A Sweet Controversy

Artist: Cosimo Cavallaro Title: Sweet Jesus Date: 2005 Medium: Chocolate

As we all know artists have created controversial works for a long time but, especially in recent decades. Sometimes it seems that it is almost a requirement to stir up some trouble in order for an artist to be seen and get their name and their works out there. One of the most controversial works of the last few decades is Piss Christ by Andres Serrano (1987) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ ; but, I personally do not find this work to have as much interest for students or provide a teachable moment as strong as discussing Sweet Jesus by Cosimo Cavallaro (pictured above).

One of the main reasons for this is because of a great interview that was on Anderson Cooper 360 where the artist and Bill Donohue, current president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in the U.S., go head to head arguing over the appropriateness of the image. It was originally displayed during Holy Week prior to Easter in March 2007 at the Roger Smith Hotel in Manhattan, but it was taken down after receiving threats from Bill Donohue. During the interview, both men make valid points and also act completely juvenile slinging insults back and forth as if they were in the schoolyard, including Donohue saying that the sculpture should go to New Jersey because that's where New Yorkers send their trash...way to anger an entire state there...and Cavallaro claiming that he intended no controversy...sure you didn't, you just happened to make a life-size nude Christ sculpture and just happened to have it displayed prominently during Holy Week, it must have been a total coincidence right?

It is a great clip to open up discussion about opposing sides to every work of art, controversial artworks, critical thinking and not always taking everything you hear/see/read at face value, and examining a cleverness about the work that the artist never stated in the interview: chocolate is directly related to Easter even though it isn't part of the religious tradition at all, yet the work relates to the Eucharist of the Mass (THE focal point) where one consumes the body and blood of Christ, because one can literally consume this chocolate image of Christ. Personally, I think it was a really clever choice of materials and timing of the exhibition that relates to ideas of consumerism, religion, and challenging politically correct conventions. It is great for students because they are always ready to comment after viewing the work and the video clip. Usually as I am showing the clip I hear students say "oh my God" and "whoa" when Donohue verbally slams New Jersey and calls artists and people in SoHo losers.


You can find the work with some audio commentary by Cavallaro at his website: http://www.cosimocavallaro.com/

Below is the clip from YouTube so you can judge for yourself.


May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Art History Music Video

One of my fellow instructors sent me a link to this and I thought it was great and had to share it. I am going to show it to my students to break things up a bit and have them see how many of these works they can identify. It is called "70 Million" by "Hold Your Horses!" I hope you enjoy it too!

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Allee Willis' Museum of Kitsch

I just had a former student e-mail me this link to check out, I thought it was just too fantastic not to share. One of the portions of art appreciation that I teach is about art criticism and this includes discussion of fine art versus kitsch, so I think it is perfect for that, check it out, I hope you enjoy!
http://www.alleewillis.com/museumofkitsch/




May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Greeks Started It All

This week I thought I would treat us to a little foundations in the birth of the western eye, The Spear Bearer (Doryphoros) by Polykleitos from ancient Greece, created about 450 BCE.

Polykleitos created this work (originally bronze, this puppy is a marble Roman copy) to illustrate his theories about art and the human figure from his treatise "The Canon." If you connected this to the fact the list of acceptable and famed art works the world over are referred to as the canon then extra brownie points for you!!

He is meant to be young, idealized, perfected, yet realistic and properly proportioned as he is in the contrappasto pose, with one leg bent and in motion with his hips tilted slightly as his head gazes off into the distance before him.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

All Hail Frank Gehry

Today I would like to post this video on the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. It is one of the most interesting buildings in recent history, by one of the most famous architects of our time (Frank Gehry), and it is one of the first building designs that truly exemplifies architecture as "functional sculpture" rather than a boxy museum. The video gives you some nice basic facts about the building and a good look around both the exterior and interior of the structure.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Happy Thanksgiving

Norman Rockwell, Freedom From Want, 1943. War bond poster. Story illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, March 6, 1943. Oil on canvas, 45 3/4 x 35 1/2 in.

In the world of art Thanksgiving is exemplified by this painting Freedom From Want by Norman Rockwell. This image, also known as Thanksgiving Dinner, was the third in a series of four works from Rockwell's famous Four Freedoms series. The Four Freedoms were inspired by a speech given by FDR before congress where he spoke about the four basic freedoms to which every person was entitled. Rockwell's Four Freedoms were shown in The Saturday Evening Post in the same order as President Roosevelt presented them in his speech (freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear).

Freedom from Want is probably Rockwell's most recognized and beloved composition. As one of the covers from The Saturday Evening Post he spent quite a lot of time working on this piece. A major concern was to show the family not "in want" and yet at the same time not create an image of overabundance and selfish indulgence.

Rockwell was known for putting family and friends into images, which is this case here, as the "grandma" is actually a depiction of the Rockwell family cook, Mrs. Thaddeus Wheaton. We also feel as if we are a friend or family member at the table because of how the artist set up his composition. In the painting Rockwell extends the table beyond the borders of the canvas, beckoning us over to our seat at the end of the table by the sly glance of the gentleman in the lower right corner. Thus giving the perception that we are actually an invited guest at the table.

For me, this image includes a typical Midwestern spread and has all the components of this holiday. The table has the good china placed out for the occasion, all the carving tools are at the head of the table as Grandma proudly brings in her prized bird, children and grandchildren are happily conversing all around the table with their heads turning in every direction with huge smiles on their faces. It is a simple, humble, yet extremely joyful American tradition that Rockwell has given us here in his painting of Freedom From Want. This is the image of an American Thanksgiving that we have held in our heads and hearts for the last 65 years.

Wishing you and yours a bountiful and happy Thanksgiving, gobble-gobble!

May inspiration and creativity be with you!

Fall of the Berlin Wall

This week on November 9th much of the world is celebrating the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall (1989). For me, when thinking about all the graffiti and other art on the Berlin Wall, the person that immediately comes into my mind, one of the most interesting, innovative, and politically active artists of the late 20th-century, is Keith Haring. In 1986 during a trip to Berlin, Mr. Haring painted a mural on a rainy day, after the skies cleared, and under the watchful eye of east German soldiers at the Brandenburg Gate. Keith Haring spoke in a language of symbols and signs that were universal enough to apply to anybody, anywhere in the world, free from limitations of language or even educational background. His messages, although often covering serious and grim topics, like the separation of Germany or Apartheid in South Africa, were always positive and rang of the unification of human beings rather than negativity or art merely for shock value.

Keith Haring's work was always focused on the line, which he created, without any preparatory work, at a staggeringly quick pace that would make most people stand rapt in awe and turn green with envy. His work was simple but not simplistic, a skill that is not easy to achieve. He made works which spoke to us in a humanistic way and that encouraged us to better the world with utmost sincerity. He felt art and artists were responsible for pushing forth ideas and using their talents to bring awareness to the masses and often to help those who needed the world's attention the most.

An excellent but short documentary on Keith Haring is "Drawing the Line: a Portrait of Keith Haring" if you are interested in finding out more about this amazing artist who was gone far too soon.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!