Blog Assignment 10

Barbie Dolls, 2008, 60x80", Chris Jordan

http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#barbie-dolls

First, I will discuss this piece as conceptual art. This piece is part of a series entitled "Running the Numbers" and the concept of the series is to show visually the mass numbers of events that take place around the world. This piece in particular contains 32,000 barbies which is equal to the number of breast augmentations preformed in the US each month in 2006. The fact that the viewer has to get super close to the image to really see what is used to create the image I think helps the concept. It helps the viewer to actually visualize the huge number that is being presented. This photograph functions in contemporary culture by showing us how the US is completely obsessed with outer appearance and what is thought to be needed to be considered beautiful. 

Second, I will look at this photography as documentary art. This photograph is meant to expose the artificiality of American culture and our obsession with outer appearance. I think it draws attention to a side of our culture that many people don't necessarily pay attention to even though it surrounds us all the time. This photograph could function in contemporary culture as a way to raise awareness about the needless procedures that Americans, specifically American women, put themselves through to try and achieve "ideal beauty." 

Third, I will look at this photograph as identity art. This photograph is the identity of American women. Similar to above it shows how many American woman go through needless procedures to achieve "ideal beauty" in our culture's eyes. Even though this photograph is only showing breast augmentations it can also be seen as the identity of American women and their struggle to overcome the false realities about beauty presented to us by mass media and our culture. 

Adam's Birthday

I chose this photograph because it was my boyfriends birthday the other day. I like this picture because I made him re-light the candles and blow them out again because I didn't get a picture the first time.

Plastic Utensil Tree

I chose this photograph because it was a group project that we did in my Art Methods class before break. I like this picture because my group and I created it using only plastic forks, knifes, and spoons.

Mom, Me, and Dad

I chose this photograph because it was taken at my parents house when we had my birthday dinner. Every year my mom makes me homemade lasagna for my birthday. It's my favorite!

Blog Assignment 9

Fence by Union Station

I chose this picture because I have heard about this fence for a while and I didn't see it until recently. It is at a construction sight by Union Station and it was done by an anonymous knitting group. I loved that it took up the whole length of the fence which was probably about several blocks.

At the MCA

I chose this picture because it was one of my favorite pieces that I saw at the MCA when I went recently. It's a huge knitted piece that is hung from the ceiling and can be seen from all levels of the MCA.

At the MCA 2

I chose this picture because I really enjoyed this piece when I saw it at the MCA. It was a piece that was part of a series commenting on photography through painting and mixed media. This specific piece was about the end of  a roll of film, where the light effects part of the film and not the other that is being protected by the canister.

Blog Assignment 8

This is me!

I chose this picture because I took it when I went on a field trip with my field observation photo classes. This photo was taken at the MCA Denver, it was the first time I had been there and I enjoyed it a lot.

A funny Sign!

This sign was at the MCA Denver when I went on the field trip with my field observation classes. I chose this photograph because I thought it was funny and I added it to my collection of pictures of funny signs.

It's my birthday!!

I took this at my birthday party. I chose it because I had a lot of fun that night and it was the first real birthday party I've had since I was in high school!

It's still my birthday!!

I took this towards the end of my birthday party. I chose it because it makes me laugh!

Blog Assignment 7

http://www.maplethorpe.org/portfolios/portraits/

Sam Wagstaff, 1979, Maplethorpe

http://www.bellwethergallery.com/current_01cfm?fid=21

Deana, 2005, Tanyth Berkeley

Both of these artists seem to be addressing photography and the construction of gender, aging or of racial difference in their images. Maplethorpe creates images of all types of people, men, women, young, old. His images highlight the already apparent beauty of the subject by the use of lighting and composition. Berkeley's images deal with gender and what is thought of as "unusual" beauty. Her images depict women in natural and somewhat unflattering light to show their beauty. An example of the "unusual" beauty would be the albino woman she photographed who would not be considered to be beautiful when compaired to society today. This is where Berkeley and Maplethorpe's work seems to become different. Maplethorpe's subjects already seem to be deemed beautiful by popular society and Berkeley's work bring the people who aren't deemed beautiful by popular society into a place where they can be seen as beautiful, or given a second thought.

Photo Archives

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/page/1/

http://www.julieharrisphotography.com/blog/

Blog Assignment 6

Elad Lassry, Angela Ledgerwood. 2009  

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/newphotography/elad-lassry/

Elad Lassry, Textile (For Him and Her). 2009  

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/newphotography/elad-lassry/

Tony Mendoza

http://www.tonymendozaphoto.com/pages/stories.asp

I chose these three images because I liked how they all use pattern or textile in them. Even though the images have been created and shown 25 years apart they still exhibit some of the same ideas.

Similarities in these images are that they all use a pattern in combination with the human figure and they use that pattern to abstract or make less visable the human figure. A difference is that the first picture by Lassry doesn't abstract the human figure but rather makes it stand out more.

Appropriation is using something or someone elses belongings or images to create your own artwork. I think that both of these exhibitions show that in one form or another, whether it's through a direct copy of an image or simply using an image of something or part of something. I think that Rosenberg is wrong about the new exhibition straying too far from the original because even though they differ in the way that they show the appropriation (ex. installation, constructed) they are still using appropriation in their artwork.

Adam and I

 I chose this picture because even though I didn't take this photo myself it is one of my favorites. It's funny because I didn't want to take the picture when we were there!

Nathan and the bird

We went to the zoo for Adam's brother's birthday a couple weeks ago. We went into a huge bird cage and fed parrots. This one liked Nathan so much he pooped on him!!

Adam and I (Halloween)

I chose this picture because Halloween is almost here! We went to The Sounds concert last year on Halloween and it was a lot of fun so I am looking forward to this year!

Blog Assignment 6

Selected W Sarah Pickering

Front Garden, School Road 2005 http://www.sarahpickering.co.uk/public-order/public-order-02.htm

An element that I see in Sarah Pickering's work that relates to mine is that she is photographing empty and/or run down buildings. For a series that I am currently in the process of shooting I am photographing empty buildings.




Ryan McGinely, Emily and Hannah, 2002
http://ryanmcginley.com/

A common element that I see in Ryan McGinely's work and mine is the inclusion of people (friends/family) in the photographs. I'm working on an ongoing series that has to do with memory and existence which includes images of my family and friends.



Zoe Leonard
Drop Off A.M., Pick Up P.M.
1999/2000

Something that I found in common with my work and this photograph by Zoe Leonard is the sign. I like to take pictures of signs that I find interesting or funny.