Wiki tekau, Akomanga tua tahi
Group discussion
Sadly, I was the only person in my group who had time at the weekend to do anything.
7. Mark Bradford
Uses found materials.
Brings social and cultural issues into his work.
Grew up in what could be thought of as a matriarchal collective.
Initially worked in his mother’s hair salon.
Worked with hair papers – cheap, available.
Wants to keep the story complicated – no simplifications.
Works based on maps
Gotta admire the use of a planer!
Acknowledgment of people’s struggles – no turning away.
Abstract, but comes from material that’s “politically and socially charged”.
Builds on what’s been done before.
Constant learning and experimentation.
Builds time for experimenting into his life. 80/20 or 70/30: 20-30% time for experimentation.
Riots changed the physicality of his work and found items.
Dedicates time to giving back to his community.
Contemporary art for everyone – inviting the community to work with him.
“Hard won hope”
Artists deserving of a seat at the table.
“Don’t ask; demand.”
“I pillage my own work. I tear it down and build it up in traces.”
What do we know about Mark Bradford’s materials, methods, and processes?
“I pillage my own work. I tear it down and build it up in traces.”
Uses found materials. Urban materials
Worked with hair papers – cheap, available.
Wants to keep the story complicated – no simplifications.
Works based on maps
Gotta admire the use of a planer!
Builds on what’s been done before.
Constant learning and experimentation.
Builds time for experimenting into his life. 80/20 or 70/30: 20-30% time for experimentation.
“Necessity makes invention.”
Experimental
Layers
Abstract
Reductive(?) artmaking, creating by removing. (e.g sanding art gallery wall, tearing paper)
Gave himself permission to follow his voice, with no compromise
How do these relate to community and cultural context?
Brings social and cultural issues into his work.
Grew up in what could be thought of as a matriarchal collective.
Initially worked in his mother’s hair salon.
Acknowledgment of people’s struggles – no turning away.
Abstract, but comes from material that’s “politically and socially charged”.
Riots changed the physicality of his work and found items.
1980’s aids epidemic. Experienced as a gay youth in Los Angeles
Working with the community to help foster youth, feeding his success back to help his community
How material such as merchant posters suggest a timeline in culture
Contemporary art is for everyone, so you have to address access and need in your culture
“I don’t think strong ideas ever come through the front door.”
Taking remnants of our history and environment and trying to recompose and rebuild
How do all of these things connect and contribute to the ideas in the work?
Dedicates time to giving back to his community.
Contemporary art for everyone – inviting the community to work with him.
“Hard won hope”
Artists deserving of a seat at the table.
Use success in the market to give back, to help the disaffected youth, give them a sense of purpose through self expression
His work is externally optimistic and hopeful
“Don’t ask; demand.”
Work reflects the social issues of the neighbourhood as time has progressed
8. Haegue Yang
What do we know about Haegue Yang’s materials, methods, and processes?
Use of off the shelf parts, e.g window blinds, planters, lights, racks.
Crochet/Knitting
Diverse media
Geometry, abstractions, light and shadow
Movement
Particularly interested in the sphere as a burst of energy – a circular movement that doesn’t go anywhere
Sound to support from the background
Imaginary
How do these relate to community and cultural context?
Takes advantage of being in a gallery.
Elaborates on hidden meaning in mundane objects/experiences
Spatial/Temporal journey
Provoking imagination of the future
Interested in movement in multiple dimensions:
Physical movement
Emotional movement
Social and political movement
Mental and abstract movement
How do all of these things connect and contribute to the ideas in the work?
Geometry, abstract, light, shadow
Provoke thinking and abstractions
Focuses on marginal experiences and elaborates on them
Interestested in the multidimensionality of movement: physical, political, social.
Interested in the politics in the boring nature of objects
Focuses on experiences that are marginal and peripheral as these experiences are full of poetic possibilities
Using the space as more of a medium rather than just a space that focuses the attention on the work, active negative space