#AP Art History: Unit 10 - Global Contemporary 🌎

Hey there, future art historian! 👋 This guide is your express ticket to acing Unit 10. Let's dive into these amazing works and make sure you're feeling confident for the exam tomorrow! Remember, you've got this! 💪

#10.1: Global Contemporary Art: An Introduction

#Key Concepts

• Globalism: Art that transcends national boundaries, reflecting interconnectedness. 🌐
• Postcolonialism: Art that addresses the legacies of colonialism. ✊
• Identity: Exploration of personal, cultural, and social identities. 🎭
• Technology: How technology influences art creation and experience. 💻
• Social Commentary: Art as a tool for critiquing society. 🗣️

#Quick Overview of the Required Works

• We'll be looking at a diverse range of artists and works from around the globe. 🌍
• These pieces often blend different media and styles.
• Many works directly address social, political, and cultural issues.

Unit 10 is a significant portion of the exam, so make sure you're comfortable with these works and their themes.

#10.2: Identity and Representation

#Horn Players

Jean-Michel Basquiat - Horn Players

• Artist: Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Year: 1983
• Medium: Acrylic and oilstick on canvas
• Key Points:
  • Features two black figures playing horns, a tribute to jazz musicians Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. 🎷
  • Chaotic, layered background with text, images, and symbols. 💥
  • Reflects social issues like racism and marginalization.
  • Use of personal and cultural references.

#Androgyne III

Magdalena Abakanowicz - Androgyne III

• Artist: Magdalena Abakanowicz
• Year: 1985
• Medium: Burlap, resin, wood, nails, and string.
• Key Points:
  • Abstract, humanoid figure. 👤
  • Focus on the universality of human experience. 💡
  • Use of organic and organic-inspired forms.

#Untitled #228

Cindy Sherman - Untitled #228

• Artist: Cindy Sherman
• Year: 1990
• Medium: Chromogenic color print
• Key Points:
  • Part of the “History Portraits” series. 📸
  • Sherman plays various characters in self-portraits.
  • Explores themes of identity, gender, and representation.

#Rebellious Silence

Shirin Neshat - Rebellious Silence

• Artist: Shirin Neshat
• Year: 1994
• Medium: B&W RC print and ink
• Key Points:
  • Veiled woman holding a gun. 🧕🔫
  • Explores gender, identity, and political resistance in Iran. 🇮🇷
  • Critiques the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

#10.3: Social and Political Commentary

#Dancing at the Louvre

Faith Ringgold - Dancing at the Louvre

• Artist: Faith Ringgold
• Year: 1991
• Medium: Acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric border
• Key Points:
  • Story quilt depicting people dancing in front of the Louvre. 💃
  • Combines traditional quilting with modern art references.
  • Comments on cultural appropriation and representation of African Americans.

#Darkytown Rebellion

Kara Walker - Darkytown Rebellion

• Artist: Kara Walker
• Year: 2001
• Medium: Cut paper and projection on wall
• Key Points:
  • Black cut-out silhouettes. 👥
  • Addresses issues of race, gender, and power.
  • Explores the legacy of slavery in the United States.

#Shibboleth

Doris Salcedo - Shibboleth

• Artist: Doris Salcedo
• Year: 2007-08
• Medium: Installation
• Key Points:
  • A crack in the floor of the gallery. 🕳️
  • Symbolizes the emotional and psychological divisions caused by conflict and displacement.
  • Comments on trauma, loss, and migration.

#Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds)

Ai Weiwei - Kui Hua Zi

• Artist: Ai Weiwei
• Year: 2010
• Medium: Porcelain sunflower seeds
• Key Points:
  • 100 million hand-made porcelain sunflower seeds. 🌻
  • Explores the tension between the individual and the state in China. 🇨🇳
  • Comments on politics, power, and individual freedom.

#Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People)

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith - Trade

• Artist: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
• Year: 1992
• Medium: Oil paint, mixed media, collage, objects, canvas
• Key Points:
  • Mixed media installation with paintings, found objects, and text.
  • Critiques the history of colonization and exploitation of Native American lands.
  • Explores themes of cultural identity, environmentalism, and social justice.

#En la Barbería no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop)

Pepon Osorio - En la Barbería no se Llora

• Artist: Pepón Osorio
• Year: 1994
• Medium: Mixed media installation
• Key Points:
  • Installation with barbers' chairs, photos, objects, and videos.
  • Explores cultural identity, community, and masculinity in the Dominican-American experience.

#10.4: Innovation and Technology

#Electronic Superhighway

Nam June Paik - Electronic Superhighway

• Artist: Nam June Paik
• Year: 1995
• Medium: Video installation
• Key Points:
  • Multiple monitors and screens. 📺
  • Represents a future world dominated by technology and the internet. 🌐
  • Highlights the influence of electronic media on society.

#Pure Land

Mariko Mori - Pure Land

• Artist: Mariko Mori
• Year: 1996-98
• Medium: Glass with photo interlayer
• Key Points:
  • Large-scale installation evoking a futuristic, utopian society. ✨
  • Features a glowing, circular platform with abstract forms.
  • Contemplates the relationship between humans, nature, and technology.

#MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts

Zaha Hadid - MAXXI Museum

• Artist: Zaha Hadid
• Year: 1998-2009
• Medium: Architecture
• Key Points:
  • Innovative, fluid architecture. 🏛️
  • Blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces.
  • Showcases contemporary art, architecture, and design.

#10.5: Globalism and Cultural Exchange

#Stadia II

Julie Mehretu - Stadia II

• Artist: Julie Mehretu
• Year: 2004
• Medium: Ink and acrylic on canvas
• Key Points:
  • Large-scale painting with overlapping layers of abstract forms. 🎨
  • Explores the concept of stadia as symbols of power and control.
  • Evokes a sense of motion and energy.

#Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Maya Lin - Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Maya Lin - Vietnam Veterans Memorial

• Artist: Maya Lin
• Year: 1982
• Medium: Granite
• Key Points:
  • Long, black granite wall with names of fallen soldiers. 🖤
  • Represents loss and sacrifice.
  • Symbolizes the country's healing process.

#Summer Trees

Song Su-Nam - Summer Trees

• Artist: Song Su-Nam
• Year: 1979
• Medium: Ink on paper
• Key Points:
  • Abstract painting with organic and geometric shapes. 🌿
  • Emphasizes flowing lines and bold brushstrokes.
  • Evokes feelings of energy and vitality.

#A Book from the Sky

Xu Bing - A Book from the Sky

• Artist: Xu Bing
• Year: 1988
• Medium: Hand-printed books and scrolls
• Key Points:
  • Collection of invented Chinese characters. 🔤
  • Questions the role of language in communication and cultural identity.
  • Challenges the traditional notion of writing.

#Earth’s Creation

Emily Kame Kngwarreye - Earth's Creation

• Artist: Emily Kame Kngwarreye
• Year: 1994
• Medium: Synthetic polymer paint on linen
• Key Points:
  • Depicts the creation story of the Anmatyerre people. 🐍
  • Made up of dots and lines representing interconnectedness.
  • Presents a vision of the world as a dynamic and interconnected system.

#Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Frank Gehry - Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Frank Gehry - Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

• Artist: Frank Gehry
• Year: 1997
• Medium: Titanium, limestone, glass, steel
• Key Points:
  • Modernist building with curved, metallic forms. 🏢
  • Landmark of modern architecture.
  • Showcases innovative design.

#Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000)

Michel Tuffery - Pisupo Lua Afe

• Artist: Michel Tuffery
• Year: 1994
• Medium: Flattened cans of corned beef
• Key Points:
  • Sculptures made from tin cans.🥫
  • Critiques the impact of Western colonialism on Samoa's culture and environment.

#Lying with the Wolf

Kiki Smith - Lying with the Wolf

• Artist: Kiki Smith
• Year: 2001
• Medium: Ink and pencil on paper
• Key Points:
  • Woman lying next to a wolf. 🐺
  • Reflects Inuit cultural heritage and connection to the natural world.
  • Explores themes of identity, spirituality, and the relationship between humans and animals.

#The Swing (after Fragonard)

Yinka Shonibare - The Swing

• Artist: Yinka Shonibare
• Year: 2001
• Medium: Sculpture
• Key Points:
  • Woman on a swing wearing a dress made from African-inspired textiles. 👗
  • Critiques the legacy of colonialism and its impact on African cultural identity.
  • Explores themes of race, class, and power.

#Old Man’s Cloth

El Anatsui - Old Man's Cloth

• Artist: El Anatsui
• Year: 2003
• Medium: Aluminum and copper wire
• Key Points:
  • Sculpture made from discarded bottle caps and wire. ♻️
  • Explores themes of cultural heritage, globalization, and environmentalism.

#The Crossing

Bill Viola - The Crossing

• Artist: Bill Viola
• Year: 1996
• Medium: Video/sound installation
• Key Points:
  • Multi-screen video installation exploring life, death, and transformation. 🌊
  • Features figures emerging from and consumed by water and fire.

#The Gates

Christo and Jeanne-Claude - The Gates

• Artist: Christo and Jeanne-Claude
• Year: 1979-2005
• Medium: Environmental installation
• Key Points:
  • 7,503 vinyl gates with saffron-colored fabric in Central Park. 🏞️
  • Celebrates the beauty of the park and provides a unique experience for viewers.
  • Temporary installation dismantled after two weeks.

#Final Exam Focus

#High-Priority Topics

• Identity: How artists explore personal, cultural, and social identities.
• Social Commentary: The role of art in critiquing society and addressing social issues.
• Globalism: Understanding how art transcends national boundaries.
• Postcolonialism: Analyzing art that addresses the legacies of colonialism.
• Innovation and Technology: How artists are using new technologies and materials.

#Common Question Types

• Multiple Choice: Questions that test your knowledge of specific works, artists, and movements.
• Short Answer: Questions that require you to analyze a work of art, identify its key features, and explain its significance.
• Free Response: Questions that ask you to compare and contrast different works of art, analyze a specific theme or concept, or discuss the historical and cultural context of a work.

#Last-Minute Tips

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. If you're stuck, move on and come back to it later.
• Read Carefully: Make sure you fully understand what the question is asking before you start writing.
• Use Specific Evidence: Support your arguments with specific details from the works of art.
• Stay Calm: Take deep breaths and trust in your preparation. You've got this!

#Practice Questions

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following artists is best known for creating large-scale, temporary environmental installations? (A) Maya Lin (B) Christo and Jeanne-Claude (C) Zaha Hadid (D) Kara Walker

2. Which artwork uses invented Chinese characters to question the role of language in communication and cultural identity? (A) Summer Trees (B) A Book from the Sky (C) Earth's Creation (D) Old Man's Cloth

3. Kara Walker's Darkytown Rebellion is best understood as a commentary on: (A) The beauty of the natural world (B) The legacy of slavery and racial inequality (C) The impact of technology on society (D) The importance of cultural exchange

#Free Response Question

Prompt: Select and fully identify two works from Unit 10 that engage with the theme of cultural identity. For each work, discuss how the artist uses specific formal elements and/or materials to convey ideas about cultural identity. In your response, consider the historical and social context of each work. (10 points)

Scoring Breakdown:

• Identification (2 points): 1 point for each correctly identified work (artist and title).
• Analysis of Formal Elements/Materials (4 points): 2 points for each work, discussing how specific elements (color, line, composition, etc.) or materials contribute to the theme of cultural identity.
• Discussion of Historical and Social Context (4 points): 2 points for each work, explaining the historical and social context and how it relates to the theme of cultural identity.

Example Answer (for reference):

One work that engages with the theme of cultural identity is Horn Players (1983) by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat, an African American artist, uses bold lines, vibrant colors, and a chaotic composition to represent the energy and complexity of Black culture and the social issues surrounding it. The two black figures, likely a tribute to jazz musicians, are set against a background of text, images, and symbols that evoke the urban environment and the struggles faced by African Americans. The use of personal and cultural references reflects the artist's own identity and experiences.

Another work is Rebellious Silence (1994) by Shirin Neshat. Neshat, an Iranian artist, uses photography to explore the complex identity of women in Iran. The photograph depicts a veiled woman holding a gun, which is a powerful symbol of resistance against the restrictions placed on women's rights and freedoms in the country. The contrast between the traditional veil and the modern weapon highlights the tension between tradition and modernity in Iranian society. The use of black and white adds to the dramatic impact of the image and emphasizes the seriousness of the issues being addressed. The work is a commentary on the political and social context of Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Alright, you're all set! Go out there and show that exam what you've got! You've studied hard, you know your stuff, and you're ready to rock this. Good luck, and remember to have fun with it! 🎉