Capital and Commodity - Advertising

This lecture studied the overwhelming role of capitalism in our society, the value we attatch to purchased items in relation to status, and the effect of advertising.

Foodtown Advertisment. Photographed by myself on 19/05/2010. Bus from Otara to Britomart

The advert I have selected to study in closer depth is a set of Foodtown posters situated around the upper walls of a bus. I will concentrate on one in particular, as it is the poster which initially caught my attention.

The element of this advert which intitially baited my interest was the fact that the story does not immediately have an obvious purpose to the viewer, other than to provide interesting facts on the benefits tomatoes and potatoes. Usually, if there is a narrative within an advertisement, it will be evident at some point throughout the text. This narrative, however, concentrates soley on objects which are not a brand in themselves. A bus is a perfect place to situate this advert as most viewers will not have another visual activity, thus they will be looking for visual stimulation and have time to read the advert in full. When I reached the end of the advert, I was confused as to what it was advertising, as I had not consciously absorbed the information on the left hand side of the poster. This enticed me to indulge my curiousity, and I saw it was an advert for Foodtown, which, by chance, we happened to be passing.

The combination of image and text works very well in this situation. The two types of visual information compliment each other as whichever the viewer is drawn to first invites a glance at the other side of the poster. It also covers two types of audience - those who respond more strongly to text, and those who respond more strongly to images. The image is appealing and the text opens 'Native to South America...' which sounds interesting and exotic - not qualities one would necessarily usually associate with a tomato as they are so common in everyday life. Personally, I processed the facts about the goodness of the products, then looked at the image and considered how easy it would be to make the simple, delicious looking dish. The advert states the recipe is available at Foodtown. Immediately, it has created a situation where the viewer is tempted by the product, and provided an affordable, easy outcome for attaining it.

The right hand side of the advert appears to be quite harmless and non persuasive. The standard, simple looking font, lack of brand and simple title 'Tomatoes' puts forth a non biased approach. Hand in hand with the simple facts, it gives the impression of endorsing a healthy lifestyle and the wellbeing of the viewer and providing light entertainment, as opposed to driving hard a sale. This gives an impression of goodness, inviting the viewer to trust the advertiser. The Foodtown name and logo at the top left of the image provides context. It does not seem to appear to attempt to persuade the viewer to shop there, but it subliminaly imprints the identity of the mind of the viewer, whether or not he or she consciously ignores it. I also like the linguistic choice of vegetables featured - potatoes and tomatoes. Visually and sonically, these words are similar and this creates a harmony. It also caused me to look twice to check that I had read the word 'tomato' correctly in the first instance, as the text continues on without a break to discuss potatoes, and this jolted my attention. Foodtown have cleverly disguised the fact that they are advertising their own produce. Usually, when a supermarket advertises a product, it is of a certain brand. The lack of branding associated with vegetables is used to their advantage here, adding to the non biased impression they wish to convey. The viewer would probably not stop to consider the advert long enough to realise that they only sell Foodtown vegetables. This may seem blindingly obvious, but the lack of slogan sitting all over the product adds to the 'we are not trying to sell you anything, we want what's best for you!' message.

The red and yellow colour scheme is rather unimaginative yet effective. It is famously used in advertising for many food brands, particularly within the fast food industry, such as MacDonalds and Wendys. Perhaps this fast food connotation highlights the simplicity of the preparation of the dish. The bright, contrasting combination creates an eye catching aesthetic. I was also drawn to it as it reminded me of pop art, which is obviously a movement in itself to appeal to a low culture art society, as well as being based on this advertising culture which appeals to the masses.

Much of the human reaction to colour is subliminal, and consumers are generally unaware of the persuasive effects of colour. Some basic colour theory denotes that red represents speed, passion, excitement, strength and urgency. A key nugget of information with regard to the colour red, is that it enhances the metabolism, increases respiration rate and raises blood pressure. It is also the colour most commonly used in national flags. The use of red, therefore, would grab a viewer's attention and subliminaly create a sense of excitement and urgency, as well as having physical affects on the body in relation to food consumption. In nature, yellow is one of the most unignorable colours. Some connotations of yellow are joy, hope, optimism, idealism and sunshine. Thus, these colours together make a powerful and persuasive combination to sell the product by creating positive, passionate energy towards attaining the pictured sustenance. The colour scheme is reflected across the poster, emphasised in the red and yellow of the tomatoes and potatoes.

A further strengh of this adversiting is that almost identical posters are repeated all over the bus and occupy the entire advertising space. The repetition hammers home the effect and different recipes are used to hold the viewer's interest.

This is a clever advertising technique for the reasons I have discussed, but also because it is an easy way to entice a consumer into the shop, which would then persuade them to spend more money on further products.

Further advertisement on the same bus. There were others but it was rather impractical for me to capture them all!

I will briefly also discuss this advert, but in less depth. The main difference is the featured product - broccoli. The viewer is reeled in with an interesting fact, informed of the health benefits, kept interested with another fact then hit with the claim that brocolli is 'a form of protection against cancer'. This is rather a large claim to make. Cancer in our society is currently a seemingly uncurable disease to many people, just as influenza and other ailments have been throughout history. This sentence would have a strong influence, and leaving 'cancer' as the final word definitely creates impact.

This advertising dumbs down information and therefore the viewer, increasing the chance of selling the product. Even the name 'Foodtown' is patronising and obvious - as a person who did not grow up with Foodtown, when I first arrived in New Zealand, I found it comical that a supermarket would have such a dumb sounding and literal name. This goes hand in hand with the advertising to create a consumer who is used to being targeted in such a way, ensuring this method will continue to work.

Materiality & Surface

The first element of this study concentrates on materiality - this is effectively the media used in an artwork, and the artwork originating from experimentation of the media used, as opposed to a pre conceived idea. The topic relates strongly to abstract expressionism, such as works by Jackson Pollock, whose work is about the material qualities of the paint, and does not represent any sort of form. This style of working can be used to push boundaries of what the medium of paint is capable of. It can be used to explore innovative ways of creating art, rather than using traditional media in traditional styles. Of course, experimenting with materials is not limited to paint - it could be applied to anything, and anything can be used to create art.

Number 8, Jackson Pollock, 1949

I am interested in looking at this concept within the medium of photography and 'painting with light'. The word photography actually comes from two Greek words: phos, meaning light, and graphis, meaning drawing. Light is the most important element of photography, as it is in the capturing of this that images are created. Painting with light allows the photographer to create abstract images and manipulate the image in the process of capturing the photograph. The first known works which used this technique were Man Ray's Space Writing series. Man Ray was notorious for pushing boundaries within photography. It is also interesting that although Pollock's work is abstract expressionist, he was in fact influenced in his early works (of the 1930's) by certain aspects of the Surrealist movement, and also in his 'action paintings', which he started in 1947.

Left - right: 'The Bull' by Pablo Picasso, 1949, part of the 'Space Writing' series by Man Ray, 1937

I stumbled upon this untitled, anonymous image as part of an online blog. I love the idea of 'painting with light' and I think this image captures this very well. The swirling patterns created by the light create an abstract expressionist style, but the forms are still visable. There was no information available on this image, other than that it is a photograph, but it appears to me as though it is either a composition or an existing image which has been photographed using a long exposure with various lights in motion used to create this effect. The lighting gives the dappled impression that light does as it reflects off or travels through rippling water. I love it because it is an abstract take on a traditional nude in composition and form.

A plentiful resource for looking at contemporary light painting is the website flikr.com. Many artists have experimented with this way of creating imagery and they have achieved some excellent results. An artist whose work I particularly identified with is contemporary photographer Nathan Stewart, A.K.A. 'stewedman', originally from the States, but currently residing in Poland. I have included some of my favourite of his light paintings below, and they were all captured within the last two years or so. He is interested in visiting dark locations and using his own collection of light sources to create abstract light paintings. Some of his light sources include glow sticks, firery steel wool and fairy lights. Unlike Pollock, Stewart does not necessarily dismiss form entirely, but the medium and brush strokes of light and experimentation with this technique are the focus of this collection of works. He has taken a medium and attempted to push the constraints of what is possible with his experimentation. In this way, one could compare the way he treats light with the way Pollock treated paint.



First row (left to right): The Green Ghost, It Came From The Stairs (B&W), Hallway Light Painting 3
Second row: Light Painting in Fort Bema 3, The Space Man, The Giant Red Orb
Third row: Lights 2, Lights 1, Green Shower

These 'paintings' are all recent and it is interesting that titles mostly reflect the image created directly by the use of the technique and medium, highlighting his emphasis on working this way.

The second element I will observe is the surface element of artwork. Through art history, it has often been fashionable to present flat work to look as real and as three dimensional as possible. During the 1960's, a style of art emerged which embraced experimenting with different styles of more flat looking art, such as within poster imagery. This did not attempt to create a three dimensional effect. I particularly like the work of Tadanori Yokoo, and the combined use of graphic imagery and photography within the work. His work demonstrates themes of mysticism and psychadelia, and his graphic design styled posters of the 1960's often invite comparisons with Andy Warhol.
















Left: I'm not sure of the title of this image, Right: The Trip 1968

Anne Barnard is an American photographer whose work originates from photography, in the form of photographs and photograms. She utilizes the surfaces of her images by overlapping patterns

She comments: "Spots and marks, gobs and blobs, tangled up unrecognizable jumble that mumbles and shouts; the edge of a pattern; the lines of a hand; a body as it steals through time: I like the where, what and how of these things. They cause me to wonder. I like the projected meaning they present. I like the disintegration of meaning they invite. Identity is a state of flux."


Left to right: dna 11l black and white silver gelatin print, photograph/photogram 1998, dna 14d
Black and white silver gelatin print, photograph/photogram 1998, dna 18d Black and white silver gelatin print, photograph/photogram
1998

To me, this quote highlights her use of pattern to reference identity and time. Just as each piece can only be captured at that particular moment, identity and environment are constantly changing. The artist is taking control by manipulating these factors herself within her artworks. My response to the black and white imagery above would be to say that she may be looking at how we all disappear over time. Eventually our identity is removed, and we fade back into the blackness we came from. She may also be considering how our identity is perceived differently by people who impose their own views and traits upon us, as she has imposed her own patterns onto the figures. She has constrained the figures with pattern to that moment and her implications.

I love the way she alters her photographs by interrupting the surfaces with patterns and shapes, sketches and photograms. They are removed from their realistic origins to be images about patterns and concealed and revealed aspects. There are visual references to poster art in this way. Man Ray was the first to experiment in this way, but Barnard also uses colour photography, a medium he did not have available. These works below are experiments taken from her website and untitled, but they strongly reflect the psychadelic themes of the sixties. This is evident in the bright colours and swirling patterns, but emphasised with the woodland background. The collage technique used adds to this too this idea of experimenting with the surface.


There is a darkness in these works which I am attracted to. The almost childlike patterns and bright colours against the cut up, woodland backdrop add a foreboding element to the work. The innocent looking doodles on the surface have mind altered or possible drug inspired connotations, and the repetition of the circles within each other and in ordered fashions almost becomes ritualistic, perhaps conjuring ideas of witchcraft or entrapment. Could this be interpreted as addiction?

The Original Star Wars Movie (1977)

The archetypal role of Luke Skywalker in the movie Star Wars is that of the romantic, naive 'chosen one', of special powers, who is on his journey to becoming a hero and saving the world. He is a typical main character of a mythical adventure movie, encompassing hope, innocence and following his heart in all of his actions.

Skywalker demonstrates these qualities in many ways, and this is often emphasised in contrast to other characters, particularly Hans Solo. His naivety is highlighted when he calls Solo's spaceship a 'piece of junk', and is informed it can make light speed at 0.5. His youthful hopes and dreams are demonstrated in his comment 'I wish I could fly a ship!', in comparison to the more experienced Solo, who already can. Perhaps the main difference between the two characters is in the decision making throughout the movie - Skywalker thinks with his heart, as opposed to Solo, who thinks with his head. Until the end, money is his incentive for joining the adventure whereas Skywalker is there to save the princess and the world from the start. Often, when they make small triumphs and Skywalker is elated, Solo brings him back to earth, so to speak, and he jolts him out of misery and self doubt in times he needs to act fast, for example to fly the ship. Solo supports Skywalker and adds a sexy, rebellious, rougher element - he is the character with the love interest. In action sequences he often leads the way or stays behind to hold off pursuers, protecting Skywalker. In this way, he could be compared to Aragon in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, if Skywalker were Frodo Baggins.

From the beginning on the movie, the viewer is aware that Skywalker is a dreamer. He stares into the picturesque sky, yearning for bigger possibilities. He is part of a greater energy, the force. To feel the force flowing through him, he needs to tap into his unconscious, let go of his conscious self, and act on instinct. Obe Wan even tells him to close his eyes, as they are deceiving, and turn off his targeting computer when firing the missile to destroy the Death Star. When they are trapped in the garbage shoot, Leia and Solo attempt to find a practical solution, by physically pushing against the walls, but Skywalker lives in hope until the last minute, when his belief in C3P0 saves them. He makes his way through the movie through a series of lucky occurances such as these, adding to his character of the chosen one.

Skywalker wants to see himself as a typical Prince Charming in a fairytale, however, this is not necessarily the case. This notion is summed up in his line "I'm Luke Skywalker! I'm here to rescue you!" when he rescues Princes Leia from her captive state. However, it is not a fairytale ending as he does not seduce the princess.

There are obvious comparisons between Skywalker and Frodo. Both play the unlikely hero from a simple background who posess the inner power to stand against the force of evil, plucked out of their small town life, and taken on a whilwind adventure against the odds, supported by a brade team of comrades collected along the way. Their fathers have both had epic adventures.

By the 1960's, Lord of the Rings was one of the most influential fantasy stories in the Western World, and George Lucas has often cited Lord of the Rings as a great influence on Star Wars. Tolkien wrote that myth and fairytale seem to be the best way to communicate morality, and in fact that may be their primary purpose.

There are many links between Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Obe Wan Kenobe is a clear comparison to Gandalf, the old, wise, mentor to the hero. Both work on the premise that there is a greater force at work. The jedis can feel each others' presence through this, and the evil force in Lord of the Rings can feel Frodo's presence whenever he wears the ring. Both narratives involve a dangerous journey against all odds to the only place where they can save the world.

One is able to compare the archetypes to those in many other stories. R2D2 reminded me of Toto from The Wizard of Oz movie - the loyal friend who is always in the background and does not speak, but is vital within the plot. Dorothy lands in Oz as a result of chasing Toto, and Skywalker is searching for R2D2 when he finds Obe Wan. Both movies, and Lord of the Rings also, involve the transportation of precious cargo - the ruby slippers, the ring and the information about the Death Star. The Tin Man in Wizard of Oz is very similar to C3PO, and Chewbacca is similar to the cowardly lion, the supposedly intimidating looking character who lacks courage and comes across as rather cute and lovable.

One could compare this movie also to the Transformers movies. Princess Leia, in particular, reminded me of Mikaela - the sexy, female role who surprises the audience with her power, intelligence and ability to defend herself. Bumblebee cannot speak and is the sidekick to the main character, Sam, much like R2D2 to Skywalker, Chewbacca to Solo, and Toto to Dorothy.

These are some of the many archetypes evident within Star Wars, although the list of possible comparisons is endless.

The Auckland War Memorial Museum

The first group of objects I was drawn to was those displayed in the Cook Islands section. This small corner of the museum floor contains two rows of artifacts displayed in glass cabinets, a patchwork quilt, and a collection of jewellery. Initially I was attracted to the brighter colours and more floral style than exhibited in other areas, such as in the Tongan and Samoan sections.

Tivaevai taorei, patchwork quild, designed and made by Mrs. Kaitamaki in 1969, Aitutaki

The Tivaevae taorei (patchwork quilt) by Mrs Kaitamaki combines traditional tapa cloth styles and functions with quilting, which was introduced by the missionaries, a theme I reflected on in relation to Tongan culture in my previous blog. Like the Tongan tapa cloth, the tivaevai are usually made by several women at once, and are handed down from mother to daughter, representing family love and status. Tivaevai are made using patchwork and appliqué techniques. It was embraced enthusiastically by the women of the Cook Islands when the missionaries introduced quilting over a century ago, and has become a major expression of women's art in eastern Polynesia. They are displayed on special occasions such as christenings, weddings and funerals. This piece of brightly coloured art really stood out against the equally beautiful but less colourful tapa cloth and mats displayed in other Pacific Island sections. The cloths are displayed on a wall, which is appropriate given their size, shape and allocated space, but they were above the eyeline and it would provide better viewing if they were placed lower down. These pieces were very dimly lit and I felt this did not allow them to be viewed in their full glory, but this could be for a reason, such as colours fading. Had their been more space, it would be appropriate to place these items within context, by displaying them as they would be at a special occasion. A viewer glancing at this piece whilst walking past may assume it to be a mat, so perhaps displaying a photograph of the tivaevae in use beside the piece would provide instant context. During my research, I also found images of tivaevae hanging on lines at local Cook Islands markets - this would be a more interesting form of display.

Found image - Woman with tivaevae, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

The Cook Islands collection included floral jewellery and grass skirts made from natural resources and vibrant colours. In ancient times, the jewellery and head adornments were symbols of high ranking chiefly status and also referred to religion. They were made from permanent materials such as whale ivory and highly prized feathers. In modern times, these adornments are made from more temporary materials such as flowers and shells. The jewellery has become non demoncratic and non religious, and is worn as decoration for all occasions.

I captured this photo of locals dancing in traditional Cook Island costumes in Rarotonga, 2009. The bright colours reflect the energetic style of dancing, an art which is very important in the Cook Islands.

Rajah is a 13 ton male Indian elephant on display in a section depicting life of children in New Zealand during the early 1900s. Bought by Auckland Zoo in 1930 to give rides to children, it was decided six years later that he was not tame enough, and he was executed by a keeper, stuffed, and displayed in the museum.

This museum piece raises questions of human morality and responsibility. One may find it shocking to hear this great beast was slaughtered for such reason at the very hands of the people who bought him into that situation in the first place. It is, however, one of the few pieces in the museum which provides a true reason of how it came to be there. Perhaps the public would be more shocked if the true stories of many other artefacts were provided. Many pieces would have been stolen from pillaged villages in times of war and massacre, but the only information provided may be 'donated by...'.

I felt Rajah is a good representation of how museums are effectively tombs, removing objects out from the real world, where they have a more soulful value and context, and providing them a second cycle of life where they become merely an object for display, all life and sacredness, coldly removed. I also wondered why he was placed in a section surrounded by lollies and school uniforms, when he would have been better situated alongside other wild animals. This placement, in my opinion, further demeans and disrespects the situation of this piece. It is ironic that in life he refused to provide rides for children at the zoo, but for the next however many years, he would be involuntarily surrounded by the artefacts of children.

I learned nothing scientific from this museum display.

The third area I would like to mention is the area which portrays Maori culture, and a history of the Maori people in New Zealand. This room communicates the traditional Maori culture through various displays. There is a Maori cultural performance of singing, dancing and poi, where the actors wear the traditional attire, which costs $25.00. Other displays include carvings, installations of examples of architecture, musical instruments, wakas and toys.

I was particularly interested in the fishing equipment on display. It is portrayed in a fashion which implies it is respected and interesting. It does not include any information on the background of Maori fishing within New Zealand - Maori fishing rights were removed by settlers during the colonization of New Zealand and they have spent years attempting to receive these right back. Even though the Treaty of Waitangi stated that Maori fishing rights would not be affected by the arrival of Pakeha, laws passed since removed all rights entirely, and it has taken years to restore a type of balance.

The objects selected in this room romanticise the Maori society within New Zealand. Everything is implied to be in the past rather than the present and there is no mention of the wars, suffering or tremendous struggles and poor treatment of the Maori by settlers. This piece of history is omitted from the exhibition, and this may give the tourist the impression of a history peaceful relationship of Maori and Pakeha.



Left to right:

The positive relationship is also conveyed in the paintings of Maori chiefs on the wall by settlers. They are painted in their cultural attire, and their pounamu, moko and traditional clothing is highlighted by the artists, implying that the culture is respected. The frames a look important, They are portrayed to look wise and there is a sense of importance, as only upper class citizens were painted in such a way at that time, although this was probably to send back to England to provide visual information of the natives. It is interesting that in almost none of the paintings does the chief meet the gaze of the viewer. The narrative below informs the viewer that one of them was married to an English woman, and she came to live with him in Parnell. In fact, indigenous people were treated as savages. There were bloody wars. Their laws were abolished, and their land, taken from them. The Maori language was eventually banned. These are some examples of the turbulent relationship between Maori and Pakeha. A tourist viewing his exhibition without much prior knowledge of the history of New Zealand would leave this collection of work being none the wiser of the bitter struggle between cultures. These paintings are also of the Maori people as portrayed by Pakeha, not themselves. They are of chiefs. The settlers promised that the chiefs would be treated upper class gentlemen. This is an idea which may be conveyed to a viewer through these paintings, but in truth, chiefs were abused, arrested, their land pillaged, and their voices ignored by the colonizers. This is particularly interesting, given that the name of the museum is the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Although it is not referencing those particular wars, one would thing that they ought to be remembered as part of recent Maori history.

Another interesting exhibit in this room is the map of New Zealand which uses the Maori place names. When New Zealand was colonized, there was a struggle over land ownership. The British passed a law to the effect that the Maori could keep only the land they lived on and used for farming. This allowed the Crown to claim nearly all the land in New Zealand, as it was mostly uninhabited. It mattered not to the settlers that the Maori people had been there for centuries and that they already had names for the locations throughout the country - this was dismissed entirely, and new maps were created at the whim of the Pakeha. There is no context surrounding this map, other than that it demonstrates the Maori place names as of historical interest. There was a huge struggle as the settlers led the Maori to believe, through the Treaty of Waitangi, that their land rights would not be affected. This map provides some cultural insight which would interest a tourist, but they would again receive a completely romanticised view of New Zealand, and the idea of Maori culture belonging mostly in the past.

This exhibition portrays a Maori culture as modern Pakeha in New Zealand would like the rest of the world to see it - as a peaceful, respected, balance of cultured and a unique and important cultural history. It shunts the culture of the Maori people into the past, as society has been doing for years, and oppresses them. It seems strange to me that the artefacts on display were in fact a reality in this country until very recently in history, yet they are pushed very much into the past, and with no real explanation. Clearly, there are some aspects of Maori culture which are not or practical use since the colonization of New Zealand, but some are used every day. Pounamu is used, for example, for Maori healing. The jewellery designs are still commonplace, but they are made less sacred by displaying them in cold cases on a wall and flogging rip off versions in gift shops. The Maori people are obviously very part of society in New Zealand today, but this history of Maori culture does not acknowledge this.

Response to Tongan Style at Fresh Gallery Otara - Week 6

Tongan Style at Fresh Gallery, Otara, is an exhibition of works by five Auckland based Tongan women who have translated traditional style Tongan art, such as the designs of tapa cloth, into more contemporary mediums of embroidery and crochet. This carries traditional themes utilizing materials which became available when Westerners arrived. They have created an art which incorporates cultural wealth as well as use, such as linen for occasions and clothing. Fresh Gallery is located in an area inhabited largely by the Pacific Island community, and this is evident in the exhibitions they create to attract the local public and, in this case, involve local artists. They are careful to honour and respect the culture (which is not always the case when more westernised societies display indigenous art eg Aboriginal art) in various ways, such as by printing the information in Tongan as well as English. This exhibition opening celebrated and involved the community by comprising of a traditional Tongan kava ceremony lasting well into the night.

My photographs of locals at a Kava ceremony I attended in Vava'u, Tonga

The designs found on the sheets and pillow cases derive from those evident in Tongan tapa cloth, a bark cloth from the mulberry tree, which is painted. Although it was orginially created in several Polynesian countries, Tonga is the only country in the world in which tapa cloth is still widely made. It is valued highly as it is such a lengthy process to make and paint - many people contribute their efforts towards making a piece of tapa cloth at once, and it is usually several metres long. A family in Tonga is considered poor, not according to how much money they have, but by whether they have tapa to give in times such as marriages and funerals. Its main use prior to other textiles becoming widely available was to make clothing. This is not the case now, as it loses strength when wet, although tapa is still worn on formal occasions. It could also be used as as a blanket at night as it has outstanding insulation qualities, although tapa is usually stored away and brought out only for special occasions. When I was in Tonga in 2008 for the Coronation, a long mat of tapa was laid out along the road, which the King's car arrived on, as a red carpet may be in Western societies. As mats are passed down from generation to generation, they aquire higher status over time. A collection of royal mats at the palace form the true crown jewels of Tonga, and these are only displayed on high state occasions, such as the death of a family member or a Coronation. I considered that these mats along the may be from that collection, but in fact they are on the road and the car drives over them, so they are perhaps not the most valuable in the collection! This demonstrates some context of Tongan tapa - it is rich in cultural wealth as well as use.

Tongan Tapa Cloth

Making Tapa
A photo I took of local ladies and children dancing in traditional tapa cloth attire, Ha'apai, Tonga
I took this photograph of King George Tupou V arriving at his Coronation. This is just outside the venue - you can see the tapa cloth has been laid out on the road for his arrival. Nuku'Alofa, Tonga

This knowledge sets the context for the pieces on display in Tongan Style. The visual links between tapa and the pieces on display are evident, for example in the unique patterns. Traditional designs are celebrated using not tapa cloth, but embroidery and crochet. Sheets, pillow cases and clothing have been carefully and beautifully crafted with this medium. The exhibition also includes clothing in the style of 'Tefisi', a unique look originating from a village in the islands of Vava'u, in the north of Tonga, which combines crochet and embroidery with freestyle construction, similar in a way to Western clothing.

Left to right: Tangapilo matala'i'akau (1995) by Lingisiva 'Aloua, Tupenu matala'i'akau (1973/74) by Kolokesa Kulikefu, Tupenu & Tangaipilo matala'i'akau (2002) by Lingisiva 'Aloua

The first piece I will mention is Tupenu matala'i'akau (1996), an embroidered sheet, by Manuesina Tonata (below). The visual similarity is evident between this and the tapa cloth in the patterns, including pekepeka designs, referring to bats or small birds in flight, such as the pacific swallow. This reference to nature and the land is common throughout the exhibition. Many of the pieces incorporate flower designs. The Tongan community is largely sustained from the land and fishing, so the flowers are a bright, decorative homage to this.

Found image of traditional Tongan formal attire

Western style clothing is usually combined with the traditional styles of formal Tongan attire, as pictured. It is common to layer Western style items and combine with traditional Tongan pieces around the waist. The 'Tefisi' clothing has its own spin on this style - it uses crochet and embroidery to create a fashion unique to its place of origin in Vava'u. Teunga lotu (September 2009) by Noma 'Ofa-Ki-Nu'usila Talakia'atu demonstrates this well with the delicately sewn crochet slip and multiple layers. The style is clearly similar to the traditional Tongan attire I have pictured above, but unique in this crochet. The feathers for the waist ornament, or kiekie fulufulu'imanu, are exotic, as they were brought back to New Zealand after Noma visited the United States. This reference to birds ties in with the theme of being close to the land and celebrating this. Here, we have strong Tongan cultural wealth as well as influences from Western society which have become more available in the recent years.

Found image of Tongan ladies' traditional funeral attire as they kneel on tapa cloth to mourn

Next to Teunga lotu, we have Teunga tauanga'a (2000) by the same artist. A mourning outfit for Tongans consists of a funeral waist mat (ta'ovala faka'ahu) worn over black clothing. It is my favourite as the use of crochet is so simple yet elegant but remains firmly in the traditional Tongan formal style. The artist has added her own artistic originality to this outfit - the dress was purchased from the US and the artist added the crochet and beads herself. This special outfit was worn for Noma's church misinale at a time when she was still mourning the death of her biological mother Sela Ha'unga. Comparing it to the found image of ladies mourning, it is evident she has carried the most important features of the outfit through and added her own personal twist.

Teunga tauanga'a, by Noma 'Ofa-ki-nu'usila Talakia'atu

The pieces in this exhibition demonstrate a contemporary approach to traditional Tongan styles in an innovative way with available textiles. In my opinion they are beautiful and original artworks and I love that they are so strongly part of this unique Tongan culture.

Response to The 4th Auckland Triennial - Last Ride in a Hot Air Balloon - Week 5

Last Ride in a Hot Air Balloon is a theme which encompasses risk and adventure through many pathways, such as political, economic and personal interationships. A view from a hot air balloon looks down from above, from a different angle to how we would usually view things - some of the pieces are from a political space where they cannot openly comment and are therefore open to interpretation. The fact that it is the 'last ride' gives a sense of redundancy and a new era.

A piece I particularly enjoyed was Making Useful Things Useless by Robert Hood. The final journey of his Toyota Corolla was the drive from his Christchurch home to Auckland for the Triennial. Hood then removed all the non metal components and shredded his car to create the installation. This echoes the theme of a last adventure and a sense of redundancy and a new era for the recycled car. The artist is highlighting the way we discard and upgrade and imposes the question upon the viewer - what happens to the old when we move on to the new? He is highlighting the leftovers created by our materialistic society and how much space they take up. This adventure of his car echoes environmental risks the viewer may not otherwise consider. I felt it was a strong piece with an important message and fitted well into the theme.

I struggled to find as strong a connection with the theme in work of ex gymnast Alicia Frankovich. She portrays the adventure of the human body, and the risks we put it through in use, through objects which take on aspects of the mechanism of the working body. The central piece portrayed a fountain with a cycle of red liquid being pumped through a Martini bottle. This represents a blood system, the risk we put our body through by drinking, the journey of the cycle, and forms a counterpoint to foutains usually found in public places. Another of her pieces encompassed a ball in a sling, representing a ball & socket joint, body movement and the potential of the body to use as we will. These pieces are clearly relative to the theme but in my opinion seemed a more loose interpretation than others in the exhibition and although related to the themes of risk and adventure, did not reflect these as strongly as other pieces.

Room With A Bird by Bundith Phunsombatlert shows an obvious connection to the theme as it takes the viewer through a physical adventure and plays with our perception of reality. Bird perches hang down to head height from the ceiling of a corridor and force the viewer's path to wind in a certain direction. The sound of birds and movement of the perches triggered by a motion sensor creates an eerie feeling of a phantom presence. A bird seemingly observes viewers passing through, but we are forced to examine the connection between seeing and knowing - the evidence of a bird is there, but we cannot see it. The bird flits between real and imaginary status, evading capture and description. This piece stimulates the viewer physically and psychologically, imposing itself and creating adventure in both senses, and the risk of encountering the unknown.

I would like to mention one more piece which I felt worked well within the theme. Singing Cloud by Shilpa Gupta examines the relationship between terrorist and activist, and risk and survival. Her work was created in the wake of the Mumbai bombings and reflects the risks we take in society every day without necessarily even realising, whilst also considering social fear. A collection of microphones create an threatening, dark, cloud, recording select sounds and playing them back again, as if this cloud were raining sounds. The implication is that big brother is always listening. A board of flights to terroist related hotspots also relays slogans such as "can you be dead and still have a religion?", have a sub religion?", "have a race?" etc. It is based on research of psychology of fear, prejudice and threat. The artist examines the common journeys and risks people take every day, from the recording of our every movement to the impending doom of being in the wrong place or boarding the wrong flight. I liked this piece as it is contemporary and relevant to society and also worked well in the theme.

I felt that all the pieces I viewed fitted the Triennial theme at least in some way, some more strongly than others, although overall there could have been more risk incorporated in the presentation - I did not find any of the pieces shocking, and feel that an art piece in itself would be risky if there were elements of shock and pushing boundaries. I also felt that whilst the pieces portrayed new eras, there were none which I found to be completely innovative in terms of their place in the art world in themselves.

In my opinion, in such an international event of the arts, there should have been at least some Maori representation. The lack of this demonstrates a lack of support for local Maori artists, and would obviously have been an excellent opportunity for up and coming Maori artists to showcase their work to an international audience.

One Maori artist who may have fitted the criteria for the Triennial is Rua Paul. He uses Maori artifacts, taking them overseas and developing them with exotic elements he encounters along the way. He is literally creating art by taking carvings on an adventure and risking transforming traditional Maori artifacts, which depict history and mythology, by combining these with exotic influences and questioning the dividing line between cultures, returning with fresh, new perspectives.

Response to Portrayal of Voyeuristic Gaze in Hitchock's Vertigo - Week 4

Alfred Hitchock's Vertigo is an excellent demonstration of the voyeuristic gaze in cinema. This makes sense in this particular narrative, as the plot comprises of a detective following a woman, but it is also a good example of how women can be seen through a male gaze in other cinema.

The opening scene viewed is set in a bar/restaurant. The dark red decor of the walls and dark suits surrounding the woman contrast with her pale skin and green dress to ensure she clearly stands out. She is placed at in the centre of the scene. The man is filmed from face on, directly looking, and the close up shot makes a focus of his eyes, showing that he is looking for something, that he is watching the woman. When the camera cuts from the man, the room is viewed from his perspective, as if through his eyes, commanding the viewer also looks at the woman through his eyes too. These angles are continued throughout the next few scenes as it emphasises the watcher and the watched.

When the woman gets up, she looks around the room but not directly at the camera, or at the detective. She does not confront his gaze or the viewer's gaze, portraying her as something to be watched, rather than to watch. As she walks away and throughout the following scenes, she is filmed from behind. This is because the view of her is through the man's eyes as he watches and also lets the viewer see her entire figure, objectifying her further, whereas the detective is mostly framed closely round the face. The dress is revealing at the back and the gaze lingers on this, and in the next scene she wears a tight fitting suit, emphasising her figure again. When not being viewed from behind, she is in profile, again not allowing her to meet the gaze of the man. Barbara Krueger's Untitled (Your Gaze Hits the Side of My Face) 1981-3, is an example of how this objectifies women by not allowing them to meet the male gaze. She uses a statue to demonstrate this, literally an object, and this is similar to the use of statues in a later scene.

The lighting throughout the sequence differentiates between the watcher and the watched as the man is portrayed in the shadows, whereas the woman is shown in the light. As he follows her into dark doorways, it is as though he is penetrating her space. The music reflects the difference between them as when the woman appears on screen it becomes soft and romantic.

The woman is objectified by the mis-en-scene of the locations she unknowingly takes the man to. The first place, a flower shop, depicts her surrounded by flowers. Flowers are typically solely decorative objects without other purpose, and by placing the woman among these, Hitchcock is objectifying her as a shallow decoration. She is in soft focus and surrounded by feminine, pastel shapes and colours, contrasting with the shadowy, dark location and close up shot of the man, where he is almost portrayed as a peeping tom. The second place she takes him to, the graveyard, has flowers again, but also decorative statues. Hitchcock cuts between the man observing the statues a few times before showing the woman. She, like the statues, is portrayed in profile and in a similar pose. The grey suit she is wearing adds to the similarity, thereby emphasising this further. The third location is the art gallery. The traditional looking, framed portraits on the walls are placed there to be observed, and placing her alongside these in a gallery objectifies her again. Sitting alone in the middle, she could almost be a sculpture. She even has the same hairstyle and flowers as features in the painting of the woman. These factors lead the viewer to see the woman as an object to be gazed upon. This contrasts with the way in which the detective is portrayed, as he is given an obvious professional purpose, which is demonstrated clearly in his busy manner of importance but also the objects he is surrounded by, such as his pen and paper and his car. She walks slowly, allowing the gaze to fall upon her figure, but the man seems to be mostly in a rush between places, indicating more purpose.

When the characters change location, the woman is seen entering from behind and although she may have been inside a particular location for a while, the first view the viewer has of the scene is when the man follows, and through his eyes. A prime example of this is the gravestone - she has been watching it throughout the entire scene, but we only see it when the man briefly glimpses it as she leaves. This teases the viewer, creating intrigue about what is being witheld. She is the object, which is appearing, and he is the subject, which is acting.

The art gallery scene shows the man focusing up close on aspects of the woman for the first time - her hair, and the flowers she has been carrying. Although these objects are relevant to the plot, they also have symbolism. If we use psychoanalysis to interpret these meanings, the decorative flowers and the swirl in the hair could relate to female genitalia, fetishising her, and the circular shapes also relate to the theme of Vertigo. The gallery depicts the viewer watching the man, man watching the woman, woman watching the painting and painting gazing back at the woman, making her the most watched subject. The only time a female gaze is reflected back at the detective is when he looks at the painting, and he seems to find this unsettling and disruptive of his voyeuristic undertaking.

The last technique I noticed was the use of reflections and images of the woman within the scene. When the woman is leaving the room in the first scene of the sequence, she is reflected in the mirror, creating an image of her - and obviously, images are there to be observed. There is a split screen during the flower shop scene which features both the watcher and the watched, and towards the end she is reflected in the painting of her ancestor on the gallery wall.

In conclusion, Hitchcock's Vertigo demonstrates the male gaze through camera angles, points of view, composition, light, sound, reflections, positioning of the subjects, mis-en-scene and symbolism.

Te Tuhi Exhibition - Unpacking My Library - Week 3

Unpacking My Library is an exhibition about collections. It refers to disorder and rearrangement which may occur within a collection when it is unpacked or disrupted, and suggests different ways of ordering collections at the mercy of the collector or artist, rather than society's conventional orders. The viewer is invited to form an idea of the artist's character through the demonstrated collections, as well as to consider the process of collecting.

A key piece in the exhibition is Elizabeth McAlpine's Found Time Big Ben. This ongoing project features a collection of postcards of Big Ben, gathered and organised in rows to represent every minute of a 12 hour day, with the missing minutes left blank. She has organised this collection in an unusual fashion. Upon first attempting to find order, a viewer assumes there may be a chronological pattern over years, seasons, perhaps, or colour, composition etc, as the piece demonstrates Big Ben from many different angles and decades, and uses images from both day and night. The actual order may not be obvious to a viewer until explained. The artist is examining the way we unconsciously establish order in collections and how we automatically perceive certain orders. As a Londoner, I found the relationship between time, the landmark and tourism intersting - every time the clock chimes in London, there are large groups of tourists waiting underneath in order to hear the famous tune, and this strong relationship between the landmark, the time and the tourism is reflected in the postcards.


Found Time (Big Ben) is typical of McAlpine. It echoes her work Fiction Map (pictured). This ongoing work takes the viewer on a geographical journey through the states, from the East coast to the West coast, using text about landmarks and places from American fiction. The artist uses text to create her own map format. She is taking authors' creations and remaking them into a new piece of art. This collecting and rearranging of text in her own order of words ensures a new meaning is conveyed. Again, we have a disruption and rearrangement of order to create a collection. The use of text instead of shapes depicting areas in a map format echoes the fact that text and image can be seen as one and the same, visual code. In her work The Film Footage Missed By A Viewer Through Blinking While Watching The Feature Film "Don't Look Now", McAlpine has collected all the frames from a film which a viewer missed while blinking, grouped them sequentially together, and created a 7 minute 15 second long film. Here, she is keeping the order of time but concentrating on what the viewer was unable to see when he/she was blinking. TILT (In 6 Parts) encompasses 6 projectors in a row, projecting a sequence of frames from one reel of film. All the frames are white, except for one a group of red frames, appearing every sixth of the way through the film reel. This piece examines the order of time and space within film, highlighting film's temporal and surface qualities.

McAlpine rearranges collections to examine our perception of space and time, and how the viewer sees and interpretes order. She is interested in recycling collections to create new meanings, as well as emphasise what is already in existance, in a new light.

I found the sculptures by artist Dan Arps interesting. Some examples include little characters made of objects, objects on shelving, a chest of drawers covered in stickers, and other sculptures. They are a demonstration of arte povera, a movement signified by an exploration of a wide range of materials beyond the traditional, without restraints. Theoretical basis was rejected in favour of experimentation and openess towards materials and processes. This is evident in these pieces. The artist has appropriated existing objects, and the works are about the journey of the objects themselves, and their uses in the past and present. There is also a light hearted humour in some of the work, such as the cheeky looking characters he has created. I struggled to find deeper meanings in most of the pieces, but this makes sense within the arte povera movement, and they are all open to interpretation.

A piece I was particularly drawn and responded strongly personally to is shown in the image. It seems to me to be about pollution of the seas. The oceans contain a large amount of plastics and human refuse, and this piece reflects this directly back to the canvas in the use of such unnatural materials, literally creating an ocean of human waste. Objects are utilized which society may use and discard without thinking about, such as cleaning cloths, of course used with chemicals, which go down the drains. Chemical waste could also be demonstrated in the foamy, white-grey appearance of the majority of the piece. To me, it strongly highlights environmental issues with a black humour in the smiles of the stickers of dolphins and whales. Perhaps these innocent smiles also reflect the ignorance of a society which can cause so much pollution without realising/caring. The use of space is interesting also - it seems to be erupting from one end of the canvas, the empty space at the other end could indicate the problem spreading further, and the edge of the frame, the fact that we do not have unlimited natural resources. The impact of our collection of waste is considered here with a collection of found objects by the artist.

The exhibition showcased collections of very different themes and genres, and they conveyed individual messages in a variety of styles and media. Everyday objects can take on new meaning when collected together, recycled or displayed out of usual context, perhaps even become something else. Rearranging objects can entirely alter a viewer's perception of something, due to liberation from perception as per society's order which is imposed opon us.

Justin Paton's 'Ten Good Reasons' - Personal Top 10 - Week 2

In response to reading Justin Paton's Ten Good Reasons, I will now summarise the most important pieces of art to me personally at this moment.

Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres (Ingres's Violin). I could have included several of Man Ray's images because, to me, he is one of the most important photographers of all time. Through tireless experimentation, he invented different and creative techniques of manipulating photograhic images before digital technology was available. Together with Lee Miller, they invented solarization. Another creation of his was the 'Rayograph,' or photogram, which removed the camera altogether from the process.

I have included this Dadist photograph as Man Ray is credited for taking the Dada movement to the United States. One of his earlier works, it a visual pun, comparing a woman's body to that of a violin. He created the f-holes by painting them onto the print and rephotographing it, altering a classical nude. This piece also reflects a painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingress, whose hobbies were playing the violin and painting nudes, in the style and attire of the model. In this way, Man Ray has created a second, more high brow pun. The title is a french idiom for 'hobby', suggesting Man Ray's hobby is playing with the model. There is a humour in this simple transformation from woman to violin but the lack of arms adds an unsettling element. Man Ray's work was ahead of his time. He is ridiculing the photograph as a direct representation of reality at a time when photography was considered to be this, echoing the digital revolution of more recent years.

Lee Miller is an inpirational photographer and has had an outstanding career, particularly in a time when women were not as equal to men in society as they are today. As I mentioned, she participated in creating solarization with Man Ray and among her achievements has been a model, muse, documentary photographer, Surrealist photographer and worked for Vogue.

This photograph depicting a severed breast on a plate is perhaps an unusual choice to represent her work, as it is less known than many of her more famous pieces. It is fairly self explanatory. She was having an affair with a surgeon, and managed to obtain the breast from a mastectomy he had performed. The photograph was captured in the Vogue studio, making a strong statement about objectification of women and the portrayal of the female form, particularly in fashion. This is especially interesting coming from Miller, a famous model, whose own breasts had inspired the design of a champagne glass. It challenges the viewer, projecting a message along the lines of 'if you think it's so good then eat it!'. The image has a humour which I like.

James May does not call himself an artist, but his Plasticine Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009 became one of the most talked about gardens in the show. He received permission to submit a garden made entirely of plasticine (although it was "touch and go" as to whether this would be granted), and there was not one real blade of grass or plant. This caused controversy, although there is no rule which specified that the plants in the show must be real. May is a television presenter with hardly any gardening experience. He enlisted help from the public, aiming to encourage children to put down games consoles. School children made daffodils and Chelsea pensioners made poppies. Other participants included a Teletubbies designer and a Wallace & Gromit modeller. His garden was slated by critics. One gardening expert commented "If it's not going to have plants in it, then it shouldn't be called a garden. How can the RHS judge it on the same basis as other show gardens if there are no plants?" May challenged the gardening community and argued that they were plants. The public defended his work. He was outraged that his work was so condemned but eventually awarded a special award made from plasticine. This work pushed boundaries, caused controversy, and triggered public protest and participation at a major event.

The faked photograph of the Loch Ness Monster 1933 is one of the most famous 'monster' photographs in the world. The images were captured and sold to the Daily Mail. Many declared it a fake from that time and over the consequent years, but it was still examined by NASA in 1972, who enhanced it on their computers to find evidence of whiskers, thus giving it more credibility. Among popular theories were that it was a plesiosaur, although sceptics claimed it to be an otter, or perhaps just rotting vegetation. It was not until 60 years later, in 1993, that the creators admitted to faking the photograph and constructing the 'monster'. This image caused controversy and debate over its reality for six decades. I have included it because it is an excellent demonstration of how the camera can lie. Society often assumes that it must be real because it's a photograph (perhaps less so now, with digital manipulation being widespread) but here we have a fine example of how an old, fake photograph can trick people and stand the test of time.

A friend of mine has been tagged in in album entitled A Photo A Day For Year! on the social networking site Facebook. The idea of this particular album is that the creator will take one photograph every day for a year and upload it. Vernacular photography has become so widespread and available, especially since the digital revolution, that I feel it demands a mention when considering art today. People are free to portray themselves in any way they choose, and can easily share and display this imagery with others. Vernacular photography has evolved tremendously even since we switched from film to digital - people are free to pose, delete, re photograh, etc., as many times as they wish, and alter these images once captured. Facebook provides an interesting backdrop for this, as nearly everyone in our society uses it, and it is revolutionizing the way we socialize in itself. I have been on a bus journey in England for a duration of an hour and a half, listening to the click of a shutter and re-application of make up ever few seconds as a pair of teenage girls attempt to capture they 'perfect Facebook photo'. This is not uncommon. It almost seems to me as though one has not participated in an activity unless one has taken a photograph and uploaded it for everyone to see. A Photo Every Day For A Year! caught my attention as it attempts to approach vernacular photography from a different angle. The photographer is attempting to document a more 'real' representation of her every day life (for example, yesterday's entry portrays her doing the washing). This has a certain irony, as she still has infinite options as to which photograph could be captured and chosen to represent each day, and, of course, could take hundreds of pictures every day. In a way, this is doing the exact same thing as everyone else, but in a chosen time frame. She is using a different context, but may still draw attention to any aspect of herself she chooses. However, it provides an interesting alternative and an insight into how the availability of such technology provides society with tools to portray themselves. Previously, it was upper class society who could afford to have their portraits painted or photographed, but the digital revolution provides nearly everyone in our society with the means of documenting any aspect of their life they choose, making some interesting history.

I have included the H20 series by Adam V. Albrec as he works in such a creative and experimental way with underwater photography in contrived environments. It is as though he is utilizing photographic tecnhology available today to create innovative ways to paint surreal portraits. In a world where most photographers are retouching and using digital manipulation, Albrec creates these strange and unusual effects with light and water in the capturing of the image, not necessarily the editing.

Miss Lala at the Cirque Fernando by Edgar Degas. This image portrays Miss Lala suspended from the rafters, holding on only by a rope clenched between gritted teeth. The artist typically sought out modern subjects in arresting poses. Degas was creating art at a time when cameras were becoming available and he used photographic equipment to help him capture poses for other works. This work, however, was created from pastel sketches recorded over successive nights in the audience. I have included this as it portrays a moment in time which would not otherwise have been recorded. I also think it is a masterpiece which always lures me into the National Gallery for a peek when I am in London.

Light Fields by Nadav Kander, an Israeli born photographer, who is currently based in London. This series refers to the art movement which emerged in the 1950s after abstract expressionism, characterised by large canvases primarily painted with solid blocks of colour, as seen in the works of Rothko (although this series was not inspired by Rothko). The series portrays eerie looking landscapes illuminated by found, artificial light sources, almost a study of light pollution. Kander is interested in human impact on landscape, such as, for example, a footprint in a desert, and he is inviting the viewer in this series to consider that without the found light source, the image would just be an entire block of black. He falsifies the world in a studio contrived looking fashion and the pools of light drop suddenly into the abyss. This reflects the human condition - only seeing what is around our feet, as we stand in a dark ocean of the unknown. Kander was trained in the 80s, narrowly prior to the time digital re touching became popular. This series made my top ten as it is aesthetically strong and interesting and communicates important issues about the world today.

I would like to mention a friend of mine, Alana Yee, and her Dance Bombing performances. She is an Auckland based dancer/performance artist currently performing in works created by other artists in the Living Room Festival and the Triennial. She has experimented with social situations in the context of clubbing and nightlife. Bouncers would often refuse her entry to nightclubs due to her non mainstream, artistic appearance and attire, informing her it did not fit with the dress code. In response to this, Yee would dress in bright leotards with a fashionable disguise over the top and enter the clubs, before removing her disguise, jumping on any stage or surface in her bright spandex, and make her statement performing improvised dance routines, which the audience reacted to positively. She has shunned people's attempts to prevent her from expressing herself. Her work is important as it challenges social rules and boundaries and imposes art upon the public, rather than bringing the public to art.

For me, Leonardo Da Vinci is a necessity in any top ten because he was perhaps one of the greatest minds of all time, and his combination of art and science furthered both fields greatly. As an anatomist, he was permitted to disect bodies in order to carry out studies, and here is a demonstration of how sight works. It is far ahead of its time, and an example of one of the many ways in which he furthered knowledge. He was also the first to discover that the heart has four chambers, not just two. This particular drawing is to demonstrate how sight works.