How I Review The Arts

How do I review the arts? Well I must say I have learned not only a lot about myself as a writer but also as a review during the course Reviewing the Arts. Reviewing is in everyone’s life. From reading movie reviews in major publications to having friends give there opinion’s about a new restaurant that just opened. Reviewing is every where. But in till you actually sit down and write a review about something that you just observed is not as easy as you think. When I first started to write reviews for this class, I had hardly written them before. Therefore I had no structure. I soon learned that there is a structure to writing reviews like any other things that you write about. The structure includes your basics like who, what, were, when, and why? But it also includes three more main questions. The first main question is “what is this is exhibit trying to do?” That question is very important when reviewing. Everything that you review is going to have a reason for what it is doing. For instance, take the exhibit If the Artist Ran the World. This exhibits was trying to do is to give the viewer the opportunity to assess the truth in the world dominated by corporate-run, gossip-laden, partisan-heavy, and politically based media outlets. If you can’t discover or learn what that is that your reviewing is trying to do, there isn’t really a point to reviewing it. The second question that you have to ask is “to what extent does it succeed?’ This is a very important question because this is when your opinion comes into play. Take the Southern Graphics Council traveling Exhibit. With many prints displayed this exhibition succeeded in presenting work that embodies the continually evolving practice of printmaking and its role in contemporary art. By showing many different types of prints and contemporary techniques, this exhibit definitely secedes in its statement. As you can see, that exhibit succeeded in what it was trying to do. Unlike The Southern Graphic’s Council exhibit, some exhibits don’t succeed. Take Globalization that was a collaboration of Columbia’s students and faculty’s work. Although it taught you a lot about globalization, it made you question “What is Art?” more than learning about globalization. The last question you have to ask it “what examples are shown that can back up what that exhibit is trying to do. If you don’t have examples, who ever is going to read your review isn’t going to take your review into consideration. Some of my examples I used well reviewing exhibits include pieces I really loved and pieces I could care less for. How ever you answered the first two main questions, it will determine what examples you will be giving. As you can see I did not only became a better writer but I have became a better reviewer. By becoming a better reviewer you can see how I review the arts.

623 S. Wabash

One of the main central buildings that any Columbia student will have classes in is the 623 South Wabash building. This building I believe is a key to understanding to Columbia College’s art scene. You can tell a lot about Columbia’s art scene because it is one of the central locations were all students come to create. When you first arrive at the building you will come across many students outside of the building. No matter what season it is, you will find many smoking their cigarettes and drinking their coffee. Once you enter the building you will come across a few unique aspects of Columbia College. First you will come across on the right the Hookin Gallery. This is main gallery that many Columbia College students work is put on display. When you walk into the gallery you will come across not only many walls that students work is displayed on but also a stage which students work can be performed on. What makes this space so unique isn’t only because of the gallery space but also is holds a café in the right hand corner of the gallery. This gives the viewing experience of the gallery a unique one. Not only will visitors of the gallery see the students work which is on display but also the every day students who come in to utilize the café. You won’t find that situation in many galleries. This bring the average day person into an experience that they probably won’t come in contact with often.
While you enter the 623 South Wabash building, you will come across on your left the Shop Columbia store. This is a recent addition to the 623 South Wabash building. This store is a collaboration with student artist’s work. It gives the opportunity for students to sell some of their work before graduating form Columbia. Any day you go in to visit, you will find numerous students work. From unique one of a kind garments made by fashion students to colorful graphic prints, you will find an array of items. Not only does it give them the experience but it provides them with an understanding on how it might be when you graduate. It gives the students an insight of how what to expect after they graduate.

Globaliztion

Globalization–verb (used with object), -ized, -iz⋅ing. To extend to other or all parts of the globe; make worldwide. With the world being so advanced today, it isn’t common to hear terms like globalization when it comes to big corporations. Globalization is a huge part of America’s and other countries industries. It is also common for globalization to be a theme for a gallery exhibit at Columbia College.

Global Print examines globalization and its effects on everyone. Columbia students and recent alumni exhibit works of all media that address globalization, cultural, destruction and rebirth, and the phenomenon of cross cultural and global information exchange. The work pushes the boundaries of print processes explores new techniques and encourages the viewer to think of art in a global manner. Printmakers as well as photographers, fine artist, designers, and illustrators are included~ Curator Vincent Finazzo

There were many interesting pieces in this exhibit. But there were a few that stood out. The first piece that stood out was titled Happy American Twins. It was by an artist named Emanual Aguliar. The piece was constructed out of twenty four slices of processed American cheeses. The slices were put sides by side together in three rows of four. Than the slices were silk screened a photo of children onto them. What made this piece so intrusting and unique was that it was taking an ordinary object that is so familiar and using it in a total different context. It was quite fascinating. Another interesting piece was title At Least I did something. It was done by an artist name Kyle Hartere. This piece was made up of piece of some type of light blue paper. The paper was fairly large. In the top right hand corner of this piece was an outline of three little mountain tops. Two of the mountain tops were colored in white with the other colored in with sliver glitter. It was an interesting idea and concept.

While observing the many pieces of work in the gallery, I must say globalization didn’t come to mind as much as the question “What is art?” There were so many instances that I found my self asking this question. Of course, going to an art college it is a question that brought up all the time. But for some reason it was brought up numerous times while viewing this exhibit. Because of that, I found myself getting distracted on the main focus/theme of what this exhibit was trying to say. Of course it is good to question art, but I think that when it comes to a point when questioning is getting in the way the whole purpose of what the art is trying to say, than you have a problem. There were to many pieces in the gallery that I found myself questioning including the pieces titled “at least I did something” Not only did this piece have me questioning is it art or not but it had me questioning “What does this have to do with Globalization?”. In my case, questioning got distracted from the main focus of the exhibit.

Globalization is a huge part of our world. So if you want to question not only globalization but what art is, check out Global Print. The exhibit is showing at the Hokin Gallery on Columbia College Chicago campus through May 29.

Southern Graphics Council Traveling Exhibition

While stumbling across the Southern Graphics Council Traveling Exhibition, I really didn’t have any idea what it was all about. All I knew was that they were displaying some kind of prints. But after viewing the Exhibition at the C33 gallery, I have a better understanding of what the Southern Graphics Council is all about.

The Southern Graphics Council is a nonprofit membership organization that advances the professional standing of artists who make original prints, drawings, books, and hand-made paper. The Southern Graphics Council Traveling Exhibition is an exhibition of prints and drawings on paper created by members of the Southern Graphics Council. Juried by the Southern Graphics Council Printmaker Emeritus, Warrington Colescott, this exhibition presents work that embodies the continually evolving practice of printmaking and its role in contemporary art. The work in the exhibition presents ways in which artist continues to innovate and push boundaries of printmaking medium while maintaining the respect for traditional methods and techniques. Columbia College Chicago is the first venue for this traveling exhibition.

With many prints and many different type of medium used and printing techniques used, there was a lot to take in. There were a few prints that stood out to me. The first print was titled Beauvais Lyons Association for Creative Zoology: Pantnthera Dolenzi. It is a black and white lithograph of a unique creature. The print was something that looked like you could find the print in an old zoology text book. What made me so attracted to it was although it wasn’t in color the fact that the artist made up this creature and made it so realistic. If you didn’t know, you would think that this was a real creature. One of my favorites in the collection was an etching and aquatint by Jon Goebel. The print is titled Wolf Attire. The print was of two young women standing in front of a fence. These two women both have fake pig noses on their faces while facing each other. The woman on the right is wearing a wolf head on her torso. The wolf head the on the female eye’s are open and fangs are dripping with saliva. The other woman is touching the fangs of the wolf with one and is holding half of a melon is the other hand. It seams that the wolf is drooling over the melon and the woman is teasing him with it. The looks on both women’s faces are calm and relaxed while the look on the wolf’s face look is one knowing he got caught. I love the whole idea of this print. Taking the idea of the story of The Three Little Pigs and twisting it around with a modern twist.

With many prints displayed this exhibition suicide in presenting work that embodies the continually evolving practice of printmaking and its role in contemporary art. By showing many different types of prints and contemporary techniques, this exhibit definitely secedes in its statement. The Southern Graphics Council Traveling Exhibition can be found at the C33 Gallery on Columbia College campus. The exhibition runs through April 24, 2009.

The Real World revisited

This is the true story... of seven strangers... picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped... to find out what happens... when people stop being polite... and start getting real. Actually this is story of how the MTV’s hit reality series The Real World is designed to appeal to me and how I am effected by it.

Through out the years MTV has pin pointed their target audience to a tee, which are young adults. At that in time in my life MTV already targeted me to its network let alone their shows while growing up. But besides hooking me to their network, their was one show that always is targeted to me which is The Real World. Like it isn’t already interesting enough to have seven strangers live in a house and being taped for any audience, MTV found many ways to attracted me to The Real World. One of the obvious attractions was the age of the seven strangers that were living together. Most of the cast members of the Real World ages rage from late teens to early twenties. This happens to be the ages I was when I religiously watching the show. Not only does the age of the cast members attract me to the show but also the cast member’s demographics. If you have ever seen The Real World, you know that the cast members are totally different from the next. Cast members vary from a white sheltered country girl that has never been to a big city to an openly transgender female. And of course when you make them all live together in house (or should I say hook up pad) there is going to be drama. The cast doesn’t just live in a house but more like a mansion. The first few seasons of the real world, the houses that the cast live in weren’t super fancy. But as time went on and the show got to become more popular, the house got bigger and much more extravagant. Take the Los Vegas for example. The season’s house was not a house. It was a pent house on top of the Palms hotel in Vegas. The cast’s backyard was the Vegas strip and the Palms casino was just another room in their house. These are just a few of the examples of how MTV draw me into the show and kept me coming back to watch each new episode.

By having MTV market The Real World to me in those different ways, it actually works by drawing me in and making me want to watch each new episode. I have realized through out watching season after season of The Real World, I was being drawn into The Real World by stereo types that I never agreed with. The Real World I have learned draws its viewers in not only by having a diverse cast but having a cast that most resembles American stereo types. For instance in most every Real World cast that has be taped, there has been a flamboyant gay male or a lesbian living in the house. Of course this is one of the reasons I was drawn to the series because I could relate. But season after season, I realized that it was just another way MTV was getting me to watch its series.

Not only has this tactic made me watch the show; it has also made me stop watching the show. There was a point in the season of The Real World in my opinion when instead of “people stop being polite and start getting real” people stop being real and started to get scripted. The real world was getting fake and not so much real any more. The season was Los Vegas and the cast was more than stereotypical. Not only did you have all of the cast member’s stereotypes but they were exaggerated stereotypes I felt like it was way too scripted in a sense when I watched that season.

By learning this tactics that MTV uses to lure unexpected audiences in, I have also learned that the media will do anything to get you to watch or do something. Even if it goes against what you believe in. What I have learned about my self while growing up while watching The Real World is that no matter how much I think I won’t be drawn into the media, the media will also somehow draw me in even if its is “seven strangers... picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped... to find out what happens... when people stop being polite... and start getting real”.

The Bad Girls Club

After breaking records for the Oxygen network, it is no wonder why The Bad Girls club is going to return for it’s forth season. It is obvious for that reason why it is coming back for another season, but I have never been or will be interested in this show. Further more, I have no idea what the audience for The Bad Girls Club sees in the show. According to Oxygen’s description of the show “Bad Girls Club brings seven self-proclaimed "bad girls" together in a beautiful Los Angeles mansion, and drama reigns supreme.”

Viewers of the bad Girls Club enjoy the show because of the simple fact to see proclaimed bad girls live together. And to see “the bad girls” interact with each other. With watching episodes of The Bad Girls Club, I understand how it might be interesting and entertaining to see a bunch of bad girls live in a house together. And when you put them to live in a house together, you are going to have some conflicts. Every episode I watched seemed to have at least two of the girls (if not more) in the house fighting. If the fights lasted more than an episode (which most did), than you would uncomfortably watch the girls do dirty things to each other. From one Bad Girl urinating in the sink to another bad girl banging pots and pans while yelling and screaming at her housemates to wake them up. It is a modern day version of a freak show at the circus. Viewers are so intrigued with how the “Bad Girls” behave and want to see more with every episode.

The viewers of The Bad Girls Club are attracted to not only watching a bunch of bad girls interacting with each other but also writing on message boards about the show. The show seems to bring out the viewers inner bad girl. So much that they would use words like whore to describe a bad girl. They love watching the show but they get involved so much that they like to think they know the girls personally. So far in which they would stick up for their favorite bad girls on the message boards. Not only stick up for ones they like but to hate on those they dislike. The viewers get so involved that they sometimes go on rants on the message boards to express there love/hate about the bad girls. With the fans going on the message board to express their opinions about the bad girls, they also express their opinions about each others opinions. They may disagree with a viewer about Sarah being normal or they might agree that Sarah is the only normal one of the third season.

While researching The Bad girls Club, I was just reminded more why I will never like The Bad Girls Club. I never can find it truly entertaining to watch proclaimed bad girl fight with each for a whole hour. But if you are one to be entertained by seven self-proclaimed "bad girls" together in a beautiful Los Angeles mansion, and drama reigns supreme.” than you yourself could truly be a “Bad Girl”

It is truly a Party

Have you ever been to a concert of one of your favorite bands or singers and have gotten chills while watching them perform live? Well in Dave Chapelle’s Block Party, you can experience that feeling with out even leaving the comfort of your own home. The film Dave Chapelle’s block Party has raised a lot f praise and controversy. From being such an outstanding array of performers coming together to perform. To Dave Chapelle’s unconventional humor seen.

Robert Ebert says “I’ve seen better comedy films and better concert films. It noodles around too much and gets distracted from the music.” I must disagree with Robert Ebert. This film not once I believe ever gets distracted from the music. The most obvious is that this film is made to bring all the many different artist together such as Kanye West, Luaryn Hill, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu to perform in an amazing concert. The whole film was documenting the process of which Dave Chapelle organizing this concert and the concert it self. Yeah the whole film isn’t the concert but that wasn’t the purpose of the film. So I find it hard to believe that this film “noodles around to much and gets distracted from the music.”

Owen Gleiberman says “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party is perhaps the first concert movie since Stop Making Sense to give you a blissful buzz. The buzz comes from the music, which has a loose, burning joy rare to behold in a live rap performance, and also from Chapelle’s wicked prankster’s glee, which spreads through the movie like a happy virus. I agree that there is a buzz that comes from the music and from Dave’s prankster glee. Throughout the film no matter who is performing either if its Lauryn Hill or Kanye West or any of the other artist, there is this over whelming buzz that comes from their performances. Not only the performances by the featured artist but also the performances by other artists. For instance The Central State University marching band. When they perform Jesus Walks for Kanye West there was more than a buzz, there was an overwhelming sense of comradery that not only the band and Kanye shared but all of the artist shared during the film.

Dave Chapelle said “I was doing sketches that were funny but socially irresponsible.” regarding his show The Dave Chapelle Show. But even after the show ended, he was still doing comedy that was funny but socially irresponsible. For example, during the concert portion of Block party Chapelle said “[playing bongos in front of a crowd] 5,000 black people chillin' in the rain. 19 white people peppered in the crowd. Trying to find a Mexican.” After Chapelle made that statement you would think that he would be more aware of what he is saying especially in a public setting. But as this film shows, he was still being socially irresponsible with his humor.

Dyson said “all forms of black music been attacked both within and beyond black culture. Blues jazz, rhythm and blues and soul have all been viewed as indecent, immoral, and corrupting of black youth.” This is shown many times during the film through the the people being interviewed throughout the film.

Not only is Dave Chapelle’s Block is praised by many but also stirs up some controversy.