RAWW 5 image critiques

Salvador Dali

Ballerina in a deaths head

In this image, on a black background, there is a yellow tinted skull. Where the upper jaw line on a skull would start, it fans out making the bottom of a ballerina's dress that curves up to the waist of the body.

Between the hollows of the eyes, is where the ballerinas head is slightly to the side with a large up-do and a small flower like bunch onto of the crown of her head. the bottom jaw line slopes into the middle of the bottom of the painting.

When I see this painting, to me it looks like the skull is smiling, and the girl is posing in a way that shows she wants to be admired. It's such a sadistic-ly humorous painting and the background and foreground contrast well.

I wonder what Salvador Dali was thinking about when he done this.Was he in a happy mood? Was he brooding at all? It really does make you think what it would be like to be in the mind of Dali.

Peter Zumthor

Thermal Baths

In this image you see rugged concrete walls. There is a Pool of quartz coloured water lit from beneath. There are stair cases going into the water, and there is another corridor leading into another room with another coloured pool which is red. There's 6 walls in an L shape and the room inside is nothing but water and stairs leading into the water.

When I see this image I think of disney movies where the water is crystal blue and the whole thing looks like a fantasy. What mad Peter design this? Did he have this image in mind before it was created? It gives a new meaning to "flooded house"

I researched other works of Peters, and the scenery really set of his work beautifully.

The building and landscape works really great together.

The Elephant Celebes

Max Ernst 1921 (oil on Canvas)

This image is from the surrealist era and of the Dada cultural movement. In this image there a headless woman wearing and red and yellow glove. a stormy background, and the back of a dark skinned elephant. The dominant figure its the elephant,and the headless woman is in the bottom right hand corner. The tail of the elephant has a bull head piece on the tip.

When I see this image, I automatically think of how this could have been a political work of art because as a dada artist, I think there should be some sort of reference to political themes. I thought maybe with the red and yellow glove that the headless figure was wearing, could represent the colours of Germany (one of the countries at war, which caused a migration movement that created the dada artists).
Whether its intentional or not, I thought it was an interesting idea. The dada artists had themes of technology in their work, and I think the elephant looks mechanical.

When I see this image, I think of the thoughts that went into the work, ideas, political themes, and neutral country references.

Architecture photography

Victor Enrich

In this image there is a cityscape and looks like it was taken during the day. There is a building almost in the centre that is an apartment complex with multiply stories that twists and leans, towering over a building in front of it in the image.

When I see this image I think of photoshop techniques and how this was made. I think of how the dimensions looked- obviously photoshopped but still ordinary and made sense when looking at it.

I wonder, I this building existed, could it be possible that it wouldn't topple over?

I would think that a building like this could be invented in future as technology developed throughout the years. Ideas like this could actually be possible, if science finds a way to work around gravity on a global scale.

When I see this, I think of the future, which is weird because the image itself  looks to have modern buildings that wouldn't look out of place today if it wasn't for the obvious.

I think of how many people actually design like this, and it makes me want to go out and research randomly for the sack of it.

Self portrait

Lee miller

In this image, there is a mid-shot of a woman reclining in a beach chair casually looking to the side. The image is black and white.

I liked this image because  she looks so casual and relaxed but also contemplative. Such a beautifully classic portrait. I chose this image due to the fact that she is a surrealist, but a photographer also. This image reminds me of a classier version of Marilyn Monroe.

When I see this image, it makes me wan to curl up and read a book. It's just so peaceful looking and casual. I would love to have a portrait in this style (though I don't think I could pull it off)

Annotations for Raww

Morrison M, McCredie P. The history of New Zealand ARCHITECTURE. Published by Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Limited

The text is in the third person. The photographers, Morrison and McCredie talks about New Zealand's architectural designs rapidly transforming though out the last 150 years. It mentions major building traditions and trends. It goes on to mentioning the diversity of architectural designs, mentioning styles some including Edwardian Baroque designs, Antipodean Gothic designs and many more. The author mentions ways architects responded to extreme challenges, for example in the mid twentieth century and reactions to the Napier earthquake of 1931. Because of this this, indigenous architects were in high demand, and the arrival of modernism came.

I liked this text because researching so many architects and their works, seeing how they adapted to sudden situations; it's gives hope to all the up and coming architects out there because there can never be a shortage of architects that can work on demand. I admire those who look for certain challenges and help with the cause, it makes the final design that much more rewarding.

I hope to be one of those designers one day, contributing my designs to people who share interests with me and my work. Reading about these texts gives me more insight and ideas that can help me develop my own ideas.

Kronenburg R. Flexible (2007) by Laurence King publishing Ltd

Flexible is a book about Architecture responding to change, written in the third person, but the introduction is in the 1st person. Kronenburg talks  a bit about himself and his travels. The book touches on different architects and how their designs responded to change. He mentions architects like Le Corbusier. The text starts with how we human beings are flexible creatures moving about at will, and manipulating objects and working in many environments. It mentions how as technology develops , we adapt. It briefly mentions modernism and how it was developed in general. It mentions contemporary architecture. Years ago, architects would react to the pressures of emerging global culture, developing movements and styles.

I enjoyed reading this book because reading about how movements and styles throughout the ages still to this day, impacts our everyday lives without us actually thinking about it. To think about what's happened in the world globally can influence the way architects create their works is enlightening. It makes me think about how the global issues of today are influencing the way architects think and design.

Amidon J. Radical Landscapes. (2001) Published by Thames and Hudson Inc.

This book is in the 3rd person. It's about how Landscape architecture today is one of the most revolutionary areas of design. It mentions how with environmental awareness, landscape architects are re-shaping man made surroundings. This books features Landscapes artists designs. It touches on light, colour, and texture in forms and shapes. It talks about plane movement and what we consider solid ground is actually " a contrived set of impressions and solutions". It talks about  how designers make amazing work with the raw materials that they're given, and appearing in places never before considered. Contemporary styles are shown in urban designs, and finally mentions how all landscapes are underpinned by a personal history, sometimes relaying specific images about culture, ecology, people and place.

I enjoyed seeing the designs in this book. It was the first in-depth reading about Landscape architecture that I've done and found it fascinating. The materials they used, and the environments they work with was inventive and creative. It made me want to see these designs in person. The text was inspiring, and generated ideas that I could use to further research in future.

Rudofsky B. Architecture without Architects. (2002) Published by Seventh Paperback printing

Written in 3rd person, This book is about the art of building, introducing the the unfamiliar world on non-pedigreed architecture. It mentions how it's not as easy to date back to earlier designs like it is for say painters. It features old monumental townships and cities. It shows buildings and many old photographs of landscapes mostly in Europe.

I liked this book because I thought " if they could build these without the resources we had today, what could these architects do with the technology we have now?"  When I think back to how they could of possibly done all this, I develop a new found respect for them. To be able to talk to the people who inspired architecture today, and to Think about what I'd hear if they were around to see how our buildings look like today would be mind-boggling. These designs, and the architects behind them created a foundation for us, and without them, who knows what world we'd live in. It's weird to think about how many don't think about these ideas and it raises new questions about what other architectural aspects could have influenced our lives had they not been developed.

Miles M. Art Space, and the City. (1977) Published by Routledge

This book was in the 3rd Person, and was about how art and designs can contribute to urban futures. It touches on the perspectives of cultural geography, urban sociology and critical theory analyzing space and city. The text is about crossing practices of art and design, and the design for urban public spaces, all the while keeping critical theories in mind. Miles talks about suggesting ways in which perspectives of art, as work of the imagination, might also contribute to a critique of the city and to a sustainable and convivial urban future.

Thinking about what I read, It made me think about how many public spaces out there could be made in to works of art, especially here in Auckland, (the most populated city in New Zealand) I thought of all the train stations and bus stops that could be transformed into great designs and as I walk around town, I now picture the walls, imagining them to look something like out of a futuristic movie. Reading the book, I can't help but think how many other designs out there, not in this book, looks.