Category: 11 AM Class

Brooklyn Museum Assignment

 

The Ancient Egyptian Art exhibit had a variety of art work.  The art work that stood out to me was Royal Statues in Procession.  This art work stood out to me because when I saw it, it reminded me a lot of the what we have talked in class.  When using formal analysis to understand this piece of art the first thing I thought of was the symmetry of it.  This art work does not have symmetry,  the shape of it is more of a rhombus than a square.  The color of this art piece is solid, a sand color only.  What this art work most reminded me about our class was the pop out of the engraved people.  When you look to the left of it, the focus of the art work is there.  What looks like the king of Egypt, Thutmose III,  is placed at the bottom left of this piece.  Thutmose III was king of the 18th dynasty.  As you look to the right of this art work everything deigned is smaller than the king himself.  To the right of the king is another figure who is can be interpret as female king Hatshepsut.  In class we talked about the sizes of the figures illustrated in an art work and why there was different sizes.  We discussed that a king being bigger than the rest of the things displayed is a way of showing hierarchy, and power.  The most important person or item of an artwork is for the most part the focus of that piece. This art work reminded me a lot of our class discussions because of the similarity it had with the art work we discussed in class.

As I saw these art works all I said to myself was, wow.  Faith Ringgold’s 1967 painting “American People Series #18: The Flag Is Bleeding” was the art work that caught my attention immediately.  The colors of this art work make it stand out, the bloody red and how the woman in the middle seems to be split in half.  The left side of the women seems to be alive with her blonde hair.  The right side of this women just all seems to be red including her hair.  This women is holding the arm of both men illustrated in the painting.  The left side is an African American, while to the right side of this woman the man is white.  The black man seems to be holding his heart with his hand, with a knife through his hand.  The blood around the flag is his.  This is representing the violence that was happening during the 1960s.  This painting relates to the rest of this exhibit because all together they represent what African American people had to live in the 20th century.  Even though this was supposed to represent a different time period, it also represents in a way what is going on today.  People of color are still considered minority in the country.  The BLM movement had to start when the African American population become such a target to policemen.  There have been many cases where black people are shot and no justice is serve.  So much of this art work can be connected to what is going on today.  The “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power” was such an eye opening exhibit in my opinion.

Soul of the Nation

I loved walking through the Soul of the Nation exhibit. The colors or lack thereof used by the artists really told a story which evokes hardship and pride. The artwork by Benny Andrews, Did the Bear Sit Under a Tree? really caught my eye. The use of the material in his artwork really brings the painting to life. The zipper the artist used for his mouth makes it feel like you can hear his words of protest. Yet, the character is not all talk, his hands are so action oriented ready to take a stand for he knows is true. The artists purposely used flag which is rolled up fabric as the victim for the character’s fists to show that the one thing that’s meant to protect us is failing to do so. The art seemed so powerful and full of emotion.

The Ancient World

As I walked through the museum’s ancient Egypt exhibit  I was in real amazement of the artwork and felt so privileged we are to study history through breathtaking artwork which was so carefully excavated. Throughout the Ancient Egypt exhibit the “Statue of Queen Ankhnes-merye ll and her son, pepy ll” really stuck out to me, mostly because of the beautiful stone used to make the sculpture. After doing research, I found that Egyptian alabaster is actually common because it’s easily sculpted and the light shines through it giving it added beauty.

While I analyzed the sculpture I noticed a few things. Firstly the female seems to be powerful due to her size which usually signifies power in ancient art, as opposed to other sculptures of the male being the main source of power. In addition, the smaller figure which is obvious is her son Peppy ll is wearing the head adornment of a pharaoh. Did the royal children wear royal head adornment as well? Why are the two figures sitting seemingly separate? Almost as if they are two different sculptures completely. What is the scripture written at the feet of both the female and the child on her lap? Why is there a hole in the head of the queen? it seemed to connect with etchings on the top of her head.

After visiting the exhibit I did research to answer my question on the sculpture. Firstly, the queen’s husband Pepy l died leaving his son Pepy ll the heir to the throne, which he ruled for 70-88 years. The figures are sitting in a 90-degree angle to signify equal importance. Yet the queen is significantly bigger because Peppy ll was still a small child and she held most of the power until peppy was old enough to rule on his own. The placement of the figures is also typical of a nursing mother to show that Peppy was still a child. He wears the typical Pharoh headgear because he was the ultimately the heir. The queen has a hole in the front of her head which is believed that a vulture’s head made of metal would have protruded connecting to the wings at the top of her head. The writing at each of their feet, “”Under Pepy II’s feet is inscribed: “King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Pepy II, beloved of the god Khnum, given all life, like Re, forever.” and under Ankhnes-meryre’s feet is written, “Mother of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, the god’s daughter, the revered one, beloved of Khnum, Meryre-anhknes.”” (taken from the Brooklyn Musem’s website).

Blog Post 6, Brooklyn Museum Ancient World

Part 1:

During my visit to the Brooklyn Museum I went to visit the Egyptian Galleries and I saw this piece of work that I thought was really cool because it didn’t look like it was complete and that mysterious aspect enticed me. This piece was carved onto stone and it looks to have a bunch of ancient Egyptian symbols. It seems to have 2 wealthy looking men or if not that seem to have 2 religious figures I figure that this might be the case because of the Headdresses  that they are

wearing on their heads. On the left there is a eagle  flying on top of the hat worn by the man. This is one of the parts that I think are interesting because there seems something that these guys are staring at that is not on this piece that makes me wonder if it is incomplete. Another thing that I noticed is that the 2 people on the left are look intensely at each other they are both holding these rods and holding them close to each other. The Symbols on this piece are also missing near the top it looks like this piece was breaking down before it was taken to the museum.

Part 2:

This piece really spoke to me because it really shows off the culture that we have grown accustomed to in America. The colors on this piece are really vibrant and they really pop out and that was one of the things that really caught my eye. The words in the background seem to be conveying a theme and message that we are free and we should be able to convey our feelings however we chose to.  This piece really relates to the rest of the exhibition because a lot of these pieces were really colorful and used a great variety of colors and they all seem to want to portray black culture for what it was and not what people said it was. This exhibition was great because I was able to see many different types of art they all had a different way of showing social aspects of black history and showed things from their perspective.

Blog Post 7: Soul of a Nation

I chose Dana C. Chandlers, Fred Hampton’s Door. The formal properties we are suppose to look at are scale, medium, composition, and material. We don’t know the scale but the medium is acrylic paint on wood. Next is composition which there are 7 elements of. Color, form, shape, space, value, line, and texture. The color is forrest green, bright red, coppery brown, white and dull blue. The form is three dimensional. The shape is the shape of a door (with a nob and everything). I guess there’s a high value? The lines of the door are sharp with clean edges (horizontal and vertical). The scruff marks are also sharp. Lastly the texture is ruff because of the splintering wood.

The historical context is the original was created in 1970 while the one we see today was created in 1975. A second one was needed because the first one was stolen from the Boston exhibition. The second time Chandler used an actual door for a greater emotional impact. In 1967 Dana C. Chandler witnessed Boston police using violence to stop a peaceful protest. This even is what triggered his commitment to the Black Power Movement to effect social change. Fred Hampton’s Door 2 is a protest against the Chicago police’s killing of Fred Hampton. He was a young Black Panther who was shot in the head during a raid.

The subject matter is Art in the Age of Black Power. This door tells a tragic story of a life ended too short.

I chose this object because it was sort of hiding in the corner. It is what attracted me too it in the first place. Once I got a closer look and saw that it was a door I knew it was the one. Previously in my A.P Art class I had actually sculpted a door that can camouflage in my school. Then I read the little caption and… all that meaning behind one door is amazing. It had so much meaning that when it was originally stolen Dana C. Chandler actually made another one. Fred Hampton’s Door 2 relates to the rest of the exhibition because it is all about Black Power and how the blacks shouldn’t take this standing down. He commemorated a member of the Back Panther Party with his piece.

Blog Post 6, Brooklyn Museum Ancient World

I chose Cat and Mouse from the Egyptian Reborn: Art for Eternity Exhibit. The formal properties we are suppose to look at are scale, medium, composition, and material. The scale is 1/2 x 6 13/16 x 7/16 in. (8.9 x 17.3 x 1.1 cm). The mediums are limestone, and ink. Limestone is a popular medium which was used in Egypt. There are 7 elements of composition. Color, form, shape, space, value, line, and texture. The color of Cat and Mouse is sorta sepia rock (limestone) and black ink. The form is two dimensional (if you go according to the image presented). The shape is flat. There is a lot of negative space in the art piece because the background isn’t filled out. I guess there’s a high value? There’s horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, pointy lines. Lastly the texture is smooth except in a few spots where there are some ridges from the limestone. Artist unknown.

The historical context is it was created in 1295-1075 B.C.E. It’s somewhere from the XIX Dynasty to XX Dynasty and it is from the New Kingdom period. It is drawing of a standing cat on the left offering a feather fan and plucked animal feather to a seated female mouse (right). The mouse wears a long skirt and has a flower on her forehead. She holds a dish in her right hand, and is holds a flower (I think) and cloth (often held by pharaohs) in her left hand. The cat also holds a similar cloth. The mouse is seated on a folding stool with animal legs and covered with an animal hide with the tail hanging over the edge of the stool.

The subject matter is unknown but my guess is either something humorous or satire about the royals at that time. It’s now a long lost story.

I can relate this to what we learned in class because we’ve seen painting of animals, which we are suppose to understand that they are really depictions of humans.

Brooklyn Museum Assignment Part 1 and 2

 

 

 

 

For the first part of the Assignment, I decided to enter the Ancient Korean Exhibit. I fell in love with these art pieces. This was my 3rd time into the museum. Everytime I go to the museum I check on this section because everything seems so expensive. From what I noticed about each art piece, one thing that all stood out about all of them were there sizes. They were all small and in my mind this means something of a decoration or tool. A figure such as the mini Buddha was considered to be both a religious piece. you can tell it was a religious piece by the position it was in. It was in a position of meditating and you can also make it out as religious because the hands are clasp together in a way that shows prayer. Like a divine being. it also looks decorative because it was made of gold, either owned by a wealthy family or an Emperor. The snail art piece looks to be a kettle. This kettle was a special kettle because of the designs it held that had drawings and other symbols. The museum didn’t provide any information on the kettle, but like the Egyptian makeup tool we discussed in class, this was probably just an everyday item that is considered a work of Art in today’s world. One thing I can say about it is that it seems to be representing someone because of the braided hair roped down it’s back. Finally my favorite piece of all, the Dragon holding what I think is a bucket. This Dragon was most likely a decorative piece because it doesn’t have any sign showing that it would mean anything more than just a Dragon holding a vase. It was most likely owned by someone wealthy because it’s made up of gold. In my opinion and best guess, I would say that the winding of the Dragon serves a purpose of showing immense strength by holding up the vase. Korean history is very rich. One important thing I must point out is the feeling I felt in this exhibit. These different pieces all brings out a tranquil mood because everything looks peaceful and clean. It just doesn’t show a history of battles. It shows a history of peace and tranquility.

This art piece was at the entrance of all the exhibits. I don’t know what exhibit it belongs to. But one thing to point out is the obvious symbolism of what innocence is. This picture uses a clear sky to symbolize freedom and uses the white clothing to symbolize innocence. One look at this image and it creates a warm and nice feeling to accommodate the innocence and beauty of the women in the picture. The 3 women all look away to make you feel and ask what are they looking at in the distance. The way the lighting is in the picture create the women to look like angelic figures.

Blog Post 7: Brooklyn Museum- Soul of a Nation Exhibit

Brooklyn Museum Assignment- Part 2: Choose a work from Soul of a Nation that spoke to you. Why did you choose this? How does it relate to the rest of the exhibition? Use formal analysis to talk about the work and why you chose it.

In the Soul of a Nation Exhibit, the piece that most spoke to me was Freedom Now by Reginald Gammond. The painting is average sized and like most pieces in the exhibit, it was in shades of black and white, but what interested me the most is that it captured a very important moment in African- American history: The civil rights movement, which was at its peak when the Reginald decided to create his piece, 1963. The painting was completed in black and white which I believe is trying to convey the message of how civil rights is a black and white issue in that you are either for civil rights or you’re against it. In the painting, there is an illusion of a large group that is part of a larger protest and they all seem to direct their eyes are directed toward the viewer. The eye to eye contact between the viewer and the individuals in the painting allows for the artist to send a message that everybody is required to chose a side, either go out in the streets and protest the injustices against the African-American community or stay at home and allow for the injustice to go on. The piece also shows cut-off signs but makes sure to show the faces clearly which I believe Gammond did so intentionally to humanize the movement to an audience that probably was never sympathetic to the movement. Despite seeming like just a black and white painting capturing a moment during a protest, upon further analyzing it becomes clear that Gammond created a piece that empowers the viewer to support the civil rights movement and understand that a movement is not just a message but the people behind it willing to do anything to make sure that injustice is no more.

Blog 6: Brooklyn Museum- Ancient World

Brooklyn Museum Assignment: Part 1: Choose one artwork from the ancient world (your choice, but the BK Museum has a good selection of Mesopotamian and Egyptian art), use formal analysis to talk about the work and relate it to some of the concepts we have discussed in class.

In the Ancient Egyptian Art exhibit in the Brooklyn Museum, I encountered a small sculpture depicting a Queen and her child how had recently become king. According to the Brooklyn Museum, the Sculpture was from Upper Egypt circa 2228-2224/2194 B.C.E,  its measurements were 39.2*24.9cm, and it was made from Egyptian Alabaster giving the sculpture an orangey-white color. In the sculpture, there were two subjects: Queen Ankhnes-Meryre the second and her son, Pepy the second, who sat on her lap. The sculpture also had written down the name of each in hieroglyphics below them. The Queen was significantly larger than her son which indicates she is older and has an authority over not just her child but the King. Despite Pepy the second being a child of approximately six years old, he is not depicted as such in fact he appears to look like a small healthy young man fit to be a king, most likely depicted this way so that subordinates wouldn’t question the legitimacy of his reign. The artist also goes out of his to make it clear that both subjects are royalty when instead of King Pepy having his legs hangs like most kids, they’re actually placed upon a step to symbolize his importance and power. It is clear that the artist when out of his way to ensure that the Queen’s and new ruler’s image of power was not hindered due to pepy the second’ss young age, but they also made it clear that The Queen still hold a bit more power over  Peppy due to her experience.

 

Blog Post 7: Brooklyn Museum-Soul of a Nation

In the Soul of a Nation exhibit, I saw the “Dan Johnson’s Surprise” piece of art. I chose this one because it stood out to me right from the beginning. Being that it is mostly an off-white color, with faded blue-ish gray circular figures, it stuck out as unique to me. The circular figures resemble stretched out human heads, so it makes me think that they are ghosts of some sort. The figure on the far right almost seems to have a body as well. This eerie element is why I chose it; it jumps out at my eyes, almost in the same way that the figures seem to jump out at the viewer. In fact, this aspect reminds me of those silhouette images of people reaching for help (view image below to see what I mean by this). The difference is these people are so twisted and morphed, they are almost beyond recognition of a representation of a person.

This is fitting with the theme of the rest of the exhibition. The theme behind the exhibit is the idea of racial violence and how to be empowered and uplifted against this. This image gives the heart of the viewer a pang that makes them want to fight against racial discrimination and violence, so that is how it relates to the entire exhibition. In fact, the idea that they look like ghosts relates to racial violence, in that the violence could have killed and mutilated the figures, leaving them as only what is seen in the image.

silhouette of a man
silhouette of a man