5104 - Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit"

A powerful song that I have recently stumbled upon is "Strange Fruit" written by Abel Meeropol and performed by Billie Holiday. The influence for the writing of this song originated from the horrific events that were taking place in the southern states of the U.S, the lynching of African-American citizens during the 1930's.

(Music performance video below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs

Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.




This song was groundbreaking for anti-racist and equal rights campaigners all over the United States. This form of activism in music/spoken word created a strong and vivid message to the people who perpetuated in the lynching and discrimination of African-Americans. These straight forward lyrics has influenced me to consider writing poetic text within the oil painting in order to make my message loud and clear to the viewers.



Source:
http://www.shmoop.com/strange-fruit/meaning.html

5104 - In response to Atul Dodiya's work

An example of his work that stands out the most to me is "Mahalaxmi" (below) displaying a beautiful woman, possibly a film star, in a traditional Hindi style film poster when the collapsible shutters are closed. When the shutters are opened, the audience will see a darker, honest and serious painting of citizens being hung from a ceiling fan. I chose this piece in particular as it is a form of activism that raises awareness of what people do not see in contrast to what the public usually see in the media. This painting is a bold message to everyone that addresses the unknown scary truth of what the media is possibly hiding, all in which is spoken through the strong choice of colours.

The medium itself is inspiring as it serves a meaningful purpose of opening people's eyes when it reveals the sudden change in mood and perception. This has altered my initial view of how I'm going to approach the creation of my final piece, the thought process of the medium choice will be more thorough.



Images Sources:
http://www.artnewsnviews.com/userfiles/image/mrch-11/rdin-02.png
http://manqueraitplusqueca.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cimg0062.jpg
https://contemporaryartsem.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/dodiya-3b.jpg

5104 - Atul Dodiya

Atul Dodiya engages with art and political history which combines with memory and experience, whether that is global or personal. Through his paintings, the artist addresses private dilemmas that become metaphors for larger issues, and political and social problems can acquire very personal vibrations.

"B for Bapu" - 2001

Dodiya would filter various qualities of artists who inspired him such as Joseph Beuys, Jasper Johns, Philip Guston, Gerhard Richter, and Rene Magritte. The multi-layered conflations of the chosen images would create a humorous mix of the ironic, the utopian, the inimical, the vulnerable, the serious, and the absurd.

He would explore into fresh materials and modes, along with new aesthetic issues and strategies, his firm commitment to the iconographic and painterly traditions remains central to his concern. The particularly chosen paint would be oil, acrylic and enamel paint, emblazoned with blown-up appropriations of flashy film stars featured in Hindi film posters and of a gaudy pantheon of gods and goddesses from bazaar oleographs, these shutters can be rolled up and down as desired.



Source:
Bayrle, T. 2004, Vitamin P: new perspectives in painting, Phaidon, London.

Image Source:
http://chicagoweekly.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dodiya_BforBapu_closed.jpg

5104 - Anthropomorphism Inspirations

Marc Johns - "I'm trying to quit"

Pixar's Luxo Jr.

Marc Johns Source: www.flickr.com/photos/marcjohns/358331741/

Pixar's Luxo Jr. Source: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/63/Luxo_Jr._poster.jpg

5104 - Pitch

What I wish to make

Inspired by Santiago Sierra's work of the veterans standing in the corners of galleries, I would like to create an oil painting that amplifies the voice of the naval gun taken from the Boxer Rebellion. This object that was owned by the Chinese will be seen as kidnapped from its home, transported away to the other side of the world, displayed and shown off to unknown beings until it is eventually placed away in darkness as retirement. We shall never know if this gun will see its birth place ever again.

How?

The naval gun will be the centre piece of the painting with various other objects surrounding it in despair. The painting will be presented in a particular way that makes the viewer feel melancholy/sympathetic for the objects. It shall be in the style of a war painting like they used to make during the wars but with its own twist that keeps the viewer captured. This "twist" is the anthropomorphism/personification of the objects. With the work of Santiago Sierra's work in mind, the gun will be placed specifically to express such a negative emotion in protest of the ownership of these captured items.
The oil painting will be of a fairly big proportion but not too big, roughly around the size of A2 paper and the medium shall be a canvas.

Why?

There has been a lot of controversy over the collecting of the items by museums such as The British Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum. I've understood and recognised that during colonial times, the greater power were able to take whatever took their interest (especially during a war) and did so as long as they had the economic/military upper hand. Although, we are no longer in those times as the countries can now economically and politically grow at their own accord. These countries have their land back so why do they not have their own creations back right where they belong?
This art work will turn out as a form of protest art towards the policies of museums and archives as well as raising awareness of artifact ownership.

5104 - Brief information on imperialism/colonialism

The naval gun was taken away from the Chinese torpedo boat destroyer Hai Lung during the battle of the Boxer Rebellion. The story of this object's journey started during the times of imperialism where the stronger power (European countries) dominate specific foreign countries for economic and political reasons and also the times of colonialism which is the dominance of poorer countries to exploit the indigenous for valuable resources. China was host to multiple western countries whom occupied the Chinese land, such as UK, Germany, France and USA.

Source: mrbelloblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Imperialism-in-China.png

It was traditional for the British Empire to take and archive objects from around the globe to put on display in museums such as The British Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum.
Although, now that we're in post-colonialism, the British still have these objects that were taken even though they originated from somewhere else.

Unreliable Evidence - The Execution of Maximilian by Edouard Manet and Other Histories

CHC - Warwick Arts Centre Study Trip

Artist's work that captured my attention -

"Veteran of the War of Afghanistan Facing the Corner" - Santiago Sierra

Narrative

Paid the veterans of wars to stand in the corner of galleries for the same wage as when they were in military service. There were multiple photographs of these veterans so my choice was at random as they are all equal. The veterans were cast as victims of capitalism's hierarchy, providing the industry of war with the lowest rung of its workforce. The presence of the veterans references the relationship between power and guilt as well as the distance between the political motives that lead to war and the experiences of those directly affected by its consequences.

Source: www.nyphotoreview.com/PANPICS/Image2947b.jpg

Scale - Life size photographs

Surface - Clean, smooth, reflective

Texture - Smooth

Materials - Digital Lambda Print, modern black frame

Duration - Still image

Action - Standing in the corner like a shameful punishment for children

Location - Photographs were placed in corners of the gallery to enhance its point

Composition - The figure is centre piece with little space between figure and frame near top and bottom edges

Themes - Military, War, Veterans, Protest, Politics

5104 - Hotchkiss Naval Gun Video

https://vimeo.com/111844938

CHC - Fictional account based on the object

It’s becoming a common occurrence for me to not know whereabouts I am. Every time I have been carried in the same carriage, and surrounded by the same deafening roar of enemy gunfire, but there is a different smell in the air. I can only gather a few details about each place I have been to. Those are in the minutes where I am held, unlocked and fired. My trademark, handcrafted shells leave parts of me ingrained in the earth, and that is how I will be tied to these affairs later into the future.

The strained noises the men make when they carry us out threatens to put me out of use, I know all too well how heavy my metal work is. But when it comes down to the job at hand, my release is very accurate and I’m sure the winnings are greater than the issues with my aesthetics. It’s surprising my aim is so steady when the air seems to tilt and the waters below come up to meet my gaze. I’m a loyal companion to my holder though, and I am cool to the touch when he feels nauseous. My uses aren't just for destroying; I am often pressed to my holder’s forehead during rough tilts, or presented at awarding ceremonies to be thanked.

There are times where I work hand in hand with the crew; those are the most exciting times for me. I feed off their passion for war and their adrenaline as they position my stand and yell ‘FIRE!’ On the odd occasion I will listen to their idle discussion, but it bears no interest to me. I have no time for their private lives, or for the women they had left behind. Most of the time, it is a struggle for me to understand the words they say. From the small amount of English I know, I can tell that I have been to the UK, and the rest I presume is around my homeland of France.

When I hear from up ahead that the enemies’ torpedo boats have been taken down, it’s a huge relief for me, and also a thrill. The fire passes through my armour like a surge of energy through an athlete’s body, and when victory is announced, it is the greatest honour.

All of that seems to be a distant memory to me now. Since the new guys came in, who are lighter and much faster at reloading than I am, I was soon enough taken away and forced into retirement. I dreamt that my owners would take me to a beautiful home where I could create a positive reflection from humans who will gaze and smile at me for countless hours. I’ll always stand proud on my plinth for what I did but no longer will that be noticed. The cold dark warehouse filled with many other forgotten lives is where I now slumber, hopefully not until the end of my days.

Nevertheless, my old heart remains hopeful.

CHC - Sighting/Site-ing the Object

Brown Bess Musket

What materials are used - Iron, wood, brass, steel
What colours have been chosen - Brown, black, silver
Where is it positioned in the room - Centre of a narrow hall, high in a glass cabinet
What objects are around it - Other variations of Birmingham made pistols/guns
Is there a theme to the objects in the room - 18th Century Birmingham made guns
How is the object and room lit - Bright artificial/modern white lighting with slight natural light
What kind of room is it - Narrow halls, modern white walls
Does the room fit a particular style - Very much like a showcase
Does the room feel modern - Definitely, brand new

5104 - Birmingham's historical tradition in firearms/weaponry

Considering how much the military romanticizes its weapons and guns, it is quite ironic how the Hotchkiss Naval Gun is left and forgotten in a dark warehouse in Birmingham.

The Gun Quarter in Birmingham has a large and proud history of manufacturing guns in the firearms trade running as far back as the early 17th century. Birmingham was known to be the biggest arms producer in the world, providing weaponry for the military in many wars such as the Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, American Civil War and part of The First World War.

St. Mary's Row, The Gun Quarter, Birmingham.

If Birmingham has the biggest history in the culture of gun manufacturing then why is the Hotchkiss naval gun stored away and forgotten about away from society? The Hotchkiss Naval Gun is a strong representation of western military pride and yet its now a contradiction sitting in a cold and dark warehouse.


Image Source
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rj-1I-7kNnA/U6HyVF1g3PI/AAAAAAAAHnU/eVjamYPh684/s1600/st+mary's+row.jpg

CHC - Archives

"...there is no political power without control of the archive, if not of memory." - Jacques Derrida

The National Archive in Kew, London.

Image Source:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/26/article-1253866-0879FF9C000005DC-147_468x286.jpg

CHC - What makes an archive?

Preservation - methods that help keep specifically chosen objects/documents in the same condition in which they were found.

Collaboration of information - records of an object that state the date/location/materials used etc. that can usually tell a story of the object's function.

5104 - Historical context into the Boxer Rebellion

Due to China's defeat to Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, most of the high end of Chinese society believed that their defeat was purely because of the dominant Europeans in China. They also stated that the Europeans were taking control of China's domestic and foreign policies. With these factors taking place against the Chinese, a rebellion started to arise in 1898.

It all began in Shantung Province which was occupied by a huge proportion of German people who dominated coal mines, rail lines and factories within the Shantung Province. The German occupants made substantial profit while the local Chinese residents lived in awful conditions for little money.

The Europeans and Chinese Christians were murdered by a society in Shantung Province known as Yi Ho Tuan, translated to English as "Righteous Harmony Fists" which was changed to Boxers. They would chant in the streets such things as "Drive out the foreign devils" and "Kill the Christians". In 1900, the Empress Dowager offered support for the Boxers in secret.

The Europeans retreated back into the British Legation which was guarded by 400 European soldiers and sailors, nicknamed the "Carving Knife Brigade" due to lack of proper military weapons. The Siege of the Legation went on for 55 days until an international force supported them, consisting of the Japanese, the British, the Americans, the French, the Germans and the Russians. At this point, 66 Europeans were killed with 150 wounded.

After the Siege. Destruction to the ‘Qianmen’ of Peking

When the Eight-Nation Alliance defeated the Militia United in Righteousness, the Chinese government were ordered to pay $450 million in compensation. The Boxers were punished severely for their actions, mostly were publicly beheaded.

Execution of Boxers after the rebellion.

Source:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/boxer_rebellion.htm

Image Sources:

http://www.drben.net/files/China/ChinaMaps-ALL/Historic_Maps/Boxer_War-YiHoTuan/Yi_Ho_Tuan_Movement-Map1bT.jpg
http://scheong.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/55-days-at-peking-the-siege-of-the-peking-legation-quarter/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Execution_of_Boxers_after_the_rebellion.png

5104 - MCC Video

https://vimeo.com/109114965

Start of 5104 - Hotchkiss 47mm Naval Gun

As soon as I walked into the MCC, my eyes drew straight to the Hotchkiss Naval Gun standing proud on a plinth which compliments the shine of this historical object. In comparison to all the other figures in the warehouse that have aged over time, this bold icon has been highly respected and kept in high quality condition for over a century. This amplifies the military's priorities and concerns on the display of could be called a "killing machine", possibly because they wanted to glorify its horrific purpose while covering up its true violent identity.

The Hotchkiss Naval Gun began its service for warships in 1886, originating from France and used by the UK, United States, Italy and Russia, mostly used to destroy small torpedo boats prior to WWI. These guns did their duty in the late 19th and early 20th century until they were seen as too heavy with firepower that was too light to be effective when The Great War started; they were altered into sub-caliber training and saluting guns. Having this use for the Hotchkiss Naval Guns, this meant that they prolonged their lifespan up to World War II where presumably ammunition and weaponry had become scarce and so they were transformed back into shooting guns for the war effort. These bulky firing guns were used on warships such as the HMS Furious and various armoured lorries.

With this in mind, I'll take my curiosity into the ergonomics of the design for this object and see what qualities it had to show for in order to be seen as "important" for western warships. I have deep interest in the evolution of these military tools of war; seeing what they used before the Hotchkiss Naval Gun, where they've took it further and what could be possible in the future of these designs.

CHC - MCC findings

Images of a couple of findings from the MCC in Birmingham.

Hotchkiss 47mm Naval Gun

"Captured from the Chinese torpedo boat destroyer "Taku" during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900"

Gun Rifling Machine

"Possibly made by the BSA c.1930"

Keywords

Military, weaponry, Chinese, BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company),
Boxer Rebellion, naval, brass, metal, steel.


Reflection

The naval gun taken from the Chinese boat destroyer "Taku" is an iconic object of historical significance in the military. The quality in which the weapon has been kept in and the design of the naval gun shows how serious the Western designers were with how much of a high priority the weapon's status was in the turn of the century.

The gun rifling machine was also of interest to me as its purpose is to create helical grooves into the barrel of guns in order to stabilise the projectile. Its noticeable that this is a tool of maximum efficiency for what it does, as is how the naval gun was created where every addition is for an efficient purpose.

It's fascinating to see the importance of the use of ergonomic design in these military objects. Every shape, form, direction and material is used to the best of safety and convenience for the people who use such vital tools.

CHC - Martin Boyce (Continued)

6/10/14 - Part 2

1) A book/article relating to your work.

"Movements in Modern Art - Cubism" by David Cottington.

I want to search further into the roots of the cubist movement and what the catalyst was that inspired Martin Boyce to look into the work of Jan and Joel Martel. The roots go as far back as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque back around the time of the Industrial Revolution.

2) Artist relevant to the keywords.

The artist known as Dan Flavin comes to mind when the keywords "sculpture" and "minimalism" are mentioned. Examples of both of these words being shown is in the work below:

"Our Love is Like the Earth, the Trees, and the Birth"

2003

Martin Boyce

"Monument"

1964

Dan Flavin

Image Sources:

http://www.davidkrutpublishing.com/dkp/wp-content/uploads/Bookshop/modern_artists/cubi.jpg
http://2009.scotlandandvenice.com/sites/default/files/images/4.preview.JPG
http://www.moma.org/collection_images/resized/797/w500h420/CRI_70797.jpg

CHC - Martin Boyce (Continued)

6/10/14 - Part 1

To start the Contemporary and Historical Contexts module, I discussed and collaborated with a fellow student who also looked into the work of Martin Boyce. We shared points on what we both liked, what could be referenced from the chosen work and what keywords stood out.

Liked: The process/journey of going from the patterns of the concrete trees to a whole language in tessellation form, all within a minimalist style.

Reference: The topic of deforestation comes to mind when people view "Out of This Sun" in a possible future where actual trees become extinct. The cold concrete tree displayed as a memorial for trees.

Keywords: Deforestation, tessellation, minimalism, architecture.

Martin Boyce's "Out of This Sun" (2008)

From going back through the art and design references shown in the introductory lecture, I have taken quite an interest into the work made in 2008 known as "Out of This Sun" by the artist Martin Boyce.

What stood out the most in this work is the process from viewing the sculptures, created by Jan and Joel Martel (the four concrete trees), to repeating the pattern of these trees so much that Martin Boyce starts to notice a whole new language emerging from the lines, shapes and forms.

 

"Concrete Trees"

Jan and Joel Martel, 1925

 

"Out of This Sun"

Martin Boyce, 2008

Martin Boyce also created installation pieces that also took my interest, not because of what they are but the relation he was able to create with the human memory. He described the nature of how the mind remembers a particular time and place but it is not linear as humans only tend to remember certain fractions of a setting; such as a certain smell, one certain object, a colour, texture etc.

"Night Terrace - Lantern Chains - Forgotten Seas - Sky"

Martin Boyce

2011

These pieces took my interest mainly because they dig in deep into a bold statement that wouldn't be accounted for on first sight. In my view, it is how much information that can be extracted from something that can be so minimalist which makes the context more attractive. The other major significance about this installation piece is how Martin Boyce has the ability to create an outdoor and atmospheric environment within the gallery space. The combined objects create a beautiful scenario rooted from a person's memory, also this could possibly link to how dementia patients are helped in remembering their life's memories.


Sources
Turner Prize 2011, Martin Boyce
http://www.artnews.org/themoderninstitute/?exi=28444&The_Modern_Institute&Martin_Boyce

Image Sources

http://mooltan.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/screen-shot-2011-12-02-at-2-44-40-pm.png
http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/image-detail-10-600x429.jpg
http://www.artnews.org/files/0000062000/0000061796.jpg/Martin_Boyce.jpg