Term 3 Week 5, 6 & 7, 2011

Yes folks, the moment you've all been waiting for REVISION TIME ...dundundun. Exams are in Week 8.

After all our blood, sweat and my tears this year, I'd like to think your most notable achievement in Art History was greater than an incredible collection of pens and post-it notes appropriated from Mrs Gray.

Here's how the next three weeks are roughly going to roll:

Week 5:

Use of vocabulary in exams, checking timings and WHTBD for each paper.

Massaccio and Early Renaissance narrative and don't forget Masolino

Uccello and the landscape in perspective

Piero della Francesca featuring science, proportion and mathematics

Leonardo and Humanism

Week 6:

The High Renaissance and use of classical sculpture & architecture featuring Pontormo

Portrayal of spiritual events in Raphael and Pontormo

Breaking down theory into useable chunks - no relevant links here :-(

Sack of Rome and Medici madness

Video evidence as context for The Last Judgement and beyond

Week 7:

Quick fire tests, timed planning to answer exam questions and anything else you're stuck on.

Remember we are only covering in class SOME of what you need to know -

the rest is up to you. We have worked hard, so now is the time to show off.

Term 3 Week 4, 2011

Contemporary Maori Art. Yes, we've saved some of the best 'till (nearly) last.

In case you thought it was going to be all red, black and white, think again. Some of it will be, but be prepared for the unexpected, (a bit like the exams).

It seems incredible that until the 1984 exhibition Te Maori at the Metropolitan Museum, New York, Maori Art had not been considered as central to the identity of Aotearoa.

Even in NZ, it had rarely been viewed outside a few dusty displays in museums or on marae.

Luckily for us, Maori art forms have developed into political, social and cultural icons of our modern lives; by 2001 Maori artists were representing NZ on the world stage and a universal voice had been acknowledged for the artists we will be looking at.

One of the many visionary figures in this movement to highlight Maori art was Gordon Tovey.

He targeted young Maori trainee teachers to encourage participation in a bicultural arts education. Many of these teachers became the grandaddy's of Maori art today: Hotere, Matchitt,Adsett and many more.

We are well accustomed to seeing both traditional and contemporary images of Maori Art but need to remain mindful of whether they are appropriate, original or just tacky tourist goods.

Throughout this amazing topic we will be referring to the main themes of:

• Te whenua - the land
• Political events/ activism - Bastion Point 1978, Springbok Tour 1981, Hikoi 1976, 2004 & 2009
• Triti o Waitangi - treaty and settlement issues
• Cultural identity/ race relations - leadership, equality and status in an urban environment
• Prophet movements - Maori religious movements and faith healers
• Spirituality - concepts and cosmology

Our artists for this topic are:

Robyn Kahukiwa, the political activist

Shane Cotton and his recent exhibition plus review

Michael Parekowhai at his most ingenious

Jacqueline Fraser and some later works. The title of which make me laugh out loud.

Others not to be overlooked: Lisa Reihana, Shona Rapira Davies,

Hemi Macgregor and finally, the fabulous feminist, Emare Karaka.

This is our last post before revision kicks in - study well and purposefully.

You have been well prepared, the rest is up to you.

He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka.

A choppy sea can be navigated.

(persevere in your revision)

Week 3 & 4, Term 3 Postmodernism

Before we begin, let's unpick our this new phrase:

Postmodernism

Of course as the prefix suggests, it's a movement following Modernism.

It covers a range of styles, rejects traditional galleries, sometimes uses unusual or ready made materials and is impossible to clearly identify.

Confused? It's basically a rebellion and links very nicely to Feminism, questioning the purpose of art galleries and patrons. Challenging tradition and the stereotypes of what art is.

Within Postmodernism, artists are deconstructing and reinterpreting ideas.

A modern version of Mannerism really.

Our old friend Duchamp was way ahead of his time and is really the grandaddy of the movement, (which didn't really get started until the 1960s).

Be prepared for the unexpected in the exams with this topic and remain confident in the knowledge that you have the skills to win.

Familiarising yourself with these contemporary NZ artists will help.

In understanding the concept of postmodernism it is imperative that you appreciate the significant contribution NZ makes on the world stage of modern art.

Here's a couple of examples to make Lexi's head hurt looking for the 'real painting':

Judy Millar and Frances Uprichard at The Venice Biennale and the amazing etal, a collective who appear in a variety of guises and also were Biennale exhibitors.

I'm also adding in Michael Parekowhai to this mix. Although technically falling into the topic of Contemporary Maori Art, he is also a perfectly Postmodern man. Check out his 2011 contribution to the Biennale bonanza.

In terms of coursework/ homework: you should have completed 3 exam questions during week 3 and 4 - two in class and one at home. Your workbooks will need to be up to date, with all pages on Feminism and also Parekowhai completed for Monday 22nd, when we really start to get to grips with Contemporary Maori Art.

Term 3 Week 2 & 3, 2011

Feminist Art is about Challenging the Patriarchy - questioning stereotypes and celebrating subject matter which has always been used as a tool of subjugation against women, for example, menstuation.

Before we begin this taboo breaking topic, it is important that we clarify two aspects to HERSTORY - history from a female perspective:

• artists who are celebrating the female: goddess images/ feminine ritual and
• artists deconstructing social and cultural practices: confronting the establishment/ political consciousness raising

MANY feminist artists cross between the two concerns, but it will be useful to organise your research and learning in this way.

From 1970s onwards, feminists from the USA like Judy Chicago,

Cindy Sherman and Miriam Schapiro, (who worked tirelessly to establish traditionallyfeminine art forms such as fabric work to become accepted in art galleries), were role models for female New Zealand artists.

By raising the awareness of female inequality in America, feminists ensured it became an issue in Aotearoa. This work is still going on today, join the Guerilla Girls in their onslaught against stereotyping in Hollywood.

NZ Artists such as Allie Eagle asserted the importance of issues that primarily affect women: rape, abuse, contraception and abortion.

Her works such as "Empathy for a Rape Trial Victim" 1978 and

"This Woman Died: I Care" 1978, made a tremendous difference in confronting previously ignored subject matter, in a public arena.

Make sure you understand the context behind the Women's Movement in NZ.

The fabulous Jaqueline Fahey affirmed women's experiences and brought, what had previously considered the seemingly banal - by men - grrrrrrrr, to art institutions.

Throughout her career she has challenged assumptions that household chores and real family situations were not suitable subject matter as "High Art".

Final Domestic Expose - I Paint Myself, 1982, is huge. It's scale alone is enough to qualify it as High Art, however, the use of collage and decorative chaos is enough to sideline her as an emotional and erratic woman!

Never likely to be shown alongside McCahon or Woollaston. As if she needs it.

Our final artist for this topic - although we could spend all year on this theme alone- is

Carole Shepheard. Her work includes the use of craft materials and core imagery, such as circles - see Amazon Shield, a celebration of strong Matriarchal cultures. Added to this, Shepheard uses the grid as a format to illustrate quilts and stitching and photography to demonstrate aspects of female power.

Summing up aspects of the NZ Feminist Art topic :

• use of craft "low art" techniques, celebrating weaving, quilting, stitching
• equality - women working collectively, changing names, blurring boundries - not artist as lone genius - please we've had enough of this you self indulgent Expressionist males
• un- saleable works - performance art, collaborative pieces not suitable for traditional galleries
• confrontational/ political work - shocking the male viewer - BOOO!
• female imagery - and an opportunity to say VAGINA on the school blog :-)