Blog #7 James Elkins, John Feodorov & Anya Kirvarkis

Hello World,

'Seeing is believing', they say. But does everyone see the same thing? I would suspect, no. Each and every person has they're own story, providing experiences there for giving perspectives on what they see. "There is no such thing as an observer looking at an object, if seeing means a self looking at a world." (Just Looking p. 19) James Elkins has presented the idea that no one can simple 'just look'. With their look they also and always search as well. They are searching for meaning and that meaning is different for everyone.

John Feodorov, an artist who was brought up in the suburbs of Los Angeles  and on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico, has his own way of seeing the world. Because of his upbringing in two contrasting arenas, "Feodorov early experienced the cultural differences between his dual heritages. He also observed the stereotypes present in American culture at large, where Native Americans were idealized as the living embodiment of spirituality by New Age consumerists." (Biography) Feodorov uses his experiences from his past to create art that seemingly has much spirituality vs. modern culture to it. One of his art works is the 'Office Deity', a series of paintings done for corporation offices. He mixed the idea of heaven and God being set in a business world. "The corporation actually being sort of the new manifestation of the tribe... I thought of maybe seeing the corporation as like heaven, you know, and you have all these different steps of deities or angels of whatever depending on what you believe or don't believe...I did this painting, with office employees as the angels and holding their offerings to the almighty CEO." (Office Deity interview) Feodorov sees, because of his story, the connection between the hierarchy in corporations and the spirit world. He sees that the employees are not just servants of the higher one or the CEO is not just the creator, but they are representations of how we make choices in our lives. Where do you want to see yourself?
"...pictures have much to tell us about the ways we see. A picture is not only a view onto the world or onto someones imagination." (Just Looking p.31) It is vital to question how we see the world and if that perspective is the one that will truly lead us in the direction that we desire most. If it be love or anxiety, it is up to us. "A picture presents itself as an unapproachable object forever detached from the nets of possessiveness and violence, and yet it urges on its viewers, impelling them to walk up to it, to move into it or run away." (Just Looking p.32) Although the art work is in a still, by seeing it, we dive into a deep pool of thoughts and desires that ultimately results in repour. "I wanted to create paintings that people could respond to on an everyday level, as far as the environment in the painting and the environment that they're working in." (Office Deity interview)

Anya Kivarkis, our guest speaker for this week, gave a lecture on reproduction. Some of the artists she presented had a similar contrasting of ideas as Feodorov,  the profound verses the kitsch or trashy. Take Wim Delvoye's  'Marble Floor', for instance; Something exquisite and usually found only in environments of money (marble flooring) had been reproduced with deli meat. A wonderful idea, if I don't say myself, and also very humorous such like Feodorov's work. Another example would be Ted Noten's gold broaches copied from sticks of gum that were manipulated by participants. Again, something trashy contrasting with something profound. Feodorov's work delightfully mixes his own version profound (spirituality) and trashy (Ken dolls, plastic animals, etc.) in a beautiful way. He claims not to be totally conscious of this doing, but the art seems to manifests itself that way.

Another artist that Kivarkis mentioned was Hella Jongerius, who used objects (vases, bowls, etc.) and redesigned by adding components (handles, etc.). I really enjoyed this idea because I like to redesign myself. I have been redesigning/ recycling clothing for about five years know. I will find an item that is too big and down size it, or maybe use just a fragment of clothe and build off of it. It's amazing what the final product becomes, I never can quite predict it fully. There is a circle of local redesign shops that I've connected with and have been selling some of my designs. These are not my designs, but they are from local designers here in Eugene, Oregon.

There is something about fashion too that can be so elite, and by using recycled material from Goodwill or a free box, creates that same contrast of profound verses trashy. I love the ironic twist to it all, Not only are you helping the environment, but you also shove the elite bullshit into perspective.