A research on the relation between Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and the Dutch architects of the Nieuwe Bouwen movement. Focus on the influence of the Finnish architect on the Dutch architects.
Central to much analysis and research within the artistic field is the artwork itself, as an object, a product, experience or situation that has been made or created by an artist; therefore,...Show moreCentral to much analysis and research within the artistic field is the artwork itself, as an object, a product, experience or situation that has been made or created by an artist; therefore, discourse often revolves around the reception of art and the intentionality or mastery of the artworks creator – i.e. how the work is received and why it was created. Artworks can be exhibited, the reception of them can be studied, often classified and interpreted in such a way that evaluations can be made according to the criteria of the established discipline of Art History, and although this type of formal and critical analysis can sometimes extend to considering the reception of the artists themselves, often in relation to their creative intentions, choices or use of materials and techniques, discourse marginally elaborates upon or questions how art emerges or what takes place during the artistic process when maker meets matter, or vice versa. The lack of discussion and focus upon the material engagement involved throughout the creative process is what this thesis aims to emphasise, by questioning our contemporary understanding of what takes place when maker meets matter and proposing how a material view on art can allow for and encourage a new understanding to be put forth regarding this dynamic interaction within contemporary art discourse.Show less
This thesis examines the role and function of art collections in corporations such as banks. The study focuses on the Icelandic banks, Arion Banki, Landsbanki and Íslandsbanki using ABN AMRO Bank...Show moreThis thesis examines the role and function of art collections in corporations such as banks. The study focuses on the Icelandic banks, Arion Banki, Landsbanki and Íslandsbanki using ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands as a comparison. For this examination the three main reasons corporations give for collecting art are discussed; employee well-being, corporate image and corporate social responsibility. By using available research and interviews conducted with the case studies, it became evident, that if a company is serious about its art collection and would like to utilize it further than simply as mere wall decoration, it could be fruitful to employ an in-house curator with an art degree who can communicate with employees and other stakeholders about the art. By utilizing the art in a professional manner, it can have positive effect on employees moral and productivity, portray a positive corporate image and help to fulfill a corporation´s social responsibility by making their art collection (which often includes heritage artworks) available for the public and by contributing to the arts economy.Show less
Recently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more...Show moreRecently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more critical about their cultural identity. Thai cultural symbols and elements, as large standing Buddha's or characters from the Ramakien, are placed next to Disney figures and Batman, and artists are singing the Thai national anthem in other countries. Much is happening which has not been possible in the last decades. In this thesis an attempt was made to understand this current development. The Thai cultural identity, or the alleged 'Thainess', has been investigated and several possibilities of understanding Thainess were created. This concept is based on the effects of the nation-state, identity and the sense of belonging which all proved to be highly influential for Thai artists and their sense of Thainess. The contemporary artists Kata Sangkhae, Jirapat Tatsanasomboon and Rirkrit Tiravanija have shown that there are various ways to represent a sense of Thainess in artworks. However, not Thainess seemed to be the most important factor for Thai artists and the creation of their artworks, rather the individual positioning of the artists themselves. Cultural identities are fluid constructs and open to changes. The positioning and the context of the artist are most probably much more influential than their sense of Thainess. The three artists have therefore all different positions concerning Thainess and are also fundamentally different from each other, from critical to protective. But all three artists prove that the tension between the local and the global is something that they are aware of.Show less
Looking at the Green Bridge monumental sculptures as the objects that represent a certain historical ‘truth’, there has been so much concentration on the past and how artefacts disclose and...Show moreLooking at the Green Bridge monumental sculptures as the objects that represent a certain historical ‘truth’, there has been so much concentration on the past and how artefacts disclose and manifest the essence of that past, that it neglects important issues on how artefacts interact with a present and what they signify in present conditions. The problem of the Green Bridge is complicated precisely because of what these four monuments represent in current political and cultural situation. The issue goes way beyond a ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ memory line of reasoning as many people argue that the sculptures again (mainly because of the recent Imperialist-nature of Russian politics in Ukraine) have become the signifiers of oppression, (even after 25 years of Lithuanian independence) and are offensive to the residents of the city, devaluating ‘truthful’ Lithuanian identity and its values. Thus, this research, exploring the Socialist Realist monumental position in Post-Socialist society and concentrating on the Green Bridge sculptural ensemble in Vilnius, is divided into three ‘colourful’ chapters. The first one, entitled ‘Green.’, shortly reviews the historical background of the bridge giving an overview of its construction and development. The second, entitled ‘Red!’, examines the monuments in their relation to Lithuania’s history and complicated political aspects, indicating how there are many levels of interpretation while analysing art objects as time-factored symbols of an entire culture. This chapter contains the analysis of Socialist Realist style, symbols and iconography of the sculptures. It also reflects on possible benefits of adding a Post-colonial discourse to the subject, looks closer into Lithuanian Post-Socialist identity and traumatic collective memory while also indicating the dangers of a narrow two-sided ‘preserve vs. remove’ polemics escalated by Lithuanian media. Chapter ‘Pink?’ aims to propose a wider-raging interdisciplinary approach to political art emphasizing the importance of contemporary artistic practices and their abilities of meaning transformation in the former USSR countries. Moreover, a semiotic approach and the examples of Lithuanian artists in relation to the subject of memory give the opportunity to debate on alternative ways of dealing with the heritage of a totalitarian regime in a present day Post-socialist public spaces. Finally, the conclusion ‘Plato’s Ideal City: Political Decisions & Objectivity in Post-Soviet Vilnius’ examines the verdict made by the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture and its political aspects also questioning the possibility of objectivity of the solution for the indicated problem.Show less
