These past two days have flown by. Maybe that is because of the time change, but it has my head spinning! Just getting off the plane was inspiring, seeing the Italian words and graphics on the airport walls. Unlike columbia, advertisements were everywhere, billboards and posters of all kinds. They were a mixture of English and Italian languages which was surprisingly hospitable. You don't see ads fully in Spanish around SC often. This has made me think about the hospitality of America and wether we are as welcoming to the immigrants and travelers as we should be.

Besides the debateable political thoughts I was inspired to have, I loved seeing the small homey streets and how compact everything was. From cars to homes, everything was economized...and I love simplicity. It was endearing to see the quaint fiats driving around Rome versus the audacious and large 'merica cars like trucks and SUVs.

 
Marisa Merz at the Central Pavilion

1.     Media/Technique: 2-D Charcoal and pastels, 3-D mixed media- Wax (?) and metal.  Abstracted figures/ facial features

2.     Effective use of line variations and value shifts

Walter De Maria at The Arsenale

1.     Media/Technique: 3-D installation

2.     Repeated linear forms, Large scale

Varda Caivano at The Central Pavilion

1.     Media/Technique: 2-D Oil

2.     Washed out, linear shapes, effective value shifts

“Kamikaze Loggia” by Gio Sumbadze at the Georgian Pavilion

1.     3-D- architecture

2.     Wood, geometric, economized

Enrico David at the Central Pavilion

1.     2-D- mixed media

2.     forms of cloth activate space physically, color shifts create value

Henrik Olesen at the Central Pavilion

1.     2-D, 3-D – mixed media, found objects

2.     photographs, office supply forms, Black and white, typographic

Sarah Lucas at The Central Pavilion

1.     3-D metal sculptures

2.     figural forms, metallic color, organic, repetitive, linear

James Lee Byars at The Central Pavilion

1.     3-D metal sculptures

2.     geometric, typographic, metallic

Hans Josephsohn at The Arsenale

1.     3-D organic sculptures

2.     bulky figures, economized, suggestive

Danh Vo at The Arseale

1.     3-D mixed media, found objects

2.     organic forms/materials, neutral colors

James Richards at The Arsenale

1.     Multi-media, photography, film

2.     Black and white, figures/portraits

Daniel Hesidence at The Arsenale

1.     3-D paint?

2.     Interesting use of light and value shifts, linear organic shapes

Geta Bratescu at The Central Pavilion

1.     2-D mixed media

2.     cloth and found objects give texture, faded color, line variation

Harun Farocki at The Arsenale

1.     Photography

2.     Color photography, subject matter is tourists

Helen Marten at The Arsenale

1.     3-D mixed media

2.     neutral colors, small scale

Simon Denny at The Arsenale

1.     3-D large scale installations

2.     futuristic, technological subject matter, photographs on boards

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at The Central Pavilion

1.     2-D charcoal, pastels

2.     figure study, dark colors, dark value shifts

Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys at The Arsenale

1.     Media – Film

2.     Color film

Pamela Rosenkranz at The Arsenale

1.     2-D vinyl on glass? Paint?

2.     Forms created from air bubbles under vinyl on glass, repetitive, no value shifts, organic shapes

Trisha Donnelly at The Arsenale

1.     3-D plaster carvings

2.     linear, repetitive carvings in white plaster

Rudolf Stingel at Plazzo Grassi

1.     mixed media – photography and textiles

2.     black, white and red colors. Subject matter – statues, artworks from renaissance

Tuksel Arslan at The Arsenale

1.     2-D ink drawings

2.     earthy colors, flat imagery, linear

Christopher Williams at The Arsenale

1.     2-D photography

2.     black and white photography, subject matter – nature

Katirn Sigurdardottir at The Icelandic Pavilion

1.     3-D architectural installations

2.     Activates space, large scale, geometric forms

Lawrence Weiner at Palazzo Bembo

1.     2-D installation

2.     typographic, large scale vinyl

Mathias Piledna at The Austrian Pavilion

1.     Media- film

2.     Color, cartoon subject matter 

PictureLynette Yiadom-Boakye
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye 

Boakye uses charcoal and pastels to create figure drawings. She uses dark values with pops of color to catch the viewer’s eye.  Facial profiles are the main focus of her work, emphasizing a disconnection between the viewer and the subject matter.  There is little to no eye contact and when eyes do meet, it is harsh and jarring. Her use of shadows furthers this disconnected feel by making the figures mysterious and hidden. I feel like Boakye’s work is similar to Degas’ work such as “Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper”.  The artworks are linear and suggestively undetailed.  The viewer can read a lot from the work without the artist having to blatantly put all the details down.  I am very drawn to these artworks, I feel like they are effective works of art.  The line variation and quality leaves the viewer pieces of the artist in the work.  I feel a connection to the artwork because every stroke is visible and distinct.

 


Picture
Degas - Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper
 
The Italy trip is a month away! I am excited and nervous.  Excited about the new experiences and learning opportunities, nervous about the flight and possibly getting lost in a foreign country, haha. I am directionally challenged in Columbia, SC where I have lived my entire life... It should be interesting!

I recently saw Eat, Pray, Love playing on TV and sat down to watch it, seeing as it took place (partially) in Italy...plus i'm really good at eating, praying and loving.
I plan on completely immersing myself in the culture and spending more money than I should on various Italian gifts and clothes!

I have been having a rough go of it lately, not knowing where i'm headed and going through some life challenges. But I have high hopes for Italy to change my views and get me back in the swing of things!
Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy." --Bertrand Russell