First, ask yourself some questions about the artwork. To answer them, you may need to review what the APIA website says about art, culture and history and the Alaska Native Knowledge Network says about Aleut/Unangan values. Here are the first questions: How do economic (subsistence) activities seem to you to be reflected in their art? How does Aleut history seem to be reflected in their art? How do Aleut values seem to be reflected in their art?
You won't be able to answer each of these questions about each of the pictures. More likely, you'll find one, two or three pieces of art that make an impression on you.
Next, choose a piece and think about your response to it. Ask yourself these questions:
1. What about this work stands out in my mind?We'll ask ourselves variations on these questions all semester. Please note: If you were taught in English class never to say "I" in a paper for school, you're off the hook in this class! There's no way you can write about these questions without saying "I." I guarantee it.
2. What in my background, values, needs and interests makes me react that way?
3. What specific things in the work trigger that reaction?
Scroll down to the bottom of this post. On the right side of the last line, there will be a link that says "___ posts" (with a number filled in where I've left a blank, depending on how many comments have been posted). Click on that link and fill in the comment field on the right. Sign in (make a note of the username and password you choose because we'll keep on posting to the blog), review your comment if you wish and publish it by clicking on "Publish Your Comment." Logical, isn't it?
A footnote. The lettering at the top of Dimitri Philemonof's page is in an old-fashioned Russian alphabet. I have no idea what it says, or even what language it's in. Both Old Church Slavonic, the language used in Russian Orthodox services during the 1800s, and Unangan were written in the script.
27 comments:
In the works of Klaudia Klaudi this work is mostly focused around the sea or water and the serentity about it. The paintings focus around the values of the Aleutian which are to take care of the sea and ocean/water. Water is very prelevant in the Aleutian's history b/c they are an island which is surrounded by water, so it is everywhere they are. These paintings remind me of California where i vacationed a couple of times and the sunset looks exactly the same, so i guess that triggered my reaction to the painting.
When looking at Philemonof's artwork, it is clear that seals were a large part of Aleutian culture. The paintings by Klaudi show the respect that the Aleutians had for nature. Skaflestad's artwork helps ties together the Aleutians love for seals and nature. It shows us that they were clearly skilled canoe makers and probably used them for hunting and travel to all of the islands that were part of their community.
I have noticed that the Alaskan Native American artwork relates to the artwork that we have today. And it also values their artwork. The artwork by Kiawi, shows alot of language and independence. This relates to the impact on nature, and having respect for your country. I think it is important to have artwork about what your country loves to do, because you can represent it. She alos combines mondern aspects such as the plane. This shows connection to their history, and their everyday life.
I found that I most enjoy the work of Klaudia Klaudi. I focused on the piece on the bottom right. The elk running with the overlay of wolves. I do not know why this piece reaches out to me. It just does. The values of her people are clearly represented by this piece. Including respect for the land and maintaining a balance.
1. What about this work stands out in my mind?
The colors of the mountain with the greenish blue color stands out in my mind just because I'm an outdoor person and scenery like that has my full attetion. The color is portrays makes it seem like a mystical scene only viewable in a fairytale.
2. What in my background, values, needs and interests makes me react that way?
Again, I'm an outdoors person, I live for scenes like the mountain picture.
3. What specific things in the work trigger that reaction? Again, color, the moment captured, etc.
I have noticed about the Alakskan natives is that the values taht they hold important to them, are vary similiar to the values that we today hold important too us. This shows that even though they might be from a much different more primitive time, it shows that they are still human and that humans havently really changed much over the years.. I haver also noticed that most of their culture involved survival, this is why most of the artwork we see about that culture usallly involves hunting, or what they hunted, and what was important to them
The hats relate to the culture because they were seen created by the artist and also would have been used in the times of the Indians im sure to shield there face from the sun. The designs were used for aesthetic purposes. The strings hanging off of the hat also is for aesthetic purposes. the art paintings on the hat shows things related to the culture of the Indians. The whales would have been hunted for food and used for other uses such as clothing. The painting on the hat makes me react the way i did. The art work relates to me because i like paintings.
In Kaludi's works, i like how she used the colors. They were very bright and showed a lot of contrast in her detailed worked. In was very comforting to look at. She mostly painted geological figures. It doesn't remind me of any of the geological figures ive seen because i havent been anywhere where there is a lot of mountains.
I have noticed that the Alaskan Native American artwork reflects some of their values. The arkwork by Klaudia Klaudi shows alot of landscapes and nature. This reflects the important of nature and having respect and conserving the harmony of nature in their culture and everyday life. She also combines mondern aspects such as the plane in one of her paintings. This shows connection to the their history and the ever-changing mondern world.
The seals show respect for the things they hunt and giving thanks for the things they have.
When looking at Hugh Pelkey's artwook you noticed the simplicity in his native symbols. He simply to his drawings of animals and made each individual animal represent a different part of the native american culture. they also look like visors
I like the artwork by Klaudia Klaudi. Her artwork has a sense of peace that is particularly interesting. This peace would have been symbolic of their culture before the fur traders came in and destroyed their peace. Their lives were once again interrupted during World War II. Klaudia's artwork seems to symbolize the peace the Aleutians had before their culture was disturbed. I think that from my background, what triggers this response is that the mountains, rivers, flowers and the calm colors used in the artwork.
1. What about this work stands out in my mind?
The scenery is awesome. The mountains and the water look very relaxing.
2. What in my background, values, needs and interests makes me react that way?
I like being outside, I like to relax and I like the water. The picture really catches my eye.
3. What specific things in the work trigger that reaction?
I think it is triggered because i am drawn to the picture
In Philemonfs artwork he makes it obvious that seals were a major part of the Aleutian culture. Even in the other artworks, the piece is focused on and around the seal.
Both Dimitri Philemonof and Klaudia Klaudi's artwork reflects the values of the Aleutian. The paintings show the respect that the Aleut have for nature, land, and sea. Philemonof's painting of the seal shows respect to all living things. Klaudi's painting shows the respect and values the Aleutian had for nature and the sea.
The Aleuts
I prefer the artwork done by Klaudia Kladui. Kladui’s paintings represent the common life style of the Aleuts. In one of her paintings there is a picture of a guy with a mountain and yellow dots in the background. To me the yellow dots represent the stars that guide the Aleuts while they are out to sea. The used the stars and moon as a map to follow where they needed to go. She uses very vibrant colors in her artwork, this is what attracts me to her work the most. I also like the boat that Gus Skafestad’s made. The boat which they call a baidarka, was their most important tool. They used anything they had to make it including their seals’ skin to cover the boat. This boat was used for hunting to catch what they needed to survive that day. I think each of the artists portray something that is very important to their culture.
The artwork is very interesting. I definately enjoy the hats. The kind of look like the visors people wear when they are bambaling or counting money or something. The other art of the seals shows the respect native Americans had for animals.
Looking at some of the art work done by Klaudia Klaudi’s is very interesting. She takes a look at the land and does outstanding paints of what she sees. She paints about the sun rising or setting. Also, she paints about the wild animals that they hunt for to eat and the wild wolf. They are running together as one. Klaudia also, paints about people that are around her I believe. The men are sitting next to the land and the sea showing respect to all. The other man is showing his respect to the animals’ by showing and bird flying in the air.
Klaudia show’s another painting of her more modern time. She paints about a plain that is either taking off or landing on the sea. This show a more modern or up to data culture. If they want to be modernized or not it looks like it is happening anyways.
Keelie Cravens
January 24, 2007
HUM 221
Journal
The Aleutian
In my opinion, the artist that I like is Hugh Pelkey. His painting of the hats shows what his culture believed in. This is a hat that the hunters would wear when they go kayaking, hunting for seals, Wales, and otter. The showings of the hats have what they hunted for food, clothing, and other thing they might need. The seal shows the animal that they most cherish. Also the art paited on the hat are bright, the painting are colorful and have bright sprits. The designs on the hats have different shapes, lines, and swirls. The whiskers had expressed on how many killings they have had on seals. They would pull out the whiskers, which showed how many sea lions they killed. I believe in all the pictures the paintings are bright and cheerful.
When I looked at the work of Klaudia Klaudi what stands out to me is their respect and gratitude towards nature and the earth. What makes me react the way I do is that all the pictures are drawn so carefully and in great detail. The trigger I would say would be the mountains.
In the works of Klaudia Klaudi is mostly about the sea and the nature that surrounds the sea and the cold envoirnment. The paintings represent how the Aleutians take care of what they have around them. The color of the painting and the mountains really trigger the reaction.
Wow! I liked your comments, and I definitely want us to do more of this. It was an experiment, so I didn't know how well it would turn out. In fact, we're going to do it Monday with a Navajo poet.
Specifically -- I find it harder to write about art and music than I do about literature, but I liked the way you were talking about the colors, especially in Klaudia Klaudi's paintings and Hugh Pelkey's hats, and the feelings of serenity, the awesomeness of nature, etc., in the paintings.
Also how important nature, the mountains, the sea, the animals they hunt, etc., are to all four of these guys, and the webpages on the Unangan history and culture made it clear that maintaining a balance of nature is a central value of the culture.
Also the personal experiences you cited. I really liked the painting of the plane, becuase of the colors, blue of the sea and how green the mountain was in the background. Also when I visited Alaska, one of the first things I saw taking the shuttle in from the airport in Anchorage was a small lake with literally hundreds of float planes anchored there. So when I saw the float plane in the painting, it reminded me of Anchorage ... and also that Alaska Natives don't belong just to the past, they're still here and very much a part of of the modern world.
Great start!
I'm going to pass around a sign-up sheet, BTW, so I can get your screen names and give you credit for posting.
When i was looking through Klaudia Klaudi's artwork i noticed how she uses color. Some of her pieces are very limited range of color. But then in others, she made it so the color just hits you. Its pretty obvious that she lives by the ocean. Her work is very nice and I liked looking through her work.
1. The Klaudia Klaudi works stood out the most because it kind of reminded me of something that Monet or Van Gogh would paint. I really like the nature pictures because I use to paint nature stuff back in high school.
2.I really like art and paintings. I like nature because some people can really capture the sense of being outdoors. Monet was really good at capturing the light in his paintings, so was that artist.
3. The colors really stand out because it looks like a photo taken in that time of nature. Its like you are really there watching that part of nature.
In Klaudia Klaudi's works, the main focus is upon the wilderness, mountains, and water. This is a very tranquil and comforting scene for many people. The significance of this art work, shows the cultural relevance of the Aluetian's. They live on an island with large forests, mountains, and since its an island, they are surrounded by the water. Klaudi incorporates all of the elements that are known in the area into the paintings.
I think the art work from Gus Skaflestad is remarkable. the indian boy in a kayak with his orars looking like he is on his way to fish. the art stands out because the artist must have put time into chipping his way around the oak to carve the kayak out. I like it!!
The picture that I enjoyed looking at was the one by Klaudi. It was the picture of the seal that most struck me. I really liked the picture of the seal. The picture was oviously important to the Aleutian culture. I think that the picture shows the respect of the seal.
1. What about this work stands out in my mind?
-In Klaudia Klaudi's painting, it appeared rather calm. Looking at the picture, it reminded me of the way of the Indians. Simply looking at the scenery of the river took me back to the way the Indians survived. The river was used for many purposes with many different cultures. With the Native American culture, it was a useful source when it came to catching food(fish) and also cleaning their food sources.
2. What in my background, values, needs and interests makes me react that way?
-My reaction to this painting came from basically what I've been taught in classes about the Native culture. When i look at the painting, I think about what else the Native Americans did for a living and what lands they traveled.
3. What specific things in the work trigger that reaction?
-The whole painting overall triggered my reaction. Even though its simply a painting, I can easily say that if there were a place like that, I'd love to venture to it. It reminds me of a peaceful environment that has no worries and/or problems. The scene is very free-flowing, while taking on a realistic approach at the same time.
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