Self-Portrait Experiment

 Selfportrait

                                               Marianne von Werefkin

                                                                                                              painting                                         

                                                                         1910

            Staedtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus Kunstbau

 Self-Portrait

                                                              Vincent van Gogh

                                                                    Oil on canvas

                                                                                1889

                                                                    57 x 43.5 cm

                         National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C.

 Self-portrait with Skeleton

                                                                                            Lovis Corinth

                                                                                            Oil on canvas

                                                                                                       1896

                                                                                              66 x 86 cm

                                           Staedtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus Kunstbau

 Self-portrait

                                                                                  Katherine Brown

                                              colored pencil, crayon, marker on paper

                                                                                                   2013

                                                                                            4 x 5.5 in.

I enjoy the bright, bold colors of the first self-portrait above by Marianne von Werefkin.  I like how van Gogh's self-portrait that I selected has wavy, seemingly radiating lines similar to those in some of his other works.  I like the irony of the self-portrait by Lovis Corinth shown above- it shows, presumably, how he looked at the time the painting was done and how he might look after death.

For my self-portrait I used crayon, colored pencil and marker because I am studying to be an elementary school teacher, so these media have been and will continue to be a part of my life.

It took some contemplating to decide what my pose should be and whether anyone else should be in my self-portrait.  I knew I wanted to demonstrate that I love to help others, especially children.  Looking at the works shown above helped me decide that I did want to use color, because I think it communicate liveliness.  They also inspired me to reveal some aspects of my personality.  The one crayon I was using was rubbing off a strange dark pigment, so I had to look for another similar one.  I also found a picture to guide my drawing, since I am not skilled at drawing from memory.

My portrait hopefully reveals my love for children and desire to relate to and help them.

In my drawing, colors help to distinguish shapes.  Simple lines hint at an elementary skill level, a child-like quality.  I wanted the drawing to look like it could have been done by a child.  The two figures are balanced on either side of the center of the work.  There is an implied line created by their glances which meet.  The clasped hands are emphasized as they are in the center.  

I enjoyed attempting to portray my personality and goals in a self-portrait.  I enjoy working with the materials that I used.

My drawing could have been more carefully executed had I had more time.

  

Practicing Working As an Art Critic

     I recently viewed several art exhibition projects.  A few of the titles are With Life, Comes Death, Comics, The Visions Through Faith, Nature of the World, and Nature.  I chose to write an article critiquing Nature by Britten Walker (rather than choosing any of the others) for a few reasons.  First, I am personally interested in art that is related to nature.  Second, I had confidence that I could write about this theme, since it is familiar.  I was not at all confident that I could write on the topic of comics, in contrast.  Third, in perusing these exhibits I found that Nature had some excellent commentary accompanying the works, that would inspire my writings about it.
     In writing an article about this exhibit, as though I was an art critic, I had a few challenges.  I was uncertain of how to organize my thoughts.  I had to experiment with this as I went along.  I wanted to make the exhibit or gallery intriguing to potential viewers in what and how I wrote, so I carefully selected certain descriptions and sought to write in an engaging manner.
     It was a bit uncomfortable to point out the flaws of the exhibit.  I recognized, though, that this information can be helpful both to its creator and potential viewers.  I would appreciate a similar critique of my work for this reason- so I could improve it and learn from others who have more knowledge.
     I would give my completed article an 8 (on a scale of 1 to 10), since it is well done, yet it lacks some of the experience and expertise that a true critic can offer readers.
     This project was enjoyable in that it challenged me to write in a way that I have not, since I had to think primarily about art in doing so and act as an art critic.

Art Criticism

     In the video Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark, from “Films on Demand” I heard firsthand from art critic Clement Greenberg about his work.  He explains that, in his view, the most important component of a critique of a visual artwork is the value judgment of the work.  This judgment is not based on personal beliefs or preferences but simply on the quality of the work.  He does not believe that there are any standards in the visual arts to which new works should be held.  Rather, he believes that if an artwork is perceived as beautiful or creative, for example, then it is worthy of praise.  Art ought only be relevant to be “good.”  He also does not believe that a critic needs to have a lot of knowledge of art history in order to judge a recent work.  He also mentions that good art is made when an artist puts himself fully into his work.

     The video The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture (from “Films on Demand”) has several examples of inappropriate art.  The video gives an overview of the exhibits from the 1900 Paris World Fair.  The fair was divided up into exhibitions representing various countries.  Two of these exhibits, those that represented Algeria and Dahome, used visual art in a way that misrepresented these peoples.  There were photographs of nude men and women in the Dahome exhibit that were supposedly used in a scientific way- certain features of the body were measured in order to determine the intelligence levels of the individuals pictured.  Yet, these photos were very evocative and the subjects did not seem happy to be photographed in this way.  This exhibit also had images of the Dahomans being very violent towards one another.  This was probably meant to foster attitudes in viewers that the French take-over of this region was for the benefit of the Dahomans.  In the Algerian display, belly-dancing  was seen in many images, giving the idea that this practice held greater importance in this country than it did in actuality.

     The first video mentioned helped me to consider how I might go about critiquing the artwork of my peers for the project I am working on.  I will keep cultural relevance in my thinking.  The second video reminded me of the importance of respecting the individuals portrayed in art.

     The first video gave me insights into the ways some art critics think and how they come to their conclusions.  The second taught me that the processes of the creation of artworks and their ultimate uses should be considered when critiquing them.

Acting as a Curator

I just finished a project using Microsoft Powerpoint, where I created an art exhibition entitled Motion & Movement.  I chose this for my theme and title, since methods for demonstrating motion in art is intriguing to me.  I selected and organized 15 works into a logical, enjoyable presentation of varied works of art (including architecture, sculpture, painting, and video).  These artworks exemplify the following: the use of line and other elements and principles of art to give the idea of movement, works that require the movement of viewers for a full appreciation of them, works that document the movements of the artist, historical movements and the movement of time.  I used the ArtLex website, Google, and Bing to locate the works.  I selected the majority of my works from among those referenced in Living with Art, 10th Ed. by Mark Getlein, since I have been studying these and it is important for a curator to be familiar with the works in her exhibit.  This was a valuable exercise as it gave me the opportunity to explore an interest of mine and to think about the artworks I have studied in terms of themes that connect them.

The Work of the Curator

     The following videos from “Films on Demand” all relate to the work of art gallery staff such as curators and directors: The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art, Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach, Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology, An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan.  Below I have briefly described each.

     The first video mentioned above introduces viewers to what has been referred to as “Lowbrow” art or Pop Surrealism.  These artworks might be rejected for display by renowned art galleries due to their subject matter or styles.  They often contain images from pop culture and can have a lot of nudity.  Lowbrow art is designed to appeal to the carnal desires of viewers.  One main purpose for its display in galleries is to attract like-minded people who can enjoy this social scene.  Some Lowbrow art has become very well known and is considered fine art and has been displayed in some well-known art galleries.  Much of it, though, is displayed in small, privately owned galleries since other galleries will not accept it.

     The second video describes the unique approach that the Tate Gallery takes in displaying their art.  The gallery has four main areas, each representing a category such as “landscape.”  This is a very different approach than the traditional one, used by MoMA for example, where art is placed in chronological sequence, according to style.  There have been criticisms of Tate’s approach, such as that this may cause viewers to read more into a work (based on the category it is grouped under) than the artist would have intended.  Yet, that is not necessarily the case.  The video points out that curators seek to organize rooms and works in order to create attention-getting scenes and that art can be enjoyed without a lot of background knowledge about works.

     The third video provides some historical background to the Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.  This act required museums to return bones of Native Americans to their original tribes.  Some scientists were concerned that this would mean a great loss of important resources that could be studied to find cures for disease or information about migration patterns, for example.  Some Native Americans stressed to the museums that they wanted the bones returned immediately.  One tribe, the  Omaha, decided to allow the University of Nebraska to study the bones of their ancestors before returning them for reburial.  The study uncovered some valuable information that the Omaha were grateful to receive.  This video reminds viewers of the dilemmas that can arise in working with artifacts and determining who has the right to do what with them.

     The fourth video provides a behind-the-scenes look at how The Metropolitan, under the direction of Philippe de Montebello, expanded their art collection.  Curators had to present a work before a committee, who would vote on which works should be purchased.

     The first video relates to my creation of an Art Exhibition slideshow in that my project will be an electronic, online “gallery” of sorts, comparable to a small gallery used to display Lowbrow art.  This sort of presentation allows for the public display of art online.  The second video inspired me to come up with creative ways of organizing art in a display.  The third challenged my notions of what art is (photos of items such as bones may offend some).  The fourth video gave me some ideas about criteria for selecting works for my display.  These videos were helpful  and relevant to this project.

      

Cubism and Matisse & Picasso

     Two videos from “Films on Demand,” The Impact of Cubism and Matisse and Picasso, gave me a better understanding of these topics, which is why I chose to watch them.

     The first video analyzes the following works of art from this movement: The Breakfast Table by Juan Gris, Sad Young Man on a Train by Marcel Duchamp, Champ de Mars by Robert Delaunay, Electric Prisms by Sonia Delaunay, An Englishman in Moscow by Kazimir Malevich, and Farewells by Umberto Boccioni.  Juan Gris worked for a time with Picasso, and he incorporated some collage elements into his paintings.  Cubist works often use dull colors (grays, browns, blacks).  Cubism was employed around the time of the World Wars, so the theme of turmoil can sometimes be picked up in these works.  Movement, especially movement over time or in specific spaces, is very important in the relatively few works created by Marcel Duchamp.  Robert Delauney’s work mentioned above allows viewers to experience the Eiffel Tower from a variety of viewpoints simultaneously.  It is described in the video as “dizzying.”  Space is used uniquely in cubist works in that foreground and background can blend into one another.  Sonia Delaunay uses more bright, bold colors in Electric Prisms.  She was considered avant garde.  This particular work seems to be more abstract than cubist since its subject, circular forms of a variety of colors, does not seem to represent anything in life as Cubism does.  Cubism reduces objects to their most basic forms.  The video explains that An Englishman in Moscow uses Cubist style without its content being Cubist.  The reasoning behind the subject matter is very difficult to understand.  Farewells is a good example of the Cubist practice of dissembling and reassembling an image.

     The video Matisse and Picasso describes the lives of both men and their work.  It also explains the relationship that they had.  They were not too far apart in age and created their art around the time of World War II.  They lived in Europe and were both prominent artists.  They shared some interests and subject matter for their works, such as nude women.  In other regards, they were opposites.  Matisse considered himself to be somewhat religious, while Picasso was an atheist.  Matisse kept his works free of the disturbing or troubling, while Picasso included some of these elements.  Matisse used many sitters, whereas Picasso usually did not.  Picasso was a Cubist, while Matisse was a fauvist.  The video states that Picasso created the first collage in 1912 when he used a scrap of cloth as part of an image of a chair.  Sometimes one created a work in response to a work done by the other.   The works of both tend to reduce subject matter to simpler forms.  They spent time visiting one another, especially towards the end of Matisse’s life. 

     Our text, Living with Art, 10^th Ed. by Mark Getlein, introduces Cubism and fauvism.  These videos give a more complete picture of these styles.

Burchfield Penney Art Center Visit

I recently visited several exhibits at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY.  One of these was called Charles E. Burchfield: Oh My Heavens.  It's theme is the work of Burchfield, which focused on outer space.  The space was illuminated by track lights which gave off a soft light.  The walls were primarily used to display the art, and all but one of them was white.  The other wall was a semi-dark purplish gray color.  This space contained a bench in front one one particularly large painting and a couple glass display cases.  The viewer can freely move around this space, which is delineated by some walls and opens into other areas of the art center.  The dark gray wall is what initially captures viewers attention.  It has a painting on it as well as a chalk drawing which is a reproduction of one of Burchfield's drawings (which is hung on the opposite wall).  The artworks are hung on the wall at eye-level, in different colored and styled frames.  This exhibit had not only paintings, drawings, and some chalk and charcoal reproductions of his works, but some of his essays, one quote from him, and a magazine from the time of some of his works.  The art all revolved around the theme that so interested Burchfield- outer space.  The works are described in labels that are located next to them.  This exhibit was relatively small, so the works were fairly close together.   The painting shown below is Untitled (Haloed Moon) by Burchfield, from 1916.  It is watercolor and graphite on paper, and approximately 7" x 11."  The label next to it also has some relevant scientific explanations.  This work has a bright white circle at the bottom right corner.  Around it are circles of soft colors (browns, grays, yellows) as well as some black, which represent the night sky, as it is perceived, surrounding the moon.  This is what the moon may look like in the night sky.  The different rings of color create perceived lines which draw the eye outward from the moon and back towards it.  The black is the color of the darkest value, and it contrasts greatly with the other colors, emphasizing the brightness of the light radiating from the moon.  The subject matter appears two-dimensional.  The entire canvas portrays an area of the sky close to the moon.  Positioning the moon at a corner rather than in the center gives the sense of vastness and continuation of the lighted sky.  The stark black balances the moon on the other side of the painting.  The colors of the rings sometimes fade into one another as if they were moving.  The moon's size indicates that this is a view of it from earth.  This work reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry Night because of the rings of color around a heavenly body; it was painted twenty-seven years after Van Gogh's.  I believe that the artist's intent was in part to express his awe at the beauty of this scene and the wonder of moonlight, which illumines such a vast sky.

The artwork below is entitled My Mother, My Sister and me Talking on the Sofa (1963) by Bridgette Robinson, who was about twenty-two when she drew it.  It is pastel on paper and seems less than 2' x 1.5'.  It depicts three women sitting near each other in a room with pink walls and two small windows, which has some flowers and plants decorating it.  It is not realistic in the sense that it does not use true-to-life proportions, perspectives, or shapes.  The artist uses many bright, bold colors.  The three women are in the foreground and some of their gestures are clearly portrayed.  They are the largest of the subjects, so they are emphasized  Wavy lines give a sense of movement.  Certain portions of the drawing seem three dimensional, while others look two-dimensional.  Space is not clearly defined, and the background seems to push forward due to the wavy lines and bright colors.  The three women are somewhat centered and evenly spaced across the work, giving a sense of balance.    Some colors are repeated and this unifies the work.  This work reminds me of Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in how shapes are used to non-realistically portray women.  The eyes of these women are similar to Picasso's (in the work mentioned), which also hearken back to the eyes of ancient Egyptian art.  The colors of this work remind me of expressionist works such as Matisse's The Joy of Life.  The artists probably uses color to communicate the happiness she feels and the fun she has during conversations like these with her mom and sister on the couch.

     

This drawing is part of an exhibit called Disclosure - Women of the Burchfield Penney Collection.  The theme of this exhibit is women in the world of art.  Mostly works of women artists are featured.  Here again track lights are used, resulting in a soft light.  This space is surrounded by walls, but it also opens into other areas of the art center.  There are a few striking features of this space.  One is a movable wall positioned right at the entrance of the exhibit area, on which is hung a large painting featuring a woman.  Above this painting is the name of the exhibit in large lettering.  This painting welcomes viewers and gives them a sense of what they are about to see.  Another striking design feature is that forming an implied circle in the center of the space are a series of displays.  Most of them are glass display cases with spotlights shining down on them.  One display is on the back of the movable wall mentioned before; it is a quilt made by a female artist.  Under the quilt is a sculpture of sorts by another female artist.  These works that form a circle give the center of this space more interest and functionality.  Otherwise, the rest of the works are hung on the walls.  The walls of this room are a dark medium gray color, and the works hung on the walls have, again, frames of various colors, shapes, and designs that complement the works.  These frames are simple enough to not distract viewers from the artworks themselves.  The display cases are black and white, and all look uniform.  The works in this exhibit include sculptures, paintings, and fiber art.  This space is somewhat large, but it does not require that much movement to view everything.  The works in the center are spaced apart enough to create plenty of space to easily walk around them.  These works have descriptions next to them as well as handwritten responses on papers from visitors to the exhibit. 

A third exhibit I visited was called Illusion/Delusion after the sculpture (shown below) by that name by Ben Perrone from 2009.  This space is larger with higher ceilings which accommodate this work, which is twenty-four feet high.  This exhibit also includes paintings, photographs, display cases with memorabilia and other items, and a video playing on a flat-screen television on the wall.  The walls are a light gray color.  There is a bench facing the large sculpture.  Nothing hinders viewers from walking up to and, in a way, inside of the sculpture or from touching it, since it was originally meant to be touched and moved.  There is quite a lot of space around the sculpture with nothing else in it, which emphasizes the sculpture.  The video that continuously loops and plays as well as a sign on the wall explain more about the sculpture.  It is made of 4300 small, black paper bags which are hung by clear fishing line (I believe).  A spotlight under it shines upward and helps viewers better see the space between each hanging column of bags, although the center of the sculpture is still quite dark.  This sculpture forms an inverted pyramid which is given its shape by implied lines of bags, both rows and columns.  Standing under it and gazing upward provides a different view. The black of the bags contrasts with the white walls behind the sculpture.  This sculpture takes up a lot of space.  It has texture in that the paper bags are crinkled.  It is movable.  It is unified- the bags are strategically hung and there are not many materials used.  The video explains that the bags originally would have each held a piece of paper with the name of one soldier who has died in the Iraq war.  The artist originally intended the bags to be hung in lines that would cover an entryway to a dark room so that visitors to the exhibit would have to push the lines of bags out of their pathway to enter the room.  The bags symbolize lives of real soldiers.  They take up a lot of space, reminding viewers that many have given their lives.

The next two pictures are of another exhibit and reveal the design of its space.

Map of Burchfield Penney

Visiting this art gallery with the primary purpose of analyzing the curators' use of space, architecture, organizational techniques, and display elements was a unique experience.  If I had not specifically been considering these elements of design, I probably would not have noticed or appreciated them nearly as much.  The work of the curator certainly is very important.  He or she exercises a lot of influence over the experience that visitors will have and the perceptions they will come away with.