Geography = War

For this semester, another research project and 15 page essay is going to fall on the particular work I'm assigned... for the AD493 20th Century Latin American Art.

Among the artworks, I've grown interest in many... but ultimately I could only choose 3.

The last 3 that ended up on my plate of fate were:

-Perro Aullidos a la Luna, Rufino Tamayo (a painting/artist that I found through previous "dog art" search)
-Holy Dance, Xul Solar
-Geography = War, Alfredo Jaar.

Interestingly, a little event that happened before my AD384 Contemporary Art class seemed to have hinted me what I would end up with.

While the previous class's professor was tidying his sheets of paper away, another student named Linda asked about his lesson. Our curiosity at his loose sheets made him give out 2 sheets for each of us in the front row closest to him.

I had a close look.

"Test your knowledge of the Middle Eastern Geography" and

A map of Africa.

While Peter, Linda and I had a good study at the map, we concluded that it completely baffled us.

At the end of the day, I sat at the Stewart computer lab and actually took time to check up all the country names and filled the labeled and non-labeled in... realizing afterwards how the confirmation of my AD493 assignment linked with the fact that I received these maps.

It could be a forceful reasoning, but still I felt this was some interesting coincidence.

Alfredo Jaar's installation work shown in the first lesson already interested me with the concept of
representing the "unrepresented".
In this work I'm about to face (also one that I can't successfully find an image on), titled Geography = War, it gave me an exciting shiver all over because of the subject's universal message and ability to be connected by anyone.

Since the ages of creating maps to now, the division of boundaries and territories has long been an issue of
controverse.

Funny enough, I'm one that's living in the issue.

Taiwan.

China.

The tension still exists.