Step 1: The Exhibition
Questions about the exhibit:
1. What is the title of
the exhibit? Millie Chen: The Miseries & Vengeance Wallpapers
2. What is the theme of
the exhibition? The Miseries & Vengeance Wallpapers improvises on the
thematic rubrics established by Callot for his suite of etchings. On the
Miseries wallpaper, agonized bodies have been extracted from Callot’s
prints and assembled to form a disturbingly decorative pattern. On the
Vengeance wallpaper, the landscapes from Callot’s etchings have been entirely emptied
of bodies and presented as vacated/evacuated terrain, leaving only land and
built structures like buildings and torture devices. Callot grouped his scenes
into two categories, namely “Miseries and Misfortunes,”
which details the perpetration of the atrocities, and “Vengeance or
Justice?”
which strikes the simultaneously zealous and ambivalent tone of retribution
where the line between perpetration and vengeance is often blurred. Key
elements extracted from the original prints are repurposed on the wallpapers;
these act not only as indicators of Callot’s vision but also serve as links to
contemporary territories of conflict that rage on, four centuries later.
Step 2: The Gallery
Questions about the physical space:
1. What type of lighting
is used? The lighting in the exhibitions works in two different ways. Some
of the lighting has one bright light that is angled down on the wallpaper that
shows a specific detail or something that needs to be addressed. All of the
space around this light on the wallpaper is dark so it makes the audience
believe that the light has a significant meaning. While other areas of this
exhibition had multiple lights on the wallpaper to brighten up the room and the
artwork itself.
2. What colors are used on
the walls? The colors on the walls help to give the wallpaper meaning. Some
of the walls are painted maroon, and other walls are painted bright white.
3. What materials are used
in the interior architecture of the space? The only materials that are used
are the walls in the exhibit because the wallpaper is placed right on the wall
to show off to the audience.
4. How is the movement of
the viewer through the gallery space? This exhibition has long hallways to
show off the wallpaper because each piece has a wide story to tell. The gallery
space also has many corners to show off the idea of each group of wallpaper in
a condensed space.
Step 3: The Artwork
Questions about the artwork:
1. How are the artworks
organized? This exhibition was designed to show off the different
wallpapers that Millie Chen had made. The two wallpapers that were shown in
this exhibition were The Miseries &
Vengeance. Both of the wallpapers had
more than one area in the exhibition that was devoted to them. I believe that
Chen may have sat the exhibition up this way so that the audience could get a
feel for one wallpaper have some time to process it and then go back to it
later while walking through.
2. How are the artrworks
similar? The two works are similar because they are both wallpapers that
Chen had made and they both have deep stories to tell. Although I may not know
exactly what Chen was trying deliver aside from reading the article about the
exhibition, I could tell that both pieces have strong meaning when looking into
them deeply.
3. How are the artworks
different? The Miseries wallpaper is rather dark for two main reasons, one
the maroon coloring of the walls makes the audience already believe that
something sad or evil may be happening, and second there are agonized bodies
arranged in rows across the entire wallpaper. The Vengeance wallpapers
landscapes from Callot’s etchings and the scenery is completely empty without any
humans in it.
4. How are the artworks
framed? The artworks are not framed they are just spread out along the
walls of the exhibition because they are wallpaper.
5. How are the artworks
identified and labeled? As you walk into the exhibition there is a folder
of laminated sheets of paper that have an article about Millie Chen and the
wallpapers that were produced. This gives the audience a great inside into what
they will be viewing even before they get to look.
6. What is the proximity
of the artwork to each other? The proximity of the artwork is laid out in
an interesting manor because The Miseries wallpaper is almost tucked away into
the wall in three different areas of the exhibition. While The Vengeance
wallpaper is almost wrapped around the entire exhibition with a long story to
tell. Also, The Miseries wallpaper is spread out in three different areas of
the exhibition.
4. Answer this question:
What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the
exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture,
theme, etc.? I believe that it was very interesting to visit the art
gallery with this assignment in mind because when I first walked into the
Millie Chen exhibition I did not understand why wallpaper would be shown at an
art gallery. Analyzing this exhibition made me realize the importance of
placement when setting an exhibition up, and what the artist intents to tell
the viewer by looking at art in specific ways. I could tell that Chen had a
reason to put The Miseries wallpapers in the tucked away wall with dark shadows
around the lighting and this is something that I would have never thought about
prior to this assignment.
Title of work: The
Miseries
Media: Wallpaper
Date: 2011
Size: 162 x 222 x 492
inches
Source of picture: Albright
Knox Art Gallery
1.
Be
receptive - Keep an open mind. Look for
what is good. No put-downs allowed.
In this exhibition I really like how The Miseries wallpaper is
almost tucked away in the corners of the room. It is clear that this piece of
art has a strong depressing message and it sets the audience up before they get
a close view of the situation in the wallpaper.
2. Description –
Describe what you see. (subject matter)?
In The Miseries wallpaper the audience gets a clear understanding
that something drastic is happening. It may be a turn of events or one specific
event that is causing all of these tragic deaths. I believe that the maroon
coloring of the background of these images is perfect so symbolize the deaths,
sadness, and bloodshed that are all involved in this wallpaper.
3. Formal analysis – (form) What principles and elements were used and
how are they used?
The element of value is
definitely represented in the wallpaper because the maroon background color
allows the tan and black images of death stand out against the wall. Also, in
regards to the colors again, the principle of balance is represents in the
images of death themselves. The coloring between tan and black is patterned on
the wallpaper to make it look more appealing to the eye.
4. Bracketing - Is there
anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see
any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?
(iconography)
I believe that this wallpaper for a distance looks like any other
wallpaper that may have been popular in past history, but once you get closer
to the work you realize what is actually going on it the wallpaper.
5. Interpretation - (content) What do you think the artist was trying to
say?
I believe that are
artist was trying to tell the audience that horrific memories will always be I
bedding into your brain. Humans have always been around so when people think
about the past or historical events most of the time major points in history
have some death involved to win the victory. I believe the artist is trying to represent
that through these images on the wallpaper.
Artist: Millie Chen
Title of work: The
Vengeance
Media: Wallpaper
Date: 2011
Size: W: 18.5' H:
13.5' L: 41'
Source of picture: Albright
Knox Art Gallery
1.Be receptive - Keep an open mind. Look for what is good. No put-downs allowed.
This wallpaper is very pleasing to the eye. It instantly reminds
me of a nursery with a great story that needs to be told, or someone with a
wide imagination needs to just begin telling a story that would go along with
this wallpaper.
2. Description – Describe what you see. (subject matter)?
In this one section of the wallpaper, I see this cathedral in the
middle of a town that looks very beautiful. It reminds me of a building in
Europe that is probably cherished by the people in the town who are very
religious and attend mass with their families on a regular basis.
3. Formal analysis – (form) What principles and elements were used and
how are they used?
The first element that automatically stands out to me is the
representation of space. In this section of the wallpaper it is it is clear
that this building has a huge impact to this village and the dark lines used to
draw textures on the building show that the artist took a lot of time to make
the building exact to give the audience a better visual.
4. Bracketing - Is there
anything in or about this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see
any symbols, metaphors, or allegories?
(iconography)
Like I said, this image on the wallpaper definitely reminds me of
a cathedral that would be in Europe and that is sacred and been standing for
many decades. It reminds me of families who spend a lot of time growing up in
this building, getting married in this building, and having children baptized
in this building.
5. Interpretation -
(content) What do you think the artist
was trying to say?
I believe that artist is trying to tell the audience the
importance on the building in this village but also leave it up to your
imagination to decide what is truly important. Although this building looks
memorable and important the artist did not place any human life around it at
all so it may be the exact opposite of my thoughts.
Title of work: The
Vengeance
Media: Wallpaper
Date: 2011
Size: W: 18.5' H:
13.5' L: 41'
Source of picture: Albright
Knox Art Gallery
Be receptive - Keep an open mind.
Look for what is good. No
put-downs allowed.
This wallpaper is very pleasing to the eye. It instantly reminds
me of a nursery with a great story that needs to be told, or someone with a
wide imagination needs to just begin telling a story that would go along with
this wallpaper.
2. Description – Describe what you see. (subject matter)?
In this section of the wallpaper I see an electrical poll with
something attached to it with a sensory of buildings behind it. Nothing is next
to this electrical poll or even remotely close to it, with a lot of empty land
around it.
3. Formal analysis – (form) What principles and elements were used and
how are they used? The element of line is definitely represented in this section
of the wallpaper mainly dealing with the electrical poll and the bar attached,
but it is also represented in the buildings in the background as well. The
principle of movement is displayed in this image because the electrical poll
looks like it is the main idea of this section but my eyes continued to trail
back to the buildings in the background trying to find significance,
4. Bracketing - Is there anything in or about
this work that reminds you of anything else? Do you see any symbols, metaphors,
or allegories? (iconography)
I believe that this section of the wallpaper is a symbol of
loneliness, or depression.
5. Interpretation - (content) What do you think the artist was trying to
say?
I believe that the artist is trying to tell the audience about
life without humans or the importance of things. Everyone should take a step
back to engage themselves in this empty life and think about what the true
meaning is, and how the land got this way.
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