a130047 – colonalism

Team 7 Reflection

Planning a gallery exhibition definitely took alot more thought that anticipated, especially so with the thematic of the subject, Chinoiserie and how to find the relevant objects to group together, decently, in order to drive a point.

Having a scope definitely helped alot, but it somehow felt fragile as our conception of women and gender in that age, didn’t quite gel all our items together, initially. It felt like anything could change any moment, but for me, seeing the erotic plate really did reveal another side of Chinoisierie and the culture we were unaware of, because previously, it always seemed exotic and very grand even if it was considered “cheap” taste then. Perhaps too, it kind shows how societies view wealth, now its all about design and functionality more so than fanciful wares, thus the window in which we see Chinoisierie seems so interesting, with its transcultural origins, and less as of blatant entertainment for women in that day and age. Luckily, we managed to round it about more with the space itself, than the subject of gender, the bedroom really helped consolidating what items should go together.

Working together with Peng Cheng to make a interactive gallery was also an eye opener. It was something I’ve never done before, translating files for a game engine and yeah, actually very applicable for cross disciplinary projects, as animation lies close with interactive media particularly game design. It was very satisfying to see the modelled asset used into the game (modelled and textured the plate and box mirror).

A gallery project didn’t just mean finding out more about our own objects (plate, wallpaper, curtains, mirror), it also meant filtering the information and presenting them. It really makes you think how to present, what to show and how much exactly to say in order to keep the gallery concise, to the point and of interest. Really makes you think how much effort, planning museums bother about, we didn’t even do information points, different rooms or background music either!

All in all, an insightful project, fun to be able to apply maya knowledge and also got to learn more about movements between China and Britain and how goods transform to suit the taste of its consumers.

Week 9: Islamic conference

Please remember to visit ONE research talk, a workshop, or an event at the Contemporary Islamic Art, Design, and Architecture conference held at ADM, CCA, and the National Design Center this week. Write a journal entry about what you saw and heard. Check out this web site for the schedule: http://www.ciada2015.com/index.html

Day 2 Lecture
Companionable Objects, Companionable Conscience: Ethical Pleasure, Islamic Art, and the Making of Happy Objects Kenneth George

Australian National University

The talk mostly centred on the works of Indonesian artist, A.D Pirous who does Islamic calligraphy in installations work and understanding the ideals guiding his works of art.

George highlighted an two points in the work of analysis that of aesthetic pleasure and then ethical pleasure as well, while the work is both pleasing to the eye, there is also greater meaning, an anticipation of being read in the calligraphy and then understood. A.D Pirous works then served as a time of reflection compared to merely seeing paintings as a unified whole.

George also mentioned the idea of happiness and how it sticks to an object with happy things carrying promises.

The work featured here is White Writing (1974). It’s a form of expressive calligraphy and interestingly, isn’t supposed to make sense, and becomes a form of unexpressed words but still, expressive in atmosphere, George commenting it to be an ambience of divine revelation.

It was abit certainly muddling to sit for the lecture and suddenly be bombarded with Islamic themed art, but I’ve certainly learnt more about the art scene there and also George himself had already highlighted the disparage between those who can read Islamic as compared to a legible pure image painting and how “reading is limiting in A.D Pirous’s work.”

Week 6: Family

What is a family portrait? What are some famous family portraits? How would you take a family portrait now?

A family portrait, to me, is … any rendition of.. a unit of people that lives together, be it a photograph, a painting or something even representational.. but by such nature, I think it be a fairly formal depiction, registering and confirming the idea of a family.

I thought a rather contemporary “famous” or rather viral portraits would be this article, comprising of people recreating photos of the past, which is heartwarming and hilarious, affirming, things change and sometimes, some things, don’t change.

http://www.boredpanda.com/before-after-childhood-photo-recreation/

Nowadays, cameras are pretty advanced and with the advert of photoshop, you can even insert yourself into a family portrait, even if you’re not there. These days, we would probably use the DSLR or a decent camera, to capture a portrait or to go even more casual, a group selfie with a phone camera could suffice. With the onset of better technology, its become apparent the level of formality and importance of these portraits diminish but certainly, still functions a moment, a time, a place along with the people.

Week 5: Labour

How have artists made us think about labor? This past weekend, I saw this wonderful intervention by a dance company in Singapore in making us think about the migrant laborers in Singapore. They foregrounded the laborers by placing them on stage, by responding to their poems, and by inviting them to watch this celebration of their lives. Share with the class an image or a article that brings up this issue of labor.

Sam Chin’s photography of workers deemed “Super Heroes” of Singapore left quite an impression. It fun to see how the artist demands us to change the light of our perception through the framework and subject matter of the photograph. Certainly, artists shed insight and awareness and, appreciation of those laboring for our city’s development.

It reminds me of a recent news about a Singaporean house wife giving out fruit weekly, to workers in appreciation of their work.

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/sporeans-give-back-foreign-workers

For me, I think it’s great there’s a level of appreciation and friendliness for these workers, who toil to do these work for us. It kind of still brings up the issue of slavery, and standard of living for these foreign workers.

Nevertheless, I hope our society can be kind to them, who already have to face hard labor daily.

Week 4: Colonalism in Japan

How does Allan Sekula’s engagement with the sea, help us to think about trade in the 16th century? Link images or articles that you see relevant to this question or your reflections.

Allan Sekula’s Forgotten Space is a reflective critic of the world’s current trade and the unseen voyages, parcels, goods all boxed in steel. Despite the dreary modern visage of trade alluded the video, Sekula highlights an important point, that this business binds as together and its kind of ironic, the stranger “other” is a stranger being yet still my benefactor when goods are turned in.

Arrival of a Portuguese ship kind of reflects that tension, the people are all solely connected by the imports, and the scenery suggest only great interest centred around the goods, and not so on human interactions. Other namban screens, also depict the locals, curious but wary.

Which… links to the steel and desolation which Sekula mentions of order, efficiency and global progress, only leading to disorder and destruction? The wiki page of firearms in Japan, suggest the Portuguese were the first to bring gunpowder in the early 16th century.

However, at least trade was more interactive then, compared to the now global sterile approach(ebay, amazon comes to mind).

I wonder if ever in the future, will we regret the effects of capitalism, even though currently, it incurs positive benefits for the majority.

Team 7 Chinoiserie China Saucer object label and catalogue

Object Label

China, Saucer, c.1770-96, enamelled porcelain

Displayed here is a pretty saucer, adorned a willow pattern of sorts, with a slight western twist, much like rococo(Late Baroque) style framing, of gold leaves that encases a milk maid, in colour, gathering the hem of her dress as she steps over a stile. The scenery is remnant pleasing landscapes in china ware, but the European figure, exemplifies its intended audience. The imagery is suggestive enough, allowing a view of the maiden’s underskirt, fully revealed through her own doing but there is more. Viewers are in for a treat as they flip over the plate for a full view of the maiden’s bare buttocks, teasingly welcoming the alleged’s eyes.The subject matter is voyeuristic in nature, clearly allowing the male gaze to take place and in light humor of the hidden “behind” that lies in the back of our minds.

Catalogue

China, Saucer, c.1770-96, enamelled porcelain

18th century women in Britain, were all for porcelains wares and the demand of such goods certainly pushed the market as well as meaning of these objects, without a doubt relating to the feminine, in both fragile beauty and perhaps, being a useless display, similar to the position of the female in a patriarchal society.

The grandiose yet excessive style of chinoiserie also then, reflected the wants and needs of the consumers or housewives then, which took little heed to classic styles and merely grabbing onto certain motifs, such as the willow pattern which was inspired by chinaware imports in the early 1800s.

Interestingly, the plate itself, bridges the very idea of women as porcelain, the very thing which they indulged in, reflects back upon themselves. William Wycherley’s 1675 play The Country Wife had his character, Mr Horner making love to Lady Fidget under the guise of showing her “his china collection.” The notion of self-gratifying need for both erotic and exotic sums the conception of hoarding collections of chinoserie along with it’s sexual allusion, where consumerism and excessive desire ran rampant.

Such objects were likely passed around among intimate group of friends or even lovers and contributed to the associations of chinoiserie with erotic fantasy, humour and promiscuity.

Sloboda, S. (2014) Chinoiserie : commerce and critical ornament in eighteenth-century Britain Manchester, New Hampshire: Manchester University Press

Week 3: Catherine

In week 3, we learned about Catherine of Austria and her kunstkammer. Who is a another female patron of the arts? As you reflect on this question, remember to link any images or textual sources to your journal posting that might relate to this question or your thoughts on it.

Maharani_Ahilya_Bai_Holkar Kunstkammer, or cabinet of curiosities as defined by wikipedia, “was regarded as a microcosm or theater of the world, and a memory theater. The Kunstkammer conveyed symbolically the patron’s control of the world through its indoor, microscopic reproduction.”

I wonder, for Catherine, how much of a collection is collected for fancy or when the cabinet itself, reveals a deeper meaning, as defined, the patron’s control of such worldly objects and their significance to her own status. Almost like trophy cabinet for other’s scrutiny and I’m sure a patron of the arts then, meant certain wealth and power.

Still it is undeniable, her collection served as a point to promote and conserve the arts, even if the arts was more politically driven and a luxury.

Researching in line with this thought, another female patron of the arts would be Ahilyabai Holkar, Queen of the Malwar Kingdom, India in the 17th century.

As wife to the king, who died in battle and 12 years later, her father-in-law, died, she inherited the throne. Not only did she built a prosperous city under her rule, she also awarded craftsmen, sculptors and artists with honor and salaries and encouraged the textile industry. She has been compared to other rulers, such as Catherine the Great and Queen Elizabeth.

Certainly, at those times, arts was seen as a form of luxury, empowerment and political strength that enriched a country.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ahilyabai_Holkar

Team 7 Proposal, updated with wall text

DD3006 Colonialism – Chinoiserie proposal

chinoiserie

ʃɪnˈwɑːzəri/

noun

noun: chinoiserie

a decorative style in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th century, characterized by the use of Chinese motifs and techniques.

Origin

late 19th century: from French, from chinois ‘Chinese’.

Topic: Chinoiserie

What is the idea of Chinoiserie?

How it is portrayed in every object?

How westerner interpret chinese style and why is there a fantasy about it?

Fashionable?

Idea of fantasy

Value of style (ie. vs baroque, low status)

Power play?

Real chinese style vs Chinoiserie style

Modern art vs Chinoiserie

Teapot, plates, bowls, vase, dresses, paintings, textiles,

Modern chinoiserie

Ideas:

The fantasy of chinese culture and how is it a real portrayal of the the chinese culture
The popularity and the mass production leading the devaluation of chinese culture
Contemporary view of chinese culture in modern day designs/ art

Possible formats

Book, Brochure, Exhibition+(activity worksheets), 3D Model…., 3D gallery (walkthrough), Postcard prints

Interactive presentation to help the viewer understand the Chinoiserie.

Short term and Long term goals for each group member

Tentatively research on a single chinoiserie object
Think of a way to present all the objects that are assembled (creative presentation!)
Come up with a thematic for the exhibition with the 5 objects that works with 2.

Fiona

-PLATES

-Blue & White

-Patterns

Yu Wei

-Western Painting on chinese subjects

-Technique spreading over to china

Peng Cheng

-Modern contemporary chinoiserie

Azmeera

Textile; fabric; clothing; fashion

14th c. Italian silk full of Chinese motifs (Persia under Mongol; Chinese silks to Persia and then to Italy; opens up trade between East and West)
17th c. further trade with the East with the opening up of the Cape of Good Hope
“not Chinese textile design but the designs on Chinese porcelain and lacquer that inspired the European textile chinoiserie”
two impt kinds of decorative textiles: embroideries and painted silks
Close study: Anna Maria Garthwaithe: English textile designer; silk; floral patterns
Close study: “Dress (Robe a la francaise), 1740s → England; textile Dutch or German”

Daphne

Wall Text

Chinoiserie are Chinese products meant for exportation by the local manufacturers. In order, to suit the preferences of foreign buyers, Chinese craftsman added patterns that were not authentic to Chinese products at that time in order to seem more appealing. Due to wave of success in these Chinese export wares in Britain, there were many British craftsmen that imitated the Chinese style to produce “pseudo-Chinese” products, later called this style was coined Chinoiserie. These exports started in the 17th century and expanded dramatically after two decades into the 18th century.

During the 18th century, Baroque and Rococo Styles were also popular, thus it was inevitable that Chinoiserie has both style incorporated. It is uncertain that Chinoiserie had inspired some great Rococo styled furnishings, but the mix of east and west was evident in Chinoiserie products.

Chinoiserie often features extensive gilding and lacquering for furniture, the use of blue and white in the porcelain products. All their products usually are asymmetrical with oriental figures and motifs such as cranes, willows and clouds. John MacKenzie pointed out: ‘Chinoiserie, the construction of an imaginary Orient to satisfy a western vision of human elegance and refinement within a natural and architectural world of extreme delicacy, was as much a product of Chinese craftsmen as of the West’ These products allowed westerners who never entered China develop this idea of fantastic foreign land and fall in love with the imaginary that were crafted.

Even though the exoticism of Chinoiserie was distinct, it was more directed more for the interest of the female population. There were some products that were directly catered for women consumption as it was rumoured that traders often bring Chinoiserie as souvenirs for their wives from the Canton Trade.

However, Chinoiserie was never appreciated by the high society as art but instead viewed as a threat that may lower the standards of arts and culture. This was mostly due to the fact that Chinoiserie often lack depth in meaning and focus on the idea of surface beauty. Furthermore, Chinoiserie was a representation of meaningless vanity, indulgence, and luxury.

Our Gallery, Chinoiserie: Behind the Scenes takes visitors on a trip to unveil the more sophisticated and private side of Chinoiserie which was deemed as low cultured. Even though Chinoiserie was considered frivolous, it had nevertheless empowered woman with distinct set of physical product.

As women had less opportunities to be in contact of the real arts, men used their access of knowledge and appreciation of ancient art to stigmatise women to a low and deviant form of art that anyone, with or without education, can appreciate. In other words, Chinoiserie might be used as a social order to keep the existing powers of elites that controls artistic values. However, the general public had turned a blind eye that Chinoiserie was the stepping stone for the all genders to be in touch with art then soon politics and power of west and east. In a patriarchal society then, women was often seen as devious manipulators that can potentially fling society into disorder, people often forget that ideals and politics has nothing to do with gender in the first place. Thus, Chinoiserie played a huge role to blurring gender roles at that time.

Week 2: African Ivories

How have your images of Africa changed after today’s class on African ivories?

My understanding of Africa… was incredibly vague. Think Lion King or even Madagascar, a savannah, lions, elephants, dry yellow grass and a scorching orange sunset, topped with tribal natives. Africa… was probably something exotic in my mind’s eye and definitely, involved more about scenery, creatures than actual people, let alone, the crafts of imagery seen in today’s class and evidence of politics thriving there, amidst its landscape.

The pieces of ivories are extremely intricate in detail, saltcellars, spoons, oliphants with beaded texture and figures that are evidently three dimensional, a depth deeper than pictures of frieze from Greek or Roman buildings. I find it interesting how there’s a mixture of influence, of the Portuguese’s faith finding its way into the ivories in the form of Mary and baby Jesus, and also, the idea that the natives thought these foreigners were ancestors from afar, larding them with gifts. The sense of power play is there, be it the acceptance of faith and also the tweaks to the Ivories, in transition, made for the Portuguese yet keeping the sense of African aesthetics (the form of the figures and facial features), which eludes to the hospitality and respect given to the colonialists and an almost equal standing between the two.

It feels almost like a glimpse to the past in these objects and I can’t help but wonder how these “white gold” gifts were presented and perhaps, how delighted the Portuguese were to have them. Did they visit the artist carving these pieces? Was there some form of direction and revisions? Or were there collaborations to produce these Afro-Portuguese ivories?

Week1: What is art?

My initial impression of art was simply… drawing, perhaps painting /which was kind of a refined colored version of drawn work, sculpture /the 3D space/, and these were utilise to somewhat, replicate reality… which later got subverted, …art is merely a conceptual expression in which the artist will try his duly best to deliver, through whatever medium.