Artists

Charles Ray

1) What is that penis made out of ?
Apparently its sculpted it mentions that he uses alot of his body in his work- I wonder if that's a real mold of his penis- I doubt it. And by the way thats not a serious question.
2) What is he trying to portray in his work?
It seems he is trying to get us as an audience to ubblocxk a channel of awareness- he desribes the feeling as juvenile and yet sublime. He definately got me aware looking at his Male piece- nd I felt a little juvenile for looking at it.
3) What is my favorite piece ?
The installation that stood out the most to me was the "Shelf" piece. I really love the concept of it- to me it's genius. He places these objects on a shelf nd he places his own head iwth the objects- makes it look like all the other unactive objects. Therefore, his body becomes much more visually appealing. In todays society we look at the face in order to identify a person, but in his projects it's like your forced to look at his body as if the head wasnt even there- its just an inanimate object.
Personal Notes
WEll the first thing I obviously noticed was the naked man- more the penis though, it kinda catches you off guard cuz most manicanes dont have anything there but a bump. I like how he messes with your perception. The dummy looks exactly like a dummy we drew in my igure drawing class to study human form- ofcourse without the penis. In the second page it mention sthat Ray's success is measured by the reinvigoratio if his audience. That is how I measure my success - if the audience likes it, Im happy.
He mentions drugs alot in his interview- and I cant help but wonder how many famous artists have done drugs?Becuase he says it alters your perspective of the world. I have never done shrooms ( i guess thats what hes talking aobut) but all my friends have- perhaps I will try it purely for experimental purposes.
One thing in his story that stands out and quite bothers me, that is unanswered- I guess it has to b unanswered because he doesnt remember, but why was he lying naked between this couple? Had they taken him in as a sex slave, and he just forgot? Ad why did he not question why he was naked? Maybe thats why he appears naked in his pieces - it just doesnt other the man.
4) How should we view his work?
He says that his owrk should be for slow savoring but I dont agree wit hthat- at least I didnt slowly savor it. I mean maybe Im just bored easily, butit only stimualtes my brian for 30 seconds til I found out what Im looking at and then I get bored.
3 mroe questions
How could he do something more with his work? Has he ever seen a psycologist? And can I do shrooms with him?



Arnaldo Morales

1- He is obviously of Spanish ecent- does he let this affect his work?
It doesnt really seem like his ethnic background makes much difference in his work, but the life-changing events of violence in his life. The main thing he says is when he got shot in head. But maybe the whole reason he was attacked is because he was Puerto Rican- what if he was white- would he have gotten shot? So maybe his ethnic background does correlate to his work.
2- What is he trying to porttray in his work?
It seems as though the artist is trying to study the way people resond to fear, aggression, and vulnerability- through creating these scul[tures that spit, swing, and can physically harm you.
3- How did he learn how to engineer these if he only got a sculpting degree?
Apaprently he taught himself how to work with electricity- it says he created that bus project when he was ten. Gosh I bet his parents thought that he was some kind of special. I really admire people that teach themselves in all honesty - I am a very dependent person and have to be "Spoonfed" alot.
Personal Comments
It seems to me that he audience members aren't always angry, or hostile after the experiment ( which is what it said he was trinyg to study) but taht had fun with it- I wonder if that upset him that they werent fearful like he was in his near death experiments. I bleeive that alot of people- like myself- enjoy the act of being scared and surprised- we get a sick thrill out of having our minds "jump". I think thats why, some peopel like scary movies and some dont. I think that he should create somthing that would totally blow peopel away. I mean acutally put someone in a "life threatening" situation - but of course have it be fake. Kind of like the Saw movies but the person couldnt actually die(but have them think that they could)- and totally pyche them out. How cool would actually watching that be! Hia owrk definately intrigues me
3 other questions
How could I create something of this magnitude without having any engineering experience? What dopeople say after they go to see his work? Why cant I think of somthing this neat?


Scott Greiger

1) What is he trying to prtray?
Apparently he wants to study how people are intrigued by popular images and corporate propaganda. I personally fnd his mission boring- i think its apparent why people like tehse certain images- they were brought up to like them- either it's bright colors or a personal experience that involves that image
2) How does he want me to feel afrter seeing his wrk?
It seems to me that like Charles Ray he wants us to be aware- but not visually- he wants us to be more aware of what is going on in the world around us- liek the books says - he wants to capture a moment in time and reveal a truth that most people woldnt think about
3) What inspires hiim?
It seems as though he has started collecting these images through his study of anthropolgy in college - which I guess is the study of culture at a certain period of time- so I guess he is trying to understand the anthropology of our period in time. I thinks its so weird to think of our decade as a period in history. We hear aout all these past moments in history and we dont think how they affect our life today but they do- I mean we are actually in a war right now- that is gonna be in history books for our children to read- CRAZY!
Personal Comments
His work is not particularly appealing to me- I can't really quite put my finger on it- maybe its a visuals thing. It seems he has got this awesome concept of "caturing a moment in time- and revealing a truth. Or maybe its becuase the problems of today- although they apply to me like global warming, the war, the riduculous media- just dont interest me whatso ever- I should care but I just dont!
3 questions
CAn you focus on one thing going on in the world and not everything? CAn you possibly not bore me? How I start caring aobut these issues in our world today?


Kim JOnes


1) How does he portray his work?
It seems as tohugh his art isnt really for people to view in a gallery- but his alter ego- is an art form- He does art for hiself- He becomes his alter ego and manifests himself into a completely different person. He says that he tryed to do scultures and display them in a gallery to portray his alter ago- but found that attaching the sculpture to himself made more sense. I wonder if I will ever have something so personal to me that I will wan to attach it to myself to get my point across. I might have an alter ego- but what is it?
2) What does the building have to do with this photo?
I read later that he actually makes himseld into the alter ego and ewalks around in citites and public places in which is muddy/ almost prehistoric appearance is displayed. This might be odd to some peopel but makes perfect sense to me. I mean he is 2 differnt people all day everyday- and he should be himself whether it is "mudman" or Kim where ever he is- and if he lives in the city than so does Mudman.
3) What is this mudman?
Mudman is Kim and Kim is Mudman they are the same, but not really- Mudman is created through disgusing himself completely with mostly natural objects- But it I like how it just isnt about his appearance , disguise changes his total attitude and peoples perception of him- which I guess is his goal. He says he tell peopel think aobut him being a tree- well in that case they would jus twalk right by him- but is that what his alter ego wants?
Personal Comments
Kim Jones is definately an inspration to me - I love how he made his alter ego come to life- I think some people wouldnt consdier this art but it is! He makes people see him as Mudman and not Kim. Sometimes Iwish I oculd alter my appareance so much that I am portrayed as a completely different person- I wonder if Kim actually comes through wen Mudman is there-
3 More ?s
Is this really a personality disorder? Do I have an alter ego? If I altered my appearance to the point were I coudnt tell who I was- would it change my personality?




Daniel Joseph Martinez


1/ Why is he in the measuring success portion of this book?
Apparently he doesn't refer to himself as an artist becasue artists success is measured thourhg criteria-which he doesnt agree with at all. I still dont know how artists measure success- I think each one is different- I honestly dont know how Malena grades our projects- I mean I guess she grades it on effort- and ideas. But how do artists in the real world measure their own success? If a piece isnt popular-but the artist loves it- is it still considered successful?
2) What inspires him?
Like Scott Greiger he lets his work be inspred by the world around him- it seems that he has a lot of hatred for how our country is being run- as well as society- He also had a childohood experience by getting bet up so he began to form a hatred in my eyes for society- It seems to me that within his works he wants to promote change.
What are some of his theories of solving society?
Well this sotry didnt really answer that for me, but throgh his Musuem tags piece he definately believes racism is a root for alot of the problems in this country. Which I completely agree with- racism represents intolerance- intolerance represents difference- and diference leads to hatred- It is a root of alot of problems that peopel don't realize, it is the root of violence in this country.
Personal Notes
It seems to me that he would be a kind of bitter, unpleasant person in real life- apparently the interviewer said that he was a pretty nice guy. He views his work as social and not political- and says its about power...Well isnt that was politics are Power and socialism? Politics are about trying to change the worl around us to believe in what that politician believe in and to change the wrong things- isn't that exactly what he is doing? His work is political no matter if he wants to admit to it or not- and he is an artist as well.
3 More Questions
Will I ever not want to consider myself an artist? Will my art ever make politcal statements? Is he a republican or democrat?

First Assignment

Pgs. 8-11
- First of all I have never, as most beginning artists, been formally introduced to contemporary art. And I love how there are so many different types of art out there ("one may plug into a bank of computers while the other sorts through debris, and a third sketche the orgins of the universe") But I diasgree with the statement, "there is no predetermined measure of success" because I believe there is for each different art field. Maybe this book will change my mind.
- I do beleive that each artist generates a portotype with what ever they do in which generates from different cultures and traditions. I do not beleive that I am a "traditional" artist because I am influenced by the current culture and I do not limit mysef to anything.
- Art can have a profound influence on a society, I do not believe that alot of people would agree with that. But what they do not realize is that art is all around us. It's in our coffee shops, our buildings, our parks, our streets. It affects what we see, how we look at objects, how we drive, where we go, and how we learn.
- This paragraph states that artists today are challenged much more because of the limitless creative resources. I totally agree and that is one of the reasons I believe being an artist is so competitive- if people think its competitive in the classroom, it must be 10 times more in the real world.
-I would like to see how artists in the 1500's dealt with the midevil guild. I can imagine being limted to such conditions of work. Also, having a master take all the credit for it would be awful. One of the reasons people do art is to make an individual statement and to be recognized for it. I would be very different to be alive then.
-After the guilds shut down, Im sure the artists just went crazy with all of their creative ideas that were boiling up inside that they couldnt create because of the standardized guild system. But i can understnad how the freeing of the guild can cause unavoidable competition, because you actually wrk for yourself now, just like it is today.
-I love the idea that artists created their pieces without knowing their fortunes, in stead of just sticking to the traditional.
pgs. 16-17
-I didnt realize the artist's audience was so important. I have always created art with my intention of it looking good not other peoples' comsumption. I believe my rrelationship with my art would be described as "populism" becuase it typically refers to my fellow students and usually they can judge pretty well. I like for my art to be contradictory to others becuase if everyone liked it all of the time then what would be the challenge?
-If I do end up working in an advertising frm I will have to recognize that today's culture is media dominated, and that what I produce is not just for me but to capture the attention of my consumer. I will have to learn what kind of art my intended audience desires.
- I want to consciously design for my audience but with hold my personal style as well, Im sure that can be a challenge.
pgs. 122-24
- I love how they describe the words "inspiration" and "expiration." They relate it directly to an artist's life. I never knew that they were opposites.
-It would be nice to know what inspired such famous artists as Monet, Warhol, and DaVinci. But I guess I will learn that in art history. You cant really tell what influenced an artist unless the piece is purely objective. I bet some artists don't even know what inspires them.
- I beleive that I am currently living in a static world where I need to be consciously influenced. I would liek to be one of thoughs artists thatfinds their inspirational influnce within themselves. At least for a part of my artist career. Meditating or takin hallucinogens would be very interesting to do once. I acted know someone that panited while they were "tripping" on shrooms and it turned out very well- they painted a scene from Alice In Wonderland inwhich he personally interpreted.
- The book talks aobut how inspiration can come so sudden and so intense, I believe that is a reason to keep a creative journal on hnd- becuase you never know what will influence you.
- I do believe that tragic events such as war, poverty, and personal events are great ispiration igniters.
- Wow. I do believe this is a quote I will have to keep in my journal- "Viewer's also benefit from artist's inspired state because art confirms the existence of this elusive stateof being." That makes so much sense.
pgs. 194-95
- Everyone has their own sense of personal style whethere its the clothes you wear, the car you drive or where you live. I dont think my since of "self" is identified yet becuase I am still trying to figure out who I am, and I believe that finding your "self" comes with age.
- Who you are is defined by your life experiences and your self-image. I dont understand why a "wego" applies to someone who follows a historic style becuase ego means your own self image- but I guess thats why there is a "w" is front of it.
- I dont know what kind of ego I am yet- definately not a superstar ago YET!
-I am excited to see how my sense of "self" is defined as I continue to create art.
pgs. 234-235
- An attitude is a preconconcieved notion towards something. And can greatley influence not only the artist but the viewers.
- In most art pieces a person can figure out the artists attitude and what they were going for just by looking at it. A specific emphasis can determine the attitude, or the colors or the materials.
- I beleive I have a moderate" attitude and matter of fact sense of style with a self-important personality. My sources do vary I wouldnt say that I use religious or financial sources.
-It is my hope to make my work influence others and "strike an emotional chord" in others as I am sure it is for many artists.
pgs. 282-283
- If personally asked what artists do in relation to ballerinas dance I would say "artists' influence through means of their own creativity." Maybe thats my mission as an artist.
- I agree that art does over lap with what people call non art professions. Such as cooking, preaching, and teaching. Alot of people dont realize that jsut becuase a person doesnt have the title "painter, designer, etc. doesnt mea nthey aren't an artist.
-I dont think that alot of art is interpreted with a mission- alot of peopel just do it for their own enjoyment, but I bleieve having a mission as an artist is much more rewarding, and having their viewers understand the mission is half the battle.
pgs. 354
- Meaqsuring success to me is having goals and reaching them, enjoying my work, having a personal stlyle, and having my viewers appreciate my work. I would be fine with just self-satisfaction. Money and popularity would be nice but you cant think of that when you create art- it does not result in self-satisfaction.