Discussion

As I previously mentioned, the repetition of walking is much influenced by artists we have studied in class. This piece is temporary, because with time the grass always grows back. Below is a video documenting the trail that was run. As once can see, there are greener spots of the grass and even brown and patches of dirt.

What is more interesting is the process that was put into making this piece. It involved collaboration between my brother and I. It is special that we did this together since we almost never see each other anymore. We never "hang out" in the backyard anymore since we are all grown up and I am in college.

Another thing I noticed while reviewing the video is that for some reason (I do not know why) my brother had slipped off his shoes prior to me taking the video. I feel like this makes his connection to the place even stronger.

Final Project

The final project for this class contains influences from ancient artists and the more recent Richard Long.

It is symbolic of the journeys that ancient cultures took and marked with circles. The area contained within this yard is like a world in itself.

The second part to the video is reminiscent of Richard Long's pieces where he walked in a line until a trail was left in the ground.

Although my project is not as extensive as its influences, it attempts to express the idea of the place where my grandfather spent a lot of his time, but using the styles of previous artists.

Project Part I: The Site

After listening to speaker Meghan Muller discuss her site visits, it made me question what defines my site. I feel as if an in-depth discussion of a person's site can reveal a lot behind the piece.

Most important, the site must have certain physical aspects. I have legal access to my site since it is owned by my parents. My backyard is also very spacious (although size does not matter). While there is fencing and hedges that confine the space, no more is needed. Also, the site is directly connected to the natural elements of the earth. There are trees and other parts of nature. This is very related to my piece in that it is one about time, life, etc. 

A personal meaning can be attached between the project and site, although it is not necessary. My backyard is the place where I grew up. There is a garden of vegetables, patio, and a whole yard for us kids and adults to hang out. While I was little, my parents worked a lot a it was my grandparents who took care of me and my brother. The backyard was also the place where we spent a lot of time with our grandpa. We  used to play basketball, ride bikes (yes, in the grass) and have all sorts of fun. After about his five years of residency in the United States, he returned home. I guess I have attached a very nostalgic feeling to my backyard. 

I feel as if there is always a meaning to a piece of work. As much as the minimalists want to say that there is no meaning and that their art is just art, there may always be a subconscious reason for why the piece turned out as it did. If they can not identify one, it will eventually be labeled or assumed by their audience. It seems as one can not get away from meaning in a piece. 

Logs

In addition to being a stump, a log from the original tree can also have a nostalgic feeling attached to it. It is interesting how something natural can evoke someone's feelings, or have a history behind it (Usually feelings are attached to something more materialistic). For example, this stump has been located at my house since I moved there over ten years ago!

It will be very interesting to see how the peers in our class using trees in their projects will modify them. A tree is a symbol of life, knowledge, etc and these meanings seem to be very universal. Any modification to them will enhance the artist's purpose behind it.

Modified Stumps

While the other stump was allowed to be with nature, this one had an added man made object on it. This stump is on the edge of the property between my house and that of a neighbor's. As one can see, a reflector (added by someone unknown) has been placed on the tree. 

This reminds me of the Site Seer project that our professor did where he left foreign / man made objects (a white dress, apples in a bowl) in a natural setting and revisited it later to see how it was modified. However, this is the opposite. A natural object was allowed to remain in a man made world and was later modified by man. Again, this is a very permanent piece. Who knows what I will find the next time I return home? 

Natural Stumps

(These are two perspectives of the same stump)

Reflecting on the conversation we had as a class on Thursday on what happens to trees after they are unfortunately removed, I found the remnants of trees that had been removed off of my property. It seems that many stumps are left over in my yard.

This one was allowed for natural growth on it (as one can see from the above picture). This is very interesting in that a stump - when it was part of the tree as a whole - is a creation of the earth. However, when the tree becomes a stump, its form is man made. As time proceeds, it is further modified by nature through time.

Also, stumps are very permanent. They are rooted into the earth. It requires heavy machinery (and extra cash) to have it ground up. It is as if a stump is a lasting memory of the magnificent tree that was there and a symbol of continual life with the new organisms that are making it their home.   

More Trashcans

Good afternoon! Hope everyone is enjoying their "Fall Break"! This weekend I returned home and hoped to explore the area around my house, in addition to obtaining material for my final project. 

This is again another arrangement of trashcans. The grey one is for recycling while the green one is for trash. They are located on the side of my house and are pushed to the curb of our house for the Monday morning pickups. It would have been great if I could have taken a photo of that happening all along the neighborhood.

In a previous post I stated that trashcans were as if part of our cityscape in Richmond (as with other man made objects). However, it seems as if it is a norm, even in the suburbs that I live in. With Duchamp's popularity, it has made almost anything a piece of art. These pieces of art decorate our landscape and is representative of modernism. It shows the progression of something so simple. Once trash was just disposed of on the street (more primitive) while now, due to population growth and better sanitation, we use trashcans.