The Scenes of the Obscene in Contemporary Turkish Art

In contemporary Turkish art, topics or items considered obscene by society are being carried out by a number of artists with protest, agitation, anti-propaganda, or strike purposes. Issues that are often seen in social life such as domestic violence, honour killings, rape, gender discrimination, intolerance against minority groups generate some artists＇ main theme in their work. Certain circles do not show any reaction to such social wounds, or even support. These circles that have no discomfort in the existence of these wounds get disturbed when they face these social realities through artistic activities. These artists are subject to threats or even physical attacks by such groups. In this paper, Turkish artists, namely Sukran Moral, Taner Ceylan, and Nezaket Ekici who make use of such obscene scenes in their works, will be analyzed including their performances, reactions, and attitudes toward threats and attacks.

Hamlet＇s Mobled Queen： The Displacement of the Figure in Contemporary Discourse, Communication, and Art

The paper will focus on communication through the figures of discourse. The problem of the entanglement of the visual and the semantic is discussed extensively by lean-Francois Lyotard, in his notable Discourse, Figure, in relation to the perception and representation of space and the role and form of the sign. According to this philosopher, the figure dominates the communication process by deconstructing the text. Both the topography of the figure and art is the result of repression processes and the subsequent discharge of libidinal energy. Art in particular is a formalism of the death drive, according to Lyotard. The figure of ＂the mobled queen＂, the expression of a possible slip of the tongue in Hamlet, becomes a symbol of the distorted relationship of the visual, the semantic, the ethical, and the critical role of this in art and communication. In addition to Lyotard＇s model, the possible figures of globalization will be discussed in relation to Peter Sloterdik＇s Globes. Spheres II.

Reverberating Chinese Traditional Folk Art in a Contemporary Context

Envisioned as a practice-based research, this paper explored Chinese traditional folk arts and crafts with a focus on traditional decorative patterns, vivid colors, and symbolic motifs that enliven Foshan style paper-cuttings, New Year wood block prints, paper kites, festival lanterns, and Shiwan pottery figures from the areas of Foshan and Shiwan, near Guangzhou, China. The goal of this research was to create a series of original paintings by investigating Chinese traditional folk arts and handcrafts and integrating them physically or ichnographically on Ho＇s new body of paintings. Chinese traditional motifs including Chinese characters and Buddhist iconographies had already been important motifs in the contemporary Western paintings of Kong Ho for the past 10 years. This paper examined not only the artistic, cultural, and historical values but also the impacts of Chinese traditional folk arts and era~ on Ho＇s painting through a personal research travel and studies of a certain amount of Chinese paper-cuttings, folk prints, pottery, and handcrafts found in the famous Foshan Folk Art Studio and Foshan City Shiwan Ceramics Factory in Foshan, China. Furthermore, this paper investigated the symbolic meanings founded in Ho＇s spiritual paintings with strong Chinese heritage and how he reinterpreted those artifacts in a contemporary context.

The Contemporary Transformation of Art—Talking about the Imagery Sculpture

As the core feature of Chinese art, imagery runs through the whole process of art development. This paper discusses the inheritance and innovation of traditional imagery style, the content of sculpture art in the process of modernization, and puts forward personal understanding of the development, innovation and transformation of contemporary sculpture. The contemporary sculpture art is transforming from traditional mysterious imagery to clear and orderly style, this process is an innovation and transformation based on inheriting traditional art style.

The Influence of the Media on the Contemporary Art and on Graphic Arts in Particular in Bulgaria

What is the influence of the media as a means of work today？ Media as a material （paper, canvas, vinyl, etc.） on which it is printed, with its specific characteristics and special features--texture （plain, uneven, with a defined relief）, colour shade, and even thickness; media as a means of documentation of the result of the creative process through catalogues; media as a mediator representing the result of this process in the common cultural sphere. How powerful is the media？ There is one thing happening at the moment of ＂the event occurring＂ in the institution （a gallery, an exhibition hall, etc.）. It is performed, reproduced, eventually sold. Otherwise it does not exist--it is not paid attention in the media, it is released nowhere （it is nowhere ＂published＂）, respectively it does not influence anybody and does not iustify the use of its existence.

Inter-border Integration of Fashion Design and Contemporary Art

With the development of economy and society, every comer of the world＇ s cultural and spiritual civilization are closely linked together, At the same time, the clothing and contemporary art are in the big tide of mutual penetration and mutual influence. Contemporary art has influenced on the costume design. Costume design can play their own advantages in art tide, toward a higher point. The passage from the clothing design and other fields of contemporary art in the process of cross-border integration explores the future development trend of garment design.

A Brief Analysis on the Differences between the Aesthetic Modernity Pursuits of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art and the Modern Art of the West

Aesthetic Modernity is a western concept.It was based on the development of the historical view.This article focuses on the aesthetic modernity pursuits of modern and contemporary Chinese art and compares it with the western culture and modern art under the concept of aesthetics.It also analyses the problems and causes in the process of modernity of Chinese modern and con⁃temporary art,and presents the advice to the further development of Chinese art.

696 Weihai Road:A Contemporary Art Scene in Shanghai & Open Workshops

Upon entering the lane leading to 696 Weihai Road one encounters a ramshackle area ot disused and decaying warehouses and factories. Proving to be the perfect spot for artists seeking a fordable rents, many of these spacious interiors now serve as studios. Since 2006 more than thirty artists from all over the world have moved into the area.

Blind Date Sino German Exhibition of Contemporary Art

Period: March 2nd -April 8th Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am to 5pm (Closed Mondays) Venue: F2, 3, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum Address: 580 Ouyang Road, Hong Kou District Shanghai Website: www.zmusueum.

Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Between Tradition and Innovation

Since the mid-1980s Chinese calligraphy art has undergone a radical change and has opened itself to experimentation. A vivid debate on CCC （Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy） （Zhongguo xiandai shufa） is involving art critics in China nowadays. WANG Dongling and the modernists think that, despite many changes and influences, we can still refer to the traditional calligraphic lexicon to describe the calligraphic production of contemporary Chinese art. They still remain deeply rooted in the signified system of Chinese writing, even if they break with the strict rules of Chinese classical aesthetic （contamination of Western elements and focus on the stylistic exploration）. WANG Nanming and the Avant-garde think that ＂contemporary calligraphy is not calligraphy yet＂： It is ＂anti-calligraphy＂, annihilates Chinese tradition, rejects the use of legible characters, experiments with new languages and new media within the idiom of international contemporary art. The result is the creation of works of art that could be assimilated to Abstract art, Abstract expressionism, Conceptual art, Performance art, Contemporary dance, Multimedia art, and even Street art. This paper aims at showing how still valid and extremely productive are both these two theoretical and creative/practical approaches to Chinese calligraphy in China nowadays. They turned the art of calligraphy into a medium for global comprehension and communication.

Conceptualization of Art and Architecture

Western modern and contemporary architecture and art is a conceptual architecture and art, change in human concept promotes the development of modern and contemporary architecture and art, presents us a new look. Evolvement of concept is the core force that pushes forward the unceasing development of art and architecture, art and architecture as concept always influence and interact with each other and create a new dimension. Both architects and artists try to express their opinions using the individualized works and practices in the context of changing values in social transformation, which has become the significance of contemporary architectural design and artistic creation.

Conceptual Art： The Untold Story of African Art

Conceptual art is one of the twentieth century art movements that has gained popular attention in the contemporary artworld. It has received much scholarly prominence in the Western world, and perceived as an emergent art of European origin. What has been given little or no scholarly attention is the African essence of root of conceptual art movement. This article addresses the historical epochs of conceptual art in Africa and delves into the critical question of whether or not conceptual art is an emergent art in Africa. With the help of the images of African artworks, this article attempts to fmd visual answers by examining the art-historical account of the art through visual analysis in simple narrative format in telling the African side of the story. It concludes that the adoration and idolization of Marcel Duchamp as the father of conceptual art is contestable since the art was many centuries old in Africa before the twentieth century artists began to practice it in the West. Duchamp＇s attempt at dematerialization of art, and showing distaste to the traditional aesthetics of Western art at the time through conceptual exploration had been in practice in African art and, therefore, not an invention.

What is ＂Chinese Modem Calligraphy＂？ An Exploration of the Critical Debate on Modem Calligraphy in Contemporary China

Since the mid-1980s Chinese calligraphy art has undergone a radical change and has opened itself to experimentation. Nowadays in China this artistic revolution has sparked a vivid debate among the art critics on three main topics： （1） definition of the phenomenon; （2） analysis of its nature; and （3） classification of the artistic production. In this article, all these aspects are analysed in order to give a comprehensive view of the present theoretical discussion and of its future development.

The Situation of Performance Art in Iran, Past and Present

Performance art in every region and country depends mainly on rules, customs, and beliefs of that particular society hence; this art enjoys diversity with respect to its forms and contents. In contemporary lran, with the emergence of new artistic movements, performance art incorporated more academic and enlighten aspects. New mass media and modern visual medium such as light, sound, moving, and changing images, video displays as well as application of new signs and symbols are some of the special characteristics of the contemporary performance art in Iran. Moreover, the performance art in Iran is not merely related to the contemporary era rather it encompasses a large number of traditional representations that have been prevalent among common people with much meaningful rules. Its popularity among common people is also a conceptual art which conveys a content-based meaning in a more dramatic sense. For centuries, the tradition of performance art in Iran can be observed in the rules of Ta＇aziehkhani （quite singing or passion play）, Shamayelgardani （icon handling）, Ru-howzi （performance on pool platform）, Marekegiri （mono drama）, Qhashoqhzani （spoon handling） and Aroosakgardani （puppet handling）. Aestheticism relying on traditional performing method is also the outcome of taste and elegance of common people. These performances have more folkloric aspects protruding from humane institutions and blended with their vernacular beliefs. In the traditional method of performance art, performers mostly enjoy their own taste and style and use handy means for executing their roles. In contemporary Iran, traditional method along with modern theme has been widespread among people particularly in villages and small townships although these are not called as art. The present study is an attempt to study existing challenges to modern and ancient art traditions as well as aesthetic values attributed to each of them.

The Chinese Yin-Yang Thinking in Antoni Tàpies’Artistic Creation

The writings and artistic works of Antoni Tàpies(2009;2011)mirror the influences of the cosmic vision of the Chinese yin-yang.Signs,numbers,and creative procedures related to this correlative thought prevail in his art.Tàpies integrated different iconological codes from the ancient Chinese thinking into his art to question the existential meaning of the universe and to express his thoughts on the cultural and socio-political controversies of his time.In other words,the images,media,and techniques that he utilized for his works were extensions of his life experiences intertwined with various socio-historical facts and his personal feelings.

Role of Art in Tohoku After the Earthquake and Tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a major earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan, mainly affecting the Tohoku region and causing a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This disaster not only caused great damage to the affected areas but also had a serious impact on Japanese politics, economy, and society in general. The art field was no exception;Japanese artists began to consider “What art can do?” after the disaster and this question began to be a new theme of Japanese contemporary art. Artists began to find ways to engage with the affected communities, dealing directly with social problems and political issues.

The Igbo Art and Cultural Heritage： Changing Time, Changing Form

The Igbo artists of all generations, from the pre-colonial to the post-colonial period, and from her traditional to contemporary art practices, have demonstrated the ability to express the material, as well as spiritual world of the lgbo cultural society. The fear of the unknown, uncertainties of the forest, river, mountain, seas, oceans, lightening, thunder, and the changing weather, brings her artists in constant contact with their spirituality. Over time, these artists have demonstrated their inherent ability to perceive, through their various art practices, the unseen, speak the unspoken, revere and share in the silent salient world of their ancestors, as well as preserve it for posterity. This paper presents an insight into the Igbo cultural society with reference to her indigenous and contemporary art practices. It identifies the trajectories of her art and cultural developments toward contemporary and global acceptance, and in addition attempts to identify her visual creative frontiers.

Artistic Practices [Between] Gender and Technologies

This paper was carried out by the group of professors--Maia Creus, Tamara Diaz, and Ines Martins from the Design Analysis and Prospective Department, with the collaboration of the Catalan Institute for Women, Generalitat de Catalunya. Maia Creus and Ines Martins are parts of the research group TADD （Theory, Analysis, Design, and Development） recognized by Ramon Llull University. The research, based on feminist and performance studies, focuses on artistic groups currently working in Catalonia and whose practices produce tools and technology sharing, highlight the social and educational potential of ICTs （information and communication technologies） free access when used, consciously and critically, from feminist perspectives assumed. The research project was developed as a dual methodological process. This research group has developed a critical review of the three conceptual axes--women, art, and technology--around which revolves the present study and, in parallel, has conducted field work directly with groups of selected artists, in order to meet them within their areas of production and to know more about their working methods, theoretical discourse, goals, frustrations, and desires. This deployment in parallel was used to develop a group of key concepts that revolve around ＂free culture＂ and ＂culture of access＂ that in contrast with the practices and theories of the investigated groups are necessary to intercept and reinterpret. Through various forms of visibility, this paper intends to investigate, promote, and share these tools, technologies, and pedagogies developed by these groups which, by its own dynamics of collective work, as well as the processes of public participation, emphasize forms of interculturality and interdisciplinary.

Discussion about contemporary Chinese cultural criticism and mass culture

Contemporary Chinese cultural criticism is facing traditional three factors. That are： literary criticism, belletristic criticism and Chinese-style criticism; contemporary transformation from western cultural criticism and consciousness of problems in contemporary Chinese culture together form a problem domain of cultural criticism; during the 30 years, literary discipline knowledge has evolved from the aesthetic to the culture and the weakening and missing of beauty and poetry become a weakness of cultural criticism. Concerning about the study of repression mechanism for appreciation as well as strengthening the aesthetic nature is the proper attitude literary researcher should have while intervening cultural criticism.

ART+SHANGHAI The Name Says It All

Text & Images Courtesy of Art+Shanghai Art+Shanghai was founded in October 2007 by four partners who share a long passion and involvement in art.It has its pulse on the sprawling Chinese contemporary art scene,Here, Art+Shanghai introduces its mission and current artists to all Magazine.