Artwork Analysis: The Jungle by Wilfredo Lam - Case Study Example

Artwork Analysis The success of any artwork, especially painting, is indebted to the amalgamation of different formal elements within art. Most artists know that apt combination of realism and myth/imagination can elevate an artwork to another level of artistic craftsmanship. One can see that Surrealism and the mixture of Afro-Cuban ethnicity influenced Wilfredo Lam’s artworks in general. Still, he provided ample importance to the issues faced by native population in the consumerist world. Thesis statement: The analysis based on the formal elements of the artwork named as The Jungle, by Wilfredo Lam, painted in the year 1943, proves that formal elements and inculcation of theoretical concepts (say, primitivism) elevates the artwork beyond generic differences. Analysis: formal elements Materials and method (technique) Basically, the artwork is in the form of a painting, based on Gouache (say, opaque method) on canvas. One can easily identify that this method is not different from watercolor, but heavier and denser than water color based paintings. To be specific, opaqueness and depth are amalgamated in the painting (appendix-1). But this method is difficult because appearance of painting is different while painting (wet) and after the completion of the same (dry). Still, the medium makes the painting durable and helps the painter to make use of some unusual surfaces to unleash his/her artistic craftsmanship. Besides, the material (canvas) and technique (Gouache) provides uniqueness to the painting and is outside the limits of traditional painting. In short, the medium contributes to the overall statement or the painter’s objective because the same is durable, flexible, and a little bit difficult to deal with. Composition The basic arrangement of the artwork is extremely complex because the visual elements are interconnected. For instance, the foreground is thickly packed and it suits the density of the middle ground. Besides, the dark background is symbolic of the intrusion of consumerism into the cultural context of Cuba. The key visual elements in the artwork (say, vegetation) are symbolic of the problems created by cash crops (say, sugar cane) on Cuban culture. Besides, the human figures in the artwork are naked, symbolic of the uniqueness and opaqueness of native culture. D. H. Figueredo opines that, “By emphasizing his African roots, the artist is rebelling against a trend in Cuba in which the leading figures of the day boast about their Spanish heritage, negating the African presence on the island” (86). Besides, different shades of black, blue/indigo and green dominate the visual elements. Within this scenario, all the major visual aspects/elements are interconnected and this helps the artwork to be above traditional mode of painting. In addition, the artwork is large in size (239.4 9 cm (length) x 229.9 cm (breadth)) and this proves that the artist aims to project the visual elements. Line One can see that line acts as an element of purpose of the painting that communicates with the viewers. To be specific, the vertical lines create proper balance to the artwork as a whole. Besides, the lines are thin and this adds delicacy and sharpness to the artwork. The lines are closely arranged and this helps the viewers to analyze the artwork as a close-up, not as a painting with proper background. For instance, the artwork’s background is not visible because the same is filled with vertical lines. There are contour lines in the artwork, but it is used to project human figures. So, one can see that the artist provides ample importance to vertical lines in his artwork and this helps the individual viewer to enjoy the same. Color The main colors used in the artwork include: black (say, different shades), green, (different shades) indigo/ blue (different shades), orange and yellow (dark and light shades). One can see that intensely saturated forms of black, green and indigo/blue are used in the artwork. To be specific, the painter makes use of the colors to amplify the expressive quality of the artwork in general. Fewer warm colors are used in the artwork, but cool colors are used to project the basic differences between modernity and primitiveness. Besides, the artist used cool colors side by side to help the viewers to perceive the same without any distraction. As pointed out, cool colors dominate the artwork and help the viewers to interact with the same with ease. Still, the lower part of the artwork is dominated by orange and yellowish green, which is helpful differentiate the lower part from the rest of the artwork. Space In the artwork, the painter tries to create space illusion by overlapping the sugar canes, leaves, and human images. To be specific, the human images are projected in the artwork but space illusion is indebted to the background to an extent. Still, the background images are not blurred to project the human images. Even the leaves are properly arranged to amplify the viewer’s intensity to perceive the artwork as a whole. From a different angle of view, the unusual length of the legs in the artwork is symbolic of the usage of pictorial device, generally known as linear perspective. On the other side, modeling and foreshortening is not used as pictorial devices in the artwork. Besides, the artist provides ample importance to the surface (say, two-dimensional) because his aim was to project the problems faced by the aboriginal groups in Cuba. Light One can easily identify that the living world (including leaves and sugar cane) in the artwork is portrayed in darkness. This provides depth to the artwork as a whole. On the other side, the human figures in the artwork are portrayed in cool colors like orange and yellowish green. This is helpful to project the unusually long legs and hands of the human figures. Besides, the faces are in crescent shape (maybe, masked), symbolic of the privacy of the aboriginal groups. Still, the human figures are projected in light with shade technique, but light never reach the background. One can see that implied light source is not visible, but the individual viewer can imagine that the light source is beyond the artwork. So, the lighting technique is innovative and it helps to project the foreground, but never disfigure the background. Theoretical concept: primitivism Basically, the artwork is linked with primitivism, an important theory related to painting. Besides, the artist attempted to merge Cubist and Surrealist theories with Cuban spirituality. To be specific, the artist was aware that the aboriginal groups in his native place are displayed in front of tourists as art pieces. So, he decided to destroy this false impression that primitive cultural characteristics must be displayed to create pleasure among the tourists. Bernard Smith states, “Here, Lam set out to express the spiritual beliefs of Cubans in such masterpieces as The Jungle (1942-44)” (334). On the other side, the artwork is symbolic of the need to regain the cultural characteristics by disallowing consumerism from entering the realm of aboriginal culture. So, the artist inculcates the idea of primitivism in his artwork and communicates with the viewers in a successful manner. Summing, one can see that the artwork amplifies the scope of surrealism by projecting the human figures in the artwork. Still, the artist cunningly utilizes his artwork to share his unique views on the drastic effect of tourism on aboriginal groups. To be specific, some images in the artwork are symbolic of aggressiveness (scissors) and invasion (sugar canes). On the other side, the artist tries to link the theme with surrealism and primitivism. In short, the artist does not try to exaggerate or focus on certain images, but tries to attract the individual viewer’s attention towards the basic problems faced by aboriginals, disregarding national boundaries and other differences. Works Cited Figueredo, D. H. Latino Chronology: Chronologies of the American Mosaic. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007. Print. Smith, Bernard. Modernisms History: A Study in Twentieth-century Art and Ideas. England: UNSW Press, 1998. Print. Appendices Appendix-1 The Jungle by Wilfredo Lam Available at: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/wilfredo-lams-the-jungle.html Read More