5.7 presentation

David:
Your presentation was very fascinating and I enjoyed listening to your ideas. I think it's interesting to think about the infinite possibilities of what the draftsman could produce. I think it would be cool if Lewitt provided the same set of instructions to more than one group of draftsmen and then compared the two finished pieces.

Presentations: May 7

1. David: I found this very interesting about this art being more mystical than rational, it's like a leap into the unknown, you explained it very well. Lewitt's open cubes and the use of the three prime colors and the three secondary colors was very interesting as well. I also liked the part about the paintings in the walls of the room that once, painted, were painted over and gone forever. I think my only suggestion is to also talk about his career later on in his life. Very good topic and presentation.

Presentations 5/5-5/7

1.) The Video art presentation was extremely interesting to me. I enjoyed the unconventional topic as it was fresh and very informative. The thesis was well formed and the evidence was dynamic, in particular to the different video art clips shown. I enjoyed how the presentation incorporated different avenues of video art: the rehearsed cough, artist staring at audience, and the 8 second delay piece. All different cases supported thesis impeccably. My question is in regards to the performance of the artist staring at the audience, as a effort to demonstrate the attention span of an individual focusing on an actual artist. Was the audience informed on the purpose of the piece? Loved it!

2.) I enjoyed the focus of the graffiti presentation. The history was presented well and supported thesis correctly, however how exactly will the graffiti pieces pertain to the thesis? I mean are you going to focus on specific graffiti pieces or give a general overview of the practice?

3.) The Lewitt presentation was unique to say the least. The topic seems to be quite broad and alot can be done with the paper. I applaud your effort to refute the argument we read in class early on in the semester. My question pertains to Lewitt's concept of art, he felt as though his vision should be comprehended and done by other artists..however how was this exactly his art? The final product would be an interpretation of what another artist thought his work should be (I guess this statement refers to Lewitts broader descriptions left for other artists). Also did any of the artists that physically painted Lewitt's work in the museums actually get any recognition?

Lewitt In Progress

I thought your presentation was very engaging and you had a very interesting topic. I like that you had a completely different view of Sol Lewitt from anything we've learned and it will be interesting to see how you use your facts to support your thesis. The video you showed in class of one of the museums working on his producing his paintings was shocking because I didn't realize how complicated the instructions were and how Lewitt would keep erasing parts of the paintings in the instructions. You definitely will have an awesome essay to read.

Presentations

David: Your presentation on Sol Lewitt was very interesting. It took a different approach to his work than anything we read or discussed this year. The comparison to the frescos was particularly interesting to me. One thing I have always wondered about Lewitt is if he at least sketches or somehow simulates what the instructions will reproduce before he releases the instructions.

presentation 5/7

David: LeWitt is really an interesting artist. I was very fascinated by open cubes when I first saw it. Your examples of wall drawings are very intriguing too. One point I noted was how you talked about the artwork being beyond the artist, this is very curious contradiction to Warhol and some other artists who we like to talk about their life or intentions when we look at their works. What I did not quite get is why is relinquishing control "mysticism"?

5/5-5/7 Recap: Rothko to LeWitt

Kate: What a story! I find it ironic that he purposely set out to paint depressing and aesthetically unpleasant pieces for the elites who would dine at the Four Seasons, but still agreed to be commissioned. He hated them for their money while he himself was making money. This selection of paintings is very dull and undeserving of appraisal, especially after Rothko himself admitted the attitude he held towards the project. My question is, compared to other pieces by Rothko, how did the Seagram murals detour later collections? Does the popularity of the Seagram murals stem solely from the interesting narrative behind their making or are they outstanding for how they demand genuine contemplation from the observer?

Yiwen: Your presentation was very informative. Like Kevin, you have highlighted forms of art that are not exactly mainstream or commonly addressed in popular Art courses. I noticed that you don’t consider movies and film as video art. My question is: were a film to be produced with a small camcorder would you then classify it video art? Is there a time limit to video art clips? For your paper, I would suggest providing more history about video art, significant contributors, and recent developments in the practice. Great job so far!

Anita: I’m glad you decided to base your research on graffiti art. Personally, I feel this art form merits more recognition and scholastic incorporation than what it currently is given. I noticed that you focus on graffiti’s role in urban redevelopment and how it has altered the aesthetics of inner city neighborhoods. Will you be addressing a particular time period or providing a general history on graffiti art? I suggest, since you’re not addressing specific graffiti artists, to format your discussion on certain cities/communities.

David: Last but certainly not least. LeWitt is a character. I must say that your argument, a comparison between LeWitt’s instruction-production pieces and religious frescoes, is a bold and challenging one. With that said, and since you claim LeWitt had no religious motives when structuring his artwork plans, will your focus be on the architectural designs of the spaces in which his works and frescoes are exhibited? I suggest including in your paper how LeWitt’s work developed throughout his career. Are any of his works displayed outdoors? Has he made any sculptures or are his works all paintings? I applaud you for choosing such a deviant and egocentric artist.