Killer Art

I used to live at the Cougar Place dorms across the street from this and I would always see it but I never actually studied it. I'm glad this piece finally came up in one of my art classes because it gives me a better appreciation for it. It's not the most appealing artwork to look at, but I don't think art has to be so it kind of breaks those rules and I like that.

I should make myself a self statue

Posing with the great two statues. People thought I was a statue the way I blended in.

I call this Froot Loop Island. The only person missing is Sam Toucan . I thought it would master a discription of what it would be if a Froot Loop Island was to exist.

Police Officer’s Memorial

After seeing the Fiesta Dancers, I went to take a look at the Police Officer’s Memorial (these extra credit assignments are kind of starting to feel like a scavenger hunt— I’m having fun with them, to be sure). The stairs seem to invite you to ascend to the top of the memorial, and yet it somehow felt like I wasn’t supposed to climb them (I ended up deciding not to).

Fiesta Dancers

I went to see the Fiesta Dancers earlier! Unfortunately, as you can tell from this photo, I only got to see it from afar. Still, it’s a fascinating sculpture. I’ve never seen such unique handling of the material and coloring of a sculpture before. I hope I’ll be able to take a closer look at it sometime!

Luis Jimenez

Fiesta Dancers by Luis Jimenez

Sam Kozlowski 

I love this piece! I pass by this everyday that I have class and always find myself staring. I love how enormous this piece is, the rich colors, the shape of the dancers, etc. It’s in a great location and definitely something to come see, if new to Houston or visiting. 

KILLER ART

BIG BAMBU by Doug & Mike Starn

DREAMSCAPE by Maurice Agis

Sam Kozlowski

I chose two killer art pieces, the top one is called Big Bambu and it is located at the very top of the Metropolitan Museum. This piece has not killed anyone yet, but it very likely could because visitors are allowed to climb on the bambu sculpture but only after signing a release form. The second piece is called Dreamscape, it consists of numerous, large inflatables. Due to strong winds and faulty tethering of the sculpture it took flight and floated away. Two women unfortunately fell to their deaths when the sculpture took to the sky.

Fiesta Dancers

Fiesta Dancers - Marisa Rodriguez 2018

I went to view the fiesta dancers and actually expected them to be bigger. I can't remember if we said they use to be more colorful but they seemed pretty faded out. I'm not sure if I am a fan because I couldn't really get with the style and texture of the sculpture. It is cool that we have artwork around campus, such as this piece, I had never gone to that side of the campus so it was neat to go view it!
-Marisa Rodriguez-

Frank Stella

I was pretty excited to go to the Frank Stella talk. I don’t remember all that much of it, but something that stuck with me was the way he described making his sculptures and architectural pieces: he said he thought of the process as “building up a painting”. It made me look at my surroundings in a different light, and now it really feels like anything can be a painting.

Man Ray

http://www.ubu.com/film/ray_home-movies-23.html

I watched home videos by Man Ray and Ady Fidelin; a compilation of recordings of live bull fighting, blowing bubbles, hanging out at restaurants, studios and just little moments with friends. It was nice seeing artists interacting with each other outside of their work environment. They had a type of relationship/bond that was very appealing and attractive, something you wish you had if you don't already within a solid group of individuals.

Performance Art

Pablo Picasso

Within hundreds of names of artists I instantly say Pablo Picasso. This film was very interesting to me because it revealed the process of his figure drawings. I got to see these drawings come to life while he was creating them. So many people see Picasso's work and think anyone can do that but watching this film really shows that one has to really study the figures you are drawing to be able to distort them in that form.

Kevo with Fiesta Dancers, (1991-1993), Luis Jiminez

He cant dance better than me!!! LOL...Jk... Actually took me longer than it should have to find this.

Performance Art

I listened to the red tapes part 1 by Vito Acconci's and at first it sounded kind of creepy but as I read the description I was even more lost. I do not get or enjoy performance art. This guy is a strange.

Fiesta Jarabe

So I did a little research on this one and found out Jimenez the artist was actually a UH staff member and he created five of these hat dance sculptures. I didn't get too close to it because It was cold and rainy outside, but once it clears up I will take a closer look at it. It looked pretty big though from where I was!

Branas 2018

Rothko Chapel

Not too sure if this was an extra credit or not but I had to go see it anyways because I learned about it in class and it was right by the Fabiola Project! I only went inside for like a minute because I think Im so use to being busy that I could not sit there in that eerie silence. I will go back and force myself to sit there for a longer period though to shut out any noise going on in life at the time.

Rothko Chapel Branas 2018

Menil Fabiola Project

Fabiola Geisa Branas 2018 

Fabiola Branas 2018

I was the only one there at the time so it was impossible to get a photo of the artwork because security was watching my every move. I really enjoyed coming out to see this piece it was pretty cool to learn he collected the paintings.

Rock Art

Rock Art Geisa Branas 2018

 So I took a picture of a rock looking dreaming about what it wishes to be in life. Ironically, its a rock and they do not grow but only shrink as life elements wear it down. So sad :(

Havel Ruck

Went to Havel Ruck's: Ripple reception

Steve McQueen's Western Deep

Steve McQueen's Western Deep is a film shown complementary to Caribs' Leap. Commissioned in 2002, the two films are shown as a three screen projection. Carib's Leap was filmed in Grenada, recalling an incident that happened in 1651, in which natives chose to jump to their death instead of submitting to the Europeans. Western Deep was filmed near Johannesburg, South Africa in a mine two miles underground. It displays the harsh realities and dangerous working conditions of the mine workers. 


"The strength and stoicism of the miners indicates the capacity of people to survive in extreme environments, and in this way relates albeit paradoxically to the Caribs’ bravery and defiance in choosing self-destruction over capitulation to a conquering power. The two films are structured around descent: the controlled descent of the miners travelling two miles underground in Western Deep is a counterpoint to the free-falling figure in Caribs’ Leap. With this in mind, it is possible to see the people in Caribs’ Leap as Icarus figures or angelic messengers in contrast to the miners in the underground hell of Western Deep."

Steve McQueen's Western Deep

Kusama’s Self-Obliteration

Having had no idea which artist to choose, I decided one whose name I’ve happened to hear consistently throughout several art history classes over the years: Yayoi Kusama. There is only one video under her name— Kusama’s Self-Obliteration, made in 1967 (http://www.ubu.com/film/kusama_obliteration.html). The video in its entirety plays like a fever dream, a fact certainly expedited by the unearthly music, the frequent time lapses and footage overlay, and the sequences of quick cuts to rather phantasmagorical and often unidentifiable colors and shapes (not to mention a complete lack of dialogue). Throughout the film, Kusama paints or simply sticks countless polka dots on people, animals, and objects, and later, the film focuses on a cluster of people, all nude and covered in Kusama’s polka dots, engaging in bizarre— and somewhat suggestive— activity. The polka dots seem to represent a total surrender of identity and a merging between individuals and the universe (alternatively, self-obliteration).

To be honest, I can’t quite decide whether I liked it or not, but overall, I found it to be— for lack of a better word— interesting. One can’t help but feel mesmerized. I also found a great article that actually analyzes both Kusama’s work within the film and the film itself: http://filmslie.com/watch-yayoi-kusama-self-obliteration-dissolve-identity/. (It’s not necessarily credible, but it was an intriguing read nonetheless.)

coincidentally relevant...

Elefante (2011)

Not really knowing where to start in choosing what to dive into, I picked film, chose a random name, and selected the most recent work. I landed on Elefante, a narrative about the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. whoa. As I began watching, I started to reflect on the Florida High School shooting that happened last week and feelings got somber. It was odd, when Elefante was conceived, Columbine was over 10 years in the past, however, watching 7 years later, but days after such a similar event, the lingering relevance is horrifying to watch.

The Fabiola Project

I went to see The Fabiola Project in the Byzantine Fresco Chapel and was absolutely awestruck (unfortunately, I didn’t manage to sneak a photo of the collection itself— I was the only one there and a security guard kept me under close watch the entire time). I watched the video after and remember the artist saying something along the lines of “I hope the viewers take a step closer and start noticing the differences between them”, so I think he meant for the pictures to be seen individually rather than as one big piece.

Warhol interview

So...The link above redirects you to an Andy Warhol interview. Growing up and learning about Warhol, I always hated his interviews and felt like he had a shitty attitude towards the potential listeners. As a practicing artist, Iv'e grown to realize his gimmicks and actually love his horrible style of interviewing where he lets the interviewer do most of the talking. Its an art in itself. Here is a painting series I did of Andy,

Fabiola

Took my daughter to the Menil and got a picture. Dont tell anyone :)

TAPE ART

Sam Kozlowski- TAPE ART- 2018

So, for my tape art piece I decided to go with trying to depict an animal out of tape outlining. ITS A BEAR! If you couldn’t tell, this was my first attempt with this medium. It was a fun experience and tricky at the same time. I enjoyed this assignment because not only was it for class it was also part of my Vday gift to my guy and he really appreciated it. (: 

Tape Art

Play House...

Houston Police Officer's Memorial

I visited the Houston Police Officer's Memorial this last weekend and it was such a beautiful day! The structure was covered in rose pedals all around and it reminded me of Mexico. It was such an honor to show respect  to all the fallen police officers.

TAMUCC Drawing Class 2015

Francis Bacon

I was pleasantly surprised to see Francis Bacon on Ubu so I chose to talk about him. I included a photo (at the top) of an art work I did with a small group while I was going to school at TAMUCC. We did a recreation of his Screaming Pope painting! Not to make a long story out of it but we chose to put Trump as the subject for the painting and there it is. Anyways, I learned about his works while in that class and have always admired his take on things since then. He is a painter and is known for his "horrifying" paintings of humans doing human things. He was quite an interesting fellow, he always would often talk about his paintings with disgust and would say he made a mistake and it wasn't really that good. I find him very interesting and enjoyed the short documentary that was on Ubu! 

-Marisa Rodriguez

Wanda Koop is an interdisciplinary painter who shows her techniques with something I believe every artist struggles with: creative block. She uses travel as a tool to help her create new perspectives and ideas. I find her focus on her artwork inspiring and highly recommend everyone to check out the short documentary-style film called KOOP.

Byzantine Fresco Chapel

I had to wait for the man to walk away from me to quickly take this photo.

Houston Police Officer Monument

I visited the Police Officer Monument today and as soon I parked I felt a very somber feeling and a feeling of loss. It didn't help that the day was gloomy, the park was empty, and the area was muddy. It was much smaller than what I was expecting.The structure was very beautiful and I loved all the angles and the views from the monument.

Tape Art

So we did a self portrait in my drawing class with charcoal last week and my teacher is always telling us to try things in a different way so I tried to do in tape. I really enjoyed the process of playing around with the tape and I will probably keep playing around with the rest of the tape I have and use it to make a bigger self portrait.The colorful crazy tape with the lines and circles reminded me of a computer circuit chip and I used it to portray methodical thoughts and the connections my mind makes. The orange tape renders the shape of my face and hair but the crazy tape still seeps out of those line because those methodical thoughts and connection are reflected outward into my actions and artwork.

Geisa Branas-Tape Art-2018

Frank Stella

An evening with Frank Stella was slightly disappointing,  I was expecting solid interesting questions that would challenge him or that would make him answer in a unique fun way but the questions were lame and almost just shaped around the older crowd. The only thing I remember him answering that I enjoyed was when he was asked if he ever googled himself and he answered "I don't trust Google".
I still appreciate and understand the fact that it was something major for Frank Stella to be speaking at UH and that I was able to attend the event as easily as it was. An opportunity of a life time and an honor.

Tape Art

Flaming Heart Gladys Cendejas 2018 

Tape on chalk board. A reminder to keep your passions burning.

Tape Art

Lilian Ibrahim - Tape Art - February 2018

In Figure Drawing last semester, we were instructed to make a drawing without using pencils, pens, or paint, so I used tape and newspaper to make a figure: I decided to do something similar for this assignment. He came out looking kind of like a superhero, though— the highlights on his face look more like a mask, and the tape I used for the background looks like a chain link fence. Not that I’m complaining, though!

Rock Art

Lilian Ibrahim - Rock Art- February 2018

I thought it’d be funny/clever to paint the brick I got with a brick wall. It seemed sort of paradoxical in a way. It wasn’t very difficult either— the original texture and color of the brick itself provided most of the illustration. I was worried at first about whether the paint would actually show up, but acrylic got the job done!

Frank Stella

Stella! 

I really enjoyed the Frank Stella talk. It was interesting to see the progression from his paintings to his more sculptural works, which he refers to as “building paintings.” I loved hearing other artists and curators discussing their experiences with Stella’s work, not only professionals like Rick Lowe on stage, but attendees in the audience as well.

Tape Art

Rainbow Tape Art

I love using tape in my artistic practice. The color variety and flexibility make it especially versatile. I usually like sculpting with it but for time crunches I choose to do something simpler. For this project I really wanted to utilize all the colors, using the transparency of the tapes to blend them together.  

Tape art inspired by the Houston skyline

Arte de Tape

                                                  Tape ART : Uriel Landeros

Tape Art

Tape Art Dominique Grimaldo 2018

This tape art was inspired by the backsplash of my kitchen. As you can see in the photograph, the backsplash in the background resembles the design I created on the cup. I also chose this clear cup because the light that shines through the cup really makes the colors more vibrant.

Marisa Rodriguez - Tape Art - February 2018

I switched my idea last minute because I noticed this water bottle in my room was managing to stand with water in it (left) but would not stay standing while empty (right). I chose in the spirit of love and Valentine's day, to cover the bottle in red, pink, and white Washi tapes. To me this was an analogy to relationships. If yall put your all into it (water in this case) you can keep it a float, but as soon as you empty it out and leave it to dry (remove the water) things no longer seem to stand as they once did. Weird how I stumbled upon this idea instead. BUT I enjoy tape art and would like to try bigger and better things with it! :) -Marisa

Tape Art

I made this in the back of an office building door.

TAPE ART

 

I had a painting exercise I tried out a few yeas ago, and I always look at the painting and try to think of what I can do to it. I decided to experiment with some tape nad I may paint over it in the near future. 

Rock Art Find

I live in an apartment complex with many different kinds of rocks and stone throughout each unit. I thought it would be a unique idea to hide my rock art in one of these beds, seeing as I will not live here permanently, perhaps one day someone will come along and notice the tiny smile laying amongst the other rocks and think its funny, weird, or just make them smile.

Rock Art

Rocky Gladys Cendejas 2018

With equal options on where to go, left, right, up or down, the rock sits perfectly in the center waiting for its faith to come to it. Most likely a car might run over it as its on a parking lot.

Rock ART

Hello, first sorry for not being able to go to class!!! But this is my Third Eyed Raven Brick with many eyes...I ended up putting it at the Target parking space at San Felipe.. people looked at me funny cuz they didn't know what I was taking a photo of. I will check later this weekend to see if it still there. Parking ART!

sTONYng Smith by: Uriel Landeros

                    http://www.tonysmithestate.com/artworks/sculpture/the-snake-is-out-1962


                                                      THE IMMORTAL DREAM