Spencer Tunick

Before this class, I've actually heard of Spencer Tunick and his work.  Tunick is best known for his installations that feature a large crowd of nude people posing in artistic forms.  He has photographed in over 20 different locations.  It is easy for people to get involved; they simply have to fill out a form and volunteer to be photographed.  I find this style of art very interesting and unique.  The photographs show how the body is a form of art in itself.

Walking Man I

A sculpture by Alberto Giacometti, one of the 20th century's most prominent artists, sold for a record $104.3 million dollars at Sotheby's in London by an anonymous buyer.  Bidding began at about $12 million and quickly escalated as 10 bidders fiercely competed for the piece until the last bid.  This six foot tall bronze sculpture depicts a man mid-stride and head tall.  When we learned about this piece in class, I was shocked that someone would spend this much on a piece that is not very well known.

The Mona Lisa Curse

The Curse of the Mona Lisa was a documentary narrated by art critic Robert Hughes.  Hughes shows viewers the art world in the 1960's and the present day.  I found the difference in art between these two time periods astounding.  In the 60's, art was exhibited in museums for the publics enjoyment but now individual collectors spend millions of dollars to own a piece for themselves.  Hughes tries to point out that art has turned into a business over the years.  I personally think that it is a shame that art has become all about money and trading.  But if collectors enjoy the piece enough to spend millions on it, there is nothing that we can do about it.

Spencer Tunick

Before this class I have actually seen some of Spencer Tunick's work and found his pictures to be very attention grabbing.  I was always curious as to how he was able to get so many people to come together and stand together for a naked photograph.  It was interesting to learn that artists put out calls for volunteers and people actually take the time to go.  These pictures are very unique, but I find it weird to be standing nude around a group of people.  I cannot imagine how he is able to clear out such popular places, such as grand central station, in order to take pictures.  I really like the imagines where they are so zoomed out you are not sure whether or not they are people.  Everything just kind of blends together with the area they photographing in. 

Curse of the Mona Lisa

The film, Curse of the Mona Lisa, provided viewers with a different perspective on the art world.  We were able to see how the art world has turned from a passion to a cost driven market.  Many new artists seem to have only a focus on making money from their artwork.  Older artists and critiques are disheartened by the change in the art market.  It is amazing to see how some art is sold for million and millions of dollars.  Art has become a serious business.  It started in the 70's when museums started to market shows/exhibits and held events for big businesses.  This helped changed the face of art and bring about an income in a business that was losing money.  I was surprised to see this different world of art, however found it to be very interesting. 

Herb & Dorothy

The story of Herb and Dorothy made me understand how much art can truly mean to certain people.  This couple had low income; Herb working at a post office, and Dorothy being a librarian.  Even though they did not have the significant amount of money like other art collectors, they managed to create one of the most important contemporary art collections in history.  The two devoted all of Herb's salary to purchase art they enjoyed, and lived off of Dorothy's paycheck.  When purchasing the art work, they followed two rules: the piece had to be affordable, and it had to be small enough to fit in their one bedroom apartment.  After 30 years, the Vogels collected over 2,000 pieces.  The couple's dedication and love for art made me realize how much hobbies and collections can really mean to someone.  The two cherished their collection and spent a large portion of their life and about half of their income to invest in something they love; art.

Sunflower Seeds

Ai WeiWei's work entitled "Sunflower Seeds" located in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern was very different and took a lot of hard work based on the video we used in class.  The sunflower seeds represent the source of food of the Chinese under Mao.  This piece of work is probably my favorite that we have studied thus far in class.  The sunflower seeds represent the people and the Chinese culture.  Also, the process of creating this exhibit brought work to people that usually would have trouble finding jobs.  The video showed the workers' excitement and hard work ethic.