old women's head 1890

One of the clearest themes throughout Claudel's works is her interest in old bodies and old age, especially the ways in which elderly women are treated, depicted and understood. Her stunning Old Woman's Head (c.1890), which will go into the Musée d'Orsay's permanent collection, portrays an octogenarian Italian woman, Maria Caira, who also modeled for Rodin. Made entirely of plaster, Claudel's sculpture details Caira's sunken eyes, over-sized ears, bulbous nose and wrinkled face with the same respect and careful detail as she applied to one of her first and youngest creations, Diana (c.1881) which depicts the young face of the Roman huntress, raised on a plaster pedestal with her features styled as if she were a head of state or queen. In doing so – and thanks to the museum's decision to immediately juxtapose the two – Claudel draws attention not so much to Caira's age and her according features but more to her power and dignity. 

Camille

Camille Claudel is a French sculptor born in 1864, created the sculpture called "The Wave" out of onyx marble and bronze. It consists of three small bronze female figurines, all bending their knees at an impending wave. It is said that Claudels sculptor is inspired by Japenese art because it is similar to Hokusai's famous woodblock print. Onyx marble is a very difficult material to work with, and that is one of the main reasons I love this sculpture. Camille worked until 1905 but then had an increasing onset of dementia. She was placed in a mental asylum for thirty years, and eventually died in that asylum. Camille Claudel is also known for her inconsistent relationship with famous sculptor Auguste Rodin who had an "interesting" love affair for just about a decade.

Camille Claudel

This sculpture, named "Mature Age", was created by Camille Claudel in 1893. It is made out of Bronze and is 131x195x78 cm large. The sculpture represents the love triangle between herself, her lover August Rodin, and his wife. Camille is on her knees attempting to grab and hold onto Rodin's hand, while he is turned and being embraced by his wife. This piece is specifically interesting as it is only one of her sculptures which meaning can be blatantly seen. The piece is labeled "Mature Age" due to the fact that she had to endure losing her lover and teacher and embrace her independence.

The Waltz

Claudel made this out of bronze in the year that her relationship with Rodin began. It is a beautiful sculpture. The intimacy between the man and woman are clearly portrayed. The man is fully formed and nude from thr back. Initially, I thought the woman was wearing a dress, but she kind of just grows out of the ground. I love the attention to detail, and how the viewer sees a different image when looking closely versus afar.

Camille Claudel

This sculpture is known as La Vague, which translates to The Wave. It was created by in 1897 by Camille Claudel. This work of art was made of onyx, bronze, and marble. I love that the material used in this sculpture gave it greenish blue color. I think this can symbolize two things. One is that when your back is turned and your obvious to the troubles coming your ways others will help you out. I believe this is one interpretation because of the saying "ride the wave".  On the other hand people can symbolize this as people putting you through hard times and you would be better off if you let go of those people (hand holding- holding on to people, relying on people). 

Banksy

Banksy an unknow artist England based street artist, vandal and polictical activist. HIs work of political and social commentary have been featured in streets, walls and bridges of cities throughout the world. His work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artist and musicians. Banksy is claimed to be inspired by 3D, a graffiti artist who later became a founding member of the English musical group Massive Attack.

Banksy

Banksy is an anonymous artist from England. Some of his work is considered controversial. I chose this because it reminds me of a carnival game thats is commonly seen.

Banksky's

Bansksy's newly titled art "Love is in the Bin" was revealed this month on the 12th. It was originally titled "Girl with Balloon" and was shown at Sotheby's in London. The person who purchased the artwork did not know that it would self-destruct, and there is much controversy as to whether it is "fair" that it self-destructed or not. The artwork was made of scrap found in New Jersey junkyards, it measured 27 feet high and 23 feet in length. The way it self destructed was that it was shredded and then burst into flames.

Banksy

This piece, named "Well Hung Lover" or "Naked Man Hanging From Window", was created by graffiti artist, Banksy, in 2006. Banksy's pieces are scattered around the world, however, this one was painted in England on the side of a sexual health clinic. What is special about this painting is that it was the first legal piece of "street art" in the UK, as permission was granted by the Bristol City Council. Unfortunately, in 2009 it was shot with paintball guns resulting in the blue splatters. Some members of the council tried to restore it, but were unable to make much of a difference. It is believed that it was defaced due to the graphic nature that surrounds this image. A naked man hanging from a window can be seen, as well as a suited man and a women dressed in lingerie. It is believed that the suited man is the women husband and is on the hunt for the man she was having an affair with, thus the naked man is hiding.

Banksy

Banksy is an anonymous street artist, political activist, graffiti master, painter, and film director. He has refused for years to show his face or give his identity stating that he is a "quality vandal." In his work he portrays dark humor and graffiti to relay a message, or make a statement. His art is witty and gently subversive.

Banksy

Exactly who Banksy is, is currently unknown he is an anonymous street artist who does graffiti in cities that have messages behind them. He is from Britain but has done art all over the world. This art stood out to be because of the meanings behind it. It is clearly a child laborer who has been working hard, but look at what he is sewing. He is sewing British flags, it is interesting to think why british flags, I dont think the government is encouraging child labor. But could the government of been encouraging child labor at one point?

Banksy

This Banksy art was installed in March 2018 in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, NY on a former Mobil gas station that was set to be demolished. In a very Banksy-manner it caused controversy about if it should be persevered, and how it could be preserved. This very argument is representative of the issue Banksy tried to address in these murals. Everyday we knock down older structures (with their own histories and integrity) to make room for more contemporary, cookie cutter designs. An adjacent piece was vandalized within days of it's installation, so to prevent this happening to the seal piece a plywood case was installed. I believe Banksy would be upset by this because it would go against his message of free art for everyone. 

Banksy- Art booth

Spy booth was an artwork by Banksy in England. It appeared a couple months after Edward Snowden’s revealed the widespread phone-tapping by western governments. The artwork shows three secret agents in brown trench coats and trilbies using devices to listen in on conversations at the telephone box. The house it was painted on is a couple blocks away from the UK government surveillance operations. The artwork critiques the global surveillance disclosure of 2013. In February 2015, Cheltenham borough council granted retrospective planning permission, which meant the mural could not be removed without the approval of the council.The art work was either removed or destroyed in August 2016 even though the council prevented it from being removed. The house it was painted on was also sold. It’s unclear whether the mural, which had protected status, was destroyed during the building work or removed beforehand. The artwork has been used by GCHQ as a symbolic image for its "what we do" page.

Banksy

Banksy is an anonymous street artist from England. His works are mostly filled with political and social commentary and have been plastered on streets, walls, and bridges all over the world. One of his works, "Mobile Lovers" really stood out to me because of its message and some fimiliarity I have had with this piece. In high school, I was in the National Art Honor Society and we painted a mural for the dance concert. The theme that year was "Look Up" and was all about cell phones in today's society. So the art department chose this piece to recreate for the mural of the concert to put in the lobby of the school, and I was able to help out with it. The message behind this piece is really all about cell phone in society today and how everyone is attached to theirs. It is amazing how Banksy was able to portray this on a door in the streets of Bristol.

Banksy

In Show Me the Monet, Banksy changes the famous impressionist painting Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lillies by Claude Monet.  He recreated this painting using almost the same material as Monet and added to shopping carts and a cone to the pond.  The message behind this work deals with consumerism and that society is focused on material goods and buy more to feel fulfilled.  This painting symbolizes the disregard for nature in favor of consumerism and production of excess waste.  This is even seen in the title with money being a play on Monet and is meant to be read as a critique of the commercialization of art.

Banksy

Banksy is an anonymous street artist. He uses stencil technique to create graffiti on the streets all around the world including New York, California, London, Jerusalem, Canada, and many more. His work aims to make statements that make people think about society. This picture stood out to me because it is so easy for people today to get too wrapped up in social media and their "likes" on pictures. In today's society people pose for social media purposes, and nothing else, just to make their life seem better than it may be. The crying boy is similar to the reaction of many people when they don't get as many "likes" as they wish to have. It is important all of us take a step back from social media and realize how minuscule the problem of not getting enough "likes" are compared to other's situations.

Banksy

I really enjoy this art work because I immediately connected to it. To me this work of art depicts how people rate their self esteem off their social media. More specifically, they believe their popularity and how many people like them is off the number of likes they get on their pictures. The worse part is kids growing up now are only going to rely on social media to gain self esteem. I really love that he expressed sadness, anger, and loneliness through one piece of art. Banksy also made the social media part (orange section) pop out, which would grab many peoples attention when they walk by it. 

mobile lovers

Like other Banksy pieces, he used multiple spray-painted stencils to achieve the subtle details and glow of mobile devices. It results in a witty social commentary that our phones rule our lives, even in intimate moments like the one that’s depicted here. The incessant chirping and push notifications have made us partially removed from what’s in front of us, and Banksy may be reminding us that it would be beneficial to put away our cell phones every once in awhile.

Banksy

This piece of work, by Banksy, is titled Flower Thrower. It is located in London and is thought to suggest that being kind can be more productive than using weapons or violence. This image depicts a protester throwing flowers instead of a weapon as protesters would usually do. I chose this piece because I enjoy flowers, but I also appreciate the message behind it. I also like that Banksy does a lot of black and white work, but he colored the flowers in this piece of art to add contrast and maybe even a clearer message.

Banksy- Monkey Sign

Banksy made Monkey Sign (black and white) in 2016. It is made from polystone. I think it is a statement on how it's easier to get through life not saying anything and avoiding confrontation. Usually those who die younger are those who take a stand and fight for what they believe in. I like how Banksy made one monkey black and the otther white and I like the detailing that he used. I appreciate the use of contrasting colors in the black monkey, making certain features stand out.

Banksy

I chose this photo because i think It can either be very political or a common thing people see in the city everyday.  Homeless people in America and all around the world struggle each day, and i think they need money and also help from other and the government to see a real change.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist who is a social activist who is against Chinese communism. I was impressed by Ai Weiwei sunflower seed sculpture which he made based on the mass production techniques that China caters to Western Countries. I was impressed by this artwork because it was so large and he had to paint eat seed independently which took over 2 and a half years. People used to be able to walk over the seeds and each seed represents optimism during hard times. 

Ai WeiWei

Ai Weiwei is a chinese contemporary artist. In 2010, Ai Weiwei filled the Turbine Hall of London's Tate Modern with exactly 100,000,000 porcelain sunflower seeds. The sunflower is an important Chinese communist symbol. For Ai, sunflowers remind him of happy memories of walking through the streets with friends.

Ai Weiwei

I choose this piece by Ai Weiwei, "Forever Bicycle" because I found it intriguing how he placed each of the bikes in different positions and they all form to make a large circle. He designed this in 2003, and the inspiration was from the irony behind the use of transportation. All 43 of the bikes are from the brand, Forever, which were popular in big cities, but seem to be disappearing overtime and replaced with cars. I think Ai Weiwei is trying to send a message and try bring us back to how it used to be. I find this piece very eye appealing.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei filled Turbine Hall in London with exactly 100,000,000 porcelain sunflower seeds. Each sunflower was handmade by craftsmen from the Chinese city of Jingdezhen. The meaning behind the exhibit is still a question, but the process of creating each sunflower seed employed many people across Jingdezhen. The exhibit used to be open to the public, but dust was being stirred up and considered unhealthy for people to breathe in. The exhibit is now shut down and only allowed to be viewed and not interacted with. I chose this exhibit because even though it does not have an understood purpose, it provided jobs for several people. It also created a sense of purpose among everyone that contributed to the project. 

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a world renown artist who created a special edition artwork for the Public Art Fund that was available for purchase on October 17-27, 2017. The artists hand, is a 5"x 4" x 4" rhodium-plated sculpture of Ai's hand which is a part of his study of Perspective Services. The artist photographed his own hand flipping off significant landmarks and world monuments in a rejection of authority and political oppression. His sculpture also represents an affirmation of individual expression. Ai made 1,000 of them, each available for $675.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a contemporary artist in China who is also known for his political activism. This piece is named the “Artist’s Hand” and is a rhodium-plated sculpture. This is one piece of a series where Weiwei “flips off” landmarks and monuments, in an effort to reject authority. He made several of these sculptures and each cost up to £10,000, or 13,232.76 US dollars.

ceiling snake

On May 12, 2008, a massive earthquake in China’s Sichuan province killed approximately 90,000 people. Ai Weiwei created this serpentine sculpture, made of backpacks, to commemorate the more than 5,000 school children who were killed when their shoddily constructed schools collapsed. Government officials refused to release the number of deaths, or acknowledge any accountability, so in 2009, Ai Weiwei launched a “citizen investigation” to ensure that neither the children nor the devastation would be forgotten.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese conceptual artist and activist. He calls attention to human rights violations in his art while also expanding the definition of art to include forms of social engagement. He uses conceptual and minimalist traditions to create his art. In one of his pieces he scattered 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds. They were hand made and painted by 1,600 Chinese artists to represent how mass consumption of foreign made goods affects lives of other across the globe, as well as representing the loss of individuality. Ai was very open in his criticism of the Chinese government.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist. He specialized in sculpture, architecture, film, photography, and installation. This piece by Weiwei is called Snake Ceiling. It was completed in 2009 and was installed into the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2013. In May of 2008, a huge earthquake hit China and killed approximately 90,000 people. Ai Weiwei created this piece out of backpacks to remember the 5,000 children who died in this earthquake due to their schools collapsing. I think its interesting to see such a big piece of work all made out of backpacks on a ceiling.

Ai Weiwei- The artist hand

This work of art is Ai Weiwei’s hand and he made it in 2017. The sculpture is made of  a rhodium plate.  He made this sculpture as part of his study of perspective series in which he photographed his hand “flipping off” significant landmarks and world monuments. The reason he did this was for rejection of authority and political oppression and as a sign of individual expression. This sculpture is supposedly available on eBay for purchase. Ai Weiwei is a activist so I can see why he would create a sculpture like this and why he would take pictures of his flipping finger at important monuments.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is an extraordinary Chinese contemporary artist. His works made bold statements that sometimes called out his disagreements with the government. The sculpture presented above is known as Forever Bicycles. Weiwei used thousands of bicycles to build this sculpture. This piece referred to China's mass production through the use of, literally, thousands of bicycles repeating in a circle. It is obvious that China's production of objects is very large considering how massive the size of this sculpture is and they were not even affected by the loss of this many bicycles. Something I think that is very interesting about this artwork is that usually bicycles allow people to roam freely and move around but these bicycles cannot be taken apart or the whole structure will be ruined. The intertwining of the bicycles contradict the actual purpose of them. 

Ai Wei Wei

Ai WeiWei is a famous Chinese artist and a known activist. He calls attention to human rights violations, as an artist he expands the definition of art. In his country he's viewed as a threat to "Harmonious society". Ai himself is from a long line of free thinkers and writers, his dramatic actions highlight the widening gap between the ideal and the real Chinese society. He is one of  the earliest conceptual artist to use social media as one of his primary media. Ai was a professional blackjack player for a brief period early in life. His work today is about risk and testing the limits of freedom. His work is design to remind us that risk taking is an essential form of exercise in a free society.

Ai WeiWei

Ai WeiWei, is a chinese contemporary artist, born in 1957. He is outspoken about government and not in a positive light. He has spent a lot of energy trying to look into government coverups and poor choices. Particularly Chinas government. Pictured above is titled "Forever Bicycle" the piece was completed in 2003 and stands at 21 feet tall. It is composed of 20 bicycles that seems to seamlessly connect. This highlights his bare bones style of architecture.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a famous contemporary Chinese artist and also an activist. This piece is called Grapes which is made of ordinary wooden stools. I chose this piece because it is really eerie looking, and the suspended nature of it really captures the viewers eye. Ai also tied in meaning to this piece, in that sense of how society is changing from its traditional ways into something new exciting.

Ai WeiWei

Ai Weiwei's "Bang" consists of 886 ancient stools, all sprung around a room, as if an explosion had just gone off. This is consistent with Ai Weiwei's typical way of using prized Chinese objects and turning them into a different type of art. This piece was made in 2013 and was displayed in

Venice Biennale along side 3 of his other pieces. The total structure takes up an entire room, and is visible from 360 degrees. This is part of several different sculptures Ai Weiwei had made with the ancient stools.

Wei wei

Wei wei took an ancient vase and repurposed It with the logo Coca Cola this was seen as an activist movement. Even though he knew he was under surveillance  he still continued to repurpose old artifacts and make them into something new and unique.

Ai Weiwei

Weiwei's art is a blend of traditional Chinese history and contemporary practice that is seen as a form of human rights activism. A good example of this is his Coca-Cola Vase. Weiwei took a Han-dynasty traditional vase and juxtaposed it with the contemporary soda logo. Ai Weiwei did not intend for this work to shock people.  Although he did alter an ancient artifact the piece is not intended to deface and defile his ancestry. It represents the new Chinese language which is built upon heredity but accelerated by global capitalism.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist,  activist, architect, photographer, and filmmaker. I found this sculpture interesting that he made a tree sculpture out of parts of other trees. To make it he used dry, dead branches from many different kinds of trees. He used the many pieces to mimic a real tree but left the many different kinds visible. Weiwei has made 15 sculptures similar to this one. 

Ai Weiwei

Al Weiwei is an activist and contemporary artist. In fact, he is one of the most famous Chinese artist. Weiwei created this sculpture known as "Tree" in 2010. The medium of this sculpture is dead dry branches and several different types of tree trunks and roots. I find it intriguing that the he made this tree sculpture out of what a tree is composed of. I enjoy this sculpture because the medium he used allowed him to add texture and detail to make it truly look like a tree. However, even though you can tell it is a tree, it looks like a very old dead tree. Apparently, Weiwei used dead branches/roots/trunks to symbolize the rapid growth of urbanization in China, which resulted in harming nature.

Fragments

Ai WeiWei used antique wood from dismantled Qing Dynasty temples to form an irrational structure, but actually maps out the borders of China. I like how it is a merging of old and new, with the new stools and the antique wood. It interesting how WeiWei takes old pieces of Chinese culture and gives it a new meaning or message. The contrast in the colors of the wood makes it a puzzle for the eyes.

Segal

Siegel made this out of the holocst memorial. And I think it’s very powerful but yet so simple at the same time. The barbed wires make It so realistic and they have pictures like this from history so the vision isn’t far fetched