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