Land Art Project

This tree once was full of life and now it appears to be at the end of its lifecyle.  The other plants have not been affected by whatever this tree has. Its roots are exposed and the outer bark has been shed like a second skin. There is no color or sign of life existent - the branches are fragile with every drop of moisture withdrawn.  What happened here?  There is a brush near full of color and life. The tree's roots are outstretched towards the shrub as if reaching for the nutrients it needs so desperately. 

    I chose this subject because it stood out to me. I really enjoy looking at trees shape, size of truck, and the vast limbs that stretch out and their colorful blooms that decorate our streets and parks. Also, the fact that I see life and death next to each other reminds me about life in general. All things that live do die, maybe some earlier than others, tragically.

Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono was born in 1933 in Japan. She was born into a wealthy family but she learned early on to be an assertive person when she and her family lost everything in the bombing of Japan in 1945. She learned to stand firmly and be decisive and assertive in her actions by modeling her mother. They had to be strong to survive-they had become beggars- while living with some family members in the mountains after the bombing.Yoko moved to New York later and went to high school then to a local college. She studied art and exhibited her work in New York Galleries. Her earlier works in the 1960's through 1970's were more an avant-garde style.  Yoko, today is recognized as an influential artist who pushes the boundaries of the art, film, music and theater media; moreover, she participates in philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and aids outreach programs. 

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Farm Lab in Los Angeles

It was a good experience to see the unique and interesting collaborations of nature mixed with urban life. Viewing the Farm lab website is most definitely helpful in educating a person about the purpose of this company yet I did not grasp a few of the concepts personally until seeing with my own eyes and talking with an employee. " Preserving the balance of nature among the city life" is a quote from the website. If I had the time I would go so far as to attend one of the workshops offered  just to learn additional information about the various projects and their significant contributions to the inner cities of Los Angeles.

This is a recycled wood bin which was referred to as an agbin ( I think) This bin was used for something else previously and recycled, and used for new growth with the city. I see recycling as a necessity. Treating our planet better.. why kill another tree for the purpose of another manufactured wood. Leave less of a carbon footprint and make the most of the materials within our reach that are recycleable.  This remind me of the idea of wine barrel containers that are recycled after their use into planter bins, too. The Temecula Wineries do this with there old wine barrels and also sell them to any interested parties from their vineyards. 

Maybe this means we need greener vehicles.

 The "Not Another Cornfield" project's purpose was to plant and grow corn in soil, that was full of toxins, in hopes of extracting the toxins out through the growth of corn. Of course after the corn was grown and removed it was disposed of but the field was cleansed of its inpurities.  The picture below is where once the corn was grown.  It is now an open landscape full of growth, free of toxins, and is an available space created to visually please. There is a pathway for dog walkers and alongside are signs posted reminding pedestrians to clean-up after their dogs.

This field was previously,  "Not Another Cornfield"

Another city is Possible

This area appears to be where workshops occur.  This was in the building / parking garage area near  unit # 4.

The Museum of Jurassic Technology / David H. Wilson

Rotten Luck, "The Decaying Dice of Ricky Jay"

The Museum of Jurassic Technology is an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and public appreciation of the lower Jurassic.  David Wilson and his wife Diana Drake Wilson are the owners of the museum, and David Wilson said that the word museum originally meant a spot dedicated to the muses, a place where man's mind could attain a mood of aloofness above everyday affairs. Well,that is exactly what this couple focused on for this museum. There is a large amount of exhibits that range from art, natural history, philosophy, and anthropology but the factual claims of many of the exhibits lack strong credibility. Nonetheless, the museum attracts over 18,000 visitors yearly and the objects in the museum spur conversations and comments among the people. In the picture to the left, there is an write up about what these die are made of-chemically made of- and for the reason they are decaying.   Now, dice are made from a similar solution that is not toxic and are cheaper to produce.

Alexander McQueen

 Alexander McQueen was a extremely talented British fashion designer. He began his fashion design training at age sixteen.  He left home for an apprenticeship with British tailors then on to theatrical costuming.  From there he completed his masters in fashion design and since then has been a sensation. He worked for French Haute Couture House of Givency  from 1996 - 2000 and also sold 51% of stock to GUCCI and continued to as Creative Director.   He has won numerous Designer of the Year awards and a GQ Designer of the Year award in 2007. His designs resemble a fantasy feel of sensuality.  Elegance mixed with traditional fashion style. Alexander's shows have a reputation for igniting an emotional power; the audience is transported to a world filled with artistically designed clothing that- flows and billows-as the models walk. Delicate, fragile, feminine designs contrasted with traditional contemporary style lines.

Burning Man

Zonatopia by Rob Bell

The Sunflower Project by Eva Luna

Larry Harvey is the founder of the "Burning Man Project" which began in 1986. This project is held annually for one week in different locations.  For one week participants become a part of a community that is free of rules and regulations- such as clothing or lack of clothing choices - and people are able to let their creative imaginations run free without restrictions.  Each year there is a theme that is set for the event.  The participants than plan ahead and bring with themselves their materials to create their installations for the Burning Man Community Event. There is a list of guidelines to follow on The Burning Man website that details everything about the event annually,for example, all materials must be environmentally friendly.  This year's Burning Man is held in Nevada's Black Rock Desert on August 29 - September 5, 2011, and  costing anywhere from $210.00 to $320.00 per person.  I think the freedom to create and express oneself in such a community is adventurous and challenging.

Xavier Cha - My Artist Project

Holiday Cruise 2006

 "Holiday Cruise"  is an exhibition conducted in three parts.  Xavier has created multiple personas.  (1)  Horn of Plenty (2) Cornrow Hairbraid who dances expresively and (3) Polyhedra who is an elegantly masked and cloaked "deity of abstraction. Each persona comes alive at the month long exhibit for a week at a time that is a Bacchanlian Celebration at Taxter and Spengemann Gallery in NY.

Cleopatra's Presents - Hourglass (installation 2010)

Two-Way Mirror 2009

"Crystal the Nail"

Human Ad 2004

http://xaviercha.com 
This link goes directly to her webpage to view her video clip performances.

   Xavier Cha is a Happenings performer who is represented by Taxter and Spengemann Gallery. She received her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design in 2002 and then graduated from UCLA with a MFA in Sculpture in 2004.  She currently lives in New York and her work has been widely viewed throughout the U.S. and internationally.  Her artist style is categorized as exhibition, performance, conceptual performance, video art, and installation. 
    Xavier has experienced with alternate perceptions of space with her collaborative exhibitions. For example, in her "2010 Portal" iinstallation a space is created at a art gallery for a dancer to perform and create artist movements within that area.  A man video tapes the performance with a camera that is stabilized on robotic like legs to provide a more stable picture while filming. Why? For the observer or audience to experience an alternate perception of time and space.
   She is a frequent collaborator and she invites musicians, dancers, clowns and cults to contribute or perform in her projects and at times the invited guests add confusion to these happenings or performances.  In 2009  "Two Way Mirror" professional clowns come into the gallery and put on their makeup in a space at a gallery while passers-by observe and critique this HAPPENING.
    Another performance, for instance, 2006  "Holiday Cruise!" shows a beautiful assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables arranged along with a cultural like costume(Central or South American) in background.  However, there is a performer involved in this conceptual installation and she is buried within the arrangement of fruits and vegetables. Her feet appear sticking out.  She stays within character as though buried in the background as people walk by and wonder what does this suppose to say.   Maybe this symbolizes or conceptualizes in her opinion how people are barely visible to others when others are grocery shopping.  A person is without a face, name, or voice just present to sell vegetables.
   There are a variety of other solo performances such as Unsolicited Happenings that she creates. While she was in Los Angeles at one time she had to drive and noticed being visually assaulted by the mass advertisement of billboards and costumed outfitted patrons attracting the locals to come in to eat at their restaurant.  Xavier thinks human ads are absurd and so she decided to make an absurd pun in response to bring attention to the silliness and watch for reactions from the people in the area while videotaping for an an hour at a time. She dressed in a Fingernail costume in front of a nail salon. This one is funny. She is wearing an oval shaped cone over her head with her legs exposed dancing around on a corner. In another video there is man dressed like a shrimp dancing up some moves on a corner for a sushi restaurant.
     Last, Xavier has worked on many group exhibitions with other artists  She has contributed to the following exhibits:  2010 -Cleopatra's Presents, Quadruple Consciousness, Absolutely Others.  2009-Second Nature, Conventions, Invisible Adversaries, Skin Jobs. 2008 - PM Dawn, Agency - Art & Advertising Residents. 2007 - Uncertain States of America, Video Art in the Third Millennium. 2006- One Way or Another in Practice.2005, Makers, 2004 And if you Think You Can See Just with Your Eyes, and  2003 California Welcomes You. In Cleopatra's Presents, Xavier was a part of a group of artists, curators, who met at a cafe named, Cleopatra's in 2008 for two years.  These artists, who were all women, examined,discussed,and observed similarities and differences among their professions than presented their projects on canvas, video, photography, installations, and performances.
   What I have learned about Xavier is that she brings attention to her subjects by injecting the element of surprise,confusion and or mockery.  Forcing people to take a closer look to the beauty, absurdity, bizarre, and or less desirable things in life that are overlooked, she is able to communicate to the world through exhibitions why is the acceptable accepted. A different point of view I think is helpful in confronting what is considered average, boring, silly, and acceptable behavior in to our communities.  Art is in everyday life but what is the norm of acceptable art is a personal opinion that every person is entitled to.