Self Portrait

I actually made my objective portrait after the subjective one. I debated for a long time on how to make a picture of me objective. It seems like there is almost no way, since I'm the one creating it or selecting it. I decided to draw the portrait based off the web cam picture because it wasn't an especially bad picture of me, but it wasn't one I really liked either. It just seemed to be a pretty accurate mirror image. I wanted to show this image, but needed to create something at the same time so I made a drawing. I didn't try to make myself look better (not that I have that kind of artistic ability anyway). I just tried to translate my face from one piece of paper to another. To me, that seemed objective enough.

I came up with the idea for my subjective portrait pretty quickly. I wanted to have fun with it and try to represent my unusual self. I chose the same picture as a base, and put a bunch of other pictures of myself and things important in my life on top of the face. It looked like a monstrosity, but I figured it couldn't get more subjective than that. It was my creation.

National Gallery

Touring Robert Frank's exibit was more eye opening than expected. I learned about how much importance sequence can have in photography. I had never heard of photographers making picture books before, and I came to realize that it wasn't about picking the best pictures and just sticking them in a book. The artists that create these books pay close attention to all the details to convey their message. There is also a lot to be discovered in each individual photo. Frank's photos seemed like poems full of figurative language and hidden meanings. It's hard to believe that in one moment a person could capture so much.

I also went through the modern art section of the gallery. It was neat to be able to go through and see artists we have discussed in class such as Giochometti. To be able to see the art in person helped me relate to it that much more.

Peeps

The Washington Post has an annual Peeps diorama contest. In the Style section of the April 12 edition there is a two page spread showing several of the more notable entries. Everyone loves Peeps, and a lot of people love art. It's the perfect combination. Entries included the "Miracle on the Hudson" and "Octomom" themed dioramas. The entries in the competition reflect current events, the things that are on people's minds right now. The detail is really amazing and the Peeps will make you giggle. It's art that reminds you of the joy in the simple things in life. It proves you don't have to be Monet to make something memorable.

From the Beach - Coconut

Found: Beach

This coconut was found on a beach in florida. It could have washed up on the beach, or fallen from a nearby tree. Who knows where it came from? All we know is that it is not art, because it has not yet been modified. There is plenty of art that has been made with coconuts, like party decorations and bikini tops. However, just by itself, it's just a coconut and that's all it can be until it is changed by human hands. It is neat to ponder where in the world it might have come from though. What if it came from all the way across the ocean?

From the Beach - Stump

Found: Beach

This stump was sticking out of the sand at a beach in Florida. It looks like driftwood, but obviously it's not going any where. But driftwood itself is another interesting item to consider when you're trying to figure out what is and isn't art. People certainly use things like this for decorations. They're great to make coffee table out of. As beautiful as the wood is though, it's not art to me, because I see art as something man made, something that was created for some artistic purpose. I would allow a sculpture made with driftwood to be art because the wood was the material the human used to make the art. It's a medium, but the art is the whole finished object. This stump sitting by itself on the beach is neat looking and has some potential, but it's not art.

Tie Strap

Found: My house

I found this downstairs in my basement. There is just no way I could see this as art. Someone please show me how this could be art. It's not art because it's a very simple piece of plastic. It's common. It's cheap. It can be used for just about everything. The cops use them as handcuffs! There is no way that can be artistic. The remarkable thing about this everyday object is not that it isn't art, but rather, like the zipper, how useful it is. Whoever invented the tie strap deserves a thumbs up.

Zipper

Found: My house

To me this zipper is one of those every day things we use that has been decorated a little to use for fashion. It's definately not a work of art in itself, but the color of the metal and the pattern of the string help make whatever it belonged on look more fashionable. I guess you could call it a helper. It's also something we use everyday without thinking about the genius of its invention. Seeing it seperated from whatever it was used on caught my attention. If it was part of the whole jacket or backpack, we wouldn't really notice it that much. But by itself, it's like an arm seperated from a body. It's in an unexpected place.