Brazilian Opening Reception

On Wednesday I attended an opening reception at YBCA for a show called, When Lives Become Form: Contemporary Brazilian Art, 1960s to the Present. It was a lot of fun and totally worth getting a mild sore throat over the next day.

It started out slow and the place was swarming with security. I took two photos but got stopped because only press were allowed to take pictures. As a result, most of this blog is going to be compiled of pictures from online. Anyways, the night started a little slow, but after a couple of hours it was crowded with people. There were live Brazilian bands (both traditional and contemporary), Brazilian cocktails, ladies dressed in pink feathers and half naked, and there was art too. It was a show that could only be fully experienced at the reception because it really transformed the atmosphere from a museum to a party.

Purpose of the Show: The art show was about using cultural, historical, traditional, and societal influences that were deeply rooted in Brazil in order to create a movement of contemporary artistic statements using modern American and European inspirations, such as Dadaism and Deconstructionism to name a couple. Made up of Brazilian, Japanese-Brazilian, Jewish-Brazilian, and Afro-Brazilian artists, the show consisted of visual art, music, fashion design, sculpture, film, and architecture. The central theme revolved around Tropicália.

Tropi-what?:

Tropicália was an art movement in Brazil from 1967 to 1972 that focused on how art was shifting from what was considered “high brow” to commercial art. The idea originated from Hélico Oiticica –who was also the central figure of the art show. In 1967, Oiticica used clichés and tropical tropes, such as palm trees and tropical birds, to show how the culture had been consumed by commercialistic art. It was a form of expression that protested what society was becoming.

By 1972, a military dictatorship emerged in Brazil, which established censorships on art and freedom of speech. Many of the artists who led and followed the ideas and beliefs of Tropicália were incarcerated, exiled, or executed. Despite years of having a military dictatorship, Brazil returned to its democratic government in 1985 and the spirit and ideas of Tropicália flourish once again, but with a modern twist.

Enough with the History: I will show some artists that I really enjoyed at the show and briefly discuss their work. Some work may relate to other issues and themes depending on the artist’s ethnic background.

Fashion Design:

Jum Nakao. Sewing the Invisible.

This is a modified version of the video at the museum –the one at the museum is better. Fashion designer Jum Nakao created all of these clothing articles out of paper. Yes, paper. The featured fashion show was based on traditional Japanese dresses. Nakao wanted to show the rigidness of the past and how people tried so hard to conform to these ideals and to obey governmental authority. By busting out of the delicate dresses, the models were breaking away from the rigid past and governmental restrictions and becoming free to the modern ways of self-expression and freedom. It was stated that some people who saw the fashion show had cried because they could not picture a life without the strict traditions.

Installation:

Lygia Pape. Roda dos Prazeres (Wheel of Delights).

(this was not taken at YBCA)

Lygia Pape constantly worked in different media. This piece of hers was presented because of its Tropicália theme that involved antropofago*.

*antropofago or anthropophagy: a.k.a. cannibalism

Long story short, antropofago is a metaphorical explanation of cannibalism practiced by one of Brazil’s largest indigenous tribes, the Tupi. After capturing their enemies, the Tupi would select certain body parts from their enemies that they felt were "superior." By eating these parts, the individual would receive the strength and power of their enemy (eating other people was common in Mesoamerica). The strength was not to emulate the enemy, but to enhance one’s self through the actual process of ingesting, digesting, and absorbing the blood and flesh through one’s self (I guess you can look at it as a meditative thing where you put all of your attention on what you’re eating and how your body is absorbing it. In this case…nevermind).

With Pape’s piece, the bowls are filled with water, food coloring (I'm assuming), and a flavor that you would not associate with that color. For instance, a bowl with green water would be coconut-flavored. The purpose was to drop some of the liquid into your mouth and to focus on what you were tasting so you could embrace the senses –resembling the practice of antropofago. (Someone told me they saw “double-dipping” going on, so I didn’t try it).

Installation/Film:

Hélico Oiticica. Cosmococa CCI Trashiscapes.

(this was not taken at YBCA -the walls were painted black)

This piece by Hélico Oiticica was interesting. Hours before the show started, I saw people scrambling about, painting the walls, and installing things. The walls for this space were installed and you could still smell the paint when you walked inside –but I think it helped this particular piece. There were large cushions to lie down on, nail files, a video of drug references, and music that played both reggae and even some Jimi Hendrix-inspired music. It was actually a nice place to hang out for a while because it was dark and completely chilled. Well, I think you can guess where this is going and I don’t think I really need to add too many explanations. The only important thing I could say is Oiticica was a man who “was influenced by his observations and experience[s]” and felt that art should not divide the artist from the viewer –the artist and the viewer should be able to experience the same thing.

Visual Arts:

Osgemeos. Title Unknown, sorry.

I really liked osgemeos’ work. I have seen this spelled Os Gemeos, but everything at YBCA spelled it as osgemeos. Osgemeos is Portuguese for “twins.” The artist is really twin brothers who create graffiti art using mixed media on canvas and on the streets. I have seen a lot of graffiti art, but it generally uses the same media. What I liked was their art consists of incredibly thin ink lines, backgrounds made with printmaking techniques, spray paint to emphasize shadows and texture, and paint rollers to cover large spaces. Something about it really struck me and I really enjoyed staring at their pieces because there were so many details. The picture I posted is not what I saw and I searched like crazy to find it, but it is a painting from the same series.

Osgemeos creates art that reflects the graffiti streets of Brazil. However, they also add their own elements by using mixed media. Their themes range from culture to politics. Osgemeos also use bright vibrant colors that reflect how their contemporary art still consists of the roots from their cultural past.

Visual Arts:

Rogério Degaki. Vicky.

This was the only thing I was able to take a picture of, so it’s going in the blog. When I first saw this piece by Rogério Degaki, I thought it was a giant crochet of a dog with a beret. When I read the label and discovered it was an oil painting on canvas, I was shocked because the piece consisted of a lot of texture that made it seem like it was painted based on each strand of yarn. It was very bright and I enjoyed the rich colors. This dog with a beret is the only proof I have that I was at this event. I hope you all believe me.

In Conclusion: It was a very fun and exciting event. It’s still open, so if you get the chance, you should definitely check it out (keeping in mind that they don’t offer cocktails on normal business hours). There’s more to look at and I wish I could have taken pictures.

Apologies: I apologize for any long and unnecessary explanations that may have bored you all to death. If you got this far, thanks for reading!

Resources: My sources came from what I learned at YBCA. They give tours that explain everything too.

Happy reading,

Leslie Ann

leslieannart.blogspot.com

Online Survey

If there are people out there viewing my blog, I would appreciate some assistance. I’m taking a statistics class and we have to create online surveys. I wanted to incorporate a measurement that somehow combined art with psychology, so I created this survey about hemispheric thinking processes. If you wouldn’t mind clicking on the link to fill it out, I would really appreciate it (it's completely anonymous). More surveys = more data. :) Where it asks you to give a subject ID number, just put 9999 (it’s also stated on the survey).

www.lesbecerra.netfirms.com

By the end of the week I’ll explain what the survey measured in a little more detail.

Thank you!!!!!!!

Leslie Ann

leslieannart.blogspot.com

Hidden Art in my Closet

Earlier this week, I had to show pictures of some of my artwork that I have done in the past and I thought that I would share some of those photos with you. It was kind of interesting because I forgot about some of these pieces and I think they show a little of my versatility. These are all things I did a long time ago, so the quality may not necessarily be great, but I think they represent where I have come from as an artist as well as some of my interests and my personality.

I created this chair in 2003. The wings are made from plexiglass, and they can move side-to-side. The stinger was created from a broom stick. This is actually the chair that I use when I’m working and doing art in my studio.

Bumble Bee Chair

Front.

Back.

With a model to emphasize the stinger.

I made this piece in 2006. In my ceramics class, I had to throw a bunch of random pieces on a pottery wheel and then create a sculpture out of those pieces. This was the first thing I ever created in that class so I was proud of this piece. I was the worst in that class, but that’s another story for another time.

Chicken Head

This piece was something that I had started in 2002, but didn’t finish until 2007. It’s a weaving piece that I did using yarn, thread, straw, cardboard, and sticks. I finished the weaving in 2002, but I had a big square in the middle and didn’t know what to put in there until 2007 –talk about having creative block issues.

A Weaving

What I’m going to show next is something a little nontraditional, but I think it shows my “graphic designing abilities” –put into quotes so real graphic designers won’t be offended and feel like I’m taking on a title too great for my amateur skills –which may also be reflected from my Bumble Bee Chair. It’s a poster I created through PowerPoint for my research study of two years. It looks simple and boring, but I was given guidelines on how to create the poster and I followed those guidelines while also making it on the “artsy” side. Someone thought it was “outlandish” for the Statistics World, but they eventually came around and said it has its own artistic qualities that make it stand out.

Research Poster

Those are my early archived pieces that stay in the closet (literally), with the exception of the Bumble Bee Chair. Sometimes you have to show the old stuff so people can see where you come from and how you’ve developed.

Updates: I’ll post pictures of my current pieces very soon. I’m still working on making objects for one of my paintings and it’s taking me a long time. The process is long, but I hope it will all work out.

Capturing Moments at Work (includes a video)

I was painting last night (and in the wee hours of the morning) and I realized that this will be my last painting for a while until I get some woodworking lessons. I thought that I should take some pictures of myself and attempt a videotape so you can see what it looks like when I paint.

The painting I worked on last night is in two stages. I worked on the first stage, which was simply painting the canvas. The second stage will involve creating casts so I can create multiple objects using molds. Afterwards, I’ll paint the molded objects and then attach them to the canvas. I’m scared about whether or not it’s going to work, but I guess that’s how you learn things –trial and error.

In the video, I agree, the canvas looks like Jackson went completely insane and got into a fight with macaroni and cheese. The lighting makes the canvas look yellow, but it’s actually orange. I also agree that the video is a little boring, but it’s a glimpse of what I’ve been doing.

Go ahead and criticize all you want. I think it's actually interesting to hear how people interpret and perceive things. I also like the input because it makes me see my work differently and it motivates me to find ways to improve my next piece.

A Trip to the Cow Palace

Lesson I: TAT-TOO: Tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tatau. Tattooing involves injecting colored ink beneath the epidermis with tiny punctures through the skin’s surface.

The word “tattoo” was first introduced into Europe in the 1770s by Captain James Cook in his journal that described the Tahitian natives:

Both sexes paint their bodies, Tattow as it is called in their language, this is done by inlaying the colour of black under their skins in such a manner as to be indelible. -Cook, July 1769.

Where is this Going?: Last Friday, I went to the famous Cow Palace to check out the Tattoo Expo. Although I’m still considered a “virgin” in the Tattoo World, I find tattoos fascinating and I wanted to learn more about this fashionable form of art. I thought that the best way to experience and learn about this type of body decoration was to go to the Expo and to see first hand how one goes about getting a tattoo as well as how the tattooists work with this medium. I originally wanted to dive right into discussing my experience at the Expo, but after talking to people about my experience, I realized that a lot of people don't know how historical and cultural the art of tattooing has been worldwide. I decided that I would try to inform people of its long history and then I'll share the pictures and a few things I learned from the Expo. I will only focus on the highlights and attempt to make it as brief as possible, but you can skip the history and go to the Tattoo Expo section if you like.

Cliff Notes Version of the History: Before tattooing even began, body painting was considered the earliest form of body art. Popular pigments of the Paleolithic time were: red (commonly representing blood, vitality, mortality, and fertility); white (often associated with rituals, mourning, purification, and the supernatural); and black (typically representing impurity and evil). Depictions of such body paintings can be found on cave paintings illustrating hunters, men, women, and shamans. Different body painting patterns, geometrical shapes, and colors often represented ceremonies, rituals, tribes, gender, and shamanic experiences. With time, tattooing became the new fad.

Sahara rock painting, Tassili N'Ajjer, Algeria. Dots and lines represent

tattooing and body paint used in ceremonies, as identification,

and for shamanic experiences.

Body Painting vs Tattooing:
Body painting is temporary and is, therefore, often used for ceremonies and rituals.
Tattooing is permanent. Tattoos would represent one’s age, rank and lineage, expeditions, initiations, rights entitled, unusual personal events, and one's identity between communities and as individuals. Tattoos were also associated with religion, shamanism, healing, protection, and good luck.

Sahara rock painting, Tassili N'Ajjer, Algeria.

The Way of the Tattoo –Mastering Technique Based on Culture:
Different cultures and tribes have used, and continue to use, different tattooing techniques. Most tribal cultures would use instruments consisting of comb-shaped needles made of bone or even sharp, pointed teeth. These tools would then be dipped into a concoction of soot, charcoal, or other pigments mixed with oils such as walnut or pine. The tattooists would then drive the instrument into the skin, often using other tools as a mallet in order to puncture holes through the skin. Some cultures and tribes, such as the Oceanic tribes, used a needle and thread as a tool. After coating the needle with soot and oil, the needle would be threaded through the skin while following a desired pattern.

One of the oldest preserved skin tattooings from

a frozen, mummified body. The skin of this man's

hand has animal figures. Pazyryk burial mound,

Upper Altai, Siberia.

Tracing the Tattoo Epidemic from the Stone Age to Modern Times:
Before the Stone Age, carved human figurines covered with tattoos were dated back to 6,000 B.C. Two-thousand years later, figurines with facial and body markings, which represented tattoos, were found in an Egyptian tomb. Tattoos for Egyptians were reserved for women, specifically prostitutes, dancers, and singers. Men with tattoos in Egypt represented Libyan or Nubian prisoners.

By 2,000 B.C., tattooing spread from the Middle East to the Pacific Islands. There are two theories about how this spread, but I’ll skip that because I’m trying to make this brief –if you want to know, post a comment and I’ll let you know.

Japan, specifically Osaka, had many tattoo revolutions starting from the 5th Century B.C. Beginning as decorative and for religious purposes, the practice of tattooing eventually died and didn’t resurface again until the 13th Century B.C. At this point, tattoos were only intended to mark criminals and the “socially-undesirable.” Japan went through many phases and different types of tattooing styles that greatly influenced the types of Western tattoos existing today.

Controversies:
There has been a lot of controversy among the art-know-it-alls who argue over whether or not tattoos are considered “art.” Some people argue that the true tribal and spiritual connections have been lost, because the original intent from the past has become commercialized and even “trashy” and “overly erotic.” Others disagree and believe that people are passionate and serious about the types of tattoos they receive. I think, ultimately, it depends on the person who receives the tattoo and the person who is criticizing the tattoo. It is art no matter what you get.

Whatever goes behind the tattoo can be compared to how artists have been categorized into specific art movements. For instance, postmodernists can easily become pigeonholed into the “trashy” group, because they may not have the same original artistic motives as the impressionists or neoclassicists that people have studied for years. As for spectators, most people who have studied the famous art movements of the impressionists and neoclassicists have learned to love and appreciate these styles, which may cause some people to only appreciate art that follows these formulas. In the end, it all comes down to one’s own opinion and how open-minded one is about learning and understanding nontextbook and “nontraditional art.”

The Tattoo Expo: I didn’t realize before coming to the Expo that there seems to be two types of tattoo groups:

1. the “I only get sentimental and meaningful tattoos” group
2. the “I just get souvenirs and whatever” group

I respect both groups because I see the beauty, passion, and appreciation that each group has about their tattoos and about creating those tattoos for others. Each tattoo is unique and it tells you a little about the person based on their interests, beliefs, and artistic appreciations.

I also learned and heard both humorous and interesting stories about being an apprentice. Some people informed me that an apprenticeship can last for four years. Along with the learning, hard work, and dedication to keeping the workstations clean, apprentices also go through an initiation process. This requires making coffee runs, being tricked into getting tattoos in painful spots, and almost being a dancing monkey. Everybody goes through it. As long as you suck it up and don’t take it too personally, one of the other perks of becoming a tattooist is looking forward to doing the same thing to the next apprentice.

Enough with me boring you all to death, I’m finally going to show you pictures.

This artist had a mixture and combination of Eastern and Western influences.

Joel enjoys tattooing Japanese and Asian styled pieces.


Rush prefers tattooing the Japanese and Asian themed pieces.


Jason does piercings, which was also offered at the Expo.

Jason also informed me about a piercing called "stretching,"

which involves stretching the earlobes with ear spools or ear gauges.

One of Jason's tattoos is about how people are constantly evolving and changing.

Kaysea showed me her rocking tattoos and educated me on how different areas of the tongue hurt more than others when getting certain piercings.

Baba and his artwork. Baba is an award winning artist and the master sponsor of the Expo.

Melissa tattooing Paul a memorial piece dedicated to his
friends he had served with while in the military.

Melissa does amazing portraiture, black and grey,

and Aztec pieces.

There were other vendors at the Expo too.

Kristi was selling massage chairs as well as her

own photography. She also sold jackets and purses

made from sewing on pieces of recycled scraps.

The Aftermath of the Tattoo: Now that you've gotten your tattoo and your piercing, what do you do about the pain and the healing process? Fortunately, there was a booth set up with H2Ocean -The First in First Aid. Charles Young explained and demonstrated how the products worked. It’s a spray that contains sea salt, lysozyme, and sea kelp –natural ingredients that nourish dermal cells, kill bacteria, and improve circulation and skin elasticity.

Before and after pictures of wound treatment.

You can even use it for veterinary care too!

Thank you: All the tattooists and apprentices I spoke with were very kind, resourceful, and talented. Thank you all for giving me a moment of your time to talk with me, answer my questions, and to allow me to take pictures!!! Thanks again!!!!!

For More Information: If you have any questions about the tattooing history or would like me to go into more depth about something, post me a comment! I enjoyed learning about tattoos and tattooing and would love to elaborate more about the subject! I tried to keep everything brief because I was concerned mostly about boring people.

References:
Gelder, K. (2007). Subcultures: Cultural histories and social practice. New York: Routledge.

Hambly, W. D. (1925). The history of tattooing and its significance. London: H. F. G. Witherby.

Sanders, C. (1989). Customizing the body: The art and culture of tattooing. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Thevoz, M. (1984). The illusions of reality: The painted body. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

Virel, A. (1979). Decorated man: The human body as art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

I'm Not Jackson!!!!

After receiving some feedback about my previous posting from a well-intentioned Tamale peer, I realized that a lot of people may see me as some kind of an art fraud. First of all, I will explain my series that I am working on in more detail once I have more paintings completed. But to set the record straight momentarily, I am only working on a series. It is not my style nor is it a style that I am attempting to use forever –well, I guess if it sells and gets me rich, then you can call me a kitschy artist. I am only using the technique for a few paintings because it is conveying emotions, memories, and flashbacks that I can’t convey in any other way. In fact, my other paintings are going to consist of objects, chicken wire, talc, weaving, and even volcanic ash (actually, the close-up I previously posted does have volcanic ash).

Because I don’t want people to think that all I can do is throw paint all over a canvas, I thought that I should share some art I have done in the past that got selected into two annual juried shows at California State University, Hayward (oops, I mean, East Bay). I was –and still am –completely honored to be in each show, especially since I am not an Art Studio major.

2006-2007 Annual Juried Show

This one was the first portrait that I ever painted, so he looks a little on the pale side –I did it in a Painting I class using oils.

That square in his hair is just a glare.

This one I actually did in high school with rendering pencils. I could probably pull off a better drawing now since I’m a little more experienced (not much more experienced, but a little does make a difference).

2007-2008 Annual Juried Show –won an award

This was the first painting I ever did that involved warping figures –this is definitely a style that I’m going to experiment with some more. I really enjoy layering with oils and it’s a technique that I’m going to stick with. Because I got into a car accident after starting this piece, I actually had to paint the top half upside-down because I could not lift my arms (I even had to tape paint brushes together in order to reach the canvas). The sides of the canvas are also covered in gold leaf.

Some Close-Ups

I did not submit anything for the 2008-2009 year because I didn't take an art class that whole academic year (in order submit anything, one has to fullfill that requirement).

I didn’t plan on making this a show-off session, but I was a little concerned that people may make assumptions that I’m just copying other artists. As an Art History major, I would never do anything of that sort –or at least not intentionally. Again, when I get more paintings going, I’ll explain the purpose of my series. If you got this far, thanks for reading!

A Painting -Only a Close-Up

I had to get some business cards prepared since I will be going to an event. As I was working on them, I took a picture of a close-up of one of my paintings. I thought that I would share a couple of the close-ups so you can see what I’ve been up to lately. I greatly apologize that what you are about to see will be of great disappointment when compared to my Tamale peers who always blow me away. I guess that’s why I should just stick to writing. Anyways…

I couldn’t get a full shot of my painting, because my studio is a little cramped right now since I’m stretching a bunch of canvases (I’m working on a series using mixed-media. Each painting is 36”X36” –yes, I'm working with squares). When I get more room in there, I’ll attempt to get standard-sized pictures of some of my completed pieces.

And now, let the criticizing begin.

A Close-Up

An Even Closer Close-Up