Postgraduate Lecture Programme
14/03/18
Winston, Sam
The artist is interested in pictures, books, and dictionaries that brought us up to life. His Drawings on pencil were a combination of two things: his interest in dictionaries and the materiality of an object being reduced to something, because it contains the potentiality of an object. He decided to explore the pressure and posture of his body on paper. Then, the inclination of his hand to get different lines and expressions on the same ground.
Performance became part of his practice.
He spent seven days and seven nights living in his studio. This experience helped him to discover his interest in writing. He was transcribing full sentences in a repetitive way. After that, he decided to erase then (always documenting the whole process). For him, it seems like a Manifesto (documentation became a content). Important questions came out, such as do you think of yourself as a monk? (monk life experience). Or is meditation important for your life? He thinks that he is an artist. However, his practice goes in a different direction inspired somehow by meditation.
Bibliography
Winston, S. (2014) Drawing on Memory. Available at: https://www.artslant.com/ny/articles/show/38741
(Accesed: 21/03/18)
14/03/18
Winston, Sam
The artist is interested in pictures, books, and dictionaries that brought us up to life. His Drawings on pencil were a combination of two things: his interest in dictionaries and the materiality of an object being reduced to something, because it contains the potentiality of an object. He decided to explore the pressure and posture of his body on paper. Then, the inclination of his hand to get different lines and expressions on the same ground.
Performance became part of his practice.
He spent seven days and seven nights living in his studio. This experience helped him to discover his interest in writing. He was transcribing full sentences in a repetitive way. After that, he decided to erase then (always documenting the whole process). For him, it seems like a Manifesto (documentation became a content). Important questions came out, such as do you think of yourself as a monk? (monk life experience). Or is meditation important for your life? He thinks that he is an artist. However, his practice goes in a different direction inspired somehow by meditation.
Bibliography
Winston, S. (2014) Drawing on Memory. Available at: https://www.artslant.com/ny/articles/show/38741
(Accesed: 21/03/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
28/02/18
Cobbing, William
After Taliban’s attacks, Cobbing decided to use mirrors to create his work to do with Buddha niches since they were destroyed during one of these aggressive terrorist actions. Inspired by Robert Simpson’s technique he decided to use multiple mirrors in the landscape. Personally, it was a brilliant idea to point the camera directly to the mirror. For him and some of his contemporaries, Taliban’s are considered a political issue. Issues are frequently horrible and sensitive.
Among the artists who he talked to, we can find Alfred Jaar. His work is associated with the launch of missiles in 2001 and it’s called DOCUMENTA II (2011). Goshka Macuga’s work is related to art of reduction, censorship, especially during semi wars. Her most significant artwork in this period is called The nature of the Beast (2009-10). She is known for her installations of historic objects and for her ways of combining aesthetics with politics.
Aeronaut Mik’s artwork is inpired by the Bosnian War. After his research, he obtained footage of the events. He qualified this material as ‘too boring or too extreme to show’ (Mik, 2018). His work is called Scapegoats (2006). Nelson Rockefeller’s Picasso’s tapestry (1955) was lent to the United Nations in New York approximately thirty years later. It is normally understood as a deterrent to war. Mario Merz’ Obit to the Guardian (2002) is related to an archetypal form. It is a manifestation of his opposition to capitalism.
Bibliography
Mik, A. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 28 February
28/02/18
Cobbing, William
After Taliban’s attacks, Cobbing decided to use mirrors to create his work to do with Buddha niches since they were destroyed during one of these aggressive terrorist actions. Inspired by Robert Simpson’s technique he decided to use multiple mirrors in the landscape. Personally, it was a brilliant idea to point the camera directly to the mirror. For him and some of his contemporaries, Taliban’s are considered a political issue. Issues are frequently horrible and sensitive.
Among the artists who he talked to, we can find Alfred Jaar. His work is associated with the launch of missiles in 2001 and it’s called DOCUMENTA II (2011). Goshka Macuga’s work is related to art of reduction, censorship, especially during semi wars. Her most significant artwork in this period is called The nature of the Beast (2009-10). She is known for her installations of historic objects and for her ways of combining aesthetics with politics.
Aeronaut Mik’s artwork is inpired by the Bosnian War. After his research, he obtained footage of the events. He qualified this material as ‘too boring or too extreme to show’ (Mik, 2018). His work is called Scapegoats (2006). Nelson Rockefeller’s Picasso’s tapestry (1955) was lent to the United Nations in New York approximately thirty years later. It is normally understood as a deterrent to war. Mario Merz’ Obit to the Guardian (2002) is related to an archetypal form. It is a manifestation of his opposition to capitalism.
Bibliography
Mik, A. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 28 February
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
21/02/18
Staff, Craig
After conducting an exhaustive research for five years, Staff realized that his main interest is materiality. He challenges certain assumptions such as the exclusivity of theory and practice. Finally, he decided to present it to the world. In the first part, he showed us his background as an artist. I could describe his paintings as mixed material works where dust, sawdust, and paint are the main protagonists. He was fascinated with the creations of layers and shapes. Personally, I didn’t find this attractive. However, his ‘’archeological items’ were interesting. For him, there was a ritualistic practice behind the artwork. Some of them took him a whole year. He normally lectures about his own book and his last research. He completed his PhD. in Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University.
21/02/18
Staff, Craig
After conducting an exhaustive research for five years, Staff realized that his main interest is materiality. He challenges certain assumptions such as the exclusivity of theory and practice. Finally, he decided to present it to the world. In the first part, he showed us his background as an artist. I could describe his paintings as mixed material works where dust, sawdust, and paint are the main protagonists. He was fascinated with the creations of layers and shapes. Personally, I didn’t find this attractive. However, his ‘’archeological items’ were interesting. For him, there was a ritualistic practice behind the artwork. Some of them took him a whole year. He normally lectures about his own book and his last research. He completed his PhD. in Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University.
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
20/02/18
Fatehrad, Azadeth
The Inter-Political Stage of Contemporary Art
Dr. Azadeh Fatehrad, artist and curator, works with moving images and the historical representation. Recently she decided to include in her work still images. She is currently based at the Visual and Material Culture Research Centre at Kingston University of London. The most interesting part of her lecture was the public programmes that she conducted. This also includes screenings, conferences, workshops, and exhibitions. She has presented many academic papers at many conferences such as The Captured Everyday Life: Akerman and the Politics of Representation’, After Chantal: An International Conference, Westminster School of Media, London; ‘Moving Pictures and Photoplays: New Perspectives in Silent Cinema’, York University, York.
20/02/18
Fatehrad, Azadeth
The Inter-Political Stage of Contemporary Art
Dr. Azadeh Fatehrad, artist and curator, works with moving images and the historical representation. Recently she decided to include in her work still images. She is currently based at the Visual and Material Culture Research Centre at Kingston University of London. The most interesting part of her lecture was the public programmes that she conducted. This also includes screenings, conferences, workshops, and exhibitions. She has presented many academic papers at many conferences such as The Captured Everyday Life: Akerman and the Politics of Representation’, After Chantal: An International Conference, Westminster School of Media, London; ‘Moving Pictures and Photoplays: New Perspectives in Silent Cinema’, York University, York.
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
21/02/18
Pistoletto, Michelangelo
In Conversation: Michelangelo Pistoletto and Chiara Messineo.
In the first part of this Lecture, we saw a video of Pistolleto’s career. It describes him as “radical and surprising” Italian artist. The main point of this video was to illustrate the work he realized on one of the most beautiful country houses in Britain called Blenheim Palace in Oxford (home to the Churchill family).
The video showed him as one of the most famous contemporary artist alive for breaking rules and going beyond what people think and what is “normal”. A true Groundbreaking contemporary artist.
He’s also the father of Arte - povera movement. He described his first true experiment and what shocked him about it (Mirror paintings). He was trying to paint a self-portrait on a mirror and he had a revelation. He created the structure of his face and felt that the entire world entered the painting. According to him 'It's about understanding, not only making, and it was also freedom.' (Pistoletto, 2018).
When he was a little kid, he was traumatized by war and propaganda. He suffered a lot and he realized that art needed to be a tool for inclusion. Bring the viewer and their world to the painting, to the frame, and it all started with his first great idea: a self- portrait. Universe and humanity, the human being and our world are his favorites subjects.
In the second part, (the conversation) we listened to a Pistoletto full of confidence about his art and his career. As a true Master, he went beyond Messineo’s questions and try to explain what is behind those superficial ways to understand Art, or in this case Contemporary Art.
It was really interesting when he talked about his symbol. Its called the Third Paradise. It looks like the Infinite symbol since it is made of two elements. They are two circles that represent the opposites. Nevertheless, he found a solution. Thus, he created a third circle in the center. It was something new, something that it didn't exist. That symbol became part of the city, it was a way to find solutions to regular problems or even existential problems that torment us. He also realized that the word “trinamic” was associated with this symbol and it was used by different people and many countries around the world.
He was looking for the formula of the Mirror Paintings and thanks to it he discovered the Third Paradise. The necessity of using brush disappeared and he found a different technique to make a representation. The problem of representation was something that he was trying to resolve and also it was a way to discover his own identity.
Bibliography
Pistoletto, M. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 21 February
Pistoletto, M. (2018) Scaffali.
Available at: https://www.artsy.net/show/simon-lee-gallery-michelangelo-pistoletto-scaffali
(Accesed: 21/03/18)
21/02/18
Pistoletto, Michelangelo
In Conversation: Michelangelo Pistoletto and Chiara Messineo.
In the first part of this Lecture, we saw a video of Pistolleto’s career. It describes him as “radical and surprising” Italian artist. The main point of this video was to illustrate the work he realized on one of the most beautiful country houses in Britain called Blenheim Palace in Oxford (home to the Churchill family).
The video showed him as one of the most famous contemporary artist alive for breaking rules and going beyond what people think and what is “normal”. A true Groundbreaking contemporary artist.
He’s also the father of Arte - povera movement. He described his first true experiment and what shocked him about it (Mirror paintings). He was trying to paint a self-portrait on a mirror and he had a revelation. He created the structure of his face and felt that the entire world entered the painting. According to him 'It's about understanding, not only making, and it was also freedom.' (Pistoletto, 2018).
When he was a little kid, he was traumatized by war and propaganda. He suffered a lot and he realized that art needed to be a tool for inclusion. Bring the viewer and their world to the painting, to the frame, and it all started with his first great idea: a self- portrait. Universe and humanity, the human being and our world are his favorites subjects.
In the second part, (the conversation) we listened to a Pistoletto full of confidence about his art and his career. As a true Master, he went beyond Messineo’s questions and try to explain what is behind those superficial ways to understand Art, or in this case Contemporary Art.
It was really interesting when he talked about his symbol. Its called the Third Paradise. It looks like the Infinite symbol since it is made of two elements. They are two circles that represent the opposites. Nevertheless, he found a solution. Thus, he created a third circle in the center. It was something new, something that it didn't exist. That symbol became part of the city, it was a way to find solutions to regular problems or even existential problems that torment us. He also realized that the word “trinamic” was associated with this symbol and it was used by different people and many countries around the world.
He was looking for the formula of the Mirror Paintings and thanks to it he discovered the Third Paradise. The necessity of using brush disappeared and he found a different technique to make a representation. The problem of representation was something that he was trying to resolve and also it was a way to discover his own identity.
Bibliography
Pistoletto, M. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 21 February
Pistoletto, M. (2018) Scaffali.
Available at: https://www.artsy.net/show/simon-lee-gallery-michelangelo-pistoletto-scaffali
(Accesed: 21/03/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
07/02/18
Liao, Pixy
Pixy Liao’s (Shanghai, China) specializes in photography, video, performance, and sculpture. After her graduation, she realized that she hated graphic design. Thus, she was trying to find inspiration in movies such as Blow Up. She was intrigued by lifestyle and she was aware of this feeling when she was studying her MFA in Memphis, Tennessee. She describes this place as a great location for filming. According to her, the sky was always grey, but it did not matter to her since her exploration was related to landscape and how people use colors.
Liao decided to explain the beginning of her career as a photographer (2000-2007). Loneliness was the first feeling that she experimented as a photographer. Consequently, she was her own model and also she imagine herself as her own girlfriend. As her work started to grow as well as her fascination for spaces she decided to take pictures that look like film stills. In this period of her life, loneliness was no longer a thing and friends posed for her.
The artist expressed her emotions related to a single image and how can it make you think of a film and narratives. In the second period of her career (2007-now), she started to work on the most interesting project for me called Experimental Relationship. After one of her assessments, her professor told her that it felt that she was “using her boyfriend” as an object and she decided to investigate more of this subject after realizing that.
For her, his new model was true to himself and not easily influenced by society. She describes him as: “The perfect partner for my project” (Liao, 2018).
Hush, baby was a work that helped her to discover her true self. It was more about her boyfriend coming out instead of telling him what to do. She also made an interesting series of self-portraits that she described as a compositional work without planning because she never knows how they are going to look like. I felt that it was more about how the image inspires you.
At the end of the lecture, she gave us 3 advice that I found really useful for my own life. 1. Be loyal to yourself. 2 Be patient. 3. Never give up.
Bibliography
Liaoi, P. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 7 February
Liao, P. (2007-Now) Experimental Relationship. Available at: http://www.thephotophore.com/experimental-relationship-pixy-liao/
(Accessed: 14/05/18)
07/02/18
Liao, Pixy
Pixy Liao’s (Shanghai, China) specializes in photography, video, performance, and sculpture. After her graduation, she realized that she hated graphic design. Thus, she was trying to find inspiration in movies such as Blow Up. She was intrigued by lifestyle and she was aware of this feeling when she was studying her MFA in Memphis, Tennessee. She describes this place as a great location for filming. According to her, the sky was always grey, but it did not matter to her since her exploration was related to landscape and how people use colors.
Liao decided to explain the beginning of her career as a photographer (2000-2007). Loneliness was the first feeling that she experimented as a photographer. Consequently, she was her own model and also she imagine herself as her own girlfriend. As her work started to grow as well as her fascination for spaces she decided to take pictures that look like film stills. In this period of her life, loneliness was no longer a thing and friends posed for her.
The artist expressed her emotions related to a single image and how can it make you think of a film and narratives. In the second period of her career (2007-now), she started to work on the most interesting project for me called Experimental Relationship. After one of her assessments, her professor told her that it felt that she was “using her boyfriend” as an object and she decided to investigate more of this subject after realizing that.
For her, his new model was true to himself and not easily influenced by society. She describes him as: “The perfect partner for my project” (Liao, 2018).
Hush, baby was a work that helped her to discover her true self. It was more about her boyfriend coming out instead of telling him what to do. She also made an interesting series of self-portraits that she described as a compositional work without planning because she never knows how they are going to look like. I felt that it was more about how the image inspires you.
At the end of the lecture, she gave us 3 advice that I found really useful for my own life. 1. Be loyal to yourself. 2 Be patient. 3. Never give up.
Bibliography
Liaoi, P. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 7 February
Liao, P. (2007-Now) Experimental Relationship. Available at: http://www.thephotophore.com/experimental-relationship-pixy-liao/
(Accessed: 14/05/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
31/01/18
Gibellini, Laura
Some Atmospheric Meditations
“April 22, 1915. For the first time in History, the German Army used poison gas at the Ypres battle. From then on air could not merely be breathed but also felt. And removed from us. On that April 22 air became explicit and therefore part of the (air-) conditioned system that makes our life possible”. (Gibellini, 2018)
Gibellini started her lecture by explaining her experiences in “El Museo de Los Sures”. For her, geometry, points, and lines are vital for her practice. In this museum, she realized a representation of life. She utilized video and she mentioned that it's extremely important for her to film and then depict in her own way what she experienced. Fragments of “Mediterraneo” and Fragments of Eastriver are examples of this. She discovered while filming, that materialization of air was a subject that constantly is represented in her artwork.
Then, she decided to explain her experiences in Capella de Santa Roc Valls. Normally, as she mentioned, she works with five colors. Thus, they were represented as a glass palette in the church that I mentioned before. Gradually color started to appear in her work. However, she was tired of the frontality of the image and she wanted to go beyond it. While she was in Italy, she visited the Pantheon and she noticed a radial mode of light that was extremely interesting. She drew Atmospheres and Interruptions II thanks to his experience in Italy and this new way of conceiving her own art.
It was really hard to follow the lecture for Gibellini’s accent. However, we noticed that working with the artist would be a more interesting possibility.
Bibliography
Gibellini, L. (2018) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 31 January
Gibellini, L (?) Atmósferas e Interrupciones II. Available at: http://www.laurafgibellini.com
(Accessed: 14/05/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
17/01/18
Cousin, Emma
Her subject was associated with legs. For me, it was not an interesting subject, however, it was visually stunning. She also mentioned the tension-release in her artwork. Her main inspirations were Piero Della Francesca’s Basilica of St Francis and Jean August Ingres’ Jupiter and Thetis. She described the post-human woman in a sarcastic way. Therefore, she focused on Dolly Parton and she criticized her, especially because of her surgeries.
Bibliography:
Cousin, E. (2018) Hand dance. Available at: https://www.saatchiart.com/emmacousin
(Accessed: 14/05/18)
17/01/18
Cousin, Emma
Her subject was associated with legs. For me, it was not an interesting subject, however, it was visually stunning. She also mentioned the tension-release in her artwork. Her main inspirations were Piero Della Francesca’s Basilica of St Francis and Jean August Ingres’ Jupiter and Thetis. She described the post-human woman in a sarcastic way. Therefore, she focused on Dolly Parton and she criticized her, especially because of her surgeries.
Bibliography:
Cousin, E. (2018) Hand dance. Available at: https://www.saatchiart.com/emmacousin
(Accessed: 14/05/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
10/01/18
Kovats, Tania
MA Drawing course leader Tania Kovats was in charge of the first lecture of the year. Kovats decided to start her presentation describing her background. She focused on her travel experiences and certain feminist icons such as Regan from The Exorcist for being both charming and evil. She used to work in a “non-material way” for that reason Light was her catalyst. Later, activism becomes part of her practice and then she understood her own practice as referential to ART itself.
Landscape became relevant during her life. For that reason, she decided to go back to her memories and travel experiences. She showed us a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, then she made an interpretation of it that was understood as a female landscape and as a logical process. She also mentioned that one of her main interest is the origin, how the landscapes are made and how can we imagine them in a sculptural way. At that moment, her Drawing practice was similar to her sculptures, they were Drawings that generate themselves.
She is a Researcher and she mentioned two books in her presentation. The first one is called The Drawing Book. She focused her work with the primary means of expressions, Drawing. In this book, we can understand the excitement of the form, as she describes. Also, is really relevant to mention that for her Drawing is a direct form of communication. For that reason, she decided to expand the boundaries of Drawings since one of her main interests is that there are many Drawings that are not considered as such. We can understand here the cross-disciplinary nature of Drawing. We can find in her book Drawings of sailors, children, scientist, and contemporary drawings.
The second one is called Drawing Water. She describes here the energy of water as repeating marks that travels through the horizon. For her, the ocean is understood as a system and for me, this was really valuable because I questioned my own point of view related to a subject that I thought I understood well.
After the completion of this books, she went back to landscapes, but she tried to make them in the landscape. Therefore, she mentioned her trip to Transylvania. She discovered an immediate connection to that place and her responses to landscape change to how they are formed. Her artwork of meadows is an example of the complex procedure and was definitely one of my favorite pieces because she tried to integrate the artist, artwork, and viewer. Consequently, she created a different relationship with the audience.
Later on, she described her trips to South America. She used to depict book covers. She went to Galapagos because she was really interested in barnacles and made some really interesting sculptures.
Bibliography
Kovats, T. (1999) MEADOW at Dundas.
Available.at:https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tania+kovats+meadows&rlz=1C1AZAA_enPE743PE744&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDzJGh7dLYAhWMBsAKHY2GC5gQ_AUICigB&biw=1243&bih=711#imgrc=7Cb4J9VpNF70NM:
(Accesed: 12/01/18)
10/01/18
Kovats, Tania
MA Drawing course leader Tania Kovats was in charge of the first lecture of the year. Kovats decided to start her presentation describing her background. She focused on her travel experiences and certain feminist icons such as Regan from The Exorcist for being both charming and evil. She used to work in a “non-material way” for that reason Light was her catalyst. Later, activism becomes part of her practice and then she understood her own practice as referential to ART itself.
Landscape became relevant during her life. For that reason, she decided to go back to her memories and travel experiences. She showed us a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, then she made an interpretation of it that was understood as a female landscape and as a logical process. She also mentioned that one of her main interest is the origin, how the landscapes are made and how can we imagine them in a sculptural way. At that moment, her Drawing practice was similar to her sculptures, they were Drawings that generate themselves.
She is a Researcher and she mentioned two books in her presentation. The first one is called The Drawing Book. She focused her work with the primary means of expressions, Drawing. In this book, we can understand the excitement of the form, as she describes. Also, is really relevant to mention that for her Drawing is a direct form of communication. For that reason, she decided to expand the boundaries of Drawings since one of her main interests is that there are many Drawings that are not considered as such. We can understand here the cross-disciplinary nature of Drawing. We can find in her book Drawings of sailors, children, scientist, and contemporary drawings.
The second one is called Drawing Water. She describes here the energy of water as repeating marks that travels through the horizon. For her, the ocean is understood as a system and for me, this was really valuable because I questioned my own point of view related to a subject that I thought I understood well.
After the completion of this books, she went back to landscapes, but she tried to make them in the landscape. Therefore, she mentioned her trip to Transylvania. She discovered an immediate connection to that place and her responses to landscape change to how they are formed. Her artwork of meadows is an example of the complex procedure and was definitely one of my favorite pieces because she tried to integrate the artist, artwork, and viewer. Consequently, she created a different relationship with the audience.
Later on, she described her trips to South America. She used to depict book covers. She went to Galapagos because she was really interested in barnacles and made some really interesting sculptures.
Bibliography
Kovats, T. (1999) MEADOW at Dundas.
Available.at:https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tania+kovats+meadows&rlz=1C1AZAA_enPE743PE744&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDzJGh7dLYAhWMBsAKHY2GC5gQ_AUICigB&biw=1243&bih=711#imgrc=7Cb4J9VpNF70NM:
(Accesed: 12/01/18)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
17/10/17
Palemar, Lucy
I pledge to never make art again
Palemar presented a very tangled lecture. I try so hard to understand her work but I did not. I felt that she doesn’t feel sure of her work and also it seemed like she did not feel like being there. Her work was too speculative and aesthetically it was even hard to look. She told us that she is an artist, but her answer was very simple and empty of real valuable content.
I would have liked to hear more of her research and her archives because she just mentioned them, but she did not go further. Palemar told us that she would never make art again since her work had little effect on people, now she is an educator.
17/10/17
Palemar, Lucy
I pledge to never make art again
Palemar presented a very tangled lecture. I try so hard to understand her work but I did not. I felt that she doesn’t feel sure of her work and also it seemed like she did not feel like being there. Her work was too speculative and aesthetically it was even hard to look. She told us that she is an artist, but her answer was very simple and empty of real valuable content.
I would have liked to hear more of her research and her archives because she just mentioned them, but she did not go further. Palemar told us that she would never make art again since her work had little effect on people, now she is an educator.
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
25/10/17
Monroe, Ian
Material and Immateriality: Negotiating the role of the maker in the 21st Century
This lecture sought to associate philosophical definitions to approach concepts such as materiality and immateriality. However, as Monroe presented his ideas I could notice the ease that he had to manipulate certain concepts at will and transform certain very broad concepts into absolute truths. It was very difficult to follow him in some moments as he sheltered ways of thinking with a very sophisticated language.
25/10/17
Monroe, Ian
Material and Immateriality: Negotiating the role of the maker in the 21st Century
This lecture sought to associate philosophical definitions to approach concepts such as materiality and immateriality. However, as Monroe presented his ideas I could notice the ease that he had to manipulate certain concepts at will and transform certain very broad concepts into absolute truths. It was very difficult to follow him in some moments as he sheltered ways of thinking with a very sophisticated language.
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
8/11/17
Norton, Fran
Collecting, Classifying, Sorting and the Museological
MA Drawing course leader Fran Norton presented a very interesting lecture, it was really valuable for me as an artist since she mentioned the work of Barton Lidice Benes. I was not familiarized with his work. Nevertheless, his “artifacts” left me stunned. Through his work, we can easily perceive how he develops the idea of “every day”. He is obsessed with objects that have some significant value to him. After his boyfriend died of AIDS, he was diagnosed HIV-positive and his work turns a little bit darker as well as more interesting since the concept of death was implied.
Norton was trying to make us understand how we can perceive our work and its concept through different research methodologies. In the end, thanks to these methodologies, we can find our own methods in an accurate and orderly way to express our ideas clearly. It is important to mention that we can find our own methodologies by asking simple questions. (Norton, 2017)
'To me, the artist is an explorer whose primary role is to offer a new perspective on the world'. For Norton, there is a strong relationship between the artist and the dialogue that artwork is going to produce on the viewer. I find this useful for me since I need to develop methods in my own practice. However, I know for sure that there are certain artists that do not need one. For some people, methodologies are an obstacle and art should be more instinctive. In my opinion, before discarding a method, first, you have to try it.
The word collecting was really important in this lecture. In my own practice, I define myself as a collector, as a journalist. Thus, it was extremely interesting when she mentioned its importance. We constantly establish different relationships with materials, objects, and that brings me back to Benes.
Bibliography
Norton, F (2017) Collecting, Classifying and the Museological [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 8 November
Lidice, B. (1994) Lethal Weapons: Essence. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/barton-lidice-benes-lethal-weapons-essence
(Accessed: 11 October 2017).
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
15/11/17
Axarlis, Nick
Russian Left Modernism and the October Revolution
Art, Revolution… How are they united? Russian left Modernism and Soviet Revolution had a time of freedom and war. According to Axarlis, the main goal was to create a new world.
Thus, the creation of a new mass democratic culture and art for all were extremely necessary. (Axarlis, 2017)
Axarlis consider himself as a product of this revolution. He is completely sure that first, we need to notice that Left Art movement was against the academy. Left Modernist sided with the October Revolution and we can see some of the best works and ideological exchanges between 1917-1920. It was an innovative period for artists and at the same time, it was a critical analysis process.
Even though officials declared that Left Art was a bohemian degeneration, artists continued with their work.The Bolshevik party was accused by some of the artists. They thought that they were against the revolution since art itself was trying to adapt and be an example of a new world. It was not a time for being conservative and artists new it.
“Which was the art that supported and interacted with the Soviet Revolution in 1917? We do know from declarations and documents and events that the October Revolution was not supported by the majority of Russian artists and directors of arts institutions. The leaders of the artists’ union fought against and boycotted the Revolution. It was the Left Modernist artists, almost alone, that immediately and openly supported the Soviet Revolution and went and worked for the Soviet Republic. The art that supported and interacted with the Soviet Revolution, was not any art, but the oppressed Left Modernist Art, a dynamic movement on the ascent, of almost exclusively Non-Objective or Abstract artists.”
Left Art had a progressive transition. Axarlis mentioned that Russian artists from that period try to replace the content of everything with a new one and they try to create a synthesis of the old and the new. For him, we can perceive this as Hegelian thought.
As we can see through history, great movements such as Impressionism or even Russian Left Art were mocked and ridiculed by critics. Nevertheless, in our times they are considered part of the “official art” and also, they are recognized worldwide. Movements like this that were completely against the academy became part of it.
Bibliography
Axarlis, N. (2017) Russian Left Modernism and the October Revolution [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 28 November
15/11/17
Axarlis, Nick
Russian Left Modernism and the October Revolution
Art, Revolution… How are they united? Russian left Modernism and Soviet Revolution had a time of freedom and war. According to Axarlis, the main goal was to create a new world.
Thus, the creation of a new mass democratic culture and art for all were extremely necessary. (Axarlis, 2017)
Axarlis consider himself as a product of this revolution. He is completely sure that first, we need to notice that Left Art movement was against the academy. Left Modernist sided with the October Revolution and we can see some of the best works and ideological exchanges between 1917-1920. It was an innovative period for artists and at the same time, it was a critical analysis process.
Even though officials declared that Left Art was a bohemian degeneration, artists continued with their work.The Bolshevik party was accused by some of the artists. They thought that they were against the revolution since art itself was trying to adapt and be an example of a new world. It was not a time for being conservative and artists new it.
“Which was the art that supported and interacted with the Soviet Revolution in 1917? We do know from declarations and documents and events that the October Revolution was not supported by the majority of Russian artists and directors of arts institutions. The leaders of the artists’ union fought against and boycotted the Revolution. It was the Left Modernist artists, almost alone, that immediately and openly supported the Soviet Revolution and went and worked for the Soviet Republic. The art that supported and interacted with the Soviet Revolution, was not any art, but the oppressed Left Modernist Art, a dynamic movement on the ascent, of almost exclusively Non-Objective or Abstract artists.”
Left Art had a progressive transition. Axarlis mentioned that Russian artists from that period try to replace the content of everything with a new one and they try to create a synthesis of the old and the new. For him, we can perceive this as Hegelian thought.
As we can see through history, great movements such as Impressionism or even Russian Left Art were mocked and ridiculed by critics. Nevertheless, in our times they are considered part of the “official art” and also, they are recognized worldwide. Movements like this that were completely against the academy became part of it.
Bibliography
Axarlis, N. (2017) Russian Left Modernism and the October Revolution [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 28 November
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
22/11/17
fitzPatrick, Edwina
MFA course leader Edwina Fitzpatrick showed as her conceptions of landscape through her explorations. She understands nature as a point of creation, as a starting point, an origin. She realized several journeys and we could understand that they were unique for her art practice. The “living environment” is her main tool and also concepts such as mutability and change are resources that she constantly apply “Her art projects explore what happens when 'grey' and 'green' environments intersect, and how human interactions have and are affecting the nature/culture/ecology of a place.” (UAL, 2017)
Bibliography
University of the Arts London (2017) Moodle:Postgraduate Lecture Programme: Edwina fitzPatrick. Available at:
http://moodle.arts.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=196897
(Accessed: 6 January 2018)
22/11/17
fitzPatrick, Edwina
MFA course leader Edwina Fitzpatrick showed as her conceptions of landscape through her explorations. She understands nature as a point of creation, as a starting point, an origin. She realized several journeys and we could understand that they were unique for her art practice. The “living environment” is her main tool and also concepts such as mutability and change are resources that she constantly apply “Her art projects explore what happens when 'grey' and 'green' environments intersect, and how human interactions have and are affecting the nature/culture/ecology of a place.” (UAL, 2017)
Bibliography
University of the Arts London (2017) Moodle:Postgraduate Lecture Programme: Edwina fitzPatrick. Available at:
http://moodle.arts.ac.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=196897
(Accessed: 6 January 2018)
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
28/11/17
Cross, David
The university as a mediator of climate change
Probably, this was one of the best lectures of the year. His speech is really elaborate, ingenious, and is at the limits of what is truly ethical and legal. The idea of how an academic institution can influence the development of thinking and decision-making of its students in the face of catastrophes is splendid. Through elaborate decisions, last minute practices, and new ways of thinking about UAL we can create an institution what would be a real agent of change.
His research detailed inconsistent budgets that could be used to make a real change according to the discourse of the university and its ecological commitment. We can understand that social work is important because it creates machinations that lead to a positive change. It all starts with the awareness of each individual. Then we seek to work collectively to make ourselves heard, make decisions, and really create a project that has a true scope. Therefore, it will be a sustainable art.
Every year the press works so hard to make us understand that we are living a chaotic ecological period and that we are the main culprits of the destruction of our own planet. For me, the awareness is transcendental, but this is not enough. We must be aware that we must reflect our way of thinking through actions.
28/11/17
Cross, David
The university as a mediator of climate change
Probably, this was one of the best lectures of the year. His speech is really elaborate, ingenious, and is at the limits of what is truly ethical and legal. The idea of how an academic institution can influence the development of thinking and decision-making of its students in the face of catastrophes is splendid. Through elaborate decisions, last minute practices, and new ways of thinking about UAL we can create an institution what would be a real agent of change.
His research detailed inconsistent budgets that could be used to make a real change according to the discourse of the university and its ecological commitment. We can understand that social work is important because it creates machinations that lead to a positive change. It all starts with the awareness of each individual. Then we seek to work collectively to make ourselves heard, make decisions, and really create a project that has a true scope. Therefore, it will be a sustainable art.
Every year the press works so hard to make us understand that we are living a chaotic ecological period and that we are the main culprits of the destruction of our own planet. For me, the awareness is transcendental, but this is not enough. We must be aware that we must reflect our way of thinking through actions.
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
28/11/17
Evans, Geraint
A Short Stroll in the Woods: Landscape Painting and Politics from Lorenzetti to Anselm Kiefer
MA Painting course leader Geraint Evans expanded the landscape concept, after presenting his painting of a fictional hermit. He described the word ornamental as a way in which we can pretend to be something that we are not, where we try to live different lives, and only care about the superficiality of this fact. The several meanings of the landscape become the amusement of the landowner. According to him, we become characters to populate landscapes. It was probably my favorite lecture to date for the way he developed his arguments and ideas.
Landscapes can be understood as a series of signs where we could find Politics, Culture, History. This can be seen in the work of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer, especially in his painting “Varus”. The artist desperately tries to give us a message related to “forgetting rather than remembering”. (Evans, 2017). Historic fate, mythology, and symbolic meanings are also associated with his work and transform literally the concept of Landscape into a new world full of possibilities.
In the work of the American landscape painter Frederic Edwin Church, we can see his perception of landscapes as virgin territories with an emphasis on scale and beauty. My perception of the landscape was limited to this idealized way of seeing nature as only a literal representation of what we are seeing. where certain aesthetics are involved to create illusions. However, we can understand that in this artist’s work are several important ideas, such as the expansion of the American territory and consequently the prosperity of his time, this is clearly connected to imperialism.
In more contemporary examples we can find the English artist Gen Quinn. He is constantly wondering: “What happens when myth replaces history?”. The Ghost of a Mountain 2005 is a clear example of his thoughts on this question.
Bibliography
Evans, G. (2017) A Short Stroll in the Woods: Landscape Painting and Politics from Lorenzetti to Anselm Kiefer [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 28 November
Anselm, K. (1976) Varus. Available at:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=varus+anselm+kiefer&rlz=1C1AZAA_enPE743PE744&source=lnms&tbm =isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj09NjqnJ7YAhUBC8AKHQ1hA5UQ_AUICigB&biw=1243&bih=711#imgrc=OMuGrw1nMUyDTM:
(Accessed: 11 October 2017).
Postgraduate Lecture Programme
30/11/17
Jingyi, Yuan
Jingyi is an artist who took a lot of risks in her own practice. It was a very important lecture for me since she tried to relate to people using her own paintings or drawings because her English wasn't that good and she could barely communicate even the easiest thoughts. Nevertheless, using drawing and painting was really helpful for her since she developed different skills. Her practice change and she is now focusing on depicting those relationships and feelings. Somehow I realized during the lecture that we share similar thoughts of understanding contemporary art and the way she used it as a social tool was incredibly valuable for me (at the moment I am trying to assimilate different social methodologies in my own practice).
For her, one of the starting points was the pub. She considered that for several people is faster to socialize in these spaces. For that reason, she decided that it was the perfect place for her to learn English and develop her practice. Personally, I am not a big fan of her artwork, however, what is behind is really important for me.
Her explorations and recollections of thoughts and emotions are extremely valuable for her project but I think that she focused too much on her research and there is no balance between her artwork and her fieldwork.
Bibliography
Jingyi, Y. (2017) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 30 November
30/11/17
Jingyi, Yuan
Jingyi is an artist who took a lot of risks in her own practice. It was a very important lecture for me since she tried to relate to people using her own paintings or drawings because her English wasn't that good and she could barely communicate even the easiest thoughts. Nevertheless, using drawing and painting was really helpful for her since she developed different skills. Her practice change and she is now focusing on depicting those relationships and feelings. Somehow I realized during the lecture that we share similar thoughts of understanding contemporary art and the way she used it as a social tool was incredibly valuable for me (at the moment I am trying to assimilate different social methodologies in my own practice).
For her, one of the starting points was the pub. She considered that for several people is faster to socialize in these spaces. For that reason, she decided that it was the perfect place for her to learn English and develop her practice. Personally, I am not a big fan of her artwork, however, what is behind is really important for me.
Her explorations and recollections of thoughts and emotions are extremely valuable for her project but I think that she focused too much on her research and there is no balance between her artwork and her fieldwork.
Bibliography
Jingyi, Y. (2017) Postgraduate Lecture Programme [Lecture to Postgraduate students], Postgraduate Lecture Programme. University of the Arts London. 30 November
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