Tony Ourslers work with projectors began in 1991 when he created his first instillation ‘The Watching’. He work often included sculptures created through theatrical objects such as puppets and dolls then layered with video projections and ‘spoken text’. As well as sparking controversy Ourslers work is also seen as a major figure within the evolution of video art as he was one of the first artists to see the limitations of a television monitor. http://www.bernier-eliades.gr/press/PR_Oursler_2004_eng.pdf
Themes that where present in Tony Ourslers work were violence, media, drugs, mental illness, pollution and how they effect the physicality of the human body as well as the communicative power of images.
Tony Ourslers also experimented with images projected onto fibreglass structures. He uses human features to condense into shapes to create a ‘living’ sculpture that is ‘beautiful’, ‘terrifying’ and ‘humorous’.
Enlightenment concepts of Science, progress, reason, individualism, empiricism, universalism, freedom and secularism can be applied to Oursler's work in numerous ways as his artwork plays with human emotion, reactions and the human face.
I believe science can be applied to his work through the distortion of the facial features and current arguments over genetic engineering. at the same time as Scientists ‘play’ with our genetic ‘profile’ as does Tony Oursler with aesthetic ‘profile’. Oursler’s work can also be seen as an expression of freedom. The images that are projected freely morph around one and other similar to the flow of human emotion. This example of freedom is also present in one of the more recent exhibited instillations by Oursler in Soho square, London and Madison Park in NYC. “Influence Machine’ was a trace of successful communication devices as a way of speaking to the dead.
Tony Ourslers work is seen as a ‘physical manifestation’ into the interior battle of the human itself and the human brain. His work is immensely engaging and is described as ‘so in your face’ that it’s fascinatingly strange difference connects his audience in a way other instillation artists cannot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Oursler
I agree with you. The enlightenment of concepts of science can be applied to his work. Light is an important key to look up his work and it seems to be a new skin surrounding the objects as well as it is crucial to the influence of the viewers’ eyes. For example, if we are supposed to be in a dark place, we are not able to see anything even though there are lots of things in it. However, if somebody switches light on then these matters will appear into their eyes by shinning light. We cannot see the objects and matters without light. Well its physics proves what his work has a meaning and what trying to say to people. I think it is one of the ideas in his figures. He has developed the Enlightenment concepts of science in the contemporary art. e.g. the relationship between science and modern art shows in harmony atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteTony Oursler's work of art is interesting as he tries to protray so many emotions at once, that it leaves it viewers guessing as to what the concept of the artwork is. Enlightment is about man, society and nature supporting existing concepts of the world which is shown in his art piece showing a sense of deception.
ReplyDeleteI agree that light is important to look at, as it connects with the viewer. Light controls what you see and what you don't see. Enlightenment is present in Ourslers work. The emotions are brought out through the background and colours of the works. Nature is also connected through these which links to enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Tony Oursler's work I find that emotions play an extremely important role in human mental life – but it is not, on the face of it, clear whether this needs to be the case for AI’s. Much of human emotional life is distinctly human in nature, clearly not portable to systems without humanlike bodies. Furthermore, many problems in human psychology and society are caused by emotions run amok in various ways.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking at Tony Oursler’s exhibition "Cell Phones Diagrams Cigarettes Searches and Scratch Cards" at Metro Pictures, i can say i agree with your statement; that concepts of the Enlightenment such as Individualism can be applied in Tony Oursler's work. From this particular exhibition i found that it isn't only the work that focuses on the human body and facial features that make us really look at ourselves, (our differences within our similarities) this work (projected videos where you watch cigarettes slowly smolder) lets you look at yourself as a person and as a part of society, whether or not you are a smoker anyone can be effected.
ReplyDeleteI also acknowledge that you have applied the concept, Science to Oursler's art. The light is an important aspect of his work, for someone to see the projection, light will effect the work.
nice blog Alex by the way! :D
Tony Oursler was born in new york in 1957. He completed a BA in fine arts at the California Institute for the Arts, Valencia, California in 1979. His art covers a range of mediums working with video, sculpture, installation, performance and painting. Oursler's work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions including the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Documenta VIII, IX, Kassel, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Skulptur Projekte, Munster, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, the tate, Liverpool. The artist currently lives and works in New York City
ReplyDeleteI Like how you have summed up Tony Ourslers work and described what HE thinks while constructing these pieces because it allows the viewer to look at the work from the artists perspective and also allows the viewer to think like him aswel. Your blogs looking very good and this entry would have to be my favourtie to date.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you . Tony Oursler 's works are really nice . And then Those works can really relate with Enlightenment . Oursler’ s work can also be seen as an expression of freedom. The images that are projected freely morph around one and other similar to the flow of human emotion. This example of freedom is also present in one of the more recent exhibited instillations by Oursler in Soho square, London and Madison Park in NYC. “Influence Machine’ was a trace of successful communication devices as a way of speaking to the dead.He always use new materials to created works.
ReplyDelete