mroy - progress - tm s-1

I just wanted to post up a transcription of what i jotted down in my notebook this week. Things got backed up because I'm moving from Gyeongju to Seoul this week, but I wanted to post what I have so far on good faith:

Week one.

Write, don’t draw. This is killing me already

My goal : “a thesis discussing my approach to solving the visual problem of interpreting history with paint.”

…Problem of interpreting history of paint. Interpreting history. How do I interpret history in paint.. brain hating words….

OK. So I think the medium of paint immediately takes on the topic of History. Painting is clearly anachronistic. Image development has quicker, cleaner, and more effective techniques. Painting is also fairly off topic with the majority of topics in the contemporary art making vernacular. In that way painting in this day and age immediately interprets History and is enslaved to that interpretation. Nothing said in paint needs to be said in paint unless needing to stay “all in the family” of historical art. So the problem is why paint? I am on the point of history. If discussing history, what do I want to dig up? What do I want my historical dig to uncover or gravitate towards?

The history of painting is a documentation of upper societies’ views on beauty and desire.

The only record of the poor’s painting is graffiti.

I grew up middle class, not exactly sure on which side of the spectrum, but certainly first world. Why is so much cooler to impersonate the poor?

Jake said painting can still do something that photographs and computers can’t, they can be shocking in their break from reality, while the newer mediums are more expected to.

^ in a bout of personal weakness. To make that work. I need large paintings. I need oil paint. I have shaky hands that the other mediums won’t forgive. I could try with watercolor. But watercolor comes out very family oriented in atmosphere and appearance sometimes. Maybe a large watercolor… LARGE WATERCOLORS.

I’ll add more once I get to Seoul, sorry for the slow writing, the city move is more annoying than expected. Shoul be finished moving by tomorrow night though.

DS - s-one Interior Dialogue

Course Title: Sculptural Investigations

Interior space of a three dimensional object:

Design and create a sculpture in which the interior space of the object is visible and the focal point of the creation. Insure that the work has a clear dialogue between the interior and exterior of the sculpture.

Your choice of material and subject matter should correlate.

Week 1: Thumbnails and preparation.

• There is no limit to the number of thumbnails, but at least three workable ideas must be thought out for conception.
• Research: Research at least 5 contemporary artists that create sculptural works that have an interior dialogue.
• Discuss their use of material and subject, and plot out your sculpture.

Weeks 2 – 3: Preparation and progress.

• Refined sketches are to be posted and the beginning process of working the material.
• Experimentation with materials may be necessary in week two but the project should be underway by week 3

Week 5:

• Open critique and final revisions.

Week 6:

• Final critique

tm - progress - mr-s-one

Work in progress images:

1. Top image – Practice piece – Goache on top of 18 x 24" photograph mounted to foam board
2. Bottom image – Early stages of piece #1, same media
   
   It may seem like cheating to use what should technically be defined as mixed-media for a series whose ambitions should adress the ontology of a single media, but the aim is to use this approach to begin a discussion of ways to subvert "choice" in the language associated with a single media. Overlaying paint deconstructs the photographic composition and thereby discards original intentions. Paint works to rearrange and reassess meaning towards my first choice in theme, "Historical mythology in the Southeastern United States".

The photograph is from a parade held at the University of Memphis. This group was comprised of Art History students studying the visual arts of the African diaspora. The only photographic information I plan to retail are the two male and female figures central to the altered composition. Drawings will be incorporated similar to their application in the top image, as well as collaged elements will be used to construct a narrative of mythologized blackness and the role the Other plays in the written and unwritten histories of the Deep South.

tmartin -s-one - focus: mroy

Course Title: “Talkin’ History”

“why do i paint???????? i used to say for the history. butthat don't make since if i aint talking history.”

–Michael Roy

This is a six-week course in which you will produce a series of works focusing on the development of an image vernacular capable of articulating your personal vision and understanding of history that relates to a framework of broader contexts. In this course, you will produce a series of five fully-developed paintings that relate to a thesis discussing your approach to solving the visual problem of interpreting history with paint.

Restrictions:

· You may not keep a sketchbook during this course. You are however allowed to keep a notebook of your thoughts. All of your energy should be directed towards the finished works and your writings about the series.

· You may start only one new piece each week. After the first work reaches it’s finished stage for that week, however, you are encouraged to go back to it in following weeks and make revisions that encourage overall cohesion for the series.

· You are encouraged to work with paint that allows the development of your images over time. (ie: oil paint mothafucka)

Week 1:

• Write a brief thesis outlining your thoughts on the subject and strategy by which you plan to approach it
• Create a list of “imagery” and note on their significance that will be used to establish reoccurring themes in your paintings.
• Sketch three compositions using these somehow at the scale your five finished works to be.

Weeks 2 – 5:

• Produce one finished painting each week
• Take three in progress photographs of the piece showing stages of it’s development
• Post the finished work, in progress photos, and notes concerning it’s conceptual relevance to your thesis to the blog each weeks. Notes should reference at least one outside reading of your choice.

Week 6:

• Post images of all five finished works. Each piece should display some minor change since it’s initial posting.
• Write a statement addressing all works as a cohesive series, include your thoughts on their aesthetic and conceptual development and how they relate to your original thesis.

mroy - s-one - due 3/10/12

Informing Your Medium

The Goal - The assignment is to complete a series of art objects (three piece series, minimum size requirement of 60 x 45 x 0.5 cm each.) that work independently as well as in unison with one another. As such, final submission should consider how both displays would be realized.

Restrictions –

Each art object must be created using a disparate medium from one another

Pieces may not be executed on the same type of surface (i.e. a painting and photograph both on paper.)

No two pieces may be presented the same way (i.e. two sculptures free standing)

No text is to be used outside of the title

Ambition of work should inform medium choice

Topic List – Choose any ONE topic to discuss within your work.

- Historical mythology in the South Eastern United States.

- The commercialization of culture and tourist isolationism of culture in the modern era

- Religious motifs redefined in a time living after god

- Inadequacies of The Batman

Project will have three weeks to resolve.

In Process photographs and writings should be discussed at least once a week using (stayinartschoolblogspot.com) as the forum. All photos, writings, and critiques can be kept in the same posting