Overview
Q1: To begin, click on the hyperlink to look closely at this Yama painting and read about what the Metropolitan Museum of Art says about Yama (which entered the museum’s collection in 1969). Be sure to listen to the Audio to learn about some of the symbols and their meanings. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/37... PART 1) Use Yama as inspiration for how symbols add meaning, make an artistic creation full of symbols that represent YOU and create a 2-D work of art that includes at least 6 symbols that represent who you are
• Your 6 symbols should represent things such as your ancestry, interests, goals, relationships, fears, experiences, etc. This is not about your memories from childhood, but about who you are as a person. • You may use “traditional” symbols (dove represents “peace” and a red rose symbolizes “love”) or create your own symbols. For instance, maybe for you, an eagle or ferry boat represents “peace” because of some specific event in your life. • Although you should draw inspiration from the example of Yama in our textbook - you may choose any style and use any medium (markers, paint, collage, etc.). • Embed your symbols within your artwork – create one scene that includes all your symbols. Do not simply place 6 symbols separately on a page (and do not simply copy and paste 6 separate symbols from the internet)! You are to CREATE your own WORK of ART and each of your symbols should be incorporated within your artwork. • When complete, take a digital image of your art and upload the image to CANVAS (with your report!).
Write a short report that explains what each of your 6 specific symbols mean, and how they represent who you are. • Include a paragraph for EACH symbol, explaining what the symbol is and what it means to you, how it reflects who you are -
Q2: Artist Richard Serra who creates sculpture from steel that he allows to rust. His site-specific installation, The Matter of Time is featured in our textbook, fig. 3.37, pg. 73. Another of his pieces titled, Wake (hyperlink: Wake – Works – Collection Highlights – eMuseum (seattleartmuseum.org) (Links to an external site.)is installed in Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park.
One of his pieces, called Tilted Arc (hyperlink: http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/gallery-lost-art-richard-serra) (Links to an external site.) is known especially for the controversy surrounding it. The large sculpture was installed and then removed from the Federal Plaza in New York City. It has since been lost - misplaced in some warehouse or metal scrapyard somewhere.
Click on both of the hyperlinks above – and explore Richard Serra's art. You will learn that Tilted Arc was heavily criticized, although many people admired the work.
Discuss about Serra’s Tilted Arc considering things such as…
What do you think about the fact that “part of Serra’s intention was to make people more aware of their surroundings”?
How did the sculpture accomplish this, and why did it fail?
Who should determine what sculpture is installed in public spaces and how it looks (the artist, the owner of the work, the public, the city)?