Senseless Drawing Bot

TAKASHI MURAKAMI Flowers & Skulls Exhibition

Immersing in The TAKASHI MURAKAMI Flowers & Skulls Exhibition in Gagosian Gallery is pleasure experience to me. This is the first Takashi Murakami's exhibition in Hong Kong. Flowers with different expressions and colorful skulls fills the gallery. We, as audiences, can experience a visit with "joy and terror" at the same time.

Takashi Murakami is a famous but controversial artist in international arena. He announces a "superflat" style to represent the traditional Japanese aesthetic characteristics and the post-war Japanese culture and society. Takashi further studies the subculture in Japanese society like manga, pop culture, as the topics of his work. Through his works, we can see his efforts to bridge the Japanese culture to the western art history and to express individual thought about the defeated culture of post war Japan.

In the exhibition, two distinctive iconic subjects, flowers and skulls constructs a space of "joy and terror. This is the attempt that Takashi to explore the central dichotomies in his art. [1] At the first impression, Takashi's work is full of childishness and psychodelic as the outline of the paintings are manga style and colorful. Flowers with smiling face are lovely and skulls are not horrible since they are painted in bright and vivid color. However, if we engage into the atmosphere, we may have a deeper and strong sensation of the paintings. In the common cognitive frame, flowers represent bliss, peace and full of vitality. On the contrary, skulls give the impression of horror and death. Reading through the paintings, I feel confused about the already conceived meanings of these two objects. The bright smiling flowers seem not to be a smile through heart. Just like wearing a mask to hide the real emotion. From a video that interview with Takashi, he said that flowers with a large variety of color shows a complex of emotion, not simply the original and positive emotion [2]. Skulls, on the other hand, are presented in some bright and warm color. The sense of horror of skulls vanished. The intersection of feelings during walking around the gallery is an interesting experience.

Left: Flower Ball Cosmos, 2008  Right: Flowerball Black, 2007

 Blue flower & Skulls, 2012

Takashi is famous for his "superflat" style, combining the western and Japanese culture in art through his two dimension and manga style works. However, there are proportion of critics to his work as lacking technique and structure in his home country. This exhibition, he is determined to show his painting, composition technique in his work. Although the majority composition is the complex cluster still, he manages to combine the painstaking traditional artisanal techniques (such as Ukiyo-e) with the pop and fizz of manga in some of the exhibits[1]. The largest painting: Of Chinese Lions Peonies, Skulls, And Fountains, 2011, is the best illusion for his techniques. It is experimental to integrate such two subjects that diametrically opposed to each other in one painting. Besides, he try to structure the theme of the exhibition as a conflict but mutually accepting each other. As mentioned above the meaning of flowers and skulls are conflictual  on one side. However, they can be mutually accepting each other on the other side as the two subjects also have similar characteristics, the fragile vibrancy of life and the passing of time [1]. He structures a contrasting but balanced exhibition successfully. Having a visit to Takashi's Flowers & Skulls world is a fun and great opportunity to enrich my art experience. 

Of Chinese Lions Peonies, Skulls, And Fountains, 2011

Around sound art festival and retreat

Before participating in this festival, I have a lack of understanding about sound art. Sound art is not very prevailing art practice in Hong Kong still. In the general sense, art mostly relates to painting, sculpture, music, those emphasize in the end product. However, the sound art has a interdisciplinary nature. Different media, subjects and environment can be part of the sound arts. More importantly, the notions of sound, listening and hearing is the focus in the sound art.

The open and quite environment of the Kuwn Tong Ferry Pier.

The Around sound art festival took place in the Kuwn Tong Ferry Pier is a fresh and interesting experience to me. The venue is the right place for sound art and site-specific work. Kuwn Tong Ferry Pier has its own history. Part of the pier is abandoned and becomes a quite place compared to the crowded past. Also, the environment is full of different sound elements. The sea breeze, the sound of ferry,and people's noise, all these become part of the components and inspirations of the sound arts and installation. the festival offer an opportunity for audience to listen the created or composed sound by the artists.

I found a on-site artist, Matt Cook, is working on his installation "Untitled (2013)". This is a good example of site-specific art and sound art as he fixed different components together to coordinate with the sound around the pier. He connected electric wires, motors, metals, and other sound generating objects, part of them seems "unrelated", to create or replay the sound of the pier. It is fascinating to witness the little group of instruments to play like orchestra. Matt said that the sound around could become his inspiration. He can alter parts of the installation to create the sound he heard. His work is lively, variable, and interactive with the sound, environment and audience.

The working process of Matt Cook. "Listen, focus, and work"

Little Orchestra in the pier

Another work presented in the pier is "Momo-tarou (2013)" by Akio Suzuki and Hiromi Miyakita. It is a totally different piece compared with Matt's piece. It is a piece of installation and performance which adds one more layer to the work. The performance needed a couple of tools, hammer, sticks, nails.  Akio was responsible for constructing the frame for Hiromi to perform. Firstly, most of the attention were devoted to Akio as he were constructing the frame and producing sounds "Pang! Pang! Pang!", "Ding! Ding! Ding!". Not many of us notice the other performer. Later on, Hiromi started doing some action to coordinated with or response to the sound. Her movement changed according to the sound produced. In my point of view, no fixed movement or dance was planned before hand. The artists can alter their performance according to the sound and environment. In other words, there can be various performance with the same theme, but under different circumstances. It can be classified as performance art also as it was performed by artists themselves, no limit on venue or time, and relationship between audience and performers. We, as audience, also became parts of the environment and engaged in a closer relation with the artists. The impression become more direct.

 The performance: Momo-tarou (2013)

The Around sound art festival introduce a new art category to me that listening and hearing can embrace with environment and other art forms in some interesting and innovative way. Visiting this festival is a good experience. 

         

Yasumasa Morimura, Portrait (Futago), 1988

Yasumasa Morimura, Portrait (Futago), 1988 ; photograph ; chromogenic print with acrylic paint and gel medium, 82 3/4 in. x 118 in. (210.19 cm x 299.72 cm)

Source: http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/collection/artwork/22622#ixzz2OWPIduC1 
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

(source: http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/collection/artwork/22622)

Yasumasa Morimura's Portrait (Futago), 1988 is a typical example of the above issues. Portrait (Futago) intentionally takes from Edouard Manet's Olympia(1863), a master piece of western canon. Morimura imitate Manet's historic masterpiece by recreating the scenes of 'Olympia' through wearing wig, make-up and creating the similar setting. His work lead to the reflection of the Japanese artists' role under the western influence and the gender identity.

Western arts has a important status in art history and influence different arts development in parts of the world . Because of its influential role in the art world and its sophisticated development, many arts development or values are based on the Western side. it seems to become a guideline of art. Japan is also a region that under the sphere of western arts influence. "Since the Meiji restoration of 1868, it brought with western influence in Japanese art world" (D'Evelyn). Western culture started to invade into Japanese society, especially in arts. Japanese artist started to imitate the western painting style. The traditional Japanese painting lost its ground. Morimura is also under a  generation which experienced the western invasion into local art word and culture. "Morimura loved to draw in the traditional Western manner when he was a student. He copied Western masters largely because his school, like most art schools in Japan, taught Western art and art history" (Brew). Later on, he started to concern the western influence on Japanese culture as a Japanese artist. In Portrait (Futago), Morimura attempts to questioning the status of western arts in the Asian arena and the role of Japanese or Asian arts under the invasion of western culture in his work Portrait (Futago) by showing an Asian figure which replaces the original nude Olympia in a European painting canon. He, himself, situating in a western painting setting represents the Japanese artists under the western arts atmosphere.

Gender identity is another important theme of Portrait (Futago). In western painting, female nude is a traditional genre. It was a master genre of the official French salons of the nineteenth century. Many artists had accessed this theme such as Courbet to Matisse and Picasso. Indeed ,the nude female in Manet's Olympia is as a product for male gaze and sexual desires. "He tried to profane the idealized nude in the academic  tradition" (Musee d'Orsay, 2006). Morimura further develop this topic by questioning the gender identity of nude female in the western painting. In the Portrait (Futago), " Morimura makes up his body, wears a wig and imitates with his masqueraded body-image a female gender-role as a servant of sexual desires. What the artist presents in his performance remains the male gaze on an 'incomplete' female body-image" (Wagner, 2004). He try to question the gender identity of nude female in the western painting. On the other hand, his masquerading is incomplete as the missing of female sexual identification, breasts, and the assumed presence of male sexual organ, penis. What are the lines for the gender identity (sexual organs, costumes, make-up, others perceptions)?" The placement of Morimura as a woman destabilizes the notion of fixed, binary gender roles of male and female that is prevalent in existing culture, and instead constructs a new, more elastic gender identity, where stereotypes of male and female are subverted "(Roca, 2006).

Reference:

D'Evelyn , H. (n.d.). Western encounter: The transformation of japanese art. Retrieved from http://www.stolaf.edu/people/kucera/YoshidaWebsite/evolution/essay_pages/heather_d.evelyn.htm

Brew , J. (n.d.). Yasumasa morimura - the art of self-portaiture in a post-modern global japan. Retrieved from http://outsiderjapan.pbworks.com/w/page/9758570/Yasumasa Morimura - The Art of Self-Portaiture in a Post-Modern Global Japa

Musee d'Orsay. (2006). Olympia. Retrieved from http://www.musee-orsay.fr/index.php?id=851&L=1&tx_commentaire_pi1[showUid]=7087&no_cache=1

Roca, Raymond

Roca, R. (2006, 03). Cultural identity is constructed and challenged by stereotypes. Retrieved from http://www.agero-stuttgart.de/REVISTA-AGERO/ARTICOLE IN LIMBI STRAINE/Cultural identity de RR.htm

Wagner, B. (2004, 12 21). Gender - double trouble and transgression: Yasumasa morimura's appropriation of a desirable body. Retrieved from http://academinist.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/010112Wagner_Yasumasa.pdf

Artist

Yasumasa Morimura

From: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/artpages/yasumasa_morimura_marilyn_monroe1.htm

Biography

Born in 1951, Osaka, Japan 

Lives and works in Osaka 

EDUCATION

1985 

Columbia University, New York 

1982 

Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia 

Type of work

self-portrait renderings in photography, performance and video. 

Background

Yasumasa Morimura (b.1951, Osaka) appropriates universally well known images derived from art history, mass media and pop culture to create unconventional and bold self-portrait renderings in photography, performance and video. Through the extensive use of props, costumes, make-up and digital manipulation, Morimura masterfully transforms himself into recognizable subjects that punctuate the western cultural cannon. His series include works based on seminal paintings by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh, Velazquez or Goya and on pictorial sources from history and the mass media. His unsettling deconstruction of iconic images and masterpieces challenges the assumptions already placed on such works/images while commenting on Japan's complex and conflicting absorption of Western culture. His ability to satirize and simultaneously create an homage of his source material is what makes Morimura's work particularly forceful and effective. 

From: http://www.luhringaugustine.com/artists/yasumasa-morimura/?tag=Daughter%20of%20Art%20History

Reason for choosing Yasumasa Morimura

Western arts has giant influence in the world. How does it influence the Japanese arts? During the cultural exchange and arts absorption, how did the Japanese artists position themselves in these two streams? Morimura's work shows the conflicting stance of a Japanese artist in the converging Western and Japanese arts and culture. It is interesting to read his works and think about these questions. 

Fotanian Open Studio

It was the second time for me to participate the Fotanian Open Studio event. It is an annual activity for local artists who have studios in the Fotan to disclose their works to the general public. In my point of view, this experience was similar to treasure hunting. As I didn’t select some particular “must visit” artists, I could discover some “unknown” artist and their artworks by using the map. Walking through the industrial building, using the cargo lift and finding studio with unexpected mindset, these constructed a fun art treasure hunting experience to me.

The industrial activities are almost faded out in Hong Kong. Much space in industrial buildings is empty and the amount of rent is much lower than urban area. The invasion of artists into the industrial buildings is actually adding characteristics to this original dying region and also help breeds the local art development. The coexistence of these two kind of activities, indeed, reveals the high rent problem faced by the Hong Kong artists in reality. In this visit, not only the working situation and environment of artists are shown, the daily operations of the industrial area, “unique” smell are also recorded in our memory.

Unlike visiting the well-established exhibition in museum, the open studio is more approachable for visitors. We can get closer to the display without some line surrounding it and there is no security guard to monitor our acts but artists and assistants. Visitors can feel free to talk with artists and it is more interactive. Also,

studios are places for creation and home-liked base. Other than appreciating the art pieces, we can have a glance on the working environment of artists.  

A talk with Wilson Shieh

One of the favorite artists I have visited is called Wilson Shieh. His Studio is like a crowded cube full of visitors and his works. I am a fan of Wilson Shieh. When I suddenly saw his studio in the industrial building, I was so surprised and excited. His work can be generally divided in to two categories, figure painting with Chinese gongbi and paintings with acrylic. The former is one of the famous subject matters of Wilson’s works. The contents of figure painting include different topics that Shieh concerns, such as gender, male and female roles and clothing. A painting describing a woman with a modern dark dress in which a baby is hidden caught my attention. The painting raises the question about women’s role and the view point of breast feeding in the general society. Breast feeding supposes to be a moral and affectionate action, however, the perception of it is different in the general public. From Shiehs’ works, we can see these issues from his sensitive and distinguished insight.

Women's role and breast feeding

Style of Anita Mui in 1980s'

Other than the figure painting, Shieh is working on acrylic painting in recent stage. Words become an important element in the painting and that is a huge difference with Shieh’s figure painting before. Most of them relate to political issues, for example the transformation of the ruling class of Chinese government and the performance of the Chief Executive. To me, the recent creations of Shieh highly concentrates on the expression of political view. More and more art works relate to political ideas. It raises my concern to question about the origin intention for the artist to do their works. “Will their works become political driven instead of using arts to express their feelings?” This is one of the myth or question raised after visiting Wilson Shieh’s exhibition.  

Transformation of Chinese Government

Apparently, everything in daily life can become the theme of art as art is a carrier to express the artists' view to that issue. Political issue can be the inspiration for artists. Through out the history, many works are related to political perspectives, such as Edouard Manet's Execution of Maximilian, and Goya's The Third of May 1808. Artists can criticize or express their opinion to the political situation through their works. The effect can be profound as the political scene depicting in the artwork and the artwork can be read by the public in a visual form. Everyone can understand the artist's view and interpret the image or artwork with their own thinking. In this way, art can provide a stance of artist to the political issue. We can see many artists are producing series of political paintings, especially in China. Many Chinese artists create artworks with the theme of political issues as there are abundant political stories in history. Sometime, I feel like artists may be political driven to post some statements or stance to the public in order to pressure the government. In this sense, art become a tool to conduct political influence. The origin of art is lost. In my point of view, the line between art is political driven or not depends on the intention of the artists. If artist want to use their art work as a tool to pressure the government or ignite some social response, it should be political driven. In Hong Kong, more and more artist also create artworks relate to political issues. How do they classify between art and political issues? It is a interesting  question to look into.