Art and Technology

A giant multimedia installation, a painted canvas hanging on a wall and/or an iPad tour, this is what’s happening at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gallery One exhibit. Gallery One is the most ambitious display that brings together traditional art and technology to the forefront. I applaud the museum for creating this exhibit for all to experience what’s new in technology, but more important learning about art in a new, 21st century way.

Gallery One opened to the public on January 21st, Martin Luther King Day where I had the privilege to volunteer. Because of the holiday there were so many people that the museum needed to distribute timed tickets.  Gallery One I can see is going to be a popular destination. What can I say, it was very well attended?

Right after my shift, I had the opportunity to look around and engage with the many large kiosk screens to learn more about 20th century paintings and sculpture. One of my favorite pieces is Viktor Schreckengost’s “Jazz Bowl” – vibrant blue hue where he illustrated jazz inspired scenes. Through one of his talks, I found out how much he enjoyed playing the saxophone. What this kiosk did was teach me more about the artist, and what other artists inspired him. Additionally, the kiosk asked you if you want to draw a line; the line that you draw is layered onto a piece of art that is inspired by this line. What was amazing through this robust interactivity, it gave me a new outlet into the brilliant minds of artists.

There are different kiosk stations where you learn different things. One station features contemporary art where you can paint a canvas using a few different techniques such as Jason Pollock – paint dripping method. Not only can you paint using artists contemporary options but you can email your creation to yourself. I spent so much time creating “the perfect piece” – a good balance of color and spacial relationships. What I learned is that painting using contemporary methods is not easy - every artist is unique by how he uses paint (layering, using a pallet knife, dripping, wide strokes, or adding other items such as wallpaper or newspaper in creating a collage). Lastly, what is the artist trying to say? What did they learn by experimenting with new techniques?

The last station I visited was creating a clay sculpture. That was fun but it was limiting, which is my only objection - the tactility of clay. However, the goal of the piece was to try to create a warrior God and the program gave the participant all the tools to do that. Don’t get me wrong, it was remarkable what this program can do.

The other aspect of the exhibit I liked was seeing the actual piece exhibited in the show such as Jason Pollock, Schrengost’s Jazz Bowl and tapestries for some of us who just want to see the art. Then, the computerized kiosk was a tool to experience more. I was very impressed.

The museum created a specialized mobile app, “ArtLens” where you hold up an iPad and the app has the capability to deliver audio and video segments about various art pieces throughout the museum. What an educational milestone (tool) that will give museum goers a remarkable, memorable experience. I have yet to experience the iPad but if you don’t have one, the museum makes this available to you at a nominal cost.

The iPad and these endless apps that are being generated is the wave of the future, for sure. There is an app to log in your steps, loose weight, level a picture frame, and the list goes on and on. My head hurts by thinking about where this technology will lead us in the near future - controlling our home temperatures and t.v. sets, garage doors and tire pressures. As a person who uses social media, specifically twitter, and as a graphic professional, that uses Adobe Photoshop to clean up deficient photographs; this program can make any photo pristine. Many times I walk past a photograph and I wonder if this image was the artists original capture or was it adjusted by using Photoshop?

As I’ve walked through many exhibits where artists display video, and multimedia installations, where I’ve understood some and some I just didn’t feel like watching. I can definitely appreciate the art. And thinking that all forms of technology is here to stay.

Do I love it 24/7? Not necessarily. I am old fashioned in certain respects where I enjoy looking at black and white photographs that weren’t altered. The photographer hit the shutter and developed it by dipping photo paper into a chemical bath. A painter bought a canvas, stretched it and squeezed a bunch of paint onto a glass panel and began his painting. There was no editing, you paint and sometimes the mistake became the genius of the piece.

I sit here and write on a computer where I can edit as I go. Do I loose some of my creativity by editing this that couldn’t be done on an old fashioned typewriter? Maybe, maybe not but one thing is clear that learning goes on whether it’s drawing by a crayon or iPad. I think you owe it to yourself to experience all of the technology you can get your hands on, then edit what you enjoy or pass it by.

If you love art, technology and the Cleveland Museum of Art, definitely check out the new Gallery One.



Gallery One
http://www.clevelandart.org/galleryone

Cleveland.com - ArtLens

http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2013/01/artlens_app_at_the_cleveland_m.html

The Gray Area

Touring Ohio City 2012

If it’s art or film, there is always a different opinion about what’s inspirational, well done or just plain ordinary. Every artistic medium, therefore, is subjective. I might say this film is fantastic, then someone will argue with me that it’s crap. Whose opinion do you go with when deciding what film or art show to see? I would advise going with someone reputable who likes the same kinds of things you do. Ask them what they think, and go from there. Or you can be bold and/or spontaneous and pick a film that looks interesting and go.

Lately, I have been shying away from written reviews; I read the basic synopsis and decide if it’s worthy of my time or not. The more I hear that a film is “fantastic” or hyped-up by the media, the more disappointed I become when I finally see it. This exact thing happened to me when I decided to see “Zero Dark Thirty” because all the reviewers said it’s a “must see.” Everyone, quite frankly, is sick of me with my negative remarks about his film. I will sum it up by saying this - don’t waste your time!

What bothered me about the film wasn’t exactly all the violence and torture; there was a lot of that shown in great detail, especially water boarding. It cast too wide a net into the specifics of Bin Laden that took the viewer back to 2005. I honestly didn’t see the correlation between that time (Bush Administration) into 2011 when Bin Laden was finally killed. There were too many characters that came in and out of the story that I became lost, confused and frustrated. Quite honestly, I almost nodded off because it did not keep my interest. Hence, the story had too much CIA mumbo-jumbo for an average person to fully comprehend. It did show me, however, the complexity in what it took to find and finally kill Bin Laden. The film needed tighter editing where it seemed entirely too long. The ending for me wasn’t anything exciting either with Seal Team 6 using night vision goggles to raid the compound; we all knew the end, right. If you are looking for a superior repeat of the “Hurt Locker,” then keep going. You will be disappointed.

With all the reading that I do, I am definitely a tough critic. I look for character development and a unique story that keeps me interested with fresh ideas that stays with me. If I keep thinking about a film well after it’s done, then that succeeded my expectations. That isn’t too hard, is it?

With all due respect to Quentin Tarantino, as being an odd bird who does some weird stuff. I had no intention what so ever of ever seeing, “Django Unchained.” I thought it was a racist film about slavery. However after volunteering at the Homeless Shelter, I changed my mind when a few African Americans said it was a good, entertaining film. I thought, “Really!” I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it. The film was 2 hours and 45 minutes and it didn’t seem like it. It was intelligently written with humor and of course gore but I overlooked it because of its strength in storytelling. Christoph Waltz brilliant as a Dentist turned bounty hunter along with Leonardo DiCaprio, who should of been nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Mr. Candy. I won’t lie that it wasn’t gruesome and hard to watch in a few scenes but it kept my interest. Therefore, I thought about it long after it was over. I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up, please.

So what is it exactly that inspires certain people to gravitate towards one film over another? One piece of Art over another? Why are so many peoples tastes so different? One film I say is a complete snoozer like last year’s Oscar winning film, “The Artist” that I couldn’t wait until it was over. Other than it being beautiful to watch in nostalgic black and white, there was no substance. This might be difficult because it was mostly silent, but seriously no brilliant storytelling or highlight (meat) that kept me on the edge of my seat. It gave me no reason to scream from the roof top, “This is fantastic and you’ve got to see it.”

Did I watch the same film as the Oscar judges?

I don’t get it; but that’s what makes us so unique. We all have different tastes. Hence it gives artists new opportunities to create innovative films, art, culinary (food) even graphically pleasing marketing, collateral pieces for the masses to see.

This is what promotes gut reactions either positively or negatively. Discussions, therefore, could be a stepping stone for new original thought to the forefront. A game changer.

Do me a favor, if you don’t understand something just stare at it for a while longer and ask yourself why do I like or not? Remember, artistic expression evokes emotion no matter if it’s good or not. Sometime the more I discuss a film or artwork, I like it more by thinking about it that prompts more discussion then another idea unfolds - this constitutes critical thinking that goes beyond the surface.

What was the filmmaker’s or artist’s intention? Did it explore other ideas away from your comfort zone? What emotions or hot buttons got stirred up?

Still Doing Art

2013 Wild Flowers Drawing - Toni Chanakas

From the time I was in elementary and junior high school, I excelled in art classes. I remember creating ornaments from brown paper that I still have. They were brilliantly colored in great detail – a gingerbread man and angel. I am biased so I can honestly say they still look pretty good for a young kid’s artistic ability.

I used to love to color. I couldn’t wait until the first day of school when my parents bought me that box of 64-crayons. My favorite color was periwinkle that I could barely pronounce. My eyes scanned all the beautiful colors but I kept focusing on periwinkle - that weird blueish, purple color. What I loved about it was its uniqueness from all the other colors. I felt special just by using it.

One afternoon, I went to my mother’s house where I knew some of my old art projects were stowed away in an old, white metal cabinet. Way back in the cabinet, I found a batik (a dye process where different areas are waxed then you dye colors that aren’t waxed) project that I did in Junior High. It was a three color ladybug piece: brown, red and yellow. I retrieved it from its tomb and it is currently in my spare bedroom (art room) on the floor. When I moved however, I never felt like going through that old stuff; suddenly I needed it. In the back of my mind, however, I wanted to get back to drawing and creating art. I’ve got the bug back.

In my art room, I have a few sculptures that I did: one of a plastered head in a straight jacket and a carved wood piece with a dress. These pieces can be construed as “contemporary” where conceptual thought came into play. The straight jacket piece was a two step process. First we were to mold a head (by a model) using traditional methods - clay. After the head was molded, it was made into a cast; plaster was then poured into the cast. Lastly, the cast was chiseled away into the finished piece. The second step entailed creating a sculpture with the head or, specifically what statement are you trying to say?

I thought long and hard about how I was going to finish it. I must have been in a melancholy mood so a crazy thought of a straight jacket came into my head. I knew I wanted to sew. I created the jacket where I patterned it after my own body. It gave it a personal element. Moreover, I wanted the piece to be monochromatic, low key where the craftsmanship is the focal point. I chose to paint the head white that mimicked the whiteness of the straight jacket. Brilliant!

The other piece I chiseled into a long, scalloped form, where I was thinking about the modern sculptor, Brancusi. After the straight jacket piece, I wanted to sew again since it was easy for me. Hence, I added a dress where like Freud, I named it “penis envy.” The concept was: as a female sculptor where I need to be recognized as an artist just as if I was a man per-say. Women are just as capable as men.

I adore contemporary art because of an artists’ thinking process. I had a graduate sculpture student as an instructor that did some ingenious pieces. He created glass shoes: one shoe was filled with honey obviously making fun of people who constantly refer to women as “honey.” Another shoe was filled with sweet, red syrup, referring to “sweetie.” Brilliant.

The other reason I love contemporary art is everyone shies away from it. I don’t get it, is the normal response. Well, I ask. How does the piece make you feel? Art causes a reaction, an emotion in some way. Either you love it or hate it. Not all pieces I love but I can respect the artist’s thinking process. A contemporary piece at the Cleveland Art Museum, I cherish is Rothko – three bands of horizontal color. That’s it. For me it congers up Rothko’s emotions as he chooses specific colors. The horizontal color bleeds and runs; its not perfect.

Or, Mondrian that creates painting in rigid, grid form using only primary colors. Why is it mostly white with a specs of “red, blue and yellow” in the corners? As a graphic professional, my interpretation is that it keeps the eye moving as in any graphical piece. What is the hierarchy? What do you concentrate on first, second or last? I think that’s his goal; plus creating a painting that is stripped from anything identifiable or "non-objective" paintings.

Art is what you make it out to be. It makes your home more lively and livable. Is there a focal point in your room, does it promote discussion? What I enjoy most about art is the discussion. How does one feel? What conversation does it evoke, which to me constitutes a successful art piece.

Why have I strayed from my own art? I’m not sure. My positive New Year’s resolution is producing more drawings and thinking about the world that may not be so cut and dry. I dragged out my drawing table that was in my basement for twelve years. And, I am beginning to draw again. It helps me become more observant; how forms are interrelated, and connected. Linking things that aren’t necessarily related. Who knows but I’m excited to create on my drawing table that overlooks my backyard.

Please stop by the Cleveland Museum of Art, MOCA Cleveland and the new Transformer Station so you can have an enlightening discussion or view great art.


Cleveland Museum of Art
http://www.clevelandart.org/

MOCA Cleveland 


http://www.mocacleveland.org/


Transformer Station
http://www.transformerstation.org/