Artist Lectures

Erika Harrsch

Exhibited around the world, Erika Harrsch is a well-known contemporary artist who specializes in multidisciplinary practices such as painting, photography, and animation. Her main pieces revolve around the symbolism of the butterfly. She has over six years of experience with an entomologist, researching and studying every aspect of the butterfly. To Harrsch, the butterfly symbolizes the relationship people have with their own nature and this is represented uniquely in each of her works.

The first piece she showed was “Imagos”. It is a vast collection of cut out photographs of various species of butterflies with the images of female genitalia in the center. Each butterfly is unique to the country of the women she used in the center. By doing so, Harrsch illustrates the culture and migration of the women as she did similarly with another project in which she created a passport with the design of Canadian, American, and Mexican pieces surrounding a Monarch butterfly. The butterfly is a form of identity of gender within society. She renders the genitalia in “Imagos”not as taboo, but as an organic object. Imago, the title of this piece means fully-winged insect or fully adult, perfectly representing each part in this piece. Her work, however, was controversial in a few places such as Syria, where it was censored after it was inspected more closely.

Another project she has craftily designed is her “Inverted Sky”. Her installations, kites, and paintings each contain a butterfly in some form. The kites on display are made from the monetary units of China (dragon) and the US (butterflies). They display two sides to the meaning of specimen; in one way for study and the other as a bank note. Harrsch designs her work in such a way that it begs the viewer to question and look more deeply into human nature and the struggles of our culture and society. Each of her projects were inspiring and so original that it is easy to see why Harrsch is so successful.

Colby Stephens

In his MFA thesis lecture, “Visual art and the Stratification of Information,” Colby Stephens cleverly presents the issues of the Federal Reserve, his muse, through conceptual art. From Oregon with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Stephens is completing his MFA at UNR in spring 2014. He intends to pursue a career in politics as an artist, researcher, and as a political activist.  

Stephens began his lecture with a comparison of horizon lines and politics. “Horizon lines are a navigation framework, they vary in usefulness, and are futile to pursue. They are conceptual illusions and they do not exist.” He said the same goes for political landscapes; “They are conceptual illusions and therefore, do not exist.” With this, he proposes a solution to the problem with federal policy and injustice. “Mismanaged federal policies have a disproportionally negative effect on the poor and middle class while simultaneously benefiting the wealthy by an upwards redistribution of wealth.”

So why art? Stephens sees art as a way to provide sufficient and unique opportunities to convey the facts and ideas that aren’t available elsewhere. He believes the stratification of information gives details that help make his work more intellectually honest. In his piece, “Gown for Lady Liberty,” he stratifies the information through the title, material, and details of his work. The gown, delicately placed on a white manikin, is made entirely from papers of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Taking a closer look, each letter “A” has been changed to a scarlet red to symbolize the adulteration of our liberties at the hand of central banking. Stephens’ originality and attention to detail make his work stand out and speak to its audience. 

Benjamin Poynter

Ben Poynter is a "practitioner of digital media and independent video games in the contemporary art world." His work examines the relationships between the real and the virtual. They revolve around the animation, cinematography, and narrative included in some of his projects in the forms of indie games, digital applications, and computer graphics.

Poynter's lecture was very fast-paced and covered many of his works. Admittedly, his rate of speech was so fast at times it was hard to understand what he was explaining. One project of his that stood out was his smartphone game “In a Permanent State.” This game is based off the events at Foxconn’s electronics manufacturing plants in 2010. Laborers threatened to jump to their death (fourteen of which died) drawing media attention to the employment practices of Foxconn. Poynter’s game "imagines the spiritual afterlife of seven overworked laborers who have committed suicide," while at the same time criticizing the human rights violations of Apple and Foxconn. Surely enough, the game was taken down from the Apple App store within an hour of its release. Each scene was hand drawn/painted, giving the game a unique aura. The backgrounds of the levels were done on special Chinese scrolls, which, rather than being used to mourn the dead, served as lessons learned from their death.

Poynter’s unusual style and original ideas are what bring attention to his work. He seems to include a lot of his personal experiences and memories in his projects which bring them together, adding deeper meaning. Overall, I see Ben going far with his ideas and with his strong will and passion to pursue this dreams.

Critical Questions for Reading # 6

1. When discussing the principles of new media, Manovich explains that new media is not so different from old media--there is a gray line between them. Even the idea of digital representation is ambiguous and doesn't quite redefine media. What are some things you think set apart old media from the new?

2. Manovich concludes his essay with the statement "What was hidden in the mind became shared." This relates to the notion that interactive computer media mirrors the process of the mind. "Mental processes of reflection, problem solving, recall, and association are externalized, equated with following a link, moving to a new page, choosing a new image or a new scene...we are asked to mistake the structure of somebody's else mind for our own." Do you feel this way when you look at interactive computer media? What are some examples of this?

Final Writing Assignment

Digital Art with a Cause

              Digital art comes in many forms. It is unique because there are such a variety of methods which this art can be made. Graphic design, 3D modeling, and virtual environments are some of the many forms of digital art. The artists I chose use the techniques of digital painting and 3D photomanipulation in their works. Though both aim for the same cause, each of the techniques have remarkably distinct auras when studied closely.

              Wenqing Yan, also known as “Yuumei” on her web page, is a digital artist who is well-known for her activist digital paintings. She was born and raised in China where she first learned the basics of art. “I grew up in China where parents compete and show off their child like some sort of hobby, so drawing class was one of the many things I had to learn. All my Chinese art classes focused on realism and drawing from life. That gave me the foundations to draw everything else but drawing is not a magical process where you take a class, and BAM you're an artist. It's all about hard work and practice like everything else in life.”

              Yan is currently a Practice of Art major at UC Berkley with a focus on environmentalism and cyber activism. “I specialize in digital art but I also enjoy traditional watercolor, sculpting, and origami.” She participates in conventions around the world spreading the word about environmental activism as well as cyber activism with her digital paintings and books. Most of her works clearly portray the problem she is trying to address. “Countdown,” for example, portrays the literal countdown of environmental destruction in the polar ice caps with global warming—humans being the root of the problem. “Legacy,” a moving picture of a young girl kneeling next to a deceased albatross with a plastic-filled stomach, is another powerful piece that urges that something is to be done to prevent such devastation. Inspired by the film, Midway, a documentary which uncovers the plastic-littered Midway Island—home to over 1.5 million albatross, “Legacy” shows the need for human intervention in such seemingly unnoticed issues. With over 20 tons of plastic covering the island, the albatross and many other species are dying of ingestion and entanglement. Yan proposes solutions such as participation in recycling and investing in eco-friendly products. “Art can be more than just pretty pictures, but also a powerful mechanism of change… You can easily take action with nothing but the will of your imagination.”

              Unlike traditional painting, digital painting is all done on a computer (usually with the help of a graphic tablet). Digital painting, like Yan’s, requires the use of a specialized software such as Adobe Photoshop. Digital painting programs mimic the use of physical media through numerous brushes and paint effects. The brushes are designed to serve as representations of the textures of oils, pastels, charcoals, acrylics, and just about any medium out there. This allows the artist to give an extra edge of realistic effects to their works. Yan uses a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet, Paint Tool SAI, and Photoshop to create each of her digital paintings.

              The piece that had the most impact was Yan’s “Guilty” painting. This compelling and detailed image sums up the very core of marine destruction. Yan boldly displays the image of endangered life through the bodies of marine animals wrapped around a central figure. This central figure is female. She has a pale gray complexion and appears very frail, as though she was suffering with the animals. Her face is blank, however, showing no real emotion. She could be seen as Mother Nature enduring the fate of her ecosystem or as mankind caught up in the center of the problem. Her hair is made up of a slick, dark colored liquid representing oil. Oil spills happen daily yet they are rarely reported on the news. About 20,000 oil spills occur annually in the US alone. These spills not only harm wildlife, but they also pollute the water and food chain. This means the fish we eat could be contaminated with toxins from the oil spills. An albatross is tangled in fishing line tied to her back in such a way that it seems to portray a fallen angel—an innocent life taken by the hands of careless people. Bycatch are unwanted animals that accidentally get caught in the fishing nets and lines. An estimated 300,000 marine mammals and 100,000 albatross are killed by long line fisheries, and because of this, many are now facing extinction. A shark is tied up in fishing nets because they are not only victims of bycatch, but also as an unfortunate delicacy. More than 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins. This has endangered countless species, some of which suffering a population decline of 90% and upwards. “To put that in perspective, imagine 9 out of every 10 people you know are dead. In comparison, only a few people are killed each year by sharks.” Lastly, a young sea turtle trapped in a plastic bag is cradled above the hands of the central figure who gazes upon it. Globally, 100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds die each year due to plastic waste found in the ocean. All of this destruction can be reversed, however.

              Yan, in each of her works, offers a helpful solution to each problem. First, she motivates the idea of picking up trash and recycling. By preventing littering and reusing or repurposing products, many lives could be saved. Next Yun states that being conscious of what you buy could help save the environment. By going green one could save money and improve the condition of the world around. Lastly, by spreading the word and getting more people to follow these steps, the problem can be cured. “Education is the best cure…Many people are simply unaware of the environmental damage humans are causing. People need to understand that helping the environment is simply helping themselves.”

              The other artist I chose, Irina Tikhomirova (aka “GreenVoice”), is also a digital artist who is passionate about preserving the environment. She is a Russian digital art hobbyist with a Master’s Degree in Engineering Ecology and Environmental Protection. “I'm in love with our beautiful Planet. Day by day, I'm trying to find the perfect balance between human, nature and the universe. Yes, I believe it's all about balance. I admire the magnificence of our planet, but is it possible do not admire this the most beautiful body of our solar system? And life... life on our planet is so majestic in all its varied forms!”

Like Yan, Tikhomirova expresses her environmental activism through digital art. Tikhomirova uses a few different styles and techniques in her work. Photomanipulation, concept art, and 3D art are some of the few types of digital art she works with along with its promotion through social media. “I love using social media to focus the world’s attention on the environment and the damage that we as humans are causing. Believe in people's power, I believe that even small acts can change the world.”

The piece I chose from Tikhomirova is called “Let’s Give Nature a Hand.” It is unique in a sense that it is divided into three parts—a separate image for each. Unlike Yan, Tikhomirova presents the solution to the problem rather than the problem alone in her work. In each part, she expresses her fervor for the environment fittingly with the statement, “Let's Give Nature a Hand. We need to restore natural balance before things get out of control. Earth is the only home we have!” In part one of the series, she displays a large hand in the center holding a tree with deforestation behind it. The background is made up of hundreds of cut down trees. The grass surrounding them is dull in color and the horizon line seems to fade into the sky as though it is never ending.  In contrast, the hand is a bright green with mossy detail all around it. The tree is strong and bursting with life. Her detailed 3D image suggests the renewing of deforestation with a simple act of replacing the fallen trees with new ones. Part two uncovers hidden figures of nature. The same hand holds a tiger emerging from the brush as birds flutter around it. The hand is stone-like in texture and color with small patches of grass and bushels growing on it, contrasting with the sky blue background. This image urges the protection of endangered species. By doing so, we can keep the ecosystem balanced and allow for more biodiversity. Lastly, Part three of the series simply illustrates the beauty of nature. Two dolphins playfully swim up towards the illuminated surface of the ocean while a hand of stone rests below them with many sea plants and coral growing in the center of the palm. This serene portrayal of nature inspires the preservation and restoration of the natural balance so every living creature can enjoy fresh air, clean water, and healthy ecosystems.

In conclusion, both Yan and Tikhomirova have distinctly unique ways of presenting the environmentalist view through digital art. Both are very successful with their presentation of these ideas within their works in contrasting techniques. Yan, with her digital painting, uses smooth blending lines and shades to give her work an airy, almost dreamlike feel to it. Tikhomirova takes advantage the 3D art to give her work a more light-hearted feel. Her work seems to capture the image in a moment as though it were a frame in a 3D animation. Both provide great detail in their works and overall successfully send the messages they put in their art. Each is a great example of the many ways in which digital art can be utilized to spread the word and bring to light these urgent problems while, at the same time, inspiring everyone to work towards a solution.

Works Cited

"Faces of Berkeley: Wenqing Yan, Activist Artist - The Daily Californian." The Daily Californian. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

"GreenVoice (Irina Tikhomirova) on DeviantART." GreenVoice (Irina Tikhomirova) on DeviantART. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

"Yuumei (Wenqing Yan) on DeviantART." Yuumei (Wenqing Yan) on DeviantART. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

"Why Protect Biodiversity and save Endangered Species?" Endangered Species International. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Critical Questions for Reading #5

1. Claire Bishop, in her essay, criticizes digital art that doesn't "speak overtly about the conditions living in and through the new media." She states that unlike digital media, photography and film were strictly image-based and their "relevance and challenge to visual art were self-evident." Digital art on the other hand is "alien to human perception." Bishop seems to argue that because digital art is simply code, and that it can be circulated so easily through digital media that it is not as valuable as contemporary art. Is it such a bad thing to have the ability to display one's work to a much larger audience? To adjust a picture or photo to the way we want it to look? To have the ability to add effects to film/video so the scene comes to life? Do you see digital art as merely "a garbled recipe of numbers and letters"?

2. In Bishop's last statement, she claims that "at its most utopian, the digital revolution opens up a new dematerialized, deauthored, and unmarketable reality of collective culture; at its worst, it signals the impending obsolescence of visual art itself." Do you agree with this bold statement? Do you think Bishop provided enough evidence in her essay to show that digital media is such an insult to visual art?

Project #6: Interventionist Media

McDonald's fast food is known for it's unhealthy food set at cheap prices. This makes it easy for people to go out and grab a quick meal for next to nothing. But does the attractive price outweigh the consequences of the calorie-loaded food? In 2004, the documentary, Super Size Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock showed just how badly such fast food can effect one's physical (and psychological) well-being along with how the fast food industry encourages bad nutrition for its own profit. In 2012, celebrity chef and food activist Jamie Oliver revealed the repulsive "pink slime" that McDonald's and a few other fast food restaurants used in their burgers. The "pink slime" is made from left over beef scraps (most commonly used for dog food) that are reprocessed and repurposed for consumption. This is done by washing the scraps with ammonium hydroxide then pumping what is left with artificial flavors and colors. Thankfully McDonald's announced it will no longer use the controversial meat, but it still has a long way to go to improve the nutritional value of its meals.

 

Sources: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-scraps-controversial-beef-process/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me

Critical Questions for Reading #4

1. On page 4 Raley gives an example of tactical media in the form of persuasive game. She describes the game, TuboFlex (as seen in class), in which the player is a worker running through temporary jobs that eventually become so overwhelming the tasks cannot be completed. In the end, the player will always end up begging on the street. Raley believed the lesson of the game was that "life has been mobilized for work, that the techniques for biopolitical management of the body include the tools of the postindustrial workplace, and that postindustrial labor is not in fact radically heterogeneous." Do you agree with this statement? Do you think this is true for everyone? Should those who enjoy their jobs/careers be included in this?

2. The central idea of page 23, speaking of the political-aesthetic work of data visualization, is the difference between functional visualization and artistic visualization. Raley interprets that the difference is not in aesthetics, but instead in "intentionality, procedure, and self-reflexivity." Why wouldn't aesthetics be included in the differences? What does she mean by "procedure" in this list of differences? Do you agree that these three descriptions are the only differences between functional and artistic visualization or would you add to/change them?