Analysis of Artwork - Essay Example

? Pictures Analysis of Artwork The Dressing Table The first picture is by Massimo Campigli. This picture is of a woman who is stringing beads together. This is a portrait that almost resembles the paintings that were done in the Southwest United States by individuals such as Frida Kahlo, but, at the same time, it shows the influence of Pablo Picasso. This is because this painting is almost cubist – it shows the human body by using geometric shapes. For instance, her shoulders are squared, and her head is also slightly squared. Her nose is very pointed, and there are other aspects of her body that resemble that of Picasso. It also resembles more of a Southwest United States portrait because of its subject – a woman who is stringing beads. The braid on the woman also resembles a woman who would be living in this area of the United States during this period of time. What is also striking about this woman is that she is sexualized. This painting was painted in 1924, and perhaps the mores during this time in Europe was looser than in other places, especially the United States, but the nipple on this woman is almost dominating in the picture. But this is the only part of the picture that shows her to be a sexualized being, so it is striking that this part of the painting was so prominent. It is almost as if one is not supposed to take their eyes off of the woman's nipple. Beyond this, the colors and the lighting are extraordinary. The shadows and the light on the face show her features, and the same kind of light and shadows are on her hair that play up the dominant part in her hair. Her braids are also tinged with the same sort of light and shadows, all the way down. Her skin on her arms show the same. The shadows and the light are used to great effect to delineate and highlight what the painter wants us to see. The painting also does not necessarily reflect the realist movement. It is painted in broad brushstrokes that are not visible, and the features of the woman are almost in caricature. Her nose is pointed, more pointed than probably the actual woman had. This is not a picture of a woman as she really looks, but, rather, it is a picture of the woman as the painter wanted to portray her. It is a bit cubist, as noted above, but mostly reflects the southwest art movement that was prominent during this period of time. The geometric forms of this painting are not just in the way that the woman is portrayed, although these geometric forms are subtle, more subtle than a typical cubist painter, but also in other parts of the picture. This includes the stairs, which show sharp geometric patterns, and the wall behind her, that shows the same sorts of geometric patterns. There also is a certain sense of solidity in the form. This is not necessarily a fluid form, but one that is almost sculptural in the way that the form is portrayed. She is engaged in work, in that she is working with her beads, yet, this is not necessarily portrayed in this painting. It is as if she was captured perfectly still. This was a hallmark of this particular painter, especially during this period of time, as he was working with poses that were more stylized and solid, as opposed to fluid. Adrian Piper – Vote/Emote This next piece of art is an interesting mix between a Marcel Duchamp sort of Readymade and photography. Duchamp, with his Readymade art used everyday objects and displayed them as art. For instance, he might bring in a bicycle wheel and call it art, or a toilet. In this case, the Readymades would be the window boxes. These are everyday objects that would be found in a home, and they are presented as works of art. The light boxes are silk-screened, which gives the photographs behind them more of the feel of a painting. Yet, beyond the windows themselves, are clearly other works of art that resemble paintings and photographs. Behind one of the windows is clearly the black protest marches of the 1960s civil rights movement. It shows the African Americans marching on Washington, with a sign that says “Civil Rights, Full Employment.” The other photographs are similar – one shows a close up of a black girl, while another of the panels shows more protestors. Therefore, it becomes clear that these are not just supposed to represent windows, but also voting boxes. It is interesting the way that these voting boxes are set up, however. If not for the subject of the photographs behind these windows, and the fact that the artwork is called “vote, emote,” then the meaning of the partitions might be somewhat ambiguous. One does not usually see voting booths with windows. But one does not usually see windows which are partitioned in quite this manner. The subject of the artwork is in keeping with the sensibilities of the artist herself. She was interested in the topics of race, class and gender, and she was the first African American woman to gain tenure at Wellesley. But she left the United States in 2008 to live in Berlin, after she was put on a suspicious traveler's list. This installation shows these sensibilities, as well as shows her sensibilities regarding racial identities. That is, the identity of the black American is perfectly shown in these three panels. The struggle to vote was something that defined the black identity through much of the 20th Century, and the right to vote was very much tied in with overall Civil Rights for black Americans as well. This was the central part of the black identity during the time that these pictures were taken. What is striking is that these pictures probably were not taken by Adrian Piper herself – these pictures appear to predate when Piper was composing her art. After all, she was only born in 1948, and these pictures appear to be from the early days of the Civil Rights movement. Therefore, it can be assumed that Piper did not actually take these pictures herself. Yet, she used them in her exhibit without really giving credit to the original photographer of these prints. While I am not sure exactly what this suggests, it is an interesting fact. Alex Kanevsky – JFH 10 Times This is an interesting portrait. This is of five women who are wearing blue dresses. What is interesting about this is that the women's dresses almost look like blue water, and this effect is magnetized by the fact that there is a reflection of the women in the panel below. This is like water, and it almost hearkens back to a Salvador Dali painting, in particular the painting that showed the elephants and the swans reflections, although this is different from that, in that the reflections of the women are virtually the same as the actual women in the painting. This painting has a fluidity to it that was not seen in the earlier painting above, with the woman with the beads. The brush strokes and the counterstrokes are clearly visible, and this gives the painting an almost impressionistic quality to it. The painting was clearly not supposed to be representative or realistic in its way. The women in the painting appear to not be having a good time, either, as they are almost all scowling in some manner. At first glance, it is almost difficult to tell where the women are supposed to be. For instance, there is the impression, at first glance, that these women are meeting at some kind of spa or swimming pool – this is because their blue dresses form an almost water-like visage. As if they are synchronized swimmers. But, upon closer inspection, they also could very well be posing in ball gowns. The painting is ambiguous that way. This ambiguity gives the painting a sense of mystery about what the artist meant to convey with this – is there supposed to be water, or are the women, in true impressionistic form, actually supposed to be in their formal wear? The blue on the women does not resemble bathing suits, but, clearly, there is an interpretation that they are supposed to be surrounded by water. This ambiguity in form is accomplished through the use of the severe brushstrokes and counter-brushstrokes, but also through the use of contrast and lighting. The women's alabaster skin is contrasted with the blue of the dresses/water, and the blue of the water has light and dark hues that give the painting the overall sense of mystery as to what it really supposed to be about. This painting is therefore difficult to interpret, and this probably exactly what the artist intended with it. Barbara Balfour – Living and Dying This painting, this work of art, is less ambiguous than the one above it. It seeks to show the contrast between living and dying, while also showing how these two concepts are interconnected as well. This is a lithograph, which is something that this particular artist was known for, and the cursive writing of this lithograph is something that is kind of like letter writing. The letters are very small, and there is a line of light going through the middle of it. The words are also in different colors. What is probably being meant to convey in this lithograph is that living and dying are closely related, yet there is also a gulf, a chasm between them, and this is represented in the white line that goes through the middle of the artwork. Artpark – University of Buffalo This is a divergent panoply of artwork that is typical of the artpark project. This is a project that started in 1974, as conceptual artists from around the country and probably the entire world descended upon Niagara Gorge in Lewiston, NY. The sculptures and the art was considered to be post-minimalist or earth art. The description of these different works of art is that they were as diverse as the artists who created them. On the left side of the photograph is a iron pyramid that is made up of iron slats. This is possibly representative of an Egyptian pyramid, or it could simply be the artists' rendition of a geometric shape. In other words, it does not necessarily have to be representative of Egypt at all. This is just the first impression of this form. Also, kn the middle of the room, seems to be what looks like an enormous double helix, which is the DNA strands. This is what this looks like from afar. But, if one gets closer up the image, one see that it is made of intricate patterns and items that could be considered individually. For instance, there is what appears to a bicycle wheel in there. Also, there seems to be things that look like snakes. A face is in there as well. It is difficult to tell what all is in this sculpture simply by looking at the photograph, but these are some of the things that do stand out. Also in this panoply of art forms are a couple of plasma screens. It is difficult to tell what these plasma screens are broadcasting, however. But this shows a new medium for the artist as well – the artist is no longer limited to just sculpture or painting or readymades. They can also display their artistry on the screen. On the walls are what looks like photographs of geometric patterns. This seems to be one of the themes of this particular collage of different pieces of art – geometry. One can even see geometry in the double helix in the middle of the room – there is a triangle on top, and, throughout the double helix that goes down the middle, there are other geometric forms. The pyramid on the right is also an example of the use of geometric shapes. On the tables it looks like Chinese Checkers, although this could be just what it looks like at first glance. There is the possibility that these are not Chinese Checkers at all, but something else. There is also something that is vaguely resembling a vase – it is black and vase-shaped, and has little white dots all over it. In all, what this menage of art work suggests is that art is something that is representative of something else, in that it can be made to resemble something else entirely. The sculpture in the middle looks like a double helix, but isn't; the sculpture on the table resembles a vase, but isn't; the pyramid-shaped sculpture resembles a pyramid, but isn't; and the games on the table look like Chinese Checkers, but probably are not. References Dee, Elizabeth. “Adrian Piper.” Art in America, 11 January 2012. Chadwick, Dolby. “Alex Kanevsky.” Art in America, 11 January 2012. YYZ Artists' Outlet. “Barbara Balfour.” Art in America, 11 January 2012. University at Buffalo Art Galleries. “Artpark: 1974-1984.” Art in America, 11 January 2012. Read More