Art and human relationships
Relational aesthetics is a theory of aesthetics in which artworks are judged based upon the inter-human relations which they represent, produce, or prompt.
"the role of artworks is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities, but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real, whatever scale chosen by the artist."
Relational Art..."main feature is to consider interhuman exchange aesthetic object in and of itself." -Bourriaud.
"Relational Aesthetics is a way of considering the productive existence of the viewer of art, the space of participation that art can offer." -Bourriaud.
Who judged the artist? The audience? It also reaffirms the idea that art have a social responsibility - as artists are working with the environment that they are in/or not? Inviting the audience into their space - creating the 'space' = art now is about the "interaction" between the social environment that the artist create and the audience encounter with it. The invisible wall between the artist and the audience in the process of art making 'dissolves'. So, is this to say that the final 'product' of art making is the audience encounter with the environment that the artist creates.
If this is the case, what happens when there is a lack of audience? Would the work be deemed unsuccessful? Failing is part of the process of art making. In the case of the audience - must they be informed (art ) audience or would it be better is they are the public who may not have any experience. But then, are we dividing the line between public audience and informed audience?Relational aesthetics talks about the context of art making at this point of time. It is more about the inter-human relationships between the artist and the audiences. Artist gives meaning to gestures/symbols based on their knowledge and experience.
Kai’s intention is based on his understanding and negotiation of life and relationship. This could be seen in FOI 4, the poetic symbolism of the fish and life - how often we may be deemed/perceived as pushing ourselves away from the conformity of life, when in actual fact, we are clearly misunderstood?
For the performance, it was held indoors and at a theatre space, 72-13. Are his audience known/informed audience? What kind of environment does he put his audience in? I feel that for that performance, most of his audiences are people who have knowledge in art. It did not reach out to those outside the space in which he was working. However, his work, Anthology Blues, which was held at Post-Museum, Rowell Rd, attracted foreign workers who were having their off days. I think that the venue in which the artist is working in affects the kind of audience that came. At the same time, one would ask if the audience intervention are actually permitted at performance art shows and how would the artist react to this intervention.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The context of art-making [5]
The fine art of gentrification talks is about the issue of gentrification at New York, Lower East Side in which artists are indirectly involved in. Can artists be held responsible for this? It is unavoidable that they find the area to be 'bohemian' - suitable for their artistic practice. This will make us question their initial intention - after a while, the place was 'revamp' to create something like an 'arts village'. Gentrification is an example in which artist chooses to ignore the impact their action may cause to the environment and in this case, it cause thousands of people homeless.
In Singapore context, the social responsibility of the artist will also depend on the audience that comes to watch the performance or the exhibition or the space in which the artists works in. I feel that the performance (FOI 4) - being a durational one, in a way manage to get audience to look at his process of art making or meaning making. The responsibility would then be to how much the audiences are involved in his work. How much is he willing to share - or is it up to the audience interpretation? In his performance, he was performing with a fish. Is it an act of questioning our morality?
I do believe what Kai said when he says that the fish is able to live on water and on land. Is he questioning our preconceived idea/knowledge that all fish live in the water and that having it 'walking' on land is a form of cruelty? Is the artist in control of the situation? Is he in a way 'controlling' the mind/actions of the audience?
The words 'free live' that was written on his hand - is this a reflection/response? This act is contradicting as the fish is on the floor and it is not free. Furthermore, using a fish may be questionable as the fish (which is a living thing) has its own rights. Are we actually deciding for it to perform (just because it may talk in a language that we may not understand)?
Friday, October 12, 2007
thoughts
paradoxical :
1.a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2.a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3.any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature.
4.an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.
ambiguous:
1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
2. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.
(Foucault - Madness and Civilization)
Discursive Formation - allows some modes of thought and deny others
Workable Conformism - defined as normality,maturity,developedness
Antithesis -opposition,contrast,direct opposites - the autonomous assertion of pure, spontaneous self
1.a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2.a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3.any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature.
4.an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.
ambiguous:
1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
2. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.
(Foucault - Madness and Civilization)
Discursive Formation - allows some modes of thought and deny others
Workable Conformism - defined as normality,maturity,developedness
Antithesis -opposition,contrast,direct opposites - the autonomous assertion of pure, spontaneous self
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Homi Bhabha [3 ]
Homi Bhabha talks about the interstitial space, on how the difference is articulated. It is always imagined that Europe is the centre. The idea of in between-ness and hybridity. Culture which interact, transgress and transform each other, thus destabilizing the idea of binary opposites.
The question of what is East and what is West is a paradox. This is so as we are acknowledging the term east and west and trying to combine the difference. This is called hybrid. The idea of the original culture may not even exist. This is link to the act of translation in which we translate our understanding of the guest culture to our work.
Artist are agents who generate knowledge and ideas in the act of receiving and producing things. They unconsciously or consciously would be speaking about the West and the East at the same time. In Kai’s work, the combination of medium between installation work/performance art (Western ideas) and themes/ideas/subject (local context) matter of the artist Kai's subject matter is a hybrid. His works have Singaporean elements in them due to the fact that he is based in Singapore.
Kai sees installation art or performance art as a progression from sculpture or painting. Through the use of performance, he is able to capture the audience to be more sensitive and aware to his art making process. In a way, installation art also does not restrict the viewer to just one image but many multiple images.The categorization of the symbols in Kai's work as being 'Singaporean' is problematic. It reaffirms the given meaning to these objects. There exists a conflict between his understanding and the historical narrative - or preconceived idea. This is unavoidable as experiences, heritage and culture influenced the way the artist defines his work. I feel that as Kai is born, educated and working in Singapore, his work is very much influence by the cultural context of Singapore. Singapore is itself very much a hybrid of different cultures and Western ideas put together. Due to this, the source of origin of any particular culture may never be known. His ritualistic acts (Anthology Blues), altar, incense and playing of chants could actually a combination of different cultural practices.
210907 [2.1]
terms: [ given definition by people]
modern = west material ?
traditional = east spiritual ?
how the idea of traditional or primitive is being adopted or categorized?
dictionary definition of traditional:
traditional :
1.of or pertaining to tradition.
2.handed down by tradition.
3.in accordance with tradition
primitive :
1.being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world: primitive forms of life.
2.early in the history of the world or of humankind.
3.characteristic of early ages or of an early state of human development: primitive toolmaking.
4.Anthropology. of or pertaining to a preliterate or tribal people having cultural or physical similarities with their early ancestors: no longer in technical use.
5.unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage: primitive passions.
6.being in its earliest period; early: the primitive phase of the history of a town.
7.old-fashioned: primitive ideas and habits.
8.simple; unsophisticated: a primitive farm implement.
9.crude; unrefined: primitive living conditions.
10.Linguistics.
a.of or pertaining to a form from which a word or other linguistic form is derived; not derivative; original or radical.
b.of or pertaining to a protolanguage.
c.of or pertaining to a linguistic prime.
11.primary, as distinguished from secondary.
12.Biology.
a.rudimentary; primordial.
b.noting species, varieties, etc., only slightly evolved from early antecedent types.
c.of early formation and temporary, as a part that subsequently disappears. –noun
13.someone or something primitive.
14. Fine Arts.
a. an artist of a preliterate culture.
b. a naive or unschooled artist.
c. an artist belonging to the early stage in the development of a style.
d. a work of art by a primitive artist.
15. Mathematics.
a. a geometric or algebraic form or expression from which another is derived.
b. a function of which the derivative is a given function.
16. Linguistics. the form from which a given word or other linguistic form has been derived, by either morphological or historical processes, as take in undertake.
the artist as a translator - subconscious
- not what the artist say as the truth
modern = west material ?
traditional = east spiritual ?
how the idea of traditional or primitive is being adopted or categorized?
dictionary definition of traditional:
traditional :
1.of or pertaining to tradition.
2.handed down by tradition.
3.in accordance with tradition
primitive :
1.being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world: primitive forms of life.
2.early in the history of the world or of humankind.
3.characteristic of early ages or of an early state of human development: primitive toolmaking.
4.Anthropology. of or pertaining to a preliterate or tribal people having cultural or physical similarities with their early ancestors: no longer in technical use.
5.unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage: primitive passions.
6.being in its earliest period; early: the primitive phase of the history of a town.
7.old-fashioned: primitive ideas and habits.
8.simple; unsophisticated: a primitive farm implement.
9.crude; unrefined: primitive living conditions.
10.Linguistics.
a.of or pertaining to a form from which a word or other linguistic form is derived; not derivative; original or radical.
b.of or pertaining to a protolanguage.
c.of or pertaining to a linguistic prime.
11.primary, as distinguished from secondary.
12.Biology.
a.rudimentary; primordial.
b.noting species, varieties, etc., only slightly evolved from early antecedent types.
c.of early formation and temporary, as a part that subsequently disappears. –noun
13.someone or something primitive.
14. Fine Arts.
a. an artist of a preliterate culture.
b. a naive or unschooled artist.
c. an artist belonging to the early stage in the development of a style.
d. a work of art by a primitive artist.
15. Mathematics.
a. a geometric or algebraic form or expression from which another is derived.
b. a function of which the derivative is a given function.
16. Linguistics. the form from which a given word or other linguistic form has been derived, by either morphological or historical processes, as take in undertake.
the artist as a translator - subconscious
- not what the artist say as the truth
Friday, October 5, 2007
neotraditional in Art [2]
The neo-traditional in art deals with the question of traditional. What is traditional? Who defines it? What is traditional in present context? Before we touch further on the idea of traditional in Kai Lam’s work, we would have to look at what is the constructed, motivated belief of Kai, and how does it came about? Kai was trained in Sculpture at Lasalle- SIA College of the arts. There is this constructed belief that Lasalle students are “contemporary” and are influenced by Western Art History.
Neo – traditional art is the reinterpretation of the traditional art form which is influenced from the Western style art through colonization. Different community preserve a particular culture differently, thus varies according to culture.
With knowledge of his education background, maybe it would put certain things into place. I feel that Kai’s work have strong influences of Singapore. An example is the use of national symbols - 5 stars, a crescent and the statue of merlion. This questions our preconceived meaning of objects, which is due to our constructed belief of the symbols of Singapore. As mention by him, the symbols are owned by Singaporean, as the country is owned by all of us. It is also about the idea of empowering ourselves, how we define ourselves in the state control society.
Is he questioning the traditional idea of the symbols and coming up with his own meanings of what it means to him? The act of using is actually in a way 'preserving'? It is interesting to ask ourselves, who actually came up with the urban myth of the Merlion. I believe colonization may have a part in influencing the creation of symbols to create a sense of shared history (cultural identity of Singaporeans?). To me, the traditional in his work are the themes/symbols that he used in his work. Kai thus combine this with ideas from the West – performance art.
The use of symbols in his work (which may seem ritualistic and traditional) is combined with the idea of performance art. Based on the readings, we know that tradition is not neutral or natural but is motivated and constructed based on experience. It built through time, recirculating the ideas from the past ("stereotyping of the past"). We want both modern and tradition and at the same time we don't want to lose our tradition [problematic].
Neo – traditional art is the reinterpretation of the traditional art form which is influenced from the Western style art through colonization. Different community preserve a particular culture differently, thus varies according to culture.
With knowledge of his education background, maybe it would put certain things into place. I feel that Kai’s work have strong influences of Singapore. An example is the use of national symbols - 5 stars, a crescent and the statue of merlion. This questions our preconceived meaning of objects, which is due to our constructed belief of the symbols of Singapore. As mention by him, the symbols are owned by Singaporean, as the country is owned by all of us. It is also about the idea of empowering ourselves, how we define ourselves in the state control society.
Is he questioning the traditional idea of the symbols and coming up with his own meanings of what it means to him? The act of using is actually in a way 'preserving'? It is interesting to ask ourselves, who actually came up with the urban myth of the Merlion. I believe colonization may have a part in influencing the creation of symbols to create a sense of shared history (cultural identity of Singaporeans?). To me, the traditional in his work are the themes/symbols that he used in his work. Kai thus combine this with ideas from the West – performance art.
The use of symbols in his work (which may seem ritualistic and traditional) is combined with the idea of performance art. Based on the readings, we know that tradition is not neutral or natural but is motivated and constructed based on experience. It built through time, recirculating the ideas from the past ("stereotyping of the past"). We want both modern and tradition and at the same time we don't want to lose our tradition [problematic].
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