Comparison of Two Masterpiece Works of Last Century - Essay Example

The of Your Manuscript Here: here Unit Lecturer’s Here Compare and contrast "Per Capita" by Jean-Michel Basquiat and "Misguided little unforgivable Hierarchies" by Wangechi Mutu. Jean-Michel Basquiat is an artist who in his own words fought against mindless religion, nowhere politics and bogus politics. His parents, a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother gave him a rich heritage he used in his art. Basquiat began his artistic career quite early in his life. Together with his friend, Al Diaz, they started spray painting in the subways and their Manhattan neighborhood1. Their art, at this young age, comprised of philosophical poems that aimed at enlightening their fellow youth. The use of graffiti greatly influenced his art. In a show sponsored by Colab, he exhibited his art for the first time. His art generated plenty of interest due to his depiction of mixed media influenced by his personal experiences, politics, African American history and pop culture, history. His art focused primarily on the issue of race and strange situation of the African American during the 1980s2. Basquiat incorporated both text and imagery in his art; the imagery juxtaposed text. This art form, according to Basquiat, evoked a more powerful message. Obscurity often characterized his art, because this made people take a closer look at the art. Wangechi Mutu is another artist who is not of American descent. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Wangechi is an artist and sculptor who resides and works in Brooklyn3. Her art has earned her a place among the most acclaimed contemporary artists of the 21st century. Her art, unlike Basquiat’s, comprises of a variety of art forms such as sculpture, installation and video. Her preference for creating collages is the prime reason for her popularity in the art world. She is famous for collages such as the Mylar. Her art describes the female body which she uses together with abstract patterns. Her paintings are full of plant-like and animalistic elements. In her works such as the Hundred Lavish Months of Bushwack, she merges human forms with organic elements4. Her creatures comprise of an integration of human, animal, machine and monster parts. The underlying theme of her art is the role of women in society. Women, according to her, are burdened with the continuation of a culture’s language and nuances. This theme is present in all of her work which emanates from her feministic beliefs. Per Capita was Basquiat’s third painting of 1981. This painting came after his Acque Pericolose which was his first famous work as an artist. The Acque Pericolose depicted an isolated male figure drawn in a rich landscape. Per Capita was different from the Acque Pericolose and shown the transition Basquiat underwent since the Pericolose5. The subject in his art quickly changed from a background of humbled youth to one full of symbolism. The male figure still dominated Basquiat art, but it slowly morphed as he continued painting. The Per Capita painting showed the strength and power Basquiat acquired from his art. It expressed his artistic freedom as he integrated figures, text and backgrounds full of symbolic references. This integration formed a powerful narrative content that defined Basquiat as an artist. The Per Capita painting was Basquiat’s third largest painting of 1981. The painting is about a single male figure strategically placed halfway in city landscape6. The male figure is wearing boxing shorts imprinted with the logo ‘Everlast’. The city has various abstract atmospheric effects which define the background of the Per Capita. The Per Capita was the culmination of several of Basquiat’s paintings showing various cityscapes. These cityscapes were Basquiat’s first studio work. The cityscapes drew their inspiration from the graffiti works he did during his early days as an artist. The Per Capita is rich with iconography of male boxers and it paves the way to Basquiat’s later work in which he depicts male figures in a heroic fashion7. Through this piece, Basquiat discovers the potential of his art work and artistry. He discovered the use of complex layering to integrate text and imagery. Basquiat lived in a time characterized by social and political tensions. The pursuit of political and social commentary was the only way through to know the deeper truths of an individual. The Per Capita did not neglect these themes and his concern over the common people. The radiating halo of the black boxer wielding a burning torch is full of social-political commentary. The boxer, believed to be Cassius Clay, is Basquiat’s hero and role model. The torch alludes to the unity that exists between all people of all ages. Basquiat’s male figure gains purpose and meaning in Per Capita depicting the inherent right every human has to his or her “per capita”. At the top of the painting the Latin words, E Pluribus, part of the famous motto are inscribed. The Latin words derived from the motto “E Pluribus Unum” found in the Great Seal of the United States meaning “out of many, one”8. The motto, in the United States context, illustrates the unification of the first thirteen American colonies. Basquiat further inscribes these colonies and alludes to their citizens’ per capita. There is inequity in the distribution of incomes and emphasizes the gap between the wealthy and poor in these states. In the Per Capita, Basquiat expresses his concern over the common citizens and their income plight. Wangechi Mutu, in contrast to Basquiats art, makes the female figure the centre of her work. In her art form, she tries to give the woman identity in a male driven society. Her work explores beauty, African identity and the stereotyping of African American women. Through the fusion of various media, Wangechi urges viewers of her art to acknowledge the political, social and psychological issues present in society9. Her use of her heroic woman is inspiration as she tackles gender, race and other pressing social issues present in society. Furthermore, she handles the eroticization of the black women in society. The collage Misguided Little Unforgivable Hierarchies is no different in illustrating her heroine. The collage comprises of a woman, a man and monkey each on top of the other. The man in this collage has his head looking up while his mouth is open and does this while crouching. The woman, on the other hand, tries to bend over backwards to meet a man to establish an oral connection10. The monkey in this piece unites the incongruent elements in the art inadvertently causing friction between them. Mutu uses the cubist technique to create depth through the emphasis of flatness. She delicately establishes balance and harmony between the various elements in the collage. Wangechi acknowledges the emotional nature of the collage. She created it in a time when she was angry and frustration about the actions of her adopted country in engaging in the Afghanistan war. The multi-colored background is full of blood stains that she concedes is the effects of relationships full of domestic violence11. A closer look at the woman in this collage shows the abuse she undergoes in the hands of the male figure in the painting. Failure to fulfill her womanly duties is the prime cause of the violence against women. The woman still retains her strength and flexibility despite the violence she receives. This image, according to Mutu, is the true characterization of the African women in the world; they endure and overcome all hurdles in their way. The bending over backwards of the woman also represents the oppression African women experience in society12. The man, despite of his actions against the woman, expects the lady to kiss his lips. The picture captures the challenges women, especially African women, face in society. Wangechi Mutu uses her art to shed light on the oppression of her African sisters and women in society. She aims at empowering women through her colorful artwork13. Both artists are prominent in voicing their concerns about the minority and oppressed. Jean-Michel Basquiat used his art to highlight the plight of the Blacks during the 1980s, while Wangechi Mutu highlights the plight of the African woman in modern society. In their individual paintings, Basquiat uses male figure to display the conceptions of Blacks during his time while Mutu utilizes a heroine figure to highlight the plight of women in society. These paintings, the Per Capita and the Misguided Little Unforgivable Hierarchies define both artists. They threw both artists into the limelight and gave them the necessary platform to showcase their beliefs, ideals and talents. Read More