Robert Smithson

Robert Smithson remains one of the most influential and original artists of modern times who has had a major impact on artists of his generation, and continues to do so today. Smithson's provocative works, made in the mid-sixties to early seventies, redefined the language of sculpture. He was one of the founders of the art form known as earthworks or land art, and is most well known for the Spiral Jetty, 1970, located in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. This monumental earthwork was inspired in part when Smithson saw the Great Serpent Mound, a Pre-Columbian Indian monument in southwestern Ohio. The earthworks were a radical departure from making formal objects situated in a gallery setting. The Spiral Jetty embodied one of his goals which was to place work in the land rather than situated on the land. Smithson's earthworks defined an entirely original notion of landscape art. Dissatisfied with the art of this time, Smithson did not limit himself to any one form or style of art. He moved beyond modernism by abandoning rules and traditional art materials. Smithson defied convention and produced works that could not be easily categorized. He used non-traditional art materials such as language, mirrors, maps, dump trucks, abandoned quarries, hotels, contractors, and earth to produce his radical sculptures, photographs, films, and earthworks. PARTIALLY BURIED WOODSHED Kent State University, Kent, Ohio Jan, 1970 one woodshed and twenty truckloads of earth; 18'6†³ x 10'2†³ x 45†² Smithson explored ideas involving decay and renewal, chaos and order with his Earthworks. He spoke at great length in interviews and essays on decay and his notion of time. Partially Buried Woodshed, 1970, Kent State University, Kent State, was a piece Smithson created on site during an invitational arts festival. He located an abandoned woodshed and poured earth on to the structure until it cracked. This work is a prime example of Smithson's personal ideas about the importance of decay and time, leaving it to be â€Å"subject to weathering, which should be considered part of the piece†. This quote is from a statement Smithson signed when he donated the work to Kent State University. Smithson developed a wide variety of photographic works – none of which dealt with traditional composition. One such work, Spiral Jetty Film Stills, 1970, is a three-paneled work of black and white images that were taken during the making of the Spiral Jetty. Other photographic works incorporated collage with text or maps. His photographs are both artwork and documentation and are not traditional images of the landscape in artistic terms. In 1970 Smithson moved his work outside of the gallery walls to concentrate entirely on earthworks such as the Spiral Jetty, Partially Buried Woodshed and Amarillo Ramp. At this time a small group of artists were rethinking their ideas about art in relationship to the land. These endeavors in the land helped Smithson to explore chaos and order - how natural forces such as wind, rain, heat and cold, would affect the work over time. Nancy Holt, Smithson's wife and an artist in her own right, has said of the Spiral Jetty†¦ In its scale and ideas, this sculpture embodies the spirit of some of the great monuments of past civilizations yet it is wholly contemporary in concept and execution†. The earthworks enabled Smithson to express his ideas about art existing in the landscape, while simultaneously producing an art form that was non-commercial, existing outside of the traditional viewing spaces. It could not be owned or seen easily. The earthworks are known by most only throug h photographs. HOMEWORK TASK: Complete a conceptual framework analysis on a work of your choice created by Robert Smithson. DO NOT select an artwork that features in this booklet. A good place to start is: www. robertsmithson. com/index_. htm This is the official website of the artist. Once you have selected your work use the Internet to locate further information about the work, you will need this to complete your conceptual framework. Use the conceptual framework on the following page to record your information. Print an image of the work with a full citation which can be glued into your artbook.

Rich Brother – Loyal to a Fault

Pete: Loyal to a Fault â€Å"The Rich Brother,† by Tobias Wolff is the story of two brothers that from all accounts couldn’t be more different. Pete, the elder brother, is the epitome of the American Dream. He has worked hard and become an entrepreneur, has a wife and kids, and even brags about an ocean view from his home. Donald is completely opposite. He is for the most part unemployed, and although he is a spiritual person, he has been unable to find the right fit for his spirituality and bounced from religion to religion. The Rich Brother,† begins at the end of Donald’s most recent search for spirituality when he must call his brother, Pete, knowing that Pete cannot deny his brother’s need for help yet again, and asks to be picked up from the communal farm where he had been living. Throughout the story the reader sees numerous examples of Pete’s sense of responsibility toward his brother, his love and his dedication for family; however, Pe te’s dominant characteristic is that he is loyal to a fault, making him an enabler of his brother’s childish ways at the same time allowing himself to be taken advantage of.The first evidence the reader has of Pete’s loyalty to his family and Donald occurs within the first few paragraphs when the reader finds out that after Donald fails to find his way living in an Ashram as a Hindu, Pete paid his extensive medical bills from an undiagnosed case of hepatitis. As adults in the â€Å"real world,† we are expect to take responsibility for our own actions by both learning from a less than ideal life experience and paying back a debt, whether through finances or with a change in future behavior.Donald doesn’t see it that way though, and appears to have no sense of the value of money and how tough it was for Pete to earn it. He also lacks the physical capability to pay his brother back because before Pete is even finished paying off Donald’s bills he has found Christianity and joined a pentecostal community and begun to speak his new truth in tongues. Donald knows that Pete will again bail him out the next time as he had done before.It is just a bit further into the story that we see Pete allow his loyalty to open himself up again to be taken advantage of when Donald demonstrates his lack of life skills, affecting the quality of life for others on the farm. This results in his being asked to leave the farm. Rather than work things out for himself, Donald calls Pete, knowing he can count on his brother for assistance to out of Paso Robles. It is no surprise that Pete’s immediate response is to state that his brother will come live with his wife and family while Donald gets on his feet.Additionally, Pete ends up driving a number of hours from Santa Cruz to physically pick his brother up because past experiences in loaning money to Donald and that of the Ashram in Berkeley, have taught Pete that simply giving Donald money is a no win situation. Donald’s non-existent life skills combined with Pete’s inability to create boundaries with his brother by saying, â€Å"no† is just another occurrence of Pete believing he is helping even though, it may not be the right thing to do for Donald in the long term.Again and again Pete’s unrelenting loyalty removes any need for Donald to fully act like an adult. Upon arriving at the gas station, Donald immediately requests money for food he has purchased, food he has consumed knowing he is unable to pay for it. Without a second thought Pete opens his wallet and produces $100, far more money than is actually owed. When Donald tries to give some of it back to his brother, Pete says, â€Å"I can’t keep track of all these nickels and dimes. Just pay me back when your ship comes in.Go on – take it! † (615). These are perhaps words parents might use with their college age child to ensure their child has enough to get them through a tough time, maybe a week during school exams or something. A parent knows that the money is not going to be paid back, just as Pete knows Donald will never pay the money back to him. This situation reinforces the idea that Pete enables Donald to take advantage of him. Just as history repeats itself, so does the cycle that is Pete and Donald.Donald once again takes advantage of his brother’s loyalty when on the drive home from the farm the brothers pick up Webster, a hitchhiker and conman. Webster spins a tale too good to be true but Donald can’t see anything other than dollar signs when Webster offers him a share in his gold mine in Peru. Pete, as most adults would have, can see the scam through Webster’s tale immediately and tries to help Donald see the truth by offering up multiple snarky comments and direct questions for Webster to answer. It’s just not enough though as Donald gives away Pete’s $100 to Webster in good faith for a share in the mine.This is a much larger issue than the fact that Donald just gave away Pete’s money and feels justified and blameless. The other issue is Pete’s – past experience should have taught Pete that Donald is incapable of understanding the value of other people’s money or material items, which is part of the reason he was asked to leave the farm. Throughout â€Å"The Rich Brother† there are so many examples of Pete being loyal to a fault, but none are as telling as when Pete and Donald argue over the money Donald has given away.The brothers fight until they can’t come to any option other than that Donald needs to get out of the car immediately at night in the middle of no where, effectively ending their co-dependent sibling relationship. By this point in life Pete should have realized that leaving Donald figure things out for himself may be the better alternative, but he just can’t. He is too loyal. Pete can’t even bear the idea of telling his wife that he left his brother along the side of the road with no where to turn.He can’t even kid himself – Pete knows that he is going to turn around and once again pick up the pieces of Donald’s mess, which will enable the cycle to repeat endlessly. All of these events lead one to wonder if Pete is a man driven by guilt. Is there any other reason that Pete, a reasonably successful man would allow himself to be taken advantage of and manipulated so often by Donald? The reader sees this manipulation when Donald questions Pete about why he has a new Mercedes, and why he chooses to skydive, all very expensive things, leaving Pete guiltily defending his choices to enjoy his success.Pete may also suffer from guilt for mistreating Donald after he underwent some sort of surgery as a child, a story that Donald adamantly recounts to Pete even though many years have passed and Pete isn’t even sure the events ever happened. Additionally, Pete av oids incurring any additional guilt on behalf of Donald by taking care of all of his needs as their mother did before she passed; a similar thought process for Pete as he doesn’t want to imagine the shame he will feel when he tells his wife why Donald is not with him.By the end of the story the reader can confidently assume that not only will Pete pick up Donald’s pieces but that he will once again put them back together for Donald, even though the best thing Pete could do for Donald would be to step back and allow Donald to take adult responsibility and find a way to put his own pieces back together, but, because absolute loyalty it is part of Pete’s nature it is also his biggest fault when dealing with his brother.

The Defining Moment of the Discipline of Building Character Article

The Defining Moment of the Discipline of Building Character - Article Example A typical defining moment occurred in our business firm sometime back that forced the management into making a decision that would ordinarily seem crazy. The firm deals with interior designing focusing mostly on beautification accessories such as aquaria and sculptures and paintings. The management and the staff of the company were therefore quite excited when we received a local purchase order from a local bank ordering 35 aquaria from us for its various branches. We are a small company and the order was the largest we had ever received. We felt up to the task. Everybody rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Two days into the work, we received another substantial order for carpets and chairs for the local cathedral. The church had for a long time been our customers and had made numerous minor purchases from us. This purchase was the biggest they had made from us and they paid 25% of the total cost in line with our company terms of service. The bank had made a similar payment at t he time of ordering. The problem was that they needed the chairs and carpets within the fortnight, an uphill task considering that we had the aquaria order at hand. Disaster struck when the company’s request for credit was declined. We were left with a shortage of funds to complete both projects in time. Our efforts to acquire materials on credit also hit the rock. We, therefore, had to decide between one of our clients and deliver to one in time while failing the other. It is imperative to note that after delivering to one, we would have to wait for them to pay up so that we could complete the other’s project. We did not know which would be the lesser evil, to fail one of our most loyal customers or the client who had offered us our biggest deal yet. A solution seemed to present itself with the entry of a third client who wanted his beach house interior renovated. The customer was in no hurry to have the house refurbished. However, to have enough capital to complete b oth projects, we had to ask the third customer to pay fifty percent of the total cost and risk doing his project late as payment from the other two projects could be made anytime within 90 days.

Culture shock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture shock - Essay Example Three types of cultural adjustments are noted in the world. First, there is the culture surprise. This is experienced by individuals who note the superficial differences between the two cultures. For example, it is easy to notice the dressing style and attires of the two cultures. Similarly, an individual will note the language signs and nonverbal communication. Apparently, an individual moving from Saudi Arabia to America will note such differences. For example, the dressing in Saudi Arabia is different from the dressing in America. Secondly, there is the culture stress. This is where an individual has to adapt to the new culture. This could be a daunting task especially when an individual is immensely connected to their culture. In many cases, a person will learn these activities for acceptable living (McInnes 14). For example, a person will learn to drive a car while using the stated regulations. A perfect example is that, most of the American vehicles are left-hand-drive. This co uld be a daunting task to people who are used to driving Right-hand-drive vehicles. Thirdly, there is the ultimate culture shock. This is a psychological reaction, which is normal. These are the reactions to the stress experienced by a person emanating from the change in values. For example, when in America, shaking hands is a normal occurrence. As such, people will often shake hands as a way of greeting. In addition to this, hugging a person shows affection and connection. Saudi Arabia is a country dominated by the Islamic religion. As a fact, a better percentage of the country’s population practices Islam. Therefore, most of the values and beliefs are inclined to Islam. Secondly, Saudi Arabia is dominated by a single ethnic group, which takes close to 90%, as most of the people communicate through the Arabic dialect. As a fact, there is an immense difference between the mode of communication in the urban places and rural areas. Thirdly, people in Saudi Arabia have a liking for large and extended families. This enhances continuity of the family. Consequentially, the extended and large families have an advantage. For example, when they are involved in family business, most of the family members will be employed. It is noted that people in Saudi Arabia have a soft spot for nepotism (McInnes 34). This implies that it is safe to employ people who are trusted and known rather than employing people from other ethnic and family backgrounds. Fourthly, during entertainment, it is noted that only people of the same sex are allowed in a single room. Similarly, the attendance should dress conservatively and remove their shoes before gaining access to the house. Fifthly, people always eat with their right hand. This is after declaration that the left hand is unclean. Lastly, Arabians are generous when it comes to food. Therefore, people will be served in abundance. Apparently, the guest should try to taste all the servings. On the other hand, the United States has diverse religions. Some of the religious affiliations include Christians. This has influenced the diversity of the cultural values and beliefs in the United States (McInnes 17). Therefore, migrating from Saudi Arabia to United States will be a culture shock to an individual. For example, the Muslims have a preferred mode of dressing for both females and males. However, in the United States, each individual has a discrepancy to the choice of dressing code. This could adversely affect a

Reading Response to Thinking of Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading Response to Thinking of Empire - Essay Example The nature of power creates an addiction to rule, resulting in several people seeking to have power. Through this, people become greedy, once they obtain power, they seek to hold onto it till they die; this is how people establish dynasties in the political field. Power can destroy a society, several people will always struggle to obtain and when they do, it consumes them and they are never the same. The privileges of power create greed, which also consumes the individuals who crave for power but do not have it. It results in people scheming and hoping to gain power. People will do whatever it takes to be in power. The bottom line is that in the end power makes people corrupt. The manner, in which the Romans and the English sought to establish empires, was a demonstration of how power was a negative factor in society. It resulted in several societies losing their homes and being consumed by the very empires that oppressed them. However, power is important to direct countries and individuals into some direction, be it good or bad. In the end, I find that without the hunger for power, the world would be a peaceful place to live. I can only wonder if a non-power hungry world will ever take center

Improving Education Selection and Return Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Improving Education Selection and Return - Essay Example The new selection criteria are comprised of seventeen standards and other standards as well. The new selection criteria mention faculty, language, political, economic, religious, social, and previous academic factors as the key standards for evaluating universities. The key findings are the University of Washington Bothell has 19 PhD holders. It is privately and professionally administrated. The University of District of the Columbia is a public institution who faces the threats of political influence. Name Professor Subject Date Introduction The university selection criteria have changed over a period of time. Students face numerous issues while selecting a cost effective and professional university. With the passage of time and prevalence of globalization, selecting a professional university is nothing less than a challenge. There are various factors that must be taken into account before begin studying. For example, language has become a biggest barrier for overseas learning and e ducation. Every country or region has its own language in which education and learning is provided to the students. In Saudi Arabia, the Arabic language is employed to teach and communicate in the educational institutions. In the United States of America, English language serves as a communication tool between students and a professor. For a Saudi Student wishing to study abroad or in the United States of America, understanding and speaking of English language is an essential precondition. Without this language, it would be nearly impossible for the Saudi student to get education in the United States or any other country. The difference and effect of a private sector university and a public sector university cannot be underestimated. It is a common understanding that the public sector universities always remain under the influence of politicians and the political parties. On the other hand, it is also assumed that the private sector universities do not experience the similar level o f influence that is being experienced by the public sector universities. In addition to that, it is also experienced that the private sector universities remain more professional and competent in comparison with the public sector universities. In the following parts of this paper, first research methodology has been incorporated in which how the data was accessed and what problems were faced by the researcher are accounted for. It is followed by the Saudi Arabia selection criteria methodology has been provided in which Saudi Arabia criteria have been applied on the University of Washington Bothell and the University of the District of the Columbia. The new selection criteria have also been applied to these universities. Before the conclusion part, the results have been discussed to highlight the major findings in the work. Research methodology Objective and Return Manifestations The purpose of research is to increase knowledge (Clark-Carter, 3).The objective is to highlight and sele ct the most effective criteria for evaluating universities. For this purpose, two criteria have been selected for evaluating universities. Using two criteria will facilitate the appropriate evaluation of universities and it would help us to highlight the improve education selection and return as well. The improvement of education is only achieved when it provides better returns i.e. the student becomes a well-competent official figure and serves any organization with unique and competent skills and

Critique English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique English - Essay Example In the extreme, the males are more inclined to take their own lives five times more during their teenage years to their early twenties compared to the females. Speaking of living a privileged life, their lives does not seem to be privileged considering that the males are more likely to be abused physically by their parents, drops out of school and face unemployment. In their adult life, males are also more likely to be homeless, and to become dependent to alcohol and drugs. The females may be complaining about assault and violence but males are in fact twice as much more susceptible to it than females. When they work, their chance to get killed due to work related accident is nine times more than the female and they die six years earlier on the average. Worst, nobody seems to care. Their issues are often their own while the female can go blame society for their failures. For the female part, we already heard their predicament all too well yet their plights were as true as they were f irst raised eons ago. Yes, gender discrimination still exists and sexism is still prevalent despite the campaign against it. Stevie Cameron best demonstrated it by using our daughter as the character that would best personify our anxieties and hopes about the females. There, it was illustrated how unfair and discriminating the male dominated society is. Beginning at school where girls’ facilities are not given that much importance compared to boys such as the relegation of gymnastics to football. When they grew up, their moves are restricted both literally and figuratively. They cannot just walk to places wherever they want and during their adult life, their movements in their respective careers are also restricted by the glass ceiling. They are also subjected to sexist snide aspersions not only with remarks but also on downplaying issues that matter to them. These issues and concerns, I believe are more important than the predicament of the males. It is because the femalesâ €™ issues are rooted in discrimination which society relegates them as secondary citizen just because of their gender. This discrimination is a very serious issue and has overarching consequences to every aspect of their lives not just the simple â€Å"they are girls and we are boys’ issues†. This discrimination pervades in every sphere of our society that women has to contend just because of their female gender. Compared to the males where the issue they have to contend are the stress brought upon by the competitive patriarchal society and being such, are more tolerable than discrimination because competiveness is self-imposed. Their fall out, such as their higher probability in facing economic dislocation (unemployment, homelessness, etch) as well as the stereotyping of their intelligence are a result of their laxity towards education that dumb down their intellectual acumen. Whereas with the females, they are being restricted no matter how hard they try just bec ause of their gender. Worst, they inadvertently became victim of assault, sexual or otherwise, where a troubled man in Montreal took it to the extreme when he separated the women from the men and slaughtered them because he believed that women are the cause of his troubles. Men do not get these issues out of their gender. Many men have been victimized by assault also but it is not related to gender. For example, their increased probability to be attacked is a consequence of their reckless mobility. If you walk alone in unlit park or alley in a very