The Art and Methods Used in KIMSOOJA Unfolding Essay

Once we arrived, we looked up possible exhibitions that we could attend. A museum employee recommended African textiles. After hearing the title, I immediately expected this exhibition to have complicated and precise components to the tiles. African textiles are, in fact, made of wool or fine animal hair in a weave patterns. Although the exhibit was interesting, it wasn’t what peaked my interest.

On viewing her work, I am reminded of the traditional art of quilt making, an art once dismissed as “women’s work” but reevaluated by the Pattern and Decoration movement during the second wave of feminism during the 1970’s. Historically quilt makers have used its qualities to communicate political and social messages. For example, the Abolition quilts made during the US Civil war era were inscribed with messages decrying the evils of slavery. However, Gower uses the repetitions of the motifs and tessellations of quilt making practice to draw attention to the excesses of mass

By comparing The Thirteen Emperors (seventh century A.D) (Figure 1) by Yan Liben (600-673), ink and color on silk, is currently at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Xie Huan (1377-1452)’s Elegant Gathering in the Apricot Garden (ca. 1437) (Figure 2), ink and color on silk, is currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Both artists used the same subject matter (hand roll), and employed a different repetitive process they convey two distinct ideas; the differences between thirteen emperors in Yan and the idea of confucianism in Huan.

All artists are influenced by the culture they are from. Our experiences and the environment in which we were raised shapes us, and thus the works we produce as artists. This essay will discuss, compare and contrast two artists from different cultures, and their ceramic artworks, with a focus on how their cultural background has influenced their art. The artists that will be discussed are Janet Fieldhouse, who is influenced by her Torres Strait Islander heritage and Aboriginal artist Dr. Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher.

Bethan Gray is an award winning Welsh designer that has an unusual but impressive family origin. Her ancestors originate from an ancient Rajasthani clan that spent many hundreds of years journeying across Arabia and Persia before choosing to remain in the Celtic region of Wales. This very heritage wove its way into being some of Bethan Grays’s main influences and inspirations, which pull ideas shown within craft traditions of both the East and West. These influences are reflected in Gray’s style, showing a clear passion of detail, tactile textures, and extravagant materials such as rare stones, wood, marble and hand-tooled leather. Complex but complementary patterns of dark and light, texture and clear attention shown to the detail that defines her highly unique style. Even while using blacks and whites, Gray is also not afraid

The three textile pieces I choose were from the select pieces David Adjaye thought were well made and designed with intricate details. His entire collection displayed multiple african cultures throughout pervious centuries.The first textile I found interesting was the Pelete Bite Wrapper. This textile is from the 1930’s and it is produced from a woven plain weave thread work. This particular textile was made from indian cotton that was woven with stripes and plaid or checks. From there women would pull threads with a needle to have only the light and bright threads left. The process would leave a geometric design and checked ground woven fabric. This fabric had two different geometric designs that offer two different tones of dark blue.

While researching state policies, I came across the concept of “the submerged state,” which is a phrase coined by Professor Suzanne Mettler at Cornell. It applies to government policies unknown to most Americans. In her book, The Submerged State: How Invisible Government Policies Undermine American Democracy, she explores the little-known policies that affect politics and society. As the basis for her research, her study asked people two questions: 1) Have you ever used a government program? and 2) Have you ever taken advantage of 19 specific programs? The results showed that a large percentage of people who didn’t think they used government programs actually did (Mettler, 2011).

The Chinese made many things including paintings, these paintings included such ideas as everyday work, powerful scenes, etc. I have chosen a painting from Chinese times that is called, “Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk”. During this essay I am going to “dissect” the history and the many ideas circulating around this painting.

Lee Bontecou is most famously known for her extraordinary sculptures and drawings. Almost all of her works remain untitled; she leaves that up to the audience to interpret. The sculpture that is displayed in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is untitled and was created in the year nineteen sixty-one. Lee Bonteou’s medium is very specific. Her style is very industrial she is big on welding and using raw materials such as canvas, copper wire, rawhide, and soot. The Artist was born in nineteen thirty-one in Rhode Island and grew up in a time were there was a lot of tension and war. She was very aware of what was going on in the United Stares as well as other countries around the world. The year she

In Matt Sesow art, ”Two Figures With Rabbit,” he has emerged in an old classic technique in his art. Sesow gives a deeper meaning to the painting, the way it is put together as well as the colors that he used, made the art outstanding. In addition to this, the elements and concepts of art and design is mandatory . Sesow presents the meaningful features into structural. The subject matter of the picture is acrylic portrait also the tones, colors and pictures are built up in thin layered glazes.

The Atikamekw distinguished themselves from society by their distinct manner of decorating their clothes. on to explain the distinct characteristics of their handicrafts. “... Atikamekw handicrafts are recognized by the baskets and canoes of birch bark, adorned with magnificent drawings”.

A Persian Rug in Manhattan has timeless appeal. Some of the floor coverings are considered masterpieces of craft work, with intricate patterns and an astonishing array of colors. They are known for complex designs with visual impact ranging from serene to powerful. The skill, technique and talent of those who have created these carpets is the subject of ongoing study in historical and other research circles.

Marcia Pointon argues that the material practices of making clothing are similar to the production of creating artworks. Supporting her argument, Pointon examines garments that are made by tailors, for the reason that they are made by hand and not mass produced and compares their creation to the handiwork of an artist. Pointon explains that both the tailor and the artist start with cloth and that they both work by fabricating, cutting, meshing, and layering. Describing further, the author notes that both tailors and artist piece together shapes, pay attention to horizontal and vertical lines, must fit the figure on to one rectangular surface, and use outlining to prepare for their creation. Moreover, Dolan relates that both the tailor and the artist both work in fiction.

The Tokugawa shogunate was a transition period in which Japan began to modernize and began trading due to the arrival of Commodore Perry. Society during this period was based on strict class hierarchy with tight restrictions for social mobility. With urbanization, came an increase reliance on markets and merchants for funds which increased the need and want for trade with the Western nations. The images displayed in chapter two show the progress of events and how the Western nation influenced Japan. It begins with images of how the Japanese viewed the world, moving on towards the arrival of Commodore Perry, to the modernization of the port cities where a lot of trade occurred, to the beheading of the domain lord by anti-foreign Japanese citizens,

Two exhibits, in particular, interest me, Isabel Manalo’s Stitching the Seam and Lewis Hine’s Kindred Spirits. They were both beautiful exhibits, simple, yet complicated, and had deeper meaning behind the artwork. Isabel Manalo’s exhibit, Stitching the Seam, as a whole stuck with me. I could not pick just one piece because it was all extremely interesting and touching. Made of acrylic, hand-sewn stitching with thread, photographs of vellum, yupo, abaca and mylar, and graphite, the exhibit was released in 2013. The piece is abstract, yet representational as everything used in the work has a purpose and meaning that are dear to Manalo’s heart. The hand-sewn collages reflect Manalo’s life, from a child up until now. The stitching in her work represents her mother and the dresses she would make for Manalo as a child. A pre-colonial Philippine alphabet, called Baybayin, was used to write words and emotions she has had towards her journey in being a daughter, mother, wife,