!The Dictator!

Le Quang Ha Essay

Painting: The Dictator (1963)                                                                                               Done by: Le Quang Ha                                                                                                              Oil on Canvas                                                                                                                      250 x 300 cm

Background Information on Le Quang Ha

Le Quang Ha was born in Hanoi in 1963 and graduated from the Hanoi Industrial College of Fine Arts in 1992.  Le Quang Ha avoids traditional, academic subjects in his art, and instead chooses to address issues that many artists prefer to overlook or even ignore in their work. There is much vitality, meaning, and social critique in the brutal honesty of his art. With its ironic comments, his art addresses subjects, which the young generations of Vietnam are confronted with. The works present a sophisticated discourse on the clashes between tradition and the modern values of contemporary Vietnam.  In Vietnam, his art is still regarded as an outburst within the official and social framework, and are regularly populated with police and military officers as he often comments on the corruption and greed of the country. Nevertheless, it is the very controversy that he arouses which has become the leading indicator of the importance of his art. Le Quang Ha has participated in several exhibitions in Vietnam. He has also taken part in shows in Germany (1992, 1996, 1997), China (1993), Switzerland (1996, 2001, 2004), Hong Kong (1997), Japan (1998), USA (1998, 1999, 2006), Korea (1999), Indonesia (2001), and Great Britain (2005)..  His paintings are in the permanent collections of the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan and the Singapore Art Museum.

              

http://www.thavibu.com/vietnam/le_quang_ha/VIE2900.htm

The Dictator

In this painting, a metallic god-like figure with eight arms grasps the air in all directions, morphing from a pile of machinery — a disturbed view of the industrialization in the cities as Vietnam wins manufacturing business from China. Its eight arms extend menacingly towards the viewer against a background of industrial machinery, and the figure spreads across almost the entire width of the painting, and forms the main focus of the work. In the background, the space is jammed tight with piles of machinery that seem to be part pf the figure’s mutation. The impact and effects of modernization are expressed strongly here; highlighting the negative consequences that the socio-economic changes that are taking place in Vietnam today may have on the environment and the human condition.

Unlike their Chinese counterparts, with their all-out commentaries on the politics of Mao Zedong and fast-developing consumerism through the political pop and cynical realism movements, Vietnamese artists took a much more introspective approach when they were finally given some freedom. Artists have dismissed collectivism in style, and traditional topics of leaders, peasants and soldiers, have been replaced by flowers, fishes and women.

The Vietnamese didn’t have a strong Cultural Revolution and they didn’t have a strong cult following of Ho Chi Minh, nor do they have a downfall from Ho Chi Minh, so they can’t use his image, while the Chinese have allowed Mao’s image to be propagated popularly in a way the Vietnamese government won’t allow. Ho’s image is still taboo. However, there are still a few works that show that some Vietnamese artists are trying to push the country’s boundaries in term of social and political commentary. And of which includes Le Quang Ha”s “The Dictator”.

The machinery in the background is carefully modeled and painted, with much detail, making it seem as if they have come alive, and have a life of their own. There is careful blending, and brushstrokes can barely be seen, making the monster look realistic even though it does not exist in reality. His choice of colours, monochromatic of mostly, grey, white and dark blue, gives the painting a sense of gloom and darkness, and the feelings evoked upon looking at this painting are definitely not positive. The stretching out of the arms towards different directions also gives the painting a sense of space, while at the same time portraying a sense of hopelessness, as if the monster is lost, and is trying to find his way out. This may in turn portray the situation in which Vietnam is in – a mess, and without any way out. No matter how hard the country is searching, it may probably be a long time before the can come out of this mess, and it is the country’s poor folks that are suffering the most in this stampede of industrialization as everyone tries to scramble to the top.

 References: http://www.lequangha.com/page.aspx?page_code=LQH.Text&ContentItemID=2278&languageCode=en&ds=895http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aIM6WG_yBT5Q&refer=muse

 

The Foolish O’man

Me and guo shu decided to visit SAM after National Day Celebrations to look for some art works so that we could write an essay about it. so anyway i chose ”The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains” by Xu Beihong. I think its quite an interesting piece of work, and not to mention that the size of it almost made my jaw drop. also, i think that Xu Beihong is a really cool and patriotic guy too. If only i were half as patriotic as him ><

Painting: The Foolish Old Man who Removed The Mountains                                             Done by: Xu Beihong

Background Information about Xu Beihong

Xu Beihong is widely recognized as the father of modern Chinese painting, both for his innovative ink works that did much to revitalize the traditional Chinese form and for his willingness to embrace Western techniques, particularly French Realism. He had an immense influence on the development of Chinese painting in the 20th century because he championed an expansive realism that included Romanticism and Expressionism. As a patriot, Xu helped to bolster Chinese morale during the Second Sino-Japanese War, subtly working anti-Japanese themes into paintings done during those years, especially between 1939 and ‘41, when he was the height of his career and traveling throughout Southeast Asia and India hosting well-received shows. Despite being away from his country physically, he never forgot China…

The Foolish Old Man who Removed The Mountains

Drawn in Darjeeling, India in 1940, “The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains” is the largest-size painting produced by Xu Beihong. This painting is based on the story of Beichan Yugong from the classic work Liezi. In the story, the old man decided to remove the two mountains in front of his house. Although ridiculed as a folly, the old man resoned that if his sons and grandsons persevered in the task, the mountains would be removed eventually. When God learnt of the old man’s determination, he was so moved that he ordered that the mountains be moved. This story is important for Xu as he wanted to use it as a metaphor to praise Chinese efforts in resisting Japanese aggression at the time. This painting was his way of encouraging the Chinese people in the anti-Japanese efforts, and his hope for them to persist in the face of adversity. During his visit to India, Xu was much moved by the flora and fauna of the Indian subcontinent and produced many views of its landscapes, particularly the Himalayas. But from this painting that was done during his stay there, one can tell that China was never far from his mind.

“The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains” by Xu Beihong was painted in a realistic manner by adding many intricate details, and the forms were mostly carefully modeled. The human figures are outlined by a bold black line, and together with the colour shades, Xu gave the painting a 3 dimensional effect, and the lines used are sinuous and flowing. Composition wise, Xu had discarded the strict composition characteristic of classical Chinese paintings and instead opted for a more complex composition. There is also a fixed-point perspective in this painting. Colours used are also mostly earthly and naturalistic, showing not much deviation from realism.

In the foreground, 6 strong men with tanned skin are working on the mountain, and either holding or raising up chankuls – they all seem to be hard at work. Out of the 6 men, 5 are young, strong and well-built, while the last one is fat and slightly older. He is wearing a piece of cloth, also known as sari, which clearly portrays the Indian influence in Xu’s artwork. In the middle ground there are 2 fat man are carrying baskets made of rattan, and inside these rattan baskets contain radishes. The elephant here also shows clear influence by the Indian’s culture, as elephants are often used in India for helping out with manual labour. However, the grass here is painted in a Chinese ink style, as it is given a very light tone. There is also a girl on a buffalo cart, and here, the Chinese culture is portrayed, as while Indian’s often use elephants to help out, Chinese usually use buffaloes to help out in the fields. The type of clothes worn by the girl also depicts clearly the Chinese lifestyle. In the background, it is mostly bamboos shoots and vast plains that are painted in Chinese ink style, and they seem to be fading away. However, this painting does not only portray influences by Indian culture, the well blended skin tones of the men also show western influences. 

References: http://www.asianartnewspaper.com/article/xu-beihong-in-nanyang

http://www.nhb.gov.sg/WWW/pr/sam/Xu%20Beihong.pdf

Part II

Question 2. 

Liu Kang, Seated Model (Figure 2a)                                                                               1953, Oil on canvas

Figure 2a

Figure 2b

Hendra Gunawan Bandung as a Sea of Fire (Figure 2b)

1972, Oil on canvas, 117 x 197.5cm, Collection Ir Ciputra Foundation

 

(a)  Describe the subject matter of these paintings.

In Liu Kang’s “Seated Model”, there is a full body portrait of a semi-nude Balinese woman, and it is the main focus of the entire painting. The woman is bare on top, but wears a long, baggy pair of dull red pants until her ankles, and a white band secures it. She sits on a black rattan chair with her head resting on her left arm, and seems to be very calm and peaceful with her eyes closed. She is most probably taking a break now. She wears white beady earrings on both ears, and there are flowers on her hair. In her right hand, she holds a few white flowers that seem to have been taken from the bush beside her. Her body shape is also well kept, and she appears fit.

However, Hendra Gunawan’s “Bandung as a Sea of Fire” is vastly different compared to “Seated Model”. It depicts an exodus of refugees from a fiery war zone, the result of anti-communist massacre of the 1960s. In the foreground, a man lays on the ground with his limbs twisted in awkward positions. His right hand is pressing onto what seems to be a wound, on his chest, and his eyes are looking up as if in great pain and on the brink of death. Behind him, a woman lay on the floor, and her hands and face all seem to be covered in blood, and she appears to be crushed under some debris. In the middleground, man and woman are seen fleeing with their belongings and children. While in the background, black smoke raises into the air as fire consumes everything in its way, and people flee from the scene. “Bandung as a Sea of Fire” portrays death, destruction, and sufferings of the humankind, and people are seen fighting for their own survival, and that of their loved ones.

 

(b)  Analyse and interpret the artists’ intentions.

In “Seated Model”, Liu Kang seems to be portraying a sense of calmness and peace with the use pf warm colours that blend harmoniously with each other. Earthly colours are mainly used for the foreground, while green is used for the background. He is trying to portray the simple life of the villagers in Bali, and a life of no worries as seen by the woman who is simply resting in the outdoors with a slight smile on her face. The flower in her hands also gives a sense of friendliness and warmth, while suggesting innocence and peace at the same time. Also, as interpretated by her relatively dark skin colour and muscular arms, life is not necessarily easy for the woman. And she may be doing manual jobs. But despite a tough life, she appears happy and satisfied, contented with her lot, and not greedy for more. This shows a contrast between the competitive life and hectic lifestyles of the urban city areas. People in these rural areas take their time to do things, and enjoy life as it is. Furthermore, the blue sky, and calming colour of the trees in the background give a safe and soothing effect. The green that fills up much of the remaining space gives the painting a calm and relaxing look, which is all part of the impression that Liu Kang is trying to portray.

However, in  “Bandung as a Sea of Fire” is entirely different. Hendra Gunawan may be suggesting the cruelty of bloodshed cause by the anti-communist raids. The short and choppy brushstrokes, and the lack of details and blending makes the painting look chaotic and hectic. Everything seems to be in a mess, and everyone is in a rush. The fire in the background also seems to suggest turmoil and chaos, whereby everyone is fleeing for their lives. The colours used are also very intensely warm and striking to give a sense of danger. However, the black background covers the painting in a depressing gloom. Hendra Gunawan seems to be conveying an idea of death and destruction, and sufferings of man.

 

(c)  Discuss the impact the two paintings have on you.

Liu Kang’s “Seated Model” gives me a feeling of peace and rest, and some sort of ideal lifestyle whereby I can be free of worries. This is due to the green colour that provides a sense of stillness, and makes on feel at ease. The calming effect makes one feel sleepy just as the woman in the painting is doing, and the inner peace within the woman is successfully brought out as well.  Furthermore, the sweet smile of the woman gives a sense of security and reassurance too. All in all, the feelings evoked by this painting are mostly positive and happy.

However, on the other hand, Hendra Gunawa’s painting evokes s sense of chaos and confusion, probably due to the fast brushstrokes used, and the minimal toning and modeling which was used in the painting. It also makes me feel depressed and worried, and some sort of negative feelings are aroused upon the sight of the man in the foreground. The scenes of fire, destruction and helplessness also evoke a sense of tightness as if one is unable to breath due to the situation in which things are in. The bloody red strikes boldly, and gives a twisted feeling that makes on depressed, sad, and fearful at the same time.

Also, as both paintings are done in Indonesia, I have come to the conclusion that Indonesia probably went through many kinds of situations, from peace and stability to utter turmoil and choas. The comparison of the two paintings has provides further insight on the human spirit, about how humans behave as they go through different experiences in life. We can also experience the futility of life through these paintings, as even though everything may seem fine now, no one knows what the future holds. 

Block Test 2 SOVA

haha…i finally decided to type it out. 

Block Test 2 AEP SOVA

Qn 1. Montien Boonma, Two Buffaloes (Figure 1)

figure 1

 

(a)    Explain in your own words, the meaning of “Installation Art”.

In my opinion, “Installation Art” means something that is created from an assemblage of different items. However different they things may originally be at first, upon unison, they come together to form something totally different, thereby preventing the viewer from concentrating on one individual object, but instead interpretate it as one. Every item is placed in for a particular reason, and the meaning conveyed will not be the same if something is missing. Also, in “Installation Art”, the position and placement of the different items together play an important role in the intended message by the artist. The angle in which the art piece is placed such that viewers see it through certain perspectives is also crucial in the message conveyed. Furthermore, as opposed to paintings and drawings, “Installation Art” is an art piece made of tangible items that allows viewers a total experience of all 5 senses – sight, smell, hear, touch and taste.

 

(b)  Describe the subject matter by Montien Boonma, highlighting the significance of the materials used.

The subject matter is portrayed by two sacks of rice on two stools that stand on four legs. Each bag of rice and stool represent one buffalo, therefore in Montien Boonma’s “Two Buffaloes”, two buffaloes are portrayed as suggested by the title also. One buffalo is represented as the head, with a horn protruding out of the top right corner of the sack of rice, while the other shows the back of a buffalo, with a tail sticking out. The tail is made of straw, and is bundles together such that it forms a circular shape that ends off as a twirl at the top of the rice sack. Buffaloes are a common sight in rural Thailand and represents Thailand’s agricultural history and commerce of Thailand over the centuries.

The hay, sacks of rice, horn, and wooden stools all give a sense of roughness, something unrefined, but simple and naturalistic. The texture of the straws bundled together seems to signify the jobs of the farmers – tough, intense and never smooth-sailing. On the other hand, the strong horn implies the strength and perseverance of the poor farmers that is needed for them to endure through hard times. However, the sacks of rice symbolize the fruits of their labour, and their rewards for everything they have gone through. Therefore, though entirely different, these items cam portray an important and common message when assembled together. This installation shows the job process of a farmer and the story would not have been complete in the absence of any item. The natural materials used also give a sense of sincerity and empathy, not just something untrue and synthetic.

 

(c)  With reference to another art work by the artist, explain why the subject matter appeals to you as an installation, as oppose to a painting.

In installation art, the texture can be felt, and it allows  the involvement of other senses other than sight only. Even though the sense of touch can be portrayed through the use of thick paint, and choppy brushstrokes, the end results are limited, and can only be illustrated though the items themselves. The grainy and splintered texture of the hay can never be illustrated through painting. Therefore even though some effects can be illustrated through painting techniques, the final effect will not be as effective. 

Montien Boonma’s other works include ‘Lotus sound’, which is an installation art done in 1992. It is made up of many terracotta vessels shaped like bells and stacked together to form a circular wall with holes in it. Behind the wall of ceramic vessels, gilded terracotta leaves are attached to the walls, suggesting the falling leaves of a lotus flower.  The subject matter, which is the wall of bell-like structures, appeals more to me as an installation, rather than a painting as it involves more than 1 of our senses.

Essay Time.

Question: Describe one of Han Sai Por’s Sculpture.

Tropical Brain Forest by Han Sai Por is a sculpture of numerous brains. The sculpture is currently located at the Defense Science Centre. The brains are oval in shape, and each brain tree is uniquely designed. They are erected on straight poles in 4 different levels. They form 4 circles, one inside the other, with the most number of trees on the outer most circle and on the lowest step. As the circles move in, the number of brain trees decreases, and they become taller. Finally in the middle, one tree stands alone on the tallest pole. From a horizontal viewpoint, the trees form a pyramid shape. They are green in colour so as to give a leaf-like appearance–the greenness of a forest. They brain tree sculptures are  closely packed and varying in height so as give a sense of denseness, like trees in a rainforest. 

 

Question: Describe one of Antony Gormley’s installations in relation to the concept of land art.

Another Place by Anotny Gormley is a series of sculptures that consists of 100 cast iron figures which face out to sea. All in all, they are spread out over a 3.2km stretch of beach. Each figure is 189-cm tall (perfect height to be my boyfriend. haha!) and weighs around 650-kg, and they are all cast replicates of the artists’ own body.

Man’s relationship with nature is explored through the ebb and flow of the tide in this piece of art work by Antony Gormley. At the seaside, time is being tested by the tides, whereby architecture by the elements and the prevalence of the sky seems to question the earth’s substance. At low tide, all 100 cast figures are exposed; while at high tide, most of them are totally submerged and experiencing “Another Place”. The viewer’s experience of the work depends on the state of the tide, the weather conditions and the time of the day. Through this piece of work, human life is tested against time on Earth. These sculptures, being exposed to light and time , portray the nakedness of a particular and peculiar body. It also illustrates the concept that there is no heroes or ideals, just the industrially reproduced body of a man trying to remain standing and trying to breath–the mere fight for survival.

 

Question: Compare and contrast the works by the artists (Antony Gormley and Han Sai Por), paying attention to their concerns in art.

The differences are that Han Sai Por is more concerned with nature and medium while Antony Gormley is more interested in human form and human uncertainty–the relationship between art, society and environment. Also, Sai Por prefers working with small art works and uses stone and marble as her preferred medium, while Antony’s works are becoming increasingly big, and he prefers using steel and metal for his sculptures. Han Sai Por deals with positive spaces when dealing with sculptures as she carves the granites, while Antony deals more with negative spaces due to all the casts he uses to make his figures. 

However, they are similar in the sense that they both deal with organic forms, and prefer the raw state of shapes. They both also use replication and repetition in their art works, yet still in their different ways.

 

heh! that’s the end of this essay. quite boring right, i wouldn’t read it if i were you too. only the teacher would, because he/she has to grade it. but anyway hope it sounds okay, coz when i first wrote it it was in point form, and my english ain’t very good.yer.

happy sleeping everyone! its 11.50pm…the wordpress time is different. sorry…so random!

 

周 peace。

Review of the-Pleasantville

Hello!

Today was movie day! and we watched “Pleasantville”. it was quite a pleasant movie, except that we have to follow up with this discussion essay.sighs.

Title: Pleasantville (1998 )
Director and Writer: Gary Ross

David, an all time nerd whose life revolves around studying and watching the TV show “pleasantville”.
Jennifer, a hot popular girl in high school whose interest is in handsome guys, dates and sex.
While fighting over the TV remote, they accidentally break it and a mysterious old man appears and offers them a new remote. However, the remote is actually magical, and while fighting over it…POOF! and they’re in the show–”Plesantville”, which is when the show really starts!

Discuss the symbolic use of colours in the movie Pleasantville that address specicifally the themese of race, sexuality, and personal freedom.

The use of colours in the show symbolizes the changes which the town Pleasantville undergoes as David and Jennifer starts to introduce things from the real world to the people there. The monochromatic colours, mainly black, white and grey, portray the monotony of life of the people living in Pleasantville. Everyday, they go through the same lifestyle, like robots in a preprogrammed system, if something doesn’t go the way its supposed to, they are at lost of what to do. Everything is meant to be perfect.

However, as the people start to learn and experience things which they never knew about before, like sex and knowledge of the world beyond Pleasantville, “real” colours start appearing in their little town. The first time Jennifer had sex with her boyfriend, Skip, a rose became red. The red symbolizes the passion between not only the young couple after their first night together, but also that of the entire Pleasantville’s residents towards these new happenings. It portrays they’re passion and need to enquire, to find out more about what they have been missing out on, and they’re want for that experience. Once anyone did something unpleasant, or different from what they normally did, like having sex or masturbating, they would immediately have “colour”. This, even though seen as a disease by the residents of Pleasantville, actually signifies the attainment of personal freedom, and having the joy of being able to do something you really like, be it pleasant or unpleasant.

However, Jennifer and David are unable to get their “colour” back, meaning that they were still black and white. Jennifer thought that considering the number of times she had sex, she should have gotten her “colour” back just like the other girls who had their’s after having sex only once. But, Daivd told her that maybe it wasn’t really about having sex and breaking codes of conduct. Finally, when Jennifer picks up her first ever book and starts to read it, rejecting an offer from her boyfriend to go out, she wakes up to find herself “coloured” again. David too, gets his “colour” back after standing up for his mother (in the TV show) against bullies, summoning his courage to protect her from harm. So, through this, I feel that you do not get your “colour” only through breaking some rules and not doing what is expected of you from society. Instead, it means to free yourself from the kind of person you thought you were all along and explore the hidden parts of you true self. Only when you are able to achieve this, are you considered to have freed yourself from the prison you’ve been locking yourself up in. Just look at Jennifer, she hated studying and always pursued to be a cool and popular girl. However, when she picked up a book, she realised that studying was not that bad after all, and was in fact quite interesting that she even rejected a date from her cool boyfriend. David on the other hand was always nerdy and quite and never had the courage to approach the girl he fancied or stand up for his own beliefs. But, seeing his mother getting bullied, he finally summoned up courage and stood up for what he felt was right.

The ban of the use of colours other than black, white and grey also portray how the residents of Pleasantville are being oppressed by the town chief. One expresses himself and speaks for his beliefs through the use of colours and imagery (whether pleasant or not), therefore through the ban of use of colours, people have lost their “voice”; their freedom to voice out for any unjustice.