10/12

I chose the paradox video. The video changes my perspective on artists. I have always been under the impression that artists are just hipsters desperately searching for a way for their artwork to be loved by all, yet still considered indie. When I watched the video I soon realized I was sorely mistaken (or at least in the case of these artists). They seemed to thoroughly enjoy the medium through which they got to express their abstract pieces.
The first guy, Mark Bradford, is not your typical urban graffiti artist. He is a little bit more cutting-edge. His medium is recycled flyers posted up around the hood. He scrapes them off and sands them down and arranges them to tell a story. His labor-intensive work tells stories from a variety of cultures, from being an African American during the Civil Rights movement to walking the overcrowded streets of present day India.
While I am not a fan of theater in any way, shape or form, I found myself intrigued by Catherine Sullivan's artwork. She created plays that did not involve a normal type of actor. The acting required for her pieces can best be described as sporadic and impromptu. The result was actually quite terrifying. She herself explained, "(it's) meant to be scary because it's arbitrary". This did not calm my nerves anymore, but made me wonder why she would create such a shocking piece. She further justified her abstract thinking by stating she takes pride in simulating events she has no direct involvement in, purely to make her artwork unstable, and thereby more surprising.
Some might say Robert Ryman was more dull than the rest of the artists showcased here, but I call bullshit. Ryman's age is shown through wise words such as his personal philosophy: "painting something has to look easy, even though it might not be easy." Through his white artwork he solves problems and leaves his audience with a soft, quiet, and visually soothing experience.
The last couple, Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, caught my eye, not just because of Jennifer's beauty. They work on live-action symbolic structures. Both strong advocates of free speech, they display this in their structures. One structure was an enormous pieces of chalk which they placed in a square in Peru. Droves of people walked up and not only expressed their distaste for the political leadersip in Peru but also anything on their mind. It was cool to see something inherently considered juvenile to be used by people of all ages.