Location| Paris: Meet Field School Blogger Cameron Poland

Tell us a little about yourself- your background, major program of study, reason for taking this trip, and anything else interesting you want to share (maybe something people might not know about you)

I come from an all around family in Tsawwassen, BC, with no real outstanding artistic feats, but more along the lines of business, but even so, I am inspired by the more artistic side of life, more along the lines of sketch or classical art. My major program of study is in the Fine Arts Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University since 2016, aiming to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and major in the subject of Digital Media. This is my first time travelling out of Canada, giving me a whole new perspective on art in other countries, and one of the main reasons that I wanted to join on this adventure would be because of the fact that I had not seen art up close, like at the Louvre or Versailles Palace, so travelling to these places has given me the chance to actually experience these masterpieces up close and personal. And finally, the chance to see one of the greatest art shows, Documenta, for the first time was something that I could not afford to miss, like so many other students that are joining on this voyage.

One other fact would be that my favourite museum that we have visited thus far would be between three of them, the L’Orangerie, the Orsay, or the Louvre because of the different forms of art that they have on display. The Louvre had all sorts of older forms of art, like Egyptian and Roman, to French art. As for the L’Orangerie, there were more paintings by Monet and other Impressionist artists like Degas or Cezanne, as well as some other artists like Picasso’s model art. And finally, the Orsay was the home of most Impressionist art pieces, for example, Manet’s The Luncheon and other fantastic works of art.

Our group did a day trip to the Palace of Versailles to visit the home of Louis XIV.

Cameron beating the summer heat in Paris :) 

What has met or exceeded your expectations or surprised you about Paris so far?

After my first few days in Paris, I would honestly have to say the transition from my usual way of living in Canada to how everyone in Paris lives is quite dramatic, from how Parisians act on the streets to how they respond to someone from outside of Paris, for example, the fact that some cafes in Paris will deny service. What exceeded my expectations from the start would be the Pantheon, just stepping into the Pantheon is awe inspiring and hard to turn away from. The architecture, to the decor of the Pantheon, draws the eye in and forces you to stand in amazement of what the people of Paris had done when they first constructed it, from the pillars, to the coffers, and to the statues, everything about the Pantheon was breathtaking.

Our hotel, the Aparthouse Adagio Paris Buttes Chaumont is only a few minutes from the metro, making travel around the city incredibly easy to navigate, plus the neighbourhood surrounding the hotel is pleasant—there’s the local bakery with freshly baked goods, and the wine store that sits close to the church near the metro station. Moreover, most places are only a short walk away, so even if you could not get on the train, you can still walk to wherever you want to go in a short amount of time.

Cameron was assigned Claude Monet's The Railroad Bridge of Argenteuil (1874)

Give us some insight into your assigned artwork from the Orsay Musuem. After seeing the work in person in Paris (and any other related art from the same artist or art movement associated with the assigned work), what struck you most about it and/or how did the artwork’s form, content, and context shift for you when seeing it.

My assigned artwork is Monet’s The Railroad Bridge of Argenteuil (1874) and upon seeing it at the Orsay museum, I could see some extra details that I could not see in a printed copy. For example, the fact that I could see how the brush strokes were applied and that the bottom part of the work had a slight blue tinge to it, signifying that the water underneath the bridge is reflecting some light onto the bridge. What struck me the most in this painting was the concept of the bridge colliding with the natural landscape, and one thought I had in mind for the train was that it could signify that a loved one of the artist, Monet, could be on the train, leaving the safety of their home, that they had grown accustomed to, and entering a world that is unfamiliar, merciless, and deceitful.

Another interpretation would be that the bridge is an invasive force, trying to consume as much of the natural background as it can. For example, how the bridge itself seems to overlap the background or how the smoke from the train looks to be contrasting with a beautiful blue sky with its dark grey tone

Cameron's final studio project in conversation with Monet.

How did you approach the creative task of responding to this assigned work in studio? What were your challenges as an artist to be in dialogue with the artwork and artist? Would you do anything differently now that you have seen the work in person?

How I connected my first assignment to the work I am doing now was not easy. In fact, it was a little difficult since the work is not aligned with the way I usually draw. My original project before we left was inspired by Martin Ramirez’ Trains and Tunnels series, and my original idea was to relate to everyone who is experiencing problems on both sides of society, both higher class and lower class, and in the middle was meant to represent the pressure that both sides give off, if you could not meet the expectations of the public opinion, then you will be shot down and disowned. Now that I have seen Monet’s piece in the Orsay, and heard the critiques of my piece, what I would have done differently in my assignment would be how I would have applied the colour because when I applied the watercolour, I failed in adding a sense of depth to it, making the piece itself seem flat and lifeless.

Today’s activity was located at the Versailles Palace. What were your impressions? What will you take away of the experience of this day? What are the most memorable moments for you?

The Versailles Palace and Garden were spectacular and above all had a very present sense of regality—it was easy to see why Versailles was one of the most popular attractions of Paris. My first impressions of the outside of the palace was wonderment, but more importantly, intimidation due to the fact that the palace once housed the very king of France himself, King Louis XIV, which is more than enough to make me a little apprehensive, plus the amount of armed guards around gave me a sense of unease. As for the interior, it felt that we were walking and seeing through one of the servants that served the king, observing many different section of the king’s chamber, the long corridors, and the places where the King spent his time. When it came time to observe the garden of the palace, the extravagant view was wonderful and the expansive view of the gardens length was breathtakingly long, a total of 800 hectares. It is said that the gardens were made for the amusement of the King, reminding him of how much power he held before his passing, and that is exactly what I experience as I look out from the King’s chamber.

To see more photos and impressions of Paris and Kassel as the field school continues, check out our Instagram feed #kpuparis

Location| Paris: Meet Field School Blogger Alice Wang

Tell us a little bit about yourself—your background, major program of study, reasons for taking this trip, and anything else interesting you want to share (maybe something people might not know about you).

I am an incoming Master of Arts student in Art History at the University of British Columbia with an undergraduate degree in anatomy and cell biology. I decided to pursue art history after four years of life sciences and laboratory research after having discovered it through elective courses. I liked how art history offered a different way of relating to the world, how it was able to derive information beyond relying on data points and thereby, exercise a greater range of human faculties. While I understand the limitation and crudeness of science, I will always uphold it for doing the grunt work it takes to unlock information about the natural world inaccessible by other means.. My MA research interest therefore seeks to reconcile science and art by expanding art historical discourse through the inclusion of scientific knowledge. Through this Field School I hope to be inspired, to find an instigation where science merges with art to productively contribute to a discourse. So far, I have been blown away by the Palaise de Tokyo’s exhibition Le Reve des Formes where there was a strong interest in confluencing art and science. I am also inspired by the many residency opportunities in Paris where “residency” is actually called a “laboratory!” I have similarly walked by galleries called “Writing Laboratory,” “Le Laboratory,” and “Drawing Laboratory.” I LOVE THIS TERMINOLOGY. To acknowledge that art has always been experimental, that it is an endeavor of chance meaning-making is a mentality of refreshing honesty.

Alice (center) and field school students pose in front of Manet's iconic Olympia (1863) at the Orsay Museum.

Alice in silhouette looking out onto to the Seine river towards the Louvre from the behind the famous Orsay clock. 

What has met or exceeded your expectations or surprised you about Paris so far?

I was surprised by the degree of conviviality between French Canadians and local Parisians. I grew up in Quebec so I speak with a strong hint of French-Canadian accent. I also completed my undergrad at McGill University, further galvanizing my dialect. Whereas the Parisian French is a more modernized, evolved language, the Quebecois French is a rural, old version of the language from colonial time. From a young age, I had always found the Quebecois accent to be embarrassingly provincial. Coming to Paris therefore I was very self-conscious about how I spoke. Half of my energy went into suppressing the accent and feigning to be a local. While my Anglophone colleagues might find it advantageous that I speak at least a variation of French, I curse the grass on the other side because sometimes I wish I knew no French at all rather than a red-neck version. To much of my dismay, the locals saw right through my disguise. The first thing that the Sennelier shopkeeper said to me was: “Vous êtes Quebeçoise!” At the L’Orangerie, the security guard asked me if I was Canadian when I spoke to him. From these encounters, I find myself increasingly interested in elucidating what the French thought of Quebeckers; perhaps my insecurities were unwarranted. On one afternoon at the Tuileries garden, a francophone friend and I talked for almost two hours with a local Parisian about the history of France and Canada, about the French’s general perception of Quebeckers (“They are our cousins…our Americanized cousins.”) Ah, if only there was more exchange between France and Quebec! If only the motherland realize how much her enfant terrible prides itself on its French roots—its valorization of art and culture, its good food and way of life—she would have been proud.

At the Palaise de Tokyo I met a tour guide who exuded an unyielding, uncompromising Quebecois accent. The ease and pride with which he spoke was, in the strangest way, empowering for someone who is trying to strike a balance between assimilation and individuality. After two weeks in Paris, I have come to accept that childhood accents are unforgivingly permanent. They will thwart any attempt of forgery, forcing me to appreciate things that I cannot change. During a time where nationality bears heavy connotation, being evidently a French-Canadian, turns out, is a responsibility I need to uphold.

Alice worked with Paul Cezanne's Gustave Geffroy (1895-96) in both her art history and studio classes.

Alice was fortunate to see her painting (on the right wall) in a special Cezanne portraiture exhibition.

Give us some insight into your assigned artwork from the Orsay Musuem. After seeing the work in person in Paris (and any other related art from the same artist or art movement associated with the assigned work), what struck you most about it and/or how did the artwork’s form, content, and context shift for you when seeing it.

The first thing I need to clarify is that I had visited the Orsay Museum twice because my painting was not available the first time I visited it and I had to return to the museum a week later. I will however not complain about having to stand in line all over again because not only do I feel extremely luck that was my painting—Cezanne’s Gustave Geffroy (1895-96)—was available to be viewed, it was part of a special exhibition called Portraits by Cezanne (June 13-September 24, 2017). The exhibition united all the major portraitures painted by Cezanne with Gustave Geffroy being one of the largest ones he ever did. It was the most opportune way to study the specificity of the work while contextualizing it within a broader context of Cezanne’s figurative output.

Gustave Geffroy was an art critic who had written in support of Cezanne. The artist, in turn, has offered his portrait and despite two months of work, left the painting unfinished. In the portrait, Geffroy sits at a desk with textless books open in front of him. The overly large bookcase and furnace behind him appears compressed against his back, conjuring a sense of claustrophobia. There is a distortion of perspective: the desk and chair rotates to the left; the sitter appears frontally; books appear through an aerial view. In the digital reproduction of the painting, the colors appear deceptively mute. In person, I was taken aback by the prominent use of warm colors, and in particular, of the color red. The edges of his books were blood red; there were red pencils, red ink pads, red markers. The seat under him was red; the back of his chair, deep magenta. The rows of books on the shelf adjacent to his head bore varying degree of orange, creating a sense of warmth that contrasted sharply with the coolness of the mauvish-blue fireplace. In comparison to Cezanne’s other portraitures, Gustave Geffroy harbored the most bountiful collection of objects and colors.

None of the formal dynamicism translated into iconography of the sitter’s expression. Like most of the portraitures by Cezanne, Gustave averts his gaze. While Geffroy appears pensive, it can also be argued that he stares into oblivion. I had expected the painting to be more soulful in person than in reproduction and was disappointed to find it to be equally lifeless as the reproduction. He did not bear the express of boredom or apathy; he was simply expressionless. It was as if his face was frozen, that it was still in the stage of becoming. If I had not seen the other portraitures by Cezanne, I would have assumed that this was simply the offshoot of an unfinished painting, that true to primary sources, he had abandoned the painting after two months of work, leaving the face and the hand for particularly premature.

Studying Gustave Geffroy in the context of his figurative paintings seems to suggest a consistent degree of lifelessness in his portraiture. The exhibition, for example, ends with the last self-portrait he did were the expression was equally frozen. To give credit when credit is due, the audio guide for the self-portrait made the observation that the eyes of the figure were painted with indistinguishable iris and pupil. Looking back at Gustave Geffroy, I realized that indeed the eyes are painted in an oddly life-negating manner. The sclera appears dark grey; it darkens into the iris and blends into the void of the pupil. The lack of clarity subverts the notion of translucence that characterizes not only the anatomy of the eyes but of life itself. The figure, while present, is dead. Gustave Geffroy is not a portraiture, it is a still-life.

How did you approach the creative task of responding to this assigned work in studio? What were your challenges as an artist to be in dialogue with the artwork and artist? Would you do anything differently now that you have seen the work in person?

Inspired by both Cezanne’s Gustave Geffroy and Walter Benjamin’s call to study the “refuse of history,” I sought to replicate the physical environment of the painting based on how it was normally hung at the Orsay Museum. The frame and wall were recreated in a miniaturize version with a hamster wheel inserted into the assemblage as a nod to Duchamp and his exploration of institution critique through ready-mades. Seeing the painting’s renewed location in the Portraits by Cezanne exhibition underscored how strategic placement contributes to narrative for me.

In its normal placement, Gustav Geffroy flanks the doorway of an Impressionism room with another large-scale portraiture by Cezanne entitled La Femme à la cafetière (1895). In the catalogue to the exhibition, the paintings were discussed in conjunction, although a clear bias was given to the art critic than the woman who was to become his wife. Seeing La Femme occupying a wall island in the central axis of the second-to-last room was therefore very exciting for me. I expected to see my painting on the opposite of it, thereby also occupying a prominent, albeit floating, presence in the room. To much of my disappointment, it was a small, unfinished oil study hanging on the other side—that of my colleague Lucas Paul’s Le Joueur de cartes (étude) (1890-1892). My painting, which by all expectation was a foil to La Femme, hung unremarkably on the wall in the room along with other portraiture. Upon closer inspection, however, I noticed that the walls were painted with alternating regions of yellow and grey. The colors were demarcating sections of the wall, creating a visual categorization among the works. Gustave Geffroy occupied a region of grey among two sections of yellow; it shared the region with Cezanne’s portraiture of his dealer Ambroise Vollard. One cannot hear a more blatant call for a comparison than standing in front of two paintings united by the same wall color in a room with alternating with visual sectionality.

To venture some guesses, I would argue that several connections can be drawn between Geffroy and Vollard. Both were supporters of Cezanne’s works where critical acclaims and financial success shared a symbiotic relationship. Both portraits are unfinished, with the hands and the faces particularly inchoate. And while Cezanne’s relationship with Geffroy eventually soured, he remained faithful to his dealer, even writing to him to express his most critical opinion of Geffroy. The pairing of the two paintings creates a visual dichotomy that instigates a particular construction of biography. Consistent with the idea of institutional critique that I explored in my artwork, the structure of the exhibition—something as benign as wall color—contributes to the meaning of the works. The derivation of art historical knowledge is not organic to the work but forged through myriad of micro and macro-contextualization in which the format of display plays a critical role.

Today’s activity was located at the Orsay Museum. What were your impressions? What will you take away of the experiences of this day?  What are the most memorable moments for you?

Since my two visits at the Orsay Museum were separated by a week’s time during which I recovered from my jetlag, my first and second impression of the museum was very different. In both visits, I had gone in expecting to experience the monumentality of the works, to contextualize the physicality of the paintings I have studied. Seeing Gustave Courbet’s Burial at Ornan (1849-50) during my first visit was an immersive experience. I did not expect it to be nearly as large. The constant scurrying towards and away from the painting turned the work into a portal through which I played tug of war with the artist. The movement exacerbated my jetlag-induced vertigo, inadvertently affording the composition a hallucinatory dynamism. 

During my second visit to the museum everything was much more stable. I did not feel overwhelmed by the sculpture-filled central aisle which, during my first visit, had felt clustered like a craft fair. I appreciated the luminosity of the glass rooftop; the remnant signs of the former train station also was a poetic reminder of human ingenuity in both its construction and its reappropriation. I loved the large clocks that adorned the place. They add an interesting temporal element as I traversed centuries of human history in a matter of hours. Drawing a continuity between the past and the present through emphasizing the liquidity of time, the clocks reverberate with a call to action: “You’ve understood where we come from now, where will we be going now?”

After the Orsay, we stopped by a historic art supply store called Sennelier. If Hogwarts ever start an art course, this place could have been easily incorporated into the set with no alternation needed. It was packed to the ceiling with supplies; any niche that can be packed with goods were packed with goods. Everywhere you turned a pocket of richness awaited. There were things that you had been looking for (I found my fountain pen there); and then there were things that you felt compelled to buy simply because it held the promise of infusing your life with some of the artistic vibe in that space. The store was seeped in creativity in the most life-affirming way. Even the most unartistically-inclined souls would step out of there feeling like they have come out of a fairytale.

To see more photos and impressions of Paris and Kassel as the field school continues, check out our Instagram feed #kpuparis

Location| Paris: Meet Field School Blogger Kaila Bhullar

Tell us a little bit about yourself—your background, major program of study, reasons for taking this trip, and anything else interesting you want to share (maybe something people might not know about you).

Hello there! My name is Kaila, I’m 20 years old and I’m in my second year of university at Kwantlen Polytechnic University right now. My field of study is psychology, and I was working towards completing my bachelor’s degree with this major, though throughout the Paris/Documenta field school, I am discovering new passions and interests and I feel as though this may change when I return back home. As the city of Paris is very inspirational, it is bringing forth more of a basis to create and expand my artwork/artistic style. As far as my artistic style/abilities – I mostly work with charcoal and pastels (drawing), though I am trying to expand my work by beginning to paint and move into mixed media art pieces.

The reason I chose to embark on this crazy journey across the world is because it is truly once in a lifetime. I mean, yes, it is definitely possible to travel to Europe on other occasions, though having the opportunity to travel and experience Paris and Kassel with a group of like-minded, and forward-thinking artists is truly something special and unique. Also, I have been able to really focus on and take in the culture and art, due to the outings and group activities that we have been doing. I am learning so much more than I could ever learn from a textbook while being on this field school, and it is absolutely amazing. This trip is opening up my perspective and allowing me to innovate my ideas and understandings of the world in which we live. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone who is looking to discover themselves in a new manner, or experience a new way of living and understanding a new culture.

Group photo in the hall of mirrors at Versailles. Kaila wore a fetching vintage top with gold embellishments she purchased in Paris to match the occasion. 

Kaila strolling through the courtyard at Versailles.

What has met or exceeded your expectations or surprised you about Paris (or Kassel) so far?

Everything from the food, the lights, the beautiful architecture, and monuments of the city to the graffiti on the sidewalks and walls of the streets and the style of the city goers has exceeded my expectation of what Paris was going to be. The city almost seems as though it is a movie set, in the sense that is so beautifully breathtaking. It is unreal. Words cannot do this city justice.

I love the city at night. It is quite alluring and seductive. The city never sleeps, although it is peaceful and contains an element of tranquility, it is still breathing with life at all hours. Walking around and just observing/taking in different aspects of the districts and groups of people around the city has easily become one of my new favourite pastimes.

Some of the people here are not the friendliest (which I half expected), though it just adds to the experience of the city and creates some pretty hilarious memories. I am shocked at how little I have been required to speak French while being here to get around. Most people speak fluent English, and are willing to accommodate the language, which is very nice and convenient for the members of our trip. At the same time though, I do speak French and was hoping to exercise my knowledge of the language a little more (in a more authentic environment).

Kaila was assigned Vincent van Gogh's Dance Hall in Arles (1888) from the Orsay Museum.

Give us some insight into your assigned artwork from the Orsay Museum. After seeing the work in person in Paris (and any other related art from the same artist or art movement associated with the assigned work), what struck you most about it and/or how did the artwork’s form, content, and context shift for you when seeing it.

My assigned artwork is Van Gogh’s Dance Hall in Arles (1888), which is displayed in the Orsay Museum among other Van Gogh paintings and similar works of post-impressionist art. The painting is captivating in person. The colours, bright and vivid, draw you in to take a closer look, even from all the way across the gallery, which in result allows your eyes to wander around the canvas and absorb and notice all the small and subtle details of the work.  The bright distinct shade of blue used in various points in the image is what initially stood out to me when I first saw the painting in person, as when I was studying the painting through digital images the blue was almost unnoticeable. Everything from the lighting, the display and the beautifully intricate frame used to hang the painting to the scale and details of the image struck me. All of these elements together really helped accentuate the image and create a pleasurable aesthetic and viewing experience for the work.

Kaila's final studio project in conversation with Van Gogh.

How did you approach the creative task of responding to this assigned work in studio? What were your challenges as an artist to be in dialogue with the artwork and artist? Would you do anything differently now that you have seen the work in person?

The way I interpreted the Van Gogh’s piece when I studied it back in B.C., was that it was telling a story about the reality of social conventions, gatherings, and expectations. It was exposing the truth about how even though you may appear satisfied, or as though you fit in with society (and other people generally), you may not. And you may feel the loneliness and most misunderstood, or vulnerable, in room full of people that are seemingly just like you. So, from this, I created a piece that embodied these ideas and themes, while still embracing the colour palette of the image (rich yellows and oranges, contrasted with black and grey), and its general form (for example, using all the condensed faces). I tried to play with the technique of distorting the image with paint (the various shapes crossing out the faces), to represent the loss of identity/faceless crowd/lack of individuality that occurs within the cynical reality of social gathering. This was my favourite process in creating the work. I also tried to apply the paint to the canvas in a very loose and freeing manner, to connect with the methods in which Van Gogh produced his painting.

Now that I have seen the original image up close and in person, I think that I would definitely play with brighter and more vivid colours. The bright shade of blue was quite prominent and a defining feature of the painting in person, so I would likely try to incorporate this into my piece if I were to revise anything. I think I would also maybe try to accentuate just one single face in the crowd, as I noticed that a few faces stood out in Van Gogh’s painting, when I was observing it in real life.

Today’s activity was located at the Chateau de Versailles. What were your impressions? What will you take away of the experiences of this day?  What are the most memorable moments for you?

Versailles was absolutely stunning. It was almost overwhelmingly accented and decorated. It did not appear real, as if it was another movie set. Versailles was beautiful, enchanting, and intricate, though it was also quite grotesque. It was huge, and grand, display of wealth, power, and dominance over the city (during its time anyway), and I couldn’t help thinking about how during a time of such poverty and suffering of the poor, this insanely spectacular building was built. There were parts of Versailles that are made of solid gold. One small piece of one the fountains could have probably fed the whole city during the times of starvation. As I was walking around the palace, and through the gardens, I felt as though I was walking through an imaginary plastic land, as everything was perfect. Too perfect. Every aspect was planned and exactly where it was supposed to be. During my visit there, I felt the beauty and majesty of it, though I also felt the oppression and grossly vast display of power.

To see more photos and impressions of Paris and Kassel as the field school continues, check out our Instagram feed #kpuparis

Location| Paris: Meet Field School Blogger Kenneth Yuen

Tell us a little bit about yourself—your background, major program of study, reasons for taking this trip, and anything else interesting you want to share (maybe something people might not know about you).

Hi, my name is Kenneth. I am an artist and now entering my fourth year of art school at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. This actually isn’t the first field school that I’ve been on; I was actually on the last field school that took place in Venice and New York in 2015 where we visited the Venice Biennale. I did the last trip quite early on in my art education and it completely changed my art practice and the way I go about thinking about and producing art, so I thought it would be just as beneficial to go on another field school to a major international art event as my art education comes to a close soon. I feel there is no better way to learn about art and it’s context other than to travel to the cities that function as art centres, especially around and with people that share the same interest that you do. You can see my artwork at www.worksbykennethyuen.com

Visiting the Pompidou's newly opened contemporary wing. Kenneth with sketch book under his arm ready to take it on.

What has met or exceeded your expectations or surprised you about Paris (or Kassel) so far?

Paris so far has been nothing but the most enjoyable city in which to learn about art. The idea of embedding art in daily life is just as true here as people make it out to be. The architecture here is absolutely beautiful, so is the way that Haussmannization has planned this city out. Walking around in Paris is an experience in of itself and so is the people watching. One thing that kind of surprised me is the French people themselves; most people try to pen them off as rude, but I wouldn’t really agree. I think the people here just have this real blasé attitude that is part of the culture. It’s just a certain casualness that could possibly come off as rude to people that aren’t used to it. In contrast to the New Yorkers from the last field school, who some people also think are rude but really are just more direct than others, the French are just more casual. Another thing that took me by surprise is how good the food actually is here. As I’ve never really been a fan of French food in the past, I strongly believe one would really have to try French food in France.

Edouard Manet, Asparagus (1880) was Kenneth's assigned painting from the Orsay collection.

Give us some insight into your assigned artwork from the Orsay Musuem. After seeing the work in person in Paris (and any other related art from the same artist or art movement associated with the assigned work), what struck you most about it and/or how did the artwork’s form, content, and context shift for you when seeing it.

The painting from the Orsay that I was assigned was Edouard Manet’s Asparagus (1880), which is a small painterly oil painting of the common household vegetable that Manet produced as a personal gift for one of his patrons in response to a large tip that he received from said patron. Visually (from what I know), the painting wasn’t considered much to behold at the time, but when removed from it’s original context and placed in an art museum the painting brings our attention to the often considered taboo subject of money within the artworld, the relationship between artist and art patron, along with the politicking that goes on and comes with having an art career. A second thing about the painting in regards to content/context is that one would really believe in the Impressionist movement’s Baudelairian belief that “everyday life” was worthy of celebration and that everyday heroism is a worthy subject, steering art away from the church or state that often commissioned work that celebrated the past or lofty ideals from mythology.

Unfortunately, I was unable to see Asparagus in person, as D’orsay shipped it off to Torino on lend for a Manet exhibition. However, I was still very happy to see L'Origine du monde by Courbet.

Kenneth's response piece to Manet was in part a tribute to his recently retired sculpture instructor Kent Anderson.

How did you approach the creative task of responding to this assigned work in studio? What were your challenges as an artist to be in dialogue with the artwork and artist? Would you do anything differently now that you have seen the work in person?

How I decided to approach my artwork that functioned as a response to Manet’s Asparagus was that I wanted to go about the subject matter of the gift/generosity that addressed the relationship between artist and another. So what I decided to do is frame a literal piece of the sculpture studio (that has been demolished due to renovations at KPU) that I received my art education in. I produced a sculpture that straddles a place between elaborate and minimal as an homage to my sculpture professor Kent Anderson who recently retired. I believe this also to be a Baudelairian act of everyday heroism, in the way that an everyday object is worthy of deep celebration and elevation to the realm of high art, and that the relationship between student and mentor is worthy of such a celebration.

In regards to things that I would change after coming to France and seeing the artwork from our class? I would change nothing. Without a doubt, I believe that I was able to take on all the ideas that were taught in class and the content that Manet’s Asparagus held. Plus, I am still able to make the same quality of work I’ve always prided myself on during a time of flux and very little resources, due to the renovations going on at school. I would even argue that this further embodies the intransigent nature of the Impressionists that many art historians have spoken about.

Today’s activity was located at the Pompidou Museum. What were your impressions? What will you take away of the experiences of this day?  What are the most memorable moments for you?

So the daily activity that I was assigned to blog about was the class’s visit to the Pompidou. The Pompidou is probably Paris’ premier contemporary art museum/gallery, which would be the equivalent to New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Visiting the Pompidou was almost an act of pilgrimage in my eyes because it houses artwork from some of the most important artists in the world. One of the artists that I was very excited to see was Yves Klein, who has functioned as an idol to myself in regards to my art practice. The works from Klein that I was able to see was a painting from the Anthropométrie Bleue series, one of his fire paintings, a monochrome and one his sea sponge sculptures. I was nothing but excited and impressed to see Yves Klein’s work; his signature blue (International Klein Blue) really does radiate and glow as art writers talk about, and the Anthropométries really do hint to a psychodrama when viewed in person.

Other than seeing Yves Klein, I was also very happy to see some other artists that I personally hold in high regard, which includes Brancusi, Fontana, Newman, and Rothko. The Pompidou truly is a world class level art gallery and their permanent collection from the mid-century can really attest to it. Unfortunately, however, the more contemporary section of the Pompidou was closed on the day we visited due to a new exhibition installation (we did go back later to see this floor). On the contemporary floor, I was really hoping to see an Anish Kapoor artwork in person, an artist who also functions as an idol and inspires my practice.

Other than the gallery itself, the area surrounding the Pompidou was also a sight to be seen; there were many wonderful restaurants and bar surrounding it. The Pompidou also has a great slopped plaza/sitting area in front of it that is a great place to relax and sit in the sun. I was also lucky enough to see the sheer spectacle of the White Party here in Paris outside of the Pompidou. It was a great day in general.

To see more photos and impressions of Paris and Kassel as the field school continues, check out our Instagram feed #kpuparis

Location| Paris: Meet Field School Blogger Gurleen Virk

Tell us a little bit about yourself—your background, major program of study, reasons for taking this trip, and anything else interesting you want to share (maybe something people might not know about you).

I am a Bachelor of Fine Arts student, going into fourth year next semester. My personal understanding of art and its purpose has driven me to learn about art throughout my life. My work is 2D, consisting of painting, drawing, and printmaking. Drawing is an act which brings me pleasure and allows me to express and find myself. When I heard about the field school trip to Paris and Documenta, I grasped the opportunity to be a part of it. Paris is one of the major art and culture hubs in the world with a large history in connection to the arts. Moreover, Documenta, is one of the most important international art exhibitions in the world, which is held every 5 years. I instantly knew that this experience was something I could take from. I am taking my sketchbook along everywhere I go, to sketch everything I see. Working as a sketch artist in the fashion industry has taught me how to do quick sketches and put me in a habit of keeping my sketchbook on hand at all times. I believe that seeing other parts of the world and immersing yourself in foreign cultures opens up completely new avenues of discovery. Travel in itself can be educational and can open our eyes in ways we never thought possible. Through travel, we can become more aware, both of ourselves, and of the larger world around us.

Enjoying the fountain at the the Place de Concorde-- Gurleen (in plaid dress) waving hello!

What has met or exceeded your expectations or surprised you about Paris (or Kassel) so far?

Going on this trip is amazing. I got the once in a life time opportunity to travel to such countries and I am seeing historical art, which I have only read about, in real life. Moreover, the chance to see an exhibition that is not very frequent to see a show that will not been seen again, in the art world any time soon. I knew that Paris was beautiful and has amazing architecture, but I was surprised that all of Paris, France is very ancient. Every single building is beautiful in its own way. The experience feels like traveling through an ancient city that has been through various traumatic events in its long history, it wants you to forget about what has caused so much despair over the centuries and focus on the beauty of what has made the city a worthwhile spectacle to admire.

Gurleen worked with her assigned painting Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers (1875) on her studio projects before seeing the work in person in Paris.

Give us some insight into your assigned artwork from the Orsay Musuem. After seeing the work in person in Paris (and any other related art from the same artist or art movement associated with the assigned work), what struck you most about it and/or how did the artwork’s form, content, and context shift for you when seeing it.

The painting I was assigned in the class before coming to Paris is Gustave Caillebotte’s The Floor Scrapers (1875). In the Orsay museum it was located in a room with other Caillebotte paintings. There were many people surrounding the artwork, but finally when after ten minutes I got a chance to look at it closely I was shocked at the amount of detail. The light falling on the back of the men was a creamy golden colour and it shined. The light coming in from the back window looked very realistic as if there was real sunlight shining down. I noticed there was much more contrast in the painting then when looking at images online or in books. The painting was modern because of all the cropping in the image. The tiny details were more noticeable in the painting in real life, I never noticed the cropped working tools before. The cropped image and unusual perspective is also another reason that makes the painting different from its time.

Gurleen discusses her response artwork at the final critique in the pre-departure studio class.

How did you approach the creative task of responding to this assigned work in studio? What were your challenges as an artist to be in dialogue with the artwork and artist? Would you do anything differently now that you have seen the work in person?

What I understood from my painting is that the perspective is unique. The workers are facing towards each other with their heads turned slightly. Although we cannot see their faces clearly, it is evident that they are engaging in a conversation. They have had food to eat and drink and are now slowly working away at their own pace. It is important to note that the figures are half-nude. It was not common at this time to how nude males were portrayed in paintings. The perspective of the painting from above looks like someone’s viewpoint. Caillebotte’s studio space is what is being renovated; most likely, he is the one looking down at the workers, showing who has more power in the situation. The way that Caillebotte is looking at his workers presents a gaze full of passion. The way in which he has painted the light shining on the back of the workers is unexpected; it symbolizes sexual arousal and passion. In my first art project I decided to focus on the aspect of making the painting modern. In the second part I focused more on the theme of oppression. Although I am very satisfied with my project, I am now looking at the painting in real life and I feel I would have gotten a better idea by looking at it much more closely.

Today’s activity was a free day off on your own. What were your impressions? What will you take away of the experiences of this day?  What are the most memorable moments for you?

Today we had the day to ourselves to go to different museums. I headed to the Delacroix museum and the Picasso museum. The Delacroix museum was very small and intimate with small rooms and some of his most important sketches and paintings. Because the museum itself was small, I got the chance to sit in the garden outside and sketch his artwork. Although I am not a fan of abstract art, I am fond of Picasso. I felt that his work spoke to me on a spiritual level as his work related to me with the emotional concepts and depictions of his wife and children. Picasso’s subject matter of family resonated with me as I tend to focus on creating artwork of my family and develop further studies of family life. After the museum trip, I decided to go to a café for dinner, and there I ordered some food, sat outside, and decided to enjoy my meal. I’ve seen many Parisians do this so decided to try myself. It was very interesting experience to look out and watch the busy life, and to just sit down for once, observe, and relax. Coming on this trip has taught me to step back and pay attention to the world around us, and not take everything for granted.

To see more photos and impressions of Paris and Kassel as the field school continues, check out our Instagram feed #kpuparis