Week 4 Homework!
10October 20, 2013 by maggiew@uoregon.edu
Hello Everyone!
Once again, I have a political cartoon for you to look at, but you might need this article to understand what’s going on. As we know, this art is often situational. Enjoy!
So, as I said on Wednesday, I want you to revisit your homework assignment from week 2–the political art description assignment–and recreate it as a formal analysis.
This means that I want a DETAILED description of a single artwork, either what you chose for your assignment or something you are more familiar with (such as those of you who chose works of literature or music, which can be difficult to describe if you don’t have the terminology. However, if you want to tackle the challenge, feel free!) Once that description is complete, I want you to explain how the details you have observed in the description help lead to the meaning of the artwork.
I want at least two paragraphs written, to be posted by Wednesday before class. The idea is to pay attention to the component parts of the art that create a political meaning. If you need a model for close reading, there are some impressive examples of it in Orgel’s “The Illusion of Power.” Reviewing that will also help you prepare for Wednesday’s discussion of political theater. I don’t expect you to have mastered the text, but bringing a particularly interesting or pertinent passage will have VERY good results 😉
Looking forward, as always, to Wednesday. You guys are doing great. 🙂
Maggie the Fearless Leader
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The piece of art I chose for the close examination is a photograph of a real Louis Vuitton coin purse next to a replica purse (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OccQQhM5dz4/UMTFFwcrWMI/AAAAAAAAAPo/ZzQc4T_Fzr4/s1600/fake_or_real.jpg). Just from the picture, it is difficult to see the difference between the two purses. When viewed as two functional objects, there isn’t any difference between the two coin purses, besides the materials used, how the bag was made, and most importantly, the price. If fashion is viewed as totally utilitarian, there would be no controversy about the knockoff bag. In actuality, though, the fashion industry is a complex mix of art, economy, practicality, luxury, and wealth.
In the United States, garments are not covered with copyright protection, though logos are covered under copyright law. This is why many designers decide to cover their accessories and other garments with their logos. While high fashion designers are highly revered for the quality of their garments, the connotations that come with a designer item go way beyond its quality. They represent the luxury and wealth that go along with the object. Logos are used on garments not just to protect garments through copyright protection, but are advertisements for the brand.
Designers often get mad that others are copying their designers, though the high cost of designer garments and accessories make them unattainable for many. Though some might scoff at someone buying a knock-off, for many they provide the only outlet for someone to purchase a “designer” object. There is also a third group who would view a coin purse as merely an object to hold coins. This picture also proves that despite the presence of copyright protection, knock-offs still exist and are an important part of understanding the fashion industry.
This week, I chose Ai Weiwei’s art piece “Remembering”:
http://theartistandhismodel.com/images/aiweiwei3.jpg
http://www.disruptdominantfrequencies.net/images/linz/ai_weiwei.jpg
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist who generally creates his art out of pre-existing objects–this is called “readymade.” These works generally have a political slant and are a form of protest against the Chinese government. In fact, Ai Weiwei was arrested in 2011 due to his art and criticism of the government.
“Remembering” was created in 2009 after an earthquake struck the Sichuan province in May 2008. This earthquake caused many schools to collapse and thousands of children were killed. After visiting the Sichuan province and seeing this destruction, Ai Weiwei created “Remembering” by mounting 9,000 children’s backpacks on the facade of the Haus der Kunst in Germany. The backpacks spell out the sentence, “She lived happily for seven years in this world.”
When I look at this installation, the first thing I notice is the size–the whole facade is huge and the characters that make up “She lived happily for seven years in this world” are immense as well. Immediately the viewer can see that a) this art piece as to do with a children’s death and b) it is an enormous issue. The bright primary colors also emphasize the fact that it is focused on a child or children. Next, upon closer inspection, I notice that this huge object is composed of thousands of backpacks, which represent the destruction of many lives. This art piece shows the enormity of the deaths caused by the government’s negligence (in the form of shoddily built schools).
John Gast’s painting, “American Progress” is one that I’m sure we’ve all encountered before, probably in social studies classes as early as middle school (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_progress.JPG). The first phrase most of us would come up with upon viewing this photo is, without a doubt, “Manifest Destiny,” and, indeed, the title of this painting is often mistaken to be just that. The reason for this is that Gast’s painting has come to represent the period of American history between 1812 and 1860, known as the “era of manifest destiny” or, in other words, continentalism and territorial expansion. During this period, many American politicians had adopted the view that Americans were “destined” to expand across the North American in order to enhance the virtues of the American people, to mold the rest of the world to conform to America’s model, and to fulfill what God had apparently ordained for the American people to accomplish.
Upon examining the painting itself, the eye is immediately drawn to the female figure in the center. This figure, whose name is Columbia, is ethereal, angelic, and determined; her westward gaze represents the supposed desires of the nation to expand, and the telegraph wire and schoolbook in her hands symbolize the types of advancements and institutions that American settlers will bring with them to the West. In contrast with Columbia’s heavenly appearance and her white garments–which represent her purity and, thus, America’s “good intentions–the land that appears in the western area of the picture is dark and ominous. Heavy storm clouds hover over looming mountains, a vicious bear lurks in the bottom corner, and Native American “savages” inhabit the surrounding areas. These images illustrate the view that the United States had toward the West: that it was wild and untamed, and the systematic settling of these areas would serve to prepare the territory to become a part of the Union. The entire piece of art is organized to be leftward-facing or, keeping in mind the idea behind the painting, geared toward the West. Every image of American settlers show them heading in the direction of Columbia’s gaze, and the presence of ships, trains, stagecoaches, wagons, and plows following Columbia’s path serve to demonstrate the new technologies in transportation that would soon expand into the West along with the American people.
While Manifest Destiny was never a political ideology that was favored by everyone in the nation, the idea did bring about several notable events in American history. For instance, Americans undertook multiple wars to gain more territory, such as the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War. Manifest Destiny also played a large role in the debate on slavery, most significantly in deciding which newly-acquired territories would outlaw the practice and which would not. Although America has–for the most part–halted the practice of attempting to acquire new lands for our own, vestiges of Manifest Destiny remain present in American politics through our constant desire to interfere in the goings-on of other nations, for example.
Francisco Goya’s painting “El tres de mayo de 1808 en Madrid” had significant political effects on Spain during the Peninsula War. It illustrates a man cornered next to a pile of his comrades, about to be shot to death by a group of soldiers. The painting was intended to express the Spanish resentment to Napoleon invading Spain. It was effective in showcasing the French as the enemy, and the Spanish as the victim.
In order to understand the message of the painting, we must consider all the details. First of all, the French soldiers are shown without faces to depict how they lack compassion and that their murdering of the Spaniards is brutal. Special emphasis is placed on the man being shot, as he represents the suffering and oppression of the Spanish people. Specifically, he has a look of terror on his face, and the bodies next to him prove that he has no chance of escape. A monk and friar are also included as victims in this atrocity in order to indicate that even the most innocent were unsafe from the violence of the French. Overall, the painting evokes feelings of resentment toward the French, and would serve as a catalyst for the Spanish to revolt against such oppression.
Here is the painting! https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~nigro20e/classweb/thirdofmaycopy1.jpg
I chose this photograph taken during the apartheid in South Africa. http://espressostalinist.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/afchild.jpg
This black and white photo shows a young child standing in front of destroyed houses and rubble. It shows how innocent native South Africans were affected by European control of the country. Natives were forced by the Europeans to move from their homes into rural areas with poor living and working conditions. They had no power in their lives and were victims of violence and racial discrimination.
Examining the photograph, there is a contrast between the innocence of the child and the harsh reality and effects of the apartheid behind them. The child is not very adequately dressed, wearing only a small raggedy shirt and shorts, and is just standing in front of the terrible mess of what might have been their house or community. We don’t know for sure, but we could imagine that the child and their family have lost their home and are living in poverty under European control. The scene of the immense ruin of houses is emphasized by the child because they are young and innocent and have no say or control over anything that has happened. The photo depicts the negative and harsh effect of an oppressive government on innocent people, especially on powerless children. It evokes feelings of sadness and horror in observers and even a feeling of helplessness as they see a small child in the middle of such terror and misery with no ability to change their situation. The photo is kind of a cry for help for the powerless and innocent victims of oppression, violence, and extreme hardship and discrimination.
The piece I chose is “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. This famous American play first debuted in 1953, about three years in to the McCarthyism period. The play is set in Salem during the famous Salem witch trials. The setting alone is something that many readers have learned about, and is generally considered to be a darker time in American history. The hysteria that swept through Massachusetts between 1692-1693 are paralleled with the McCarthyism that spanned from 1950-1956. During this time, the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) tried many Americans, especially those working in Hollywood for harboring Communist sentiments. McCarthyism first began when Senator McCarthy claimed he had a list of names of Americans who were communists. The craze that ensued led many producers, directors, actors, as well as ordinary citizens to be black listed. The Hollywood blacklist destroyed the careers of many actors and directors who were not allowed to work in America because they had been labeled a Communist. In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” Miller compares the blatantly untrue accusations, and unfair trials of Salem to the trials held by the HUAC, which based sentences not on truth, but on hysteria and sensationalism. The tragic character of John Proctor is employed as a main character to gain sympathy for those being Blacklisted by the HUAC. As a flawed but honest man, John Proctor is a character that the reader feels immediate attachment to. Haunted by past mistakes, John is trapped by lies, and eventually dies in order to preserve his name. John is offered a choice: tell the judges who is a witch and he can go free, or refuse to speak and die. Much like the Salem Witch trials, trials of the HUAC were blatantly unfair, and the only way to not get Blacklisted was to rat out friends and colleagues. The result was that many innocent people were accused and convicted of being Communists without evidence, and were Blacklisted. Despite hostile reviews, “The Crucible” won the 1953 Tony Award for “Best Play.” Evidently, others, especially in the entertainment industry, felt a connection to the themes of the piece as they watched helplessly as friends and family were barred from working and in essence lost everything. The character of Abigail and the other girls mirrors the ridiculous claims espoused by McCarthy, and the judges represent the HUAC and their failed application of justice. “The Crucible” quickly became an American classic, and now is a reminder of the dangers of power and blind hysteria.
I chose the Napalm Girl photograph taken by Nick Ut during the Vietnam War. This photo depicts a young naked girl crying in the streets after the U.S Army firebombed her village. Vietnamese civilians were defenseless against the tactics deployed by the U.S Army, which resulted in thousands of civilian causalities. They had no power and the only thing they could was hope that the troops would not attack their village.
Upon examining the photograph, the first thing that stands out is that the little girl is naked in the outskirts of her village. Her face is screaming with agony and terror and her body shows pain and suffering. This is mirrored with the other children on her sides. The youngest child in the photo is moving away from the destruction but its head is facing the smoke. In the background is the smoke from the firebombing. In between the children and their former village, are three American soldiers with their head held up high and clutching automatic rifles in their hands. Unlike the children, their body composure show no signs of emotion. Their bodies are rigid, facing forward, head held up and armed with automatics. They’re almost robot like and one might assume that they are desensitized to this horror unlike the children.
I chose to reanalyze Andy Warhol’s Electric Chair. He created a series of screen-prints in 1963 as part of his Death and Disaster series and then recreated the image in 1968 with a slight variation. In the 1963 version, an empty electric chair is sitting ominously pretty directly in the center of an empty room with bare walls. The chair is place what I would call the middle ground, and the room is depicted with lots of shadows. There are dark shadows all along the top of the room and growing out of the corners while the chair itself is bathed in light. There are three doors in the room, all in shadow and very mysterious. The single door on the right has a sign above it that reads “silent”. There are a lot of straight lines and angles.
The year this group of painting was produced, 1963, was the same year that New York’s Sing Sing State Penetentiary performed its last two executions by electric chair. Capital punishment was actually banned in the U.S. from 1963-1997. The simplicity does not at all take away from the piece and plays a large part in contributing to the mood it emanates. The shadows add an eerie effect as if they are almost closing in on and suffocating the chair or who ever is in it. In my opinion the shadows creeping towards the chair are foreshadowing the death that is to come and are a clear metaphor for death. The room is deserted and somber which portrays a sense of silence and stillness. Like if someone were to sit in that chair they would feel completely alone and could almost hear their own heart beating. Even though the chair is empty, Warhol does a great job at communicating across the feeling of forthcoming death and hopelessness. The picture is alluding to death while having a underlying reminder of human mortality. While not depicting any true details of the process of execution Warhol still conveys the terror associated with it. One interesting aspect is that the room doesn’t allow the viewer to figure out the actual location of the chair which takes away the possibility that it is associated with a particular institution and applies the controversy of the death sentence to society as whole and allows the viewer to have his or her own interpretation of the piece and it’s meaning. Lastly, the only word in the piece is “silent” which is hardly noticeable initially. It further illustrates the loneliness, hopelessness, and stillness of the piece. I believe it makes it more sad that terrifying, the fact of someone dying in silence and desolateness.
I’d like to briefly analyze this famous image:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nJr3JzuTa4g/TTsdKkbAueI/AAAAAAAAAA8/0lCHrHuELEo/s1600/vietnam.jpg
Here we see one of the most famous photos of the 1960’s: an anti-war protestor sticking a flower into the barrel of a military policeman’s rifle. This image has come to symbolize bravery, peaceful resistance, and non-violent dissent in the spirit of Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience.
This photo is from 1967 – the climax of the Vietnam War. This image became the rallying icon of the “Flower Power” movement, which engaged in peaceful protests across the United States.
So many things are happening in this photo. In the woman’s eyes we see a look of serenity, a gaze that implores her audience to forget the status quo for just a few seconds and consider her alternative: a world of peace.
Interestingly, we can’t see the face of the policeman she gives the flower to. This calls to mind the idea of “the machine” – that faceless government entity that ruthlessly perpetrates violent warfare throughout the globe, involving itself in armed conflicts that don’t always concern it.
Troublingly, the female protestor appears to be alone – we don’t see any of her fellow supporters. We an only see the angry faces of an advancing line of other policeman, bayonets out and facing towards the innocent woman.
Since its publication, this photo has evoked a feeling of sympathy in all who view it. The viewer identifies with the lone woman, and instantly wants to take her side against the evil armed men ominously marching towards her. In the film Hotel Rwanda, a Rwandan activist said, “We must shame them into action.” He meant that Rwandans had to shame the rest of the world into coming to their aid. Similarly, this photo often makes audiences feel a sense of shame – shame that they are bystanders to this woman’s plight. The woman sems to offer us a second chance. Though we may not have stood with her in this particular instance of peaceful protest, we ourselves can learn from her experience and spread the idea of peace.