Unit Summary 5 (technology)

_{At the very beginning of this unit, we watched a video showing Italian-Designed space saving furniture. Seeing these designs made for small spaces amazed me, and goes to show how technology is advancing through design. People are brainstorming on brilliant ideas for new designs every day, allowing functional and aesthetic designs to be purchased by those who can make use of them. Not only did we see technology advancing through the Italian-Designed space saving furniture, but also on the Kholer Elevance Rising Wall Bath. This is a unique bath which allows a safe and relaxing bathing experience, and is ergonomically designed for comfort and function. I do believe technology helps us to understand design as an integrated practice. For example, lighting, HVAC, and kitchen appliances all in one place. Technology is advancing in both small objects and large spaces, for example, a color changing light bulb, to a large space including heated floors and other environmental systems.  I do believe there is a link between the idea of technology and each of principles and elements of design, depending on the object, place, building, or space. Materials have been used in the idea of technology in design, for example, Oliver’s Place Preston (Porcupine Office Building) in England. These materials were used on the outside of this building, and were able to open and close in order to control the temperature on the interior space of the building. Light and color also contributes to the idea of technology in design. Clearly, light has been an advanced technology in itself and is a part of environmental systems almost everywhere. I do believe all designs can be described and analyzed by understanding technology. Designs are advancing all the time, and we use advanced technology to create new designs.}

Italian-Designed Space Saving furniture. Beds and desks

Oliver’s Place Preston (Porcupine Office Building) in England

Used for controlling temperature inside building

Unit 4 Summary (light + color)

Through unit four, I have learned how much of a role light and color play into almost every design. Sometimes light and color are the biggest focal points of a design. Not only does this add interest making something visually beautiful, but often is has a deeper meaning behind it; for example, religion or cultural styles. A place we visited in this unit was the Newman Center. In this religious space, we see how light plays a role in setting the atmosphere of the room. The lights can go from fully bright for a mass or service, but they also had a dimmer setting, possibly for adoration, or to allow a more intimate experience while visiting. Although the layout of the furniture has been changed over time to a circular setup with the altar in the middle rather than the in the front, there was originally a sky light directly over the altar, placing emphasis on the piece and showing that it was an important factor of the space. This space was designed with a natural color scheme, consisting of mostly greens, and neutral colors. However, it also consists of a few burgundy walls, opposite of green on the color wheel. Another place that successfully represents light and color intertwined is the Singletary center. At the main entrance, there is not much color, and the color scheme of the brick and carpet is very plain. However, there are small artificial lights and very large windows which allow natural light to pour in. If you walk further into Singletary, you see a very large, polychromatic piece of art. There is a skylight above the focal point of this piece of art, placing even more emphasis on it and illuminating all the colors and patterns. This was probably my favorite space I physically encountered during this unit that greatly represented light and color.

In high school, i worked with creating designs through stained glass. While I don't have the opportunity to practice this hobby as much now that i am away from home, I always enjoyed seeing how light poured through the bright colors of my creations. Light and color help us to understand design as an integrated place while they can vastly harmonize an object, space, building, or place. On multiple scales color and light can become a very large focal part of a design, or even a small one, depending on the materials used and how the design is constructed. Light and color are principles and elements, so of course there is a link between them. I believe even if a design does not consist of bright colors or direct light, it can still be described and analyzed by understanding light and color. Materials used for a design can be understood through light, while light gives us a closer look at the texture and the shadows we see upon the color as well, whether it is bright or neutral. 

Case Study 4 (light + color)

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments, and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery. Because this city is set high in the Andes Mountains, it has always been affected by natural sunlight. On brighter hours of the day, the sunlight hits each structure showing harsh and smooth textures and shadow. The structure contains of earthy tones, which I also represented through my model. I used multi colored stones for my model to show how the stones at Machu Picchu have changed in color over time due to time weather and nature. While artificial light is used to illuminate my model, I believe Machu Picchu experience little to no artificial light. The stacking of buildings and steps add room for many shadows, changing through a 24 hour cycle. I showed stacking in my model as well to show how light is affected. 

The mountain is bright

Thanks to all natural light

With colors of life

UK Art Museum Visual Essay

The museum consisted of white walls and a floor containing multiple shades of brown within its grain. The while walls prevent distraction from the art, and the flooring reflects the light, allowing the sculptures to cast shadows upon it. 

When first entering the museum, I observed each of the sculptures, admiring the use of materials and culture portrayed through each one. I found Shoonufu by Willie Cole to be extremely intriguing. In this piece, fetish-like qualities of high heels in contemporary culture are evoked, where they function as expensive status symbols and are associated with both sexual power and the objectification of women. This piece is also very abstract, causing you to analyze it even closer in order to discover it was constructed of high heel shoes. 

Chair Transformation by Lucas Samara shows a functional object rendered with a forward momentum and a fetish-like quality. Contrast is shown while half the chair is a set of psychedelic associations while the other half is covered in straight pins and painted black. The chair is also a great example of how we use our senses in order to analyze the use of materials and how we decide if we want to make use of an object. Here it is instantly clear we would not want to sit in the piece of furniture while it is aesthetically pleasing, the use of pins turns us off to the idea of using it as a functional piece.

Wayne Koestenbaum's Unfamiliar Grammar is exhibited in its own room due to mature content. This exhibit contains extremely bright canvas paintings, causing this exhibit to be very inviting from when spotting it from the doorway. When first entering this section, I was very pleased with the use of dense abstractions and riotous colors. However, as I moved through this exhibit I was disappointed with what I saw. I found this display of nude portraits completely lacked any sense of sophistication. 

The Sculptors on Paper exhibit shows how light plays a role in placing emphasis on each piece of artwork. I thought this exhibition was successful while they used the walls of a small hallway to show the interesting drawings and prints. 

In the Landscape exhibition, we see how Maurice, Denis, Leon Kroll, and William Zorach work in different modes of modernism, while also taking inspiration from the contours and colors of the land. We see how these artists have found inspiration in the landscape and how they have been challenged to represent the grandeur and complexity of nature in visual terms. 

After observing the downstairs exhibitions of the museum, I made my way upstairs where I found the Abstraction exhibit. Mid- to late twentieth-century abstract painting is one of the strengths of the museum's collection. Within these pieces we see the use of organic shapes, distinct geometries, scribbles, stains, and a range of painterly applications. I especially enjoy abstract paintings, while they may not seem like they have much meaning at times, there are many that do contain a deeper meaning while also being aesthetically pleasing. 

While looking at the Portraiture exhibition, I immediately recognized Kentucky Statesman Henry Clay because of the multiple portraits I observed of him while visiting Ashland. This exhibition included well-known figures alongside those of anonymous men, women, and children. 

These extremely bright and polychromatic glass pieces are exhibited through a glass display case. Light is used in this case to illuminate each individual piece and enhances the color of each one. 

Overall, I found the UK art museum to be a great example of how light and color is used not only to to place emphasis on pieces of art, but how it plays a role within the actual art itself. I had a very positive experience here, while I was given the opportunity to see the interaction of principles and elements within each piece.