My idea was to stick to something natural, and so I knew I wanted to make art of animals through some form of medium. I got the idea of fruit art from looking at the art attached to the assignment, but also from watching my sister eat oranges after dinner. I think using fruit for this assignment, especially in forming living things reflects the temporal aspect of life and nature, and how everything changes constantly. In my mind, there are two types of art: art to last, and art to remember. The first is meant as a display of skill and mastery, and these includes works such as Mona Lisa, or the Statue of David, whereas the other type of art is meant to be more self-reflective. These pieces of art are often more abstract, like the banana taped to a wall, and oftentimes have a particular emphasis on time. Rather than calling attention to the artist’s skill, it instead focuses on the observer, and lets them wonder about how this art can be reflective of themselves.
I think from a consumer standpoint, its very important to have sustainable and renewable water, air, and land, but from an artistic standpoint, the lack of something tends to make us appreciate it more. However, we should also try and spread this appreciation to as many as we can, and so preserving nature and these resources are of utmost importance.
When it comes to climate change, and what one person can do, I think its worth it to try your best to be as green as possible. While your change might not seem to make a big difference, when coupled with other people, the effect can be enormous. A single arrow may not seem to be a big deal, but a hundred can defeat whole armies.
Derek Zhang's Blog 