hubicki

Drawing III, Project V (Independent)  How Long Is Now, Video, 2015* 

Final Product, 5:35 min

Roni Horn explores the mutable nature of art through sculptures, works on paper, photography, and books. She describes drawing as the key activity in all her work because drawing is about composing relationships. Horn’s drawings concentrate on the materiality of the objects depicted. She also uses words as the basis for drawings and other works. Horn crafts complex relationships between the viewer and her work by installing a single piece on opposing walls, in adjoining rooms, or throughout a series of buildings. She subverts the notion of ‘identical experience’, insisting that one’s sense of self is marked by a place in the here-and-there, and by time in the now-and-then. She describes her artworks as site-dependent, expanding upon the idea of site-specificity associated with Minimalism. Horn’s work also embodies the cyclical relationship between humankind and nature—a mirror-like relationship in which we attempt to remake nature in our own image.

Library of Water, Iceland, 2007

Library of Water is a constellation of 24 glass columns containing water collected from ice from some of the major glaciers around Iceland. The glass columns refract and reflect the light onto a rubber floor embedded with a field of words in Icelandic and English which relate to the weather – inside or outside. The sculpture installation offers a space for private reflection whilst accommodating a wide variety of community uses.

Gold Field, 1980–82

Gold Field is two pounds of pure gold compressed into a luminous rectangular mat. Set directly on the floor in an otherwise empty gallery, the work threatens to dissolve into dazzling immateriality, the sense of pure surface that its delicacy invokes.

Gary Spearin’s Artist Talk, March 12, 2015

Gary Spearin defined himself as a painter and an installation artist. On first impression, Spearin’s paintings are overwhelming and intricate. Upon closer inspection, the viewer becomes lost in the randomness and intricacy found within each painting. It also became apparent that he gets lost within his own concepts behind his work. I realized that his works almost became redundant and the installation process of his paintings were arbitrary. To me they are one-liners repeated over and over to infinity - which is what Spearin might be aiming for. I felt confused, lost and overwhelmed while listening to his artist talk. 

Spearin’s most successful works were his installations because the viewer is able to engage and experience its three-dimensional presence. His installations were also interesting because viewers would come across them randomly. His Endangered and Extinct painting series seemed intriguing, however, Spearin did not delve into this project. He provided one example of a wolf painted on snow fence installed in a National park. This allowed viewers to reflect on their surroundings and their initial experience. 

Bill Viola (b.1951) is internationally recognized as one of today’s leading artists. He has been instrumental in the establishment of video as a vital form of contemporary art, and in so doing has helped to greatly expand its scope in terms of technology, content, and historical reach. For 40 years he has created videotapes, architectural video installations, sound environments, electronic music performances, flat panel video pieces, and works for television broadcast. Viola’s video installations—total environments that envelop the viewer in image and sound—employ state-of-the-art technologies and are distinguished by their precision and direct simplicity. They are shown in museums and galleries worldwide and are found in many distinguished collections. His single channel videotapes have been widely broadcast and presented cinematically, while his writings have been extensively published, and translated for international readers. Viola uses video to explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to self-knowledge. His works focus on universal human experiences—birth, death, the unfolding of consciousness—and have roots in both Eastern and Western art as well as spiritual traditions, including Zen Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and Christian mysticism. Using the inner language of subjective thoughts and collective memories, his videos communicate to a wide audience, allowing viewers to experience the work directly, and in their own personal way.

The World of Appearances, 2000, video installation

An image of a human figure is projected onto two large screens of identical size (12 x 7 feet) in a 90-degree configuration, one mounted to the wall and the other to the floor. A glass panel, identical in size, is cantilevered at a 45-degree angle between the two screens. The image sequence shows a man at the edge of a pool of water whose reflection is seen in the surface. After a long pause, he falls forward in an explosive, turbulent splash. The figure submerges and disappears as the water continues to undulate, producing abstract patterns of colour and form. The action is seen in extreme slow motion and repeated in varying sequences, always with the idea of contrasting reflection and reality. The relatively simple configuration of screens and glass panel yields an involved interplay between image and reflection, object and illusion, self and self-image. Everything is in motion. Everything is a reflection of itself. Nothing is what it appears to be. The human being, as both subject and object, is at the center of this interaction. It is the direct action of the figure, and the resulting shattering of the image surface, that becomes the only substantial, verifying aspect of the world of appearances.

Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House 1982 video/sound installation

Gary Hill (b. 1951, Santa Monica, CA) has worked with a broad range of media – including sculpture, sound, video, installation and performance – since the early 1970’s, producing a large body of single-channel videos, mixed-media installations, and performance work. His longtime work with intermedia continues to explore an array of issues ranging from the physicality of language, synesthesia and perceptual conundrums to ontological space and viewer interactivity.

Gary Hill's early works were abstract but he eventually started using the human figure and voices, like in his "Primarily Speaking" (1983). In 1992 he stopped using spoken words to create "Suspension of Disbelief" in which he shows a nude man and woman on 30 screen monitors with the camera flowing over them at different speeds (sometimes so fast its just a blur).

https://vimeo.com/111261569

Primarily Speaking, 1983

Video (color, stereo sound); 18:40 min.

Drawing III, Project V (In Progress)

Continuation of Drawing II Independent Project, Safety Blanket  How Long Is Now, video, 2015

Drawing III, Project IV

Animation FINAL

Using manmade, electronic devices and appliances (that produce heat) to melt/manipulate natural elements (snow and ice). Commenting on climate disruption, society’s need/obsession for electronics and human ability to manipulate natural elements. Juxtaposing indoor/household products and nature. An awkward, time consuming, slightly humorous outcome.

Drawing III, Project IV

Animation: 5 Film Stills from Project (Work in Progress)

Using manmade, electronic devices and appliances (that produce heat) to melt/manipulate natural elements (snow and ice). Commenting on climate disruption, society's need/obsession for electronics and human ability to manipulate natural elements. Juxtaposing indoor/household products and nature. An awkward, time consuming, slightly humorous outcome. 

Second Semester: 2/3 Exhibition Reviews

Art Gallery of Ontario February 7, 2015 – May 10, 2015 Curated by Dieter Buchhart

Jean-Michel Basquiat continues to be an accessible, transcendent artist in the contemporary world. Despite Basquiat's fame and influence in the art world, his work is hard to come across. This first major retrospective of Basquiat's work in Canada successfully explores the implications of his work in today's society while maintaining the original historical context. 

I was deeply impressed with the exhibition's simple, thematic layout and audio tour. The audio tour integrated unique perspectives from art scholars and included childhood memories from Basquiat's siblings. A stand out description was offered for Basquiat's Untitled (Head), (1981). This large canvas painting overwhelms and intimidates, however upon listening to Bushra Junaid, Curtis Talwst Santiago and Andrea Fatona's eloquent descriptions, the viewer begins to read into the mark-making, scratching technique and facial expressions of the figure. Throughout the exhibition, the viewer becomes profoundly aware of Basquiat's internal and external struggle with his identity and the art world in the 1980's. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Head), 1981

Second Semester: 1/3 Exhibition Reviews

Michelangelo, Quest for Genius Art Gallery of Ontario October 18, 2014 – January 11, 2015 Developed/Curated by Lloyd DeWit and David Wistow

This intimate exhibition attempts to highlight Michelangelo's struggles, setbacks, and rejection, as well as illuminating his will to create and triumph. Upon entering the exhibition, I was surprised and delighted to see several Rodin sculptures, however, Lloyd DeWit and David Wistow, decided to focus entirely on Michelangelo's powerful impression on the late 19th century sculptor. Michelangelo is described as Rodin's 'spiritual and artistic father,' and several farfetched comparisons are made between Michelangelo's sketches and Rodin's finished products and maquettes. These comparisons felt contrived, awkward and were poorly integrated into the exhibition. It seems that the inclusion of Rodin's sculptures were the answer to overwhelmingly empty spaces throughout the three rooms. 

It is unfortunate that Michelangelo's surreal drawings and Rodin's beautiful sculptural work were overshadowed by unnecessary comparisons, gossip from Michelangelo's personal life and juvenile 'did you know?' didactic panels. Despite the incredible art displayed, this exhibition was confusing and disappointing. 

Artist 6: Félix González-Torres

Cuba, b. 1957-1996 http://www.andrearosengallery.com/artists/felix-gonzalez-torres

González-Torres works invest mundane materials (candy, clocks, lightbulbs) and commonplace processes (offset printing, photography) with a preciousness and poetry to convey both the rational value of life and its inevitable transience. His stacks of candy, or sheets of paper resemble the stable structures of minimalism but are in a state of constant transformation as the audience is asked to take from the stack. Audience participation is something that I would like to start integrating into my own artwork. 

"Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art." - González-Torres

Untitled, 1991. Billboard

Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA), 1991.

Artist 7: Jonathan Meese German, 1970 http://www.jonathanmeese.com

Jonathan Meese is a contemporary German artist born in 1970. He has created manifestos that call for a "dictatorship of art", and has argued that his repeated use of the Hitler salute and the swastika are satirical and aim to lessen their potency. Meese creates controversial artworks and performance pieces by appropriating Nazi propaganda and symbolism. In Meine Fratze ist harmloser als meine Katze (die freundlichtste DIKTATUR), Meese includes swastikas not to give the symbol more power but to mock it. He believes that society’s avoidance of these symbols, promulgate the symbol’s importance and negative connotations, all while he argues that these relics need to be destroyed and neutralized. Meese’s approach to art that interprets Germany’s past employs great shock tactics. (I can't tell if he is a lunatic, or a genius). I also thoroughly enjoy his drawing/painting technique… reminiscent of Jean-Michel Basquiat and graffiti art.  The Story of Jonathan Meese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoD6wpRooPU

Meine Fratze ist harmloser als meine Katze (die freundlichtste DIKTATUR), 2006.

Artist 8: Elin Hansdottir

Iceland, b. 1980 http://www.elinhansdottir.net

Despite not knowing much about Elin Hansdottir's works (at the moment), she has many ideas and inspirations that I relate to. Her way of working is very process-oriented because it gives her room for creativity… "I like looking at the creative process as an adventurous journey that can surprise you and lead you in directions you could never have foreseen." Her works also involve physical interactions. Hansdottir is interested in people's imaginations and thought through spatial experience… "I would like to see my work as a starting point for other ideas that are beyond my control… I am interested in works where your movement and thoughts ignite a process in which the invisible comes to life." 

Path, 2008. Plasterboards, aluminum structure, sound system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqih5vxxqqY

Peripheral, 2006. 2-12 lightbulbs (red, green and blue).

Artist 9: Tim Knowles United Kingdom, b. 1969 http://www.timknowles.co.uk

Tim Knowles rebalances the power relationship between humans and nature, handing over control of the creation of his art to natural forces. He relies on chance environmental elements and processes. Between 2005 and 2006, Knowles produced a series of drawings created by trees. He attached ink pens to the tips of branches and allowed the wind's effects on the tree to determine the marks recorded on paper. Like signatures, the drawings reveal the different qualities, characteristics and aesthetics of each tree. 

I am very interested in exploring the chance of natural forces in my own work. I would like to remove myself, or my 'indexical trace' as much as possible from my art. Tim Knowles' works are also beautifully installed. 

Tree Drawing - Weeping Willow on circular panel [100 pen], 2005.

Artist 10: Sabrina Raaf

American, b. 1968

http://raaf.org

Sabrina Raaf's Grower, 2004-6

Grower is a small 'rover' vehicle that moves its way around the edges of a room, responding to the level of carbon dioxide in the air by drawing varying heights of 'grass.' Any change in the level - which may be caused by a change in the number of people breathing in the room - is picked up immediately by a sensor and transmitted to the robot. The more carbon dioxide there is in the room, the higher the line that is drawn. Once the Grower robot has completed a line, it moves forward slightly and starts again.

I would be interested in creating my own drawing machine… inspired by Eco Art, chance or audience participation.

(wanted to finish this post even though I missed the due date)

Artist 1: Graham Hudson United Kingdom, b. 1977 www.grahamhudson.com

Graham Hudson creates raw, unstable and haphazard installations made from everyday, found materials. He defines his aesthetic as "minimalist maximalist" and his sculptures are often on the brink of collapse. Hudson incorporates scaffolding and unfinished structures into his work. He describes scaffolding as "utilitarian – it expands like a beehive to accommodate what you put in it. I’m attracted to it because it’s not a real thing, it’s a non-object. There’s no value to it as sculpture if you can rebuild it with different stuff each different time. It moves throughout the cities as an emblem of time. It’s viral - springing up in response to buildings falling apart and people deciding to build them up again." His approach to using readymade materials gives a freshness and spontaneity to his work. The materials point to their original uses in industry, commerce and construction, but gain a new life in Hudson’s installations. Hudson describes his sculptures as sketches-in-materials and strives for simplicity in his works. 

2:1 Chair, 2009. Timber, plastic, wicker and paint.

On Off, 2008, scaffold, pallets, 20 x turntables, on off timer, and lights.

Trauma Monument, 2008, 4 x cardboard boxes, 2 x tape measure.

  Artist 2: Simon Gush South Africa, b. 1981 www.simongush.net

Simon Gush does not follow a preferred medium or specific style in his work, but rather focuses on multi-media, photography, performance, and found objects. Gush is interested in facilitating and constructing a way of speaking around politics and how we live as a society… “for me, there is a lot of space for different kinds of investigation, and my practice has always been linked to a feeling of responsibility to be part of or to stimulate some dialogue.” His appropriation and reconfiguration of found objects, and experiences of everyday life "reflect on the way in which power and politics operate through the quotidian."  

The Railway Maintenance Workers… 2008. Paint on wall.

In the Company of, 2008. Video still, single-channel HD video, ten-channel audio, 32 mins. 27 secs.

"In the Company of (2008), a football game is played between teams of immigrants in Belgium. The game is located across a set of railway tracks, creating an almost impossible game. Here the intersection of elements creates a metaphoric and physical clashing of sport, transport and the politics of globalization." - Chad Rossouw

Other interesting works: Serenade, Perfect Lovers (after Felix Gonzalez-Torres)

Artist 3: Darren Almond United Kingdom, b. 1971 http://whitecube.com/artists/darren_almond/

Darren Almond's works deal with evocative meditations on time and duration as well as the themes of personal and historical memory. Almond is interested in examining different structures and perceptions of time. Almond's installation Terminus (2007) relocated the original socialist-era bus shelters of the town of Oswiecim (formerly Auschwitz) to make a moving installation about historical loss. They constitute a unique kind of waiting room, either for freedom or death. It is as if the historic experience of collectively waiting had been condensed and preserved within them. A key questions posed by Almond's oeuvre is 'how does the extreme become routine?'

Terminus, 2007. 14 bus shelters, aluminum, steel, wood, fibreglass, PVC.

Meantime, 2000. Steel sea container, aluminum, polycarbonate, computerized electronic control system and component. 9.6 x 8 x 40 feet.

Artist 4: Marlene Dumas South Africa, 1953 http://www.marlenedumas.nl

Marlene Dumas is known for her oil, watercolour and ink portraits and renderings of the human figure. Her work often turns to representations of death, violence, religion and motherhood. Dumas' close cropping decontextualizes her subjects and suggests an unsavoury mugshot. Her works are often grisly in content but are beautifully executed. Her technique is both provocative and disturbing. 

For Whom the Bell Tolls, 2008. Oil on Canvas. 

Artist 5: Olafur Eliasson Denmark, b. 1967 http://www.olafureliasson.net

For Olafur Eliasson, research is an integral part of his art. It takes blueprints and models before an Eliasson installation can be realized. His dramatic, large-scale works challenge the viewer's perception of how to deal, in phenomenological terms, with space, vision, light, colour and at the same time, with his expectations of art in everyday experience. Nature in a man-made world is a central topic of Eliasson's art. The Weather Project used an artificial sun, a ceiling mirror and steam to turn the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall into an illusionistic realm of experience. His ability to make his audience question their perceptions and their environment and Eco Art is something I am very interested in pursuing. 

Ice Watch, 2014. 100 tonnes of ice.

ICE WATCH:  "Twelve large blocks of ice, cast off from the Greenland ice sheet, were collected from a fjord outside Nuuk and shipped to Copenhagen, where they were presented in a clock formation in City Hall Square, from 26 to 29 October 2014, to mark the publication of the UN IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report on Climate Change. The pieces of ice, which had not completely melted by the end of the three days, were donated to schools around Copenhagen. Ice Watch was a physical wake-up call: the ice is melting. Sea levels are rising. Temperatures are increasing. Climate change is a fact." http://olafureliasson.net/icewatch

Waterfall, 1998. Installation view. 

The Weather Project, 2003. Mono-frequency light, foil, haze machine, mirror foil, scaffold.