Lunar Calendar and Minarets

 

 

Photographs of Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque, Falls Church, Virginia. Views of Minarets.

Architecture or Political Problem?

Taj Mahal. Photograph courtesy of blog.lib.umn.edu.

According to an article posted on 29 November 2009 on CNN.com, the Swiss voted to ban minaret. Minarets are a part of history. Look up mosques from around the world. I am sure that this would offend art historians, especially those who work to preserve these landmarks from deterioration and destruction.
construction in Switzerland. I read this article and I became confused. Apparently, to the Swiss, the minaret displays Islamism (incorrect term) as a political party. To me, I find this ridiculous because the minaret is more of a cultural object that adds an identity with Islamic architecture--almost like a lighthouse. If you want to compare it to something, try a bell tower from a church or cathedral. It is sort of the same concept--a call to prayer or a moment of reflection. Does anyone feel offended when a bell tolls or Christmas bells chime? No. If a spiral column is decorative, then let it be. Not a big deal.

Minarets in the Middle East are often used as a vocal platforms to announce the five time daily prayer throughout the city. However, in American culture, the minaret becomes more of an architectural element that does not contain any reliefs or balconies. It is simply a carved column with a moon at the top to represent the lunar calendar. What's next to go? The dome? Even a non-Islamic building has them, for example the Taj Mahal in India. Should we remove these minarets because of the connotation to Islamic cultural influences throughout history? The answer is of course, nope. Strange article but interesting debate.

The Artist's Mentor

The Artist's Mentor by Ian Jackman. Courtesy of Amazon.com, 2009.

Today, I was fortunate enough to swing by Barnes and Noble on my way home. I purchased two books, which I found while purusing the aisles of art, design, architecture, home decorating, fashion design, and manga. I came across a thin, paperback text with three critical words on its spine, The Artist's Mentor by Ian Jackman. What a clever title. As tradition, I grabbed the book and randomly opened the book to read an excerpt from the page. Quite a relevation and an easy read. I look forward to reading this text in the next few days, which will definitely help in the final hours before the all-day faculty critique on Friday, 11 December 2009. I must admit that I am anxious--but in a great way. A sort of excitement is stirring but with a sense of pressure. I am taking it from the angle that this is my moment to shine. I just hope that it comes across as such because I am doing my utmost here in the program. I want to display as much work as possible and present multiple ideas but I understand the importance of an aesthetic flow.

A couple problems that I am running into include the complexity of materials (both acquiring/purchasing as well as tweaking into forms) and tapping into my cultural perspectives. I know that I have multiple narratives to share but I wonder if I am overanalyzing things or jumping way ahead too soon. I guess we shall see next semester.

Welded Religion: A Mix of Art + Culture

Welded gates featuring Islamic calligraphy. Dar Al-Hijrah Mosque, Falls Church, Virginia.

This is a photograph I took about a year ago of the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia. I was walking around the complex and took notice of the calligraphy featured in the gates. If you look carefully, you can see the Arabic word for God = Allah, which is written in a sort of stylized Arabic calligraphy to match the gates. Arabic text is written and read from right to left, as opposed to Western literature, which reads from left to right.

Anish Kapoor at the Freer Gallery

S-Curve, large metal sculpture. Courtesy of Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art, 2009.

There is an exhibition at the Smithsonian Freer Gallery for Indian sculptor, Anish Kapoor. The show will be available until 3 January 2010 and I will definitely make a trek downtown to view his work. Kapoor appears to have a Richard Serra-esque style with the large, reflective steel structures and it reminds me of the chrome sculpture, The Bean in Chicago. Worth a gander. Here's a link to his official Website with a biography as well as images of his recent works.

Frere and Freer: Global Connections

National Museum of Pakistan. Courtesy of Wikipedia, 2009.

While working on a sculpture project this Thanksgiving weekend, I asked my mom about art in Pakistan. I asked when she was younger and living in Pakistan, if she had ever visited an art museum there. This may appear as a strange question but I figured that viewing art would be for the elite and those who are studying at university. My mom did study biology at the collegiate level but I wonder if she had been exposed to visual arts, aesthetic expression, or simply other cultures. She did mention one name, which was Frere.

When she said this name, my mind instantly triggered to Charles Lang Freer of the Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and the possibility of a wunderkammer, or "cabinet of curiosities." However, this museum does not have a correlation to Freer but instead to British colonel, Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere. Although there is limited information available on the museum and its collections, I would love to visit it someday.

Diving Into Pakistan's History

Emblem of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Courtesy of Wikipedia, 2009.  

I am on an extensive search to view more Pakistani contemporary art. Sounds easy, eh? For anyone familiar with the topic, this is quite a daunting task due to numerous factors. Pakistan, a 63-year-old country contains such a rich artisan culture that throughout the years, has been tarnished by poverty, political corruption, and terrorism. The country, which derives its name from the word "Pak" (pronounced 'paak' in Urdu) = "pure," strives to maintain a modest and simple lifestyle due to its Islamic history.

Since its independence from British rule and separation from India, Pakistan struggled to maintain an economy and political structure to survive the harsh situations. However, times were not as dire as they are now. Decades ago in the fairly young country, there were lush fields of grass and people thriving as landowners, farmers, and artisans. Today, those fields are now combating drought and a dusty climate where industrial factories provide most of the employment. It is common that most of the population in suburban and rural villages to commute towards factories for Coca-Cola and Pepsi as well as FIFA World Cup soccer balls. Approximately 80% of FIFA soccer balls are made in Sialkot, Pakistan.

Also, as a side note, a large percentage of the world's stainless steel cosmetic and surgical supplies are created in Pakistan. The area, which is commonly referred to as "Steel Town" or the "Pakistan Steel Mills" generate commerce throughout the country. Next time you hold a pair of scissors, take a look at the country of origin. Many times the product will state: "Stainless Steel - Pakistan" in tiny letters. 

I know this because I am from there and both of my parents were born in Pakistan. We come from cities such as Sialkot, Lahore (oddly enough--there's also a Lahore, Virginia!), Quetta, and Karachi. In fact, my mom was born on the exact same day that Pakistan received its independence on 14 August 1947. When I look in her eyes, I envision the ideals that the country should stand for--modesty, integrity, and a strong work ethic. When a country is constantly on the front page of a newspaper and in the top news headlines for notorious situations, I wonder what people really think and whether they understand the effect it has on the Pakistani-American population living here.

Steampunk + Dieselpunk

Although there are times where my job appears lacking in the artistic sense, I have to admit that my coworkers surprise me, time and time again. One coworker mentioned the term, "Steampunk" when he viewed a photograph of a recent metal stool I created. I have to read more into the 1950s industrial era and its history, but I highly recommend viewing the images associated with the artmaking style. It definitely represents an industrial edge but with a sense of humor.

By viewing one image of a homemade guitar, I realized that there is an undergraduate student also recreating a guitar out of steel and re-purposed metal objects. We were able to chat about the items one-on-one and find some Steampunk images online pertaining to his artmaking process and perspective. He is also interested in working with resin, which would be amazing if he could create a clear guitar or another instrument from a liquid form. I must add that I love the shapes of musical instruments, specificallly the guitar. This is mainly due to the fact that I enjoy all types of music, which sparks my interest as to how narratives and storytelling begin within songs. I would love to watch someone make a guitar sometime because I know there is so much precision involved to create such a beautiful form that must also produce a clear sound.

Besides Steampunk, there is also another concept called, "Dieselpunk," which sounds exciting as well, but I just need to do some more research about the details. Otherwise, here are some cool images to enjoy.

Images courtesy of Wikipedia.org and Google.com.

Attention, Shoppers

Photograph courtesy of MSNBC.com; Spencer Platt/Getty Images, 2009.

According to MSNBC.com this week with their segment titled, "This Week in Pictures: 12-19 November 2009," the warehouse megastore, CostCo, opened in Manhattan on Friday, 13 November. The store, which is located near the East River, now replaces a former wire factory in East Harlem. The video clip on the MSNBC.com Website depicts the opening ceremony for the store and describes the 15-year battle to open such a grand supermarket within the busy streets of New York. Of course, customer traffic and parking became major factors during the development stages. The photograph is courtesy of MSNBC.com and depicts hundreds of shopping carts at the new location. I just wonder now if people will purchase bulky items and pile into yellow NYC taxi cabs. Shopping carts become vessels themselves, taking us from Point A to Point Z while carrying souvenirs along the way.

Shopping at Inconvenience Stores

Believer, 2009. Asma Chaudhary. Recycled Home Depot shopping carts, stainless steel, and paint.

This morning, I went to four different grocery stores to ask for free shopping carts. I received a negative response from each place. One store wanted my information to keep on file in case they have a damaged cart to donate--but this could take forever because stores often send their carts in for repair in larger amounts rather than one or two at a time. I also learned that most shopping carts cost between $200 and $600 each. Another store recommended that I visit older locations that have not been remodeled yet. I am beginning to lose hope because I have received a rejection from at least 10 stores. I understand that desperate times call for desperate measures. However, I feel like a homeless person stalking these carts in empty parking lots, either that or a dumpster-diving freegan.

I visited numerous stores at several locations (throughout northern Virginia, from Fairfax/Annandale to Dulles/Sterling/Manassas) including:

• Home Depot
• Lowes
  
• Wegman's (they have 2 very cool versions)
  
• Safeway
• Giant (they also have 2 new styles)
  
• Shoppers Food Warehouse

Any recommendations?

Photograph courtesy of unarco.com

Cranking Them Out

I am currently working with recycled and found materials to create furniture. Recently, I acquired several shopping carts from Home Depot and as a result, I am inspired to produce more work. With furniture, I enjoy the comparison between form and function for an object present in our daily lives. I feel like furniture, specifically chairs, stools, and ottomans do not receive enough appreciation despite being there through thick and thin--the great times and the bad. We sit on these objects every day without taking a second glance to its characteristics or to ask where it was manufactured. However, at some point, we went to a furniture or thrift store to pick something out to accommodate our lifestyles and comfort level at an affordable price.

During my undergraduate studies, I created chairs out of extruded steel fencing, aluminum pipes, pasta cans, trash cans, garden hose, and recycled detergent drums. Today, I see myself producing more refined work and I hope that it comes across as such. I want to take more ownership of the items I produce but I find it difficult to express why I create objects. It derives from a true passion for minimalism, witty sophistication, and challenges. I love reading about designers from Charles and Ray Eames to Ron Arad to Karim Rashid and Bertoia Diamond chairs, Adirondack chairs, and everything in between. I would love to see each artist out there to create a chair, just to visualize their interpretation of the concept.

Happiness Hat

Photographs are courtesty of Lauren-McCarthy.com.
http://lauren-mccarthy.com/happinesshat/

Here is a website a coworker mentioned to me today for an object known as the "Happiness Hat." The idea is that we can wear an object on our heads to force us to smile more often by inflicting pain. This is an exciting concept and the video on the website is definitely worth viewing.

Warholist? Mmm, mmm...good?

Campell's Soup Can, 1964. Andy Warhol. Courtesy of ArtInThePicture.com.

I was speaking with my coworkers today and one of them called me a Warholist. This is definitely an interesting concept because I do enjoy Andy Warhol's sophisticated humor with consumerism and Americana. I just wonder if I am similar to him or not. Over the years, from a graphic design perspective, I appreciated Warhol's contribution to the historical context of artmaking, questioning its process, and creating reproductions. I even enjoyed Warhol's banter with painter, Jackson Pollock. I still wonder where I fit in the grand timeline of things. Perhaps Campbell soup cans are something to explore like shopping carts.

Art for Art's Sake

The Matter of Time, Richard Serra. Courtesy of Wikipedia, 2008.

Today was a long day at work, mostly because I came home late from campus last night. After finishing up my sculpture class, I heard about a lecture discussing Richard Serra's "work makes work" concept and decided to stay longer to hear a refresher discussion. The intimate lecture took place in the clean fabrication studio with soft lighting that peered in from other rooms. As I looked around, I noticed that the audience included about 12 honors students in the undergraduate art program. The honors group branches out by taking field trips, meeting with artists, participating in more critiques, and taking advantage of the resources available to students--not only gallery representation and grants, but also in engaging a better rapport with the faculty. I remembered being in the group a couple of years ago and realizing the power and responsibility that came with artmaking. When I joined honors, I freshly switched from economics and marketing into the art program, so aestheticism and art history were foreign subjects that I had to absorb quicker to understand the other art students.

While attending the lecture, I could not help but notice a few students fidgeting with their cell phones. I have to admit that one of my cardinal pet peeves is when people play with their phone--it annoys the hell out of me. I try my utmost to keep my phone on vibrate so that I can focus on dialogue, especially during a class or when speaking one-on-one to a friend. What bothers me more than an actual phone ringing is when people look down at their phone to either view a text message or quickly type one up. I love gadgets as much as the next person, but texting is definitely a nuisance. Thank goodness that it is now illegal to text/check emails on cell phones and drive in Virginia.

Anyways, I wanted to make sure that the students at the lecture felt more passionate about their artmaking. Perhaps we can follow the ideal of "Art for Art's Sake" rather than completing assignments for classes in order to just obtain our creative degrees. By saying this, I do not claim to be an art guru of any sort, but I do know about the real world and the adversity that comes with it. Sure, artmaking sounds romantic, but there are several questions to consider:

• What is my point of view and what type of message would I like to send?
  
• What medium should I use to express this idea?
  
• Who is my audience?
  
• Where can I create or display this piece?
• Should I make a series?
  
• How can I fund this project?
  
• Where do I purchase/acquire the materials?
  
• When should I begin and when do I decide that the piece is finished?
• Why am I doing this?

Next week, a few other graduates students and I will be attending their critique to discuss the creations. The majority of the students appeared interested in drawing, painting, and printmaking. A few students were into photography, mixed media, and graphic design. Overall, it was a nice mix but I wish I knew more details about their thought processes and mediums. They seemed like a quiet bunch but I hope they feel inspired and think about their portfolios and resumes on a grand scale. I wonder who will be making art after undergraduate studies. When I graduated, I thought I would never make chairs again. However, I knew that my life never goes according to plan--and maybe that is the actual plan.

Insomnia's Lullaby

Insomnia's Lullaby, 2008. Extruded steel fencing, stainless steel bars, and rebar.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to one of my first posts, which sparked from a conversation with my sculpture professor this evening. I mentioned that I have insomnia and he suggested that I chronicle my daily thoughts and critical remarks on various artists and subjects. Over the years, my insomnia has developed to a point where I can stay awake for days despite feeling exhaustion. In doing so, I am testing the limits of sleep and exertion because I feel even more energy at night when most of the world is sound asleep. As a result, many of my best ideas occur at 3 a.m. on any given day. Also, by adding to this blog, I will be able to combine my love of writing, graphic design, and sculpture into a compacted resource.

The title of this blog, DisArmChair, encompasses my passion for furniture, specifically chairs. I found it interesting to combine the word "armchair" with "disarm" to represent something fierce and strong yet fragile and vulnerable. Therefore, I chose this blog name a year ago but never continued on with the project until now.

Here is a little information about me:

My name is Asma Chaudhary and I am currently a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate student in the Critical Artistic Processes (CAP) Sculpture program at George Mason University. This is my first semester in the program and I am ecstatic to work in the brand new School of Art (SOA) building, which opened in fall 2009. I primarily work with found and recycled materials to create unique furniture pieces and cool everyday objects. My background is in graphic design and electronic journalism, which allows me to explore relationships between an object or logo and its interaction with the audience. Therefore, I am drawn to personal narratives and experiences from random strangers. Whether I am driving to work, shopping at the grocery store, or walking around campus, I just love watching people going about their daily routine. You can just say that I am a true journalist at heart, among other things, of course.