Help! Abstract Minds wanted!
 

So here's my term paper objective in my elective art history class: compare two contemporary pieces of modern art into a nice six page essay.

Yue Minjun "Monument" (2001)
http://www.yibo-art.com/hjzp/banhua/47.jpg
Zhang Huan "Family Tree" (2000)
http://www.edwardmitterrand.com/arti...reeOrigine.JPG

I like art, I like to draw, blah blah but I am not an art history guy and definitely not an abstract mind! It's due this Friday the 16th, just wondering if you guys wanted to...not do my homework, but help pitch ideas for a thesis and content! Plus, it'd be reminiscent, weren't term papers SO. MUCH. FUN. :thepain:
I'd be much obliged.
:blush:

Do you have information on the background of the artists? You could start by comparing their intentions and meaning behind each work to each other, then compare and contrast that with your own interpretation how they relate, or don't, to each other. That hinges on how much of your own opinion the prof wants in this essay though.

I don't quite understand the "Family Tree" though to be honest. I'm gonna take a guess and say that he has the names of his ancestors written on his face until you can't see his skin. Stressing the importance that he is not his ancestors, he is his own unique individual and isn't defined by the past that he had no control over? Just wildly guessing haha. I'm going to bet that you have a much better understanding of Asian history/culture than I do, so you could also talk about the cultural significance of each work and compare that. Was one controversial and the other not, why, etc.

I had to do a paper like this a couple years ago for a writing class, choose a painting and explain what you get out of it in no less than 5 pages.. so I feel your pain.

6 pages is only about 3000 words. That shouldn't take you too long fresh. ;)

I've got to say, I think both those pieces are incredibly ugly. A bit like some families I guess. :)

It's fairly easy to see the meaning in the two pieces though...don't you think?

I see the opposite. That he is a product of all his ancestors. The first face is at the begining and the last face is him...at the end with all the history and culture and traditions all mixed up in him. In effect, he is all of them and they are all him. I'm not sure if he means that now he's the 'complete' version of what his family has been working towards though. In a way that's what it says to me, which possibly suggests the artist is slightly egotistical (wow what a surprise..lol)

Another thought.

You could suggest the similarities in the pieces by showing how perhaps the 'monument' is a testatment to the artists family or talking about how families form the basis for our lives as do our ancestors who're clearly displayed in 'family tree'.

Progression. Generation. Suppression of Individuality.

Exactly the point I was trying to get across. :thumb: Everyone takes away their own interpretation of the artwork. Just go with your own gut instincts and support it.

Well I guess fresh has a good start on his essay now. I hope he posts it for us to critic when he's done. :D

Look up online resources (ejournals etc) for art critics and art historians analysis. Don't know if you have access to Jstor through your college, but if you do I can highly recommend it.

The big thing here is to read up on the artists and the impact of their art, as well as the influences they've drawn from. Can't see you being able to do this without the reading.

The first thing that came to my mind when looking at the 2 pictures was why is the emotional feeling different in each one? What was the artist trying to convey in the first one and what in the 2nd?

And is this where Blue Man Group got it's start? :-)

The Dark Blue Man Group, perhaps.

Additional things to compare would be: use of geometry and repetition and the difference in media.

I think you should decide if they are more different than alike and use that as your premise, comparing the two from that standpoint.

I see individuality juxtaposed against ancestry in both works.

So why did you take this class? The electives are there for subjects that you are interested in.

There are a lot of abstract minds in this place...

General education requirements to graduate. This is one of my two humanities courses required. The other is a western music class from medieval modes to the end of the Romantic era.

Is it required or is it an elective?

Yeah I guess it's actually a required gen ed class. But it's not for my major, so I call it my elective class?

Ahhh... I see. Was confused. So those two pieces are what you have to write on? 6 pages. About... Repetition, Rhythm, uhhh... Structure... the propogation of structured ideas in society... uhhh... overtaking, or overshadowing the urge towards individuality in man, with, the... stronger urge towards... tradition... because civilization exists through defying the entropy, the chaos that nature tends towards, and replacing it with... what are ultimately artificial constructs... which... has benefits for the society as a whole, but places a great load on the shoulders of the individual, as they are... ecplipsed... by the template of what a modern person should be, according to the prevailing wisdom of the times, as opposed to the contributions they could make through originality, as is necessary, that is: it is necessary for an individual to break the mold (ever so often in our collective history) in order for us all to benefit, but paradoxically, most of us cannot achieve success without conforming, to one degree or another, to the structure that society imposes on us, which is reinforced through the generations, and through the clinical, scientific heirarchy of accepted disciplines, all a sort of rhythm, a sort of repeating pattern which drowns out the impulse towards individuality, but also sheilds us from the harmful elements of the human psyche which come hand in hand with the freedom to defy the defined roles society has placed before us... blah blah blah ... you should be able to bullshit your way through six pages with some random nonsense such as this. Good luck.

What do you mean, "not an abstract mind"? :( Why do you suppose you need one to write an essay? Set it up like a logic, science, or construction problem, or whatever it is you think is concrete enough for you. Pick some categories to build a structure; hang some sentences on them. Voila! an essay.

Geez Flint...why don't you write it for him?

Cloud, I guess the abstract bit would be picking what to write about, as it isn't defined by logic. But that's the easy part, actually, because there isn't a "right" answer here. Formulate a wacky theory and drone on about it - with conviction. Finding something in it to act "all worked up about" helps.

Well, I started to say, you don't need an abstract mind to appreciate art . . . but then I thought about it. A lot of art appreciation is subjective, so maybe you do.

A simple, "compare and contrast" is easy enough, however, and in this case the premise of an essay can be retrofitted. Just make two columns and start jotting down all the things that are the same and different, and usually a theme will appear. As if by magic. Honest.

And then you can fill in the b.s. as Flint suggested from there.

This is the most painful paper I have ever written. I hate this shit so much. Almost half done, though, I am anticipating the end.
:greenface :compute: