Joaquin Torres-Garcia was an avant garde artist since 1900. He was very influential as an artist, but critics accredit his fame to his status as a landowner. Torres-Garcia is considered the father of Universal Constructivism, which is a "style of painting that combines a gridlock, abstract structure with symbolic images". Many of his works involve lines and simple shapes, a system which he developed from texts and his own experiences. I want to emulate his work in that he has a personal system that he strictly follows.
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I found this artist while browsing through MOMA's collection. His website is very well put together and has some amazing effects. Most of his work, at least the parts that I am interested in, are focused on the human figure, but he uses media from all over, including LED, digital prints, linoleum cuts, resin, and more. I want to experiment with different types of media in a single body of work.
I am responding to two articles that I have read. The first is the "Horror Is a Constant, as Artists Depict War" by Alissa Y. Rubin and the second is "When Modern Art Met Modern Warfare" by Ann-Marie Michel. Rubin started off her article with a very gory description detailing one of Francisco de Goya's etchings. The article then goes on to describe how "the atrocities that war reporter record and that seem new are, in fact, centuries old..." Rubin brings up questions that artists, journalists, and even the common people struggle with when attempting to understand "the story of war". By asking rhetorical questions such as "Are blood and gore the most important things to portray, or is it the moment of utter grief that follows?" the author urges her readers to look further than the pictures and headlines thrown at us by the media at the emotions of war and to analyze them through our own looking glasses. Michel's article starts out focusing more on World War I than on war in general. She poses one important, all-encompassing question to guide her article: "The extraordinary numbers - 17 million men deployed, 9 million dead - pose a problem for any exhibition. These men are no longer with us, so how do we connect with that human experience." The author also describes how countries that were involved in the first world war reacted in terms of art after the war was over and the world dealt with the devastation that followed. One specific painting addressed in this article spoke to me. I find the bleak colors that seem solid at first, but were clearly made with several hues and gradients appropriately describe the grief of war when it is over and there is not more fighting to distract from the harsh reality of death. Youth Mourning George Clausen 1916 If there is one question I would very much like to explore after reading and responding to these articles it is this: How do the differences between actually being present during the violence of war and simply perceiving what the media shows us affect the ways in which we comprehend and react to war?
At first, I found the lack of bold, or even pastel colors a little putting off, but in the end, it helped me focus more on the forms and the boldness of the lines in each work. There were clearly many different types of printmaking design used by the artists included int his exhibition, but they were unified by their lack of color that I usually find so appealing. Also, the darkness surrounding the pieces created an air of mystery that made them even more enticing. Overall, I really enjoyed the exhibition despite the fact that it was very far from my own taste. Though, I wonder if these pieces would have been more successful in accomplishing their goals if they employed color. Also, since I am currently struggling to find meaning in my process and materials, I would love to know how the artists chose their printmaking technique - did they just choose a technique with which they were comfortable or do they apply a technique that they have mastered depending on the subject matter of setting? In my work, I want to maybe mute down to colors, if only at first, and focus on light vs. shadow and the forms that clash and flow together.
Compared to Nicole Mauser's work, Molly Briggs' work is more and less bold at the same time. There is always one bold aspect, but when we look again, we can always find subtleties that weren't there before. I would like to imitate this aspect of her work - to be bold and subtle at the same time. Her work appeals to people who like bold works, others to enjoy the small details, and those who are somewhere in the middle. Overall, her body of work achieves a harmony that I hope I can achieve.
As I add to my new body of work regarding gender gaps in the medical field, I want to highlight a female artist that I would really like to emulate. Nicole Mauser's work is both, visually pleasing and provocative. I especially like the red and yellow one - the way the audience's eyes move from the boldness of the red to the intricacies of the yellow and white on the almost silver background. Like what I am attempting to do, Mauser uses abstraction "to break down distinctions between system and intuition, space and light, abjection and desire". I also want to pay close attention to her texture and implied texture: "these works do not beg the question why forms begin and exist, but how they will play out." All the works include either acrylic or oil paint or both on canvas.
I have read two articles, Craftivism: The Do-It Yourself Practice Of Protest Design and The Guerrilla Girls Are Still Relevant After All These Years. The two articles that I have read pertain to protest art, but they differ in the populations about which they speak. The first article refers to the “do-it-yourself practice of protest design” made for strikes and protests. For example, it shows a picture of a general strike in Barcelona in 2012 with inflatable cobblestones. While they were made for practical use and were used as barricades, which protected the demonstrators, the large silver cubes also represented the cobblestones, which could be used as weapons in riots.
This article emphasizes object-making because many of the artists practice what they call “craftivism”, which is the act of making things because they have. Carrie Reichardt, the artist of a “Ceramic House of Resistance”, stated “it breaks down barriers”. On the other hand, the second article focuses on posters made by the Guerrilla Girls. This text is about the lack of important females in the art world, which is dominated by men. It refers to the Guerrilla Girls, who promoted feminism throughout the years. Despite the amount of time since they have come into fame, their work is still relevant. While this article is very statistics and data heavy, it is still accessible and relevant. The article also includes a poster called “Token Times” from 1995 which sarcastically explains the “Advantages of being a woman artist”. This piece really brings into light the effect of a predominately male art world and its effect on females trying to make their way into it. After stating the facts, the article goes farther by stating “that everyone in positions of power in the art world bears responsibility for the current state of affairs and can work to improve the situation”. It even goes as far as to give examples of reactions to the Guerrilla Girls’ art, which shows the effectiveness of their strategy. “Art is not entertainment. Art is not luxury goods. Art is culture. It is you and me.” - Paige Bradley "My definition of success is to be a visionary through truthful and courageous artwork, work that communicates what it feels like to be alive in the world today." Paige Bradley's work conveys the things she learned from her life's journey. The piece to the left is about how two people are connected, but also independent. To the right, are two entwined figures who are at home no matter where they are. Each of Bradley's works are meaningful and send a strong message to the viewer. Additionally, they are beautifully sculpted and showcase her excellent craftsmanship. I would love to be able to make art that looks so ethereal.
“The very seeing of beauty is an art. It is from this source that I am beginning to gain a deeper inspiration and am forever humbled." - Mike Fields Since I am learning about sculpture at school, I figured I should explore artists who work with the media. That's when I found Mike Fields's work. His work is unreal and look like it is from another world, or at least from the set of a movie about another world. After researching him, I learned that he started his craft young, under his father, Chester Fields. Fields is determined to make art greater than his previous piece, so each of his sculptures can take anywhere from 500 to 2000 hours to complete! He is dedicated to his work and continuously tries to reinvent himself or convey his message in different ways. I looked through many of his sculptures and found a few that I especially liked. I really appreciate the way his work is neat and has a professional and sophisticated look to it. At first, I thought it was computer-generated!
I recently visited the VMFA where I saw a new exhibit: Van Gogh, Manet, and Matisse: The Art of the Flower. According to the exhibit's description, it was exploring the "infusion of new spirit and meaning into the traditional genre of floral still-life painting in 19th century France, even as the advent of modernism was radically transforming the art world." After reading the excerpt and looking over the paintings, I realized that I could relate. The artists were trying to rework and transform a type of art that had been present for ages, and which people saw everywhere. Despite all the genres of art these artists could have explored, they tries to revive something that was quickly losing popularity. The pieces of art shown in the exhibit were, to say the least, amazing. And, it was easy to see how the artists were able to adapt a traditional subject into a more modern way of painting.
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AuthorI am a junior taking Art IV at Maggie Walker High School. Archives
March 2017
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