly prochoice (in favor of keeping abortion a legal option for pregnant women) work, and as such creates a great deal of tension between the two sides of this argument. When you bring politics, religion, and the body into one piece, you’ve certainly got a pretty difficult work on your hands!
- D.A.C.
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we’ve recognized all of the information immediately
Difficulty of Sculpture
available to us, its time to start digging in deeper into what the artwork is all about. What is the subject matter? (or lack thereof ?). What meaning comes from
- D.A.C.
objects
used/the
material itself/ the overall sculpture as a whole? How is it presented? Clean cut? missing pieces? New? Old? Take into
Difficulty in sculpture
consideration everything
and other 3d art is that it
that is obvious about the
breaks the barrier of the
piece. It may seem like its
canvas and essentially
too easy to be true but this
has no frame. Without
notion is important for
this frame, we have much
deciphering sculpture. It
more to consider other
is important to take these
then all the elements of
into consideration when
a 2-d work. One thing
looking at the conceptual
that’s first and foremost
aspect of the piece. The
important in deciphering
artist is well aware of the
sculpture is the space.
piece they created, why
Both the space it takes up
they created it and why
and the negative space it does not need to be considered. Take notice at all the aspects that are obvious, such as what is given on the plaque, tor tag identifying the piece and artist. Where is it located? When and where was it made? Next we look at the technical aspects of the piece such as how big or small is the sculpture what is it made out of? How was it created? Carved away? Built upon? How is it displayed? Now that
they utilized the space the way they did. If you are looking at sculpture digitally in the form of a photograph/video, it is also important to keep in mind of the format and if it affects the viewing of the art at all. Does it negatively or positively affect the viewing, Is this digital format merely a form of documentation or does it have a greater purpose than that? -D.A.C
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Today this generations extremely obsessed with being recognized for beauty or trying to become beautiful when one no longer what it means to be beautiful, this same attempt to failure is through a generic point of vie in seeing art. When one does not have an open mind it becomes difficult to accept the lack of morality in religions, as well as tradition. This is what creates difficult art. The art itself isn’t difficult, not is the artists intentional concept, it is the
Stereoptypes. viewer’s opinion, the one the artists chose to produce it for. The viewers of art eyes are the stage where a brush stroke, photograph, drawing, dance and perform. Society is usually afraid of old things being brought to light. There just new locations with different performers and old subject matter.
-D.A.C
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Cindy Sherman [inside look]
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I met with Cindy in
cheetah print on them. You
her studio on a Sunday
just never know what you are
afternoon. She made me
going to find.
tea and then proceeded
DAC: How long does it
to give me a tour of her
usually take you to develop a
extensive
character?
collection
of
props that includes a wide
CS: Hmmm, well, it varies for
variety of teeth, glasses,
each individual character. I
and lips just to name a few.
may come across the perfect
The nature of Shermanʼs
outfit in one trip to the thrift
work portrays her ability to
store, but then I could spend
transform an individualʼs
a week debating on what the
identity over and over
eyebrows are going to look
again. After the tour was
like! It is kind of ridiculous.
complete, we sat down
I suppose I make up for it
across from each other at a
in my transformations that
table with the sunshine coming through the leaves on the trees
manifest much quicker.
outside of the window, moving the shadows around the table
JK: Your art work is continually transforming identity through
and studio.
change of outfit, make up, and persona. Would you say you are
DAC: Thank you so much for having me, Cindy.
just an adult playing dress-up?
CS: It is my pleasure, thanks for taking the time to come and visit
CS: [Laughs] I suppose you could say that.
my studio. I always realize how extensive my collection of “stuff”
DAC: There are other elements to your practice other than just
is when I show guests around.
playing “dress-up” that takes you away from being like a child.
DAC: Are you always collecting and looking for new “stuff”?
Your work feels like you are trying to distinguish different cultural
CS: Yes, I go out to thrift stores weekly. I’m interested in going to
roles that happen in our society both currently and historically.
thrift stores, because there is such a wide variety to choose from,
CS: Yes, amongst all of my having fun and playing around, I am
all in one store. I don’t always know what I am looking for, and
interested in bringing attention to the vast variety of the way we
sometimes I am pleasantly surprised by a pair of pants that have
perceive people, especially through a photograph.
FUMLZZYKJNUVPRC SJINPLNQJBNOWJD GSENIHCAMALFEUS JZVMPRNUDITYLCP BMARAXHUTEKAVNJ EFNOIKOIFEDSSXY B R F A N U C Z C H D E K LT REUFTSTUTQDXZJE LBILBUNTXXRUMFI PUPYINRZIWQALEC BYYKJAIEFCCLCMO YNESHVFLOUNIDBS ETFLLZOQZMATGKC CQTSNVEAIPEYLZZ ENDXEOXJCPANPNH
FAILURE FAMILY LOVE MACHINES NATURE NUDITY PAIN POLITICS SEXUALITY SOCIETY
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John Baldessari the interview I got a chance to sit down with
my camera in a perfect triangle.
John over coffee
It was only through that effort
in his Los Angeles studio
that the failure was able to
recently to talk about
become beautiful. How you
a few of his action photographs.
fail is just as important as the
These pictures document his
notion that you did, in fact, fail.
attempts to perform seemingly
DAC: A much better moral,
impossible
many
indeed. Your attempts really
revolving around attempting
were oddly noble at heart,
to throw balls into the air and
you knowing how seemingly
capture them while in a perfect
impossible the task at hand was
shape.
yet continuing anyway.
DAC: So, John, I guess I have to
JB: I’m glad you think so. I think
ask: why?
that nobility you speak of lends
JB: [laughing] Well, isn’t there
a greater sense of awe to the
something wonderful about
action itself. I mean, let’s face
trying something you know
it: there’s nothing impressive
you can’t do? It’s a very freeing
about throwing three balls in
experience, and one which
the air. It’s something anyone
showcases the beauty of failure.
can do from a very young age.
DAC: The beauty?
It’s how kids pass the time when
tasks,
JB: Yes, of course! The beauty! Perfection is never fun. Itʼs fussy and
there’s nothing else to do. But when you add that layer of impossibility,
self-conscious and, honestly, rarely worth the effort.
it becomes something much more.
DAC: I’m not sure how parents will feel about their kids hearing that.
DAC: That it does. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, today.
JB: [laughing] Fair point. I suppose I should clarify for the youngʼns:
JB: It was my pleasure. [laughing] I hope to see your readers out there
failure has a time and a place. Don’t use the power of my art as an
failing away very soon.
excuse to not do things to the best of your abilities. Every time I threw those balls in the air, I really hoped I would freeze them with
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- D.A.C.
DIY: DIFFICULT ART ST E P BY ST EP I N ST RU CTION S FOR CREATIN G D IF F ICULT A RT
ST EP O N E: P U RCHAS E A T WO P ERS O N T EN T
STE P TWO: M A KE A L I ST O F EVERYO N E YO U ’ VE S L E PT W I T H
STE P THR EE: S EW T HE NA M ES TO T HE T EN T
CON G R AT U L AT I O N S ! E VE RYO N E I HAVE S L EP T W I T H, TRACEY EM M I N S ( 1 9 9 5 )
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Review: Will Pergl Recur, 2006 Olive Tjaden Gallery Installation Recur is an installation piece consisting of a projected video, a sculptural finger in front of a small television screen, and 2 object assemblages with a strong focus on lighting. There is also loud audio playing, a recording of a saw buzzing, along with the audio from the video, marble rocking repeatedly on a wood floor. This piece creates a sense of panic, discomfort and psychological stress for the viewer. The sound of a blade ensues danger, and at such a high volume it is impossible to ignore. The finger sculpture pointing at itself on the television also seems to be making a statement, “Look here, I’m impossible to ignore, there’s nothing you can do to make this go away”. The orange object assemblages and video also have a sense of the inevitable, the impending. The plumb bob hanging, is at the mercy of chance. Above the water, above a saw blade, or deteriorating dripping down pieces of itself. The audible and animated elements also speak about time. In the midst of a moment our perception of time can be skewed, especially a traumatic one. The slowed saw and slow video demonstrate this disjunct from reality. The installation makes comment on the fragility of each moment, how the unexpected is always here, waiting to take us by surprise, and the experience of being present within a traumatic moment. Overall difficulty factor: 4 out of 5. - D.A.C.
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Difficulty of Memory One element that often crops up in art is the concept of memory. A lot of art is based heavily within if not solely on experiences/ events of the past. Translating a personal moment from the past into a physical piece now is a point of difficulty both for the viewer and the artist. The piece is successful if it is able to recreate the essence of that moment. It is difficult to recreate the tangibility of the moment in a different space and time with different elements, however, the audience should be able to pick up on the feeling of experience of the moment and make associations based in their own life. In two dimensional works this is especially difficult because of the limits within materiality and
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static nature of those materials. With an image, an artist can definitely create a sense of dynamic movement, passing time, and other sensory elements such as sound and even perhaps taste and smell. - D.A.C.