CRIT

For my thesis, I am concentrating on the constructed beauty and false sexuality that is often associated with the female body, specifically in the realms of advertising and media. I will be integrating both elements of photography and graphic design into the final piece. I am planning on using myself as the model, and creating a series of three ads, which explore my ideas about this notion of constructed and somewhat inauthentic beauty. The emphasis won’t be so much on the product that is being sold but rather on who’s selling it. Everyone is familiar with the expression “sex sells”. Basically, I’m just trying to take this concept to another level where I’m almost mocking the idea but acknowledging it at the same time. Photoshop will definitely be a major tool in enhancing and exaggerating each photograph.

During my critique, I definitely received good feedback and advice. Although I have yet to shoot my photographs, I feel as if everyone pretty much got the idea from the work I posted up as an example. I feel as if everyone agreed that it should be in color, which would actually give it more of a commercial look. Although I was thinking of making each ad 18x24, someone had suggested that they felt it would be interesting to make them billboard size. Considering the project, I definitely feel it would make sense to make the ads large scale, however I’m not sure how that would work out with the amount of wall space in the gallery. So, most likely they will be slightly larger than 18x24, but not too huge.

The discussion then led to the question of how important the product is. At the time I had said that it didn’t really matter what the object was. However, I think that what I meant to say was, that it’s going to have to be something that we use on a daily basis, don’t pay much attention to or even something that’s simply disposable. The idea is to over sexualize the everyday and mundane. Someone had also suggested that instead of creating my own ads, I should just recreate existing ones. That’s probably the route that I’m going to go. Currently, I’m still deciding on the setup of each photograph. However, if anyone missed the critique, the image included in this post is what I showed last time in and is probably the best in exemplifying what the final project will look like.

Chapter 6: The Studio Visit

"An artist is someone who understands the border between this world and that one or someone who makes an effort to know it."


"If there is a truth there, it's not just in the work but in how they work, how they act, who they are."


"A studio is supposed to be a site of intense contemplation."


"I change my direction or continue in the same direction by seeing people's reaction. My concentration is how to survive long-term and how to join with the contemporary feeling. To focus on nothing besides profit is, by my values, evil. But I work by trial and error to be popular"


"Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art... making money is an art and working is art and good business is the best art."

Chapter 5: The Magazine

"Artforum is to art what Vogue is to fashion and Rolling Stone was to rock and roll."

"The one essential thing: it cannot follow the market. Nor should it try actively to influence the market. It has to have its own point of view. It has to be honest. After that, clarity of writing, purity of design."

"Art critics are just spectators who say what they think...Don't things live not just by direct experience of them but by rumor, discussion, argument, and fantasy?"

"...If you start supporting artist who don't deserve it on in a manner that seems like overkill, you will drive your readers away and undermine your own credibility...There's some art that we jut don't touch…I have no idea why it sells or why people care."

"Contributors don't necessarily like each other's style; some are divas who resist being edited. 'I have relationships with a lot of writers. At a certain point, one suffers that beleaguered feeling of agents dealing with stars."

"A critic is a detective. You look at all this and you just try to make it mean something... It's a matter of trying to create meaning in these things in the world around you and giving art a place where it can resonate."

GRAD SCHOOL...

Currently I have no desire to go to grad school. However, if I ever decided to pursue a master’s degree, I would obviously look at the more established/high ranked schools. I would also prefer to stay on the east coast.

Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI

School of Visual Arts
New York, NY

Pratt Institute
Brooklyn, NY

Yale University School of Art
New Haven, CT

Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD

Chapter 3: The Fair

“The fair is significant from a prestige point of view. If a gallery is not admitted, people might think that it is not as important as another gallery that is. If a galley is refused next year, it could destroy their business.” p. 79

“When Art Basel first opened, in 1970, it looked like a flea market, with pictures stacked up against walls and dealers coming in with canvases rolled up under their arms. Nowadays the fair provides a respectable environment.” p. 82

“If you go after art and quality, the money will come later… We have to make the same decisions as the artists. Do they create art or art that sells well? With the galleries, it’s the same. Are they commercial or do they believe in something? We’re in a similar situation.” – Samuel Keller p. 82

“When you first start collecting, you’re intensely competitive, but eventually you learn two things. First, if an artist is only going to make one good work, then there is no sense in fighting over it. Second, a collection is a personal vision. No one can steal your vision.” – Don Rubell p. 82-83

“ ‘Collector’ should be an earned category. An artist doesn’t become an artist in a day, so a collector shouldn’t become a collector in a day. It’s a lifetime process.”
–Mera Rubell p. 83

“Fairs are less stressful than auctions. There is something about standing before the object you want and the person you’re going to buy it from. I can see the appeal of the real-time transaction.” –Amy Cappellazo p. 86

“When gallerists are confident about demand for an artist’s work, they wouldn’t dream of surrendering it to the first comer or the highes bidder. They compile a list of interested parties so they can place the work in the most prestigious home. It’s an essential part of managing the perception of their artists.” p.88

“I’m an atheist, but I believe in art.” p. 93

“An art fair is no place for an artist.” p. 94

“We don’t buy anything without looking at it in the flesh. What’s great about a work often doesn’t show up in a JPEG – plus I’m a condition freak.” –Sandy Heller p.102

INTERVIEW WITH ANGELA REYNOSO

JR: When did you first become interested in photography?

AR: I became interested in photography when I was in high school but once I enrolled to take the class the program collapsed, go figure uh! After that college revived my interest, but I always kept in touch with photography. My brothers had cameras of their own and I always played around with them, trying to be artistic and what not.

JR: What do you like most about it (photography)?

AR: I like everything about photography, from the darkroom to working with a computer. Photography opens doors to meet new people, but at the same time it may target you as to someone not to approach, it's funny. It is all learning experience, my camera keeps my life interesting, makes me see things in ways I would never have.

JR: How does it compare to other mediums that you have worked with? Why do you prefer it over other mediums?

AR: I guess photography can be compared with graphic design. I use many of my own photos to work on GD projects. Like I said before, I feel that photography hhmmm is more adventurous, it puts me out in the field to work with people that I am photographing, it makes me learn about them and their situations, this is why I prefer photo over other mediums.

JR: Do you prefer color or black and white photography? Why?

AR: Color or black and white photo?? Both! why? Well, it just depends on what I'm taking photos of and what feeling I want to convey. In my opinion, color photos are more contemporary and black and white photos has more of a classy feeling among other things.


JR: Do you prefer digital or film photography? why?

AR: Oh gosh! haha, see i have to say i like both digital and film photography but working with a digital camera is hhmm is much faster and maybe a bit more precise than film photography. Though, with film photo you can't wait to develop your film to check out your negatives and see how terrible or good you did! So, I guess digital photo loses that feeling of anticipation, those tiny butterflies in your stomach.

JR: What kind of camera do you use?

AR: Well, I have a Canon 40D. This is funny because all of my friends use Nikons and I always have to defend Canons!

JR: From you work, I get the sense that you enjoy shooting social documentaries. Why do you think you're drawn to taking these types of photos? And in a broader context, why do you feel it's important?

AR: Yeah, social doc. has always been my weak point. I always try to draw away from it and shoot new things but I always turn back to this type of photography. I just love it! I feel that there is so much to tell, to find out and research in this world but so many people just don't see this, or don't care about it and so I feel the need to communicate the different situations/cultures/feelings or whatever that is happening outsides our door through my photos, hhmm let's say I just want people to care more and to understand that there is much more out there than our puny little lives and our so called problems.

JR:How do you feel about photographer's who take photographs of nature or scenery?

AR: I appreciate it. Some nature photographers do some great work. I would like to drop some photographer names but.. I am terrible at remembering names so we are out of luck here.

JR: Do you feel that one type of photography is better or superior to another? Why or why not?

AR: Noooo...all photography is great in my eyes. See I like all types of photo because they all have different techniques/feeling and motives that I would love to learn, from fashion photography, social photo, nature photo and so on. I do social photography because I'm more attached to it somehow, but I don't think it's better. The only photos I don't really like are the hhmm myspace pictures hehehe..

JR: You are also majoring in Graphic Design. How do you feel it relates to photography?

AR: I am trying to major in graphic design but I think I'll be a class short! How terrible?! but hhmm, I like graphic design not as much as photography but I think they connect in various ways, like I said before I like to use my photos for GD projects. Also, I feel that photography along with GD makes me a more rounded artist.

JR: Do you consider yourself a photographer first?

AR: Definitely.

JR: Do you have a favorite body of work that you created while attending Mason Gross? Describe it briefly

AR: I have lots of them, they are like my babies, I really can't choose between them! haha. There is a project that I recently shot in Peru, I think this might be my favorite. I shot a cemetery that was built in the early 1800's...don't want to say much about it other than it might be awesome - in my eyes.

JR: What are your plans after you graduate?

AR: Oh man! this question makes me nervous. I really still don't know what I'm going to do after I graduate, maybe find a real job; whatever that means.

MFA SHOW

MFA GALLERY EXHIBITION

Generally speaking I was not too impressed with the MFA show here at Mason Gross. Overall, I think there was a lack of cohesiveness in the gallery space. Most of the time, when you visit a gallery there’s usually a sense of unity between various types of artwork, and I didn’t necessarily get that vibe here. It also didn’t help that some of the work was not labeled. Therefore, it becomes slightly difficult to reference some of the pieces without the actual title or artist name.

There were, however, some pieces that I found interesting; for example the first set of photographs by the entrance. I assume that this was part of a series by the same artist. I was perhaps most intrigued by the first image of a woman who was licking a cherry pie. Conceptually, I think this piece plays with female sexuality – the pie, perhaps representing female genitalia. I immediately associated this photograph with the movie American Pie, except that the roles here were somewhat reversed. The other set of photographs depicted a woman wearing an elaborate necklace made of cigarettes. I’m sure a lot of smokers could identify with this piece, in the sense that the habit can almost become a part of you and at times weigh you down. I also enjoyed Eileen Behnke paintings, particularly because of the vibrant use of colors. I think it’s interesting how she uses patches of color to build up the forms.

Some of the work that I wasn’t too fond of included the more abstract pieces. I just feel that scribbling or splattering paint on a canvas is somewhat overrated. The other piece, which was probably by the same artist, was simply black scribble on a sheet of graph paper. I’m sorry, but I don’t think that work was worthy of gallery space. For a second, I thought that maybe someone had just put it up there as a joke, but apparently it was someone’s “artwork.” The piece by Katherine DeGaetani of the white canvas is something that I remember seeing in Rauschenberg’s work; certainly nothing I haven’t seen before. The photographs in the room adjacent to the main gallery were not really my personal taste or preference. Aesthetically, I’m more drawn to high contrast images, and these photographs were somewhat overexposed, but I’m assuming that was the artist’s intention in order create a mood. I’m sure every artist has some kind of rationale behind his or her work, and not everyone gets it right away. But whether a piece of artwork receives a negative or positive response from the viewer, the important thing is that it does in fact get a response. And perhaps, that in part makes it successful because it becomes something to talk about.