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Thinking about jazz and visual art with the Filles de Kilimanjaro

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Great discussion about Dance Marathon with our docents. Here is more:

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Dance marathons emerged as a fad in the 1920s and 1930s, when times were so dire that the young and unemployed would put themselves through excruciating trials, all for a long-shot dream. Evergood isn't the only one to have noticed the violence desperation engenders.

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Sol LeWitt took a chance letting others construct his art

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Taking Chances with ideas for the community--how art can change how spaces are used, with Maya Lin

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Taking Chances means also using new materials and ideas--like Lynda Benglis:

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In this preview from the Art in the Twenty-First Century Season 6 episode, Boundaries, artist Lynda Benglis, looking at her phosphorescent installation, Phantom (1971), discusses how interpretation of form might alter the perception of an object.

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A pioneer of a form of abstraction in which each work is the result of materials in action-poured latex and foam, cinched metal, dripped wax- Lynda Benglis has created sculptures that eschew minimalist reserve in favor of bold colors, sensual lines, and lyrical references to the human body. But her invention of new forms with unorthodox techniques also displays a reverence for cultural references that trace back to antiquity. Often working in series of knots, fans, lumps, and fountains, Benglis chooses unexpected materials, such as glitter, gold leaf, lead, and polyurethane. In more recent works, she explores diverse cultural heritages (Indian architecture, Greek statuary, Chinese ceramics), translating ancient techniques and symbols for use in contemporary contexts. In her early adoption of video, Benglis introduced feminist, biographical, and burlesque content to structuralist narratives.

Art21 is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization; all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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Art21 is a celebrated global leader in presenting thought-provoking and sophisticated content about contemporary art, and the go-to place to learn first-hand from the artists of our time. A nonprofit organization, Art21's mission is to inspire a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists.

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I think it is great that we thought the buttons on the wall were art too!

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Sarah and Mattison were awesome!

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Loved the airplane with the butterflies--the artist took a chance mixing materials and the idea of butterflies carrying the glider.

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Thanks for putting the time in for us to help us learn about taking chances. The pieces that stood out for me were "How to Build a Cathedral" along with "The Sea and the City" and "Filles de Kilimanjaro 3"

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What a great trip! Thanks so much for your hard work preparing for our visit--

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We took chances with our Dot artwork, and tried

something new with watercolor, some parts worked

& others didn't but we kept going with it.

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Thinking about the surveillance camera, he took a chance to show the idea of freedom and the right of privacy, it is a little awkward that we are watching it ourselves, rather than it watching us.

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ai weiwei chen hui ding yi du jie he yunchang (a chang) l/b li dafang li zhanyang liu ding meng huang nie mu qiu shihua shan fan anatoly shuravlev tracey snelling julia steiner not vital wang qingsong wang xingwei xia xiaowan xia xing xie nanxing galerie urs meile caochangdi beijing china lucerne switzerland artist-in-residence

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艾未未 陈卉 丁乙 杜婕 何云昌(阿昌) l/b 李大方 李占洋 刘鼎 孟煌 聂幕 邱世华 单凡 anatoly shuravlev tracey snelling julia steiner not vital 王庆松 王兴伟 夏小万 夏星 谢南星 麦勒画廊 草场地 北京 中国 卢森 瑞士

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GALERIE URS MEILE, BEIJING - LUCERNE - Artists , Ai Weiwei, Surveillance Camera, 2010

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Galerie Urs Meile, Beijing-Lucerne has been intensively involved in the Chinese art scene, whose protagonists now participate in the discourse on contemporary visual art at the highest international level. In recent years, the gallery has enduringly fostered the careers of some of the most influential Chinese artists working today, among them Ai Weiwei, Qiu Shihua, Wang Xingwei and Xie Nanxing.

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El Anatsui is dealing with politics and slavery.

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Ai Weiwei deals with emotions here--he's taking the chance to bring out the feelings of the viewers. It is more powerful than a sign that says "5,000 children died here."

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Think about Pablo Picasso and how he started Cubism with Georges Braque;

They tried something new that had never been seen before.

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The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

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Man with a Hat and a Violin | Pablo Picasso | 1999.363.64 | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Artist: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, Malaga 1881-1973 Mougins, France). Date: 1912. Medium: Cut and pasted newspaper, and charcoal, on two joined sheets of pap...

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El Anatsui takes chances by using different materials that people throw away

to express colonialism through recycled foil scraps

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Preview: El Anantsui in Season 6 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century" (2012) | Art21

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In this preview from the "Art in the Twenty-First Century" Season 6 episode, "Change," artist El Anatsui discusses the use of bottle caps in his work, drawing connections with European trade across three continents. "Change" premieres Friday, April 13, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

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Ai Weiwei talks about how he always deals with new possibilities

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Preview: Ai Weiwei in Season 6 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century" (2012) | Art21

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In this preview from the "Art in the Twenty-First Century" Season 6 episode, "Change," artist Ai Weiwei discusses "Untitled" (2011)-an outdoor installation at Harvard University-and the accompanying sound piece, "Remembrance" (2010). "Change" premieres Friday, April 13, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

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there are no mistakes just happy accidents

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there are no mistakes just happy accidents

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Hey TY&TP! I believe that people think making mistakes

is bad because, unfortunately,

many of us often grow up in a society

that connects feelings of guilt, shame or

"not being good enough" with making mistakes.

I think that instead of feeling this way,

people should see mistakes as a great learning

experience and a way for you to rethink

what you're doing, and possibly head in a

different (or better!) direction. Especially with art,

there are really no "right" answers, and everything

you do should just be a true expression

of yourself. So you shouldn't worry about making mistakes,

because if you look at it in a positive way,

these "mistakes" can only make you a better, more

informed person (and artist!). Great question! <3

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Hey TY & TP, This is something that I think of too and is a very interesting question.

There is a connotation that mistakes are bad. It seems that this is because often when mistakes are made there are consequences that are then associated with the action. But they can be positive too.

The beauty of art and mistakes, is that mistakes often help us to make better, more informed decisions, and with the right mind set can be viewed as a gift that can promote growth and inspire new ideas.

Ryan Robbins

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Hi AM! That's an interesting question especially since that's something i do every time I create something.

I feel that most artists feel as if their audience won't appreciate the style that they've decided to use. I also feel that when I make something, my meaning isn't seen in the work, and is hard to understand. I worry that people think I haven't spent enough time and detail into the work, when in actuality, I've spent several hours and days working on it.

Do you ever doubt your own work? What are some of the things you think about when you look at your piece and feel doubtful about what you've created?

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Hey guys!

To answer the question, "How does taking chances affect their art," I think it can affect it in many different ways, but never negatively. When an artist is taking a chance, it allows them to grow and learn even if the chance may not be "successful." T.S. Elliot said it well, "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

Your artwork will benefit in the long run if you take chances. What do you have to lose?

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Hey LP!

That is a great question. I think taking chances affects people's art because art is all about exploring something new. It seems like these days, art is less focused on how perfectly something is rendered and more focused on how original an idea is. When artists take risks, they learn new ways to do things like nobody has done before! Trying new things is always important, especially in art.

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A mistake is an opportunity to learn what does and does not work in your art.

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Hey JH! Great question.

I think that artists take chances in order to challenge

themselves artistically, and also to be different and

stand out from other artists. If you stay in your comfort

zone and do not experiment with new ideas, mediums, or

techniques then you miss out on the chance to create

something great! When have you taken a chance

with your art work?

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Is it important to take chances?

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If an artist makes a mistake, does the artist turn it into something marvelous or start a new artwork?

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What is a mistake in artwork?

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Why does a mistake change your artwork?

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Why do some people doubt their work?

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Why do people think that making mistakes is bad?

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Why don't artists take chances?

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If artists experiment and they mess up, what happens with the experiment?

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Which artists have taken chances with their art, and how have they done that?

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What are some ways that artists take chances?

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How does taking chances affect their art?

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Why do artists take chances?