Thursday, September 29, 2011

Hombres Pintados No.1 by Monica Castillo


I chose this picture because I found it very weird that the artist chose to just take a picture of a closed eye, and not even show the rest of the person's face. She was very interested in "exploring the self-portrait in various media." She claims that "working with live bodies is part of [her] intent to reflect on [her] personal relationship with painting." By taking a picture of the closed eye, she is revealing "everything and nothing of the subject at the same time." I think what this means is that the close up allows you to see the all of the details on her face around her eye, however, at the same time her eye is closed, so you really aren't seeing that much of her. I found this very interesting and different.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Shany by Rineke Dijkstra

This photo was taken by Rineke Dijkstra. This picture caught my attention because it had an interesting background to it. This girl named Shany had just been enlisted into the military service and had been there for 18 months. The picture taken right before this one had a very different look to her expression and appearance. She was a young tomboy with a big smile on her face. This picture portrays a different side to Shany. This shows a girl that has matured and transformed herself over the military induction process, wearing a form fitted black t- shirt and almost giving the appearance of a mug shot. This shows Shanys transofrmation from "innocence to experience". So, moreover, this picture portrays the changes young people go through as they transform from young civilian teens into young adult military fighters.
Oil, colouring pencil, household gloss and collage with timber structure, mixed media and lightbox structure
The artist began this portrait of J. K. Rowling in early 2004, when he paid several visits to the writer's Scottish home. Pearson Wright observed his subject, made sketches, sometimes while the author was at work, and took photographs for reference. Rowling is seated at a table, suggestive of the setting where the author famously wrote her first novel and where she occasionally still writes. The narrative brings attention to Rowling's public and private self both as a writer, who has made an enormous impact on children's imaginations the world over, and as a mother - the eggs represent her own three children.

rupert murdoch



This is called "Rupert Murdoch" by Jonathan Yeo. The main reason I chose this painting is because I have heard of Rupert Murdoch before but I don't know why I have heard of him. I wasn't sure why he was famous so I looked him up and learned who he was. But also this painting is pretty cool, it's really detailed by a little cartoonish and I thought that seemed really cool.

Alexander and Eun Ju



I chose this painting because it is very contrasting. The side that the man is standing on has more light than that of the woman's. Both sides are quite different. The woman's side illustrates a more spiritual, religious typed lifestyle where as the man's side has a tie and books which shows a lifestyle that involves work. The man has no shirt on where as the woman is fully clothed. The man has a tattoo which looks to be the language of the woman and the woman is wearing a tie which is ultimately apart of a man's wardrobe. How they share eachother's style represents that they are connected in some way despite of the extreme differences in their culture and lifestlye. The holding of hands further proves the point that they "meet in the middle" among their different lifestyles. If you look closely you can see that the book's on the man's side are of korean decent. The small statures in the background and shoes also look of korean decent. This raises questions as to if the woman is the dominant person in the relationship since there is more of her culture than his assuming that he is not korean. I also found it interesting that you can't see the womans feet but you can see the man's. They are also looking in opposite directions which may be symbolic of them seeing the world differently.

Rupert Murdoch



Jonathan Yeo's "Rupert Murdoch" is Oil on canvas. I chose this paiting because I thought there was a nice contrast in the viewer's expression and his eyes. Yeo created such a depth with this portrait using the eyes of the subject. The eyes are so meaningful but the expression is just a half-smirk. It is a beautiful interpretation of how meaningful the eyes of the subject can be when trying to portray someone. The photo is also very realistic.


This is the image The Prince of Wales with Sons Prince William and Prince Harry. It was a photograph taken by Mario Testino and 2004. He is known for making the famous look more glamorous and more stunning. I like this picture because it makes the royals look like normal everyday people. They show an interaction between all of them of just happiness and everyday life. It really makes me think that they can just be normal and live like everyone else. I also like the fact that the picture is in the moment and they are not places in one position. It makes it look like they are more average because of that. The fact that you cant see Harry's face and William is cheesing very hard makes me smile because it looks like that are having fun with their father.

Head of Jake



The portraits that Frank Auerbach paints are of his family members and friends. This painting is his son Jake. Auerbach is known for his heavy application of paint an desire to rework a painting. The thick paint reveals the movement of Auerbach's brush and palette knife.

Luc Tuyman Portrait


This is called Portrait by Luc Tuyman, done is 2000. This portrait stands out to me because it is very different. The most distinct thing is the glasses, and her face and hair kind of blend with the background. It's almost like she's a ghost. 

Star:Karisma Kapoor, 2000 color

Catherine Yass is an English Artist who is noted for her brightly colored photographs which present images both positive and negative. Many of which are mounted on light boxes. Yass became particuarly conscious of the indian film industry while living in London's multi cultural East end. She traveled to Mumbai to make this series, which depicts of India's most popular film stars, along with four photographs of cinema interiors. As seen here her portraits employ a bright and varied color scheme, intensified by her use of light boxes. This portrait is a Ilfochrome transparency, light box. Viewing the light boxes as a form of sculpture, Yass says, "light boxes also have internal space, like the space inside us". This particular portrait is of Karisma Kapoor, a member of India cinema's Kapoor clan, which reflects the expansive color repertoire of most Bollywood films. Yass's portraits exist somewhere between reality and dreams, like the fictional world of Bollywood. I chose this portrait because of the bright colors which really stood out to me. The woman in the portrait seems expressionless in this bright surrounding. True to her work it seems like there is a line between reality and dreams in this portrait.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Zwelethu Mthethwa




"Sugar Cane Series: Untitled" (2003): Mtheltha is a artist best known for his work in African Photography. He portrays rural South African workers in their every day habitat. This artist's work is appreciated for its unique beauty, but also for the sense of dignity it captures in its subject matter. Mthethwa also paints and believes that through painting and photography one can become politically aware of the struggle for these workers. Their wore work close and well-used tools of their trade are juxtaposed against a serene backdrop of greenery. In a word, these pictures are powerful.

Bettina von Zwehl

#5 from the series 'Alina', 2004. While her residency at the Royal College of Music in London, von Zwehl made this series of twelve photographs. Although maybe this photograph itself may not look very interesting, the process at which this photograph was taken, I thought, seemed to be extremely so. While playing a piece of music by the Estonian composer, Arvo Part named 'Fur Alina', von Zwehl's subjects sat in a darkened room. She then activated flashlights at unexpected moments, capturing her subjects at random moments of contemplation. In the photograph, there is nothing to distract the viewer from what is being captured, that being the person's expression... what they are feeling. The background is a blank white, as well as what the subject is wearing. This portrait captures this girl in a calm state, reflecting whatever it is she feels from listening to the music being played.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Mario Testino's "The Prince of Wales with sons Prince William and Prince Harry", 2004


This photograph depicts Prince Charles and his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, in a jovial and light hearted atmosphere. Mario Testino, the photographer, has done a lot of photos for the royal family and this photo is a great representation of the Prince of Wales and his sons. Testino's work has been on the several covers of Vogue magazine and he is known for taking very glamorous photos of celebrities. Some say his photos bring out the absolute best in people and he can make anyone seem more beautiful. I think this photo seems very real and makes the royal family seem extremely personable and down-to-earth. I like how it's in black and white and the three princes seem to be wearing the same outfits. I think it really shows a great side to them and makes them relate to people all around the world.

"Head #11" by Philip-Lorca diCorcia 2000


This portrait appealed to me because this security guard looks very sad and miserable. The portrait is dark and gloomy and it makes me wonder what this man just experienced. Did he just witness something scary- such as a gruesome crime scene? Did he just get threatened with his life from a robber? Or does he just hate his job? There are a lot of questions with no obvious answers as to what just happened or what this man is thinking. He doesn't have a name tag which also adds to the mystery. This is a print mounted on plexiglas. The artist Philip-Lorca diCorcia did a series of "Heads" all showing a different expression that adds up to a bigger picture with no answer.

"Joan and John" by Eric Fischl 2001-2


I chose this picture because it seemed very different and unique. The couple standing there are two writers, Joan Didion and John Dunne, that look like they have been married for a long time. The way they are standing is not close to each other and doesn't show signs of affection for one another. She has her arms crossed guarding her heart, and he has his hands in his pockets showing that he is not protective of her insecurities. Their faces are very stern and non emotional. This painting is an oil on linen.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Stuart Pearson Wright made this mixed media creation titled J.K. Rowling in 2005. I originally stopped on this page in the book to look at the proportions of the photo. The lady who happens to be JK Rowling seems so big for the particular room and place setting. She is also placed by the rule of thirds. I choose this because because of who was pictured. It shows JK Rowling as if posed in the cafe where she was first writing Harry Potter. It shows the simplicity of just having the one notepad and wearing a simple dress with no shoes on, since she was very poor when writing the first book. The window also makes her appear as though she is up high with nothing but sky showing. I also like the how the window light makes the center the brightest with and shading darker toward the edges.

Lucas, 2001

Lucas made in 2001 was done by Marc Quinn who liquidized the placenta for his son Lucas and used to make a sculpture of his head. I thought this was interesting because he took something that people don't usually worship and make it into a work of art. It also has more of a deeper meaning and is actually what kept his son alive while he was in his mothers whom. With out the placenta his son Lucas wouldn't be here. Also i think the form of art is interesting because ive never seen this done before. It inspires me to want my art to be different.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Jenny Saville, Reverse, 2002-3

This picture is titled "Reverse" by Jenny Saville, and it is an oil on canvas. I chose this picture because I found it very interesting. The first thing I found interesting was the colors that were used and how dark her lips were, which drew more attention to the surgery that was done, especially with the blood on her teeth. In Reverse, "the flesh becomes like a material", which "allows her work to retain its characteristically raw, emotive style". Saville states that shes sees "it as empowering that [she manages] to use [her] body to make something positive, whether [she likes] it or not." This shows a positive attitude towards a truthful portrayal of the human body and condition. I also found it interesting that you could see the reflection of her face next to her. I think that she ultimately was trying to show how she viewed plastic surgery, and how she could "play out" the contradictions that she felt towards plastic surgery.

Malick Sidibe, Vues de dos

This picture is called Vues de dos by Malick Sidibe. I really enjoyed this picture because it was so unique and different. I love how the artist chose to portray the people he drew as only their back sides. Normally the person is portrayed by their front features and that is why it is so unique. This technique was meant to represent the Muslim traditions that "discourages images of the self" . The picture portrays the patterns and shades of the African culture which makes this very ethnically friendly. This picture lets people internationally appreciate his work and how people are portrayed in different parts of the world.

Johnathan Yeo



I chose this painting done by Johnathan Yeo of Rubert Murdock because i liked the the detail of his wrinkles and how the colors through out the painting all are similar. I also like how its just focused on him and their isn't a background, this makes me really think about the person and his emotions as this painting was being made. I also really like the look in his eyes and smile, it gives you a really warm happy feeling. Overalle, i choice t his paiting because it reminded me of my grandfather and it made me smile. He was also a paiter and wore similar glasses to those worn in the paiting.

Mona Lisa

I chose this painting by Morimura because I thought it was interesting. The portrait itself is actually of Morimura who is dressed up to be the mona lisa. Morimura is famous for posing as many key people and learned about the history of these individuals to create a powerful image. In his personal version of the Mona Lisa, he emphasized the lack of expression in the real Mona Lisa's face well. The dark colors he used and the background are the same as the real Mona Lisa Painting. Morimura's tendancy to pose as various popular figures makes me wonder what his personality is like. All his self-portraits are of him being disguised or portrayed as another human being. I think he is trying to illustrate that there are many components to his own personality. It may even mean that he only feels comfortable in his own skin when he is being portrayed as someone else.

Red Studies

these types of picture feature people known to Goodwin Red Studies, which are an on going series of watercolors that beganin 2004. In each of these paintings, two images of an individual have been superimposed over eachother. Sometimes the difference between the expression and body attitude from one image to the next is slight, other times more extreme. Goodwin explores what is caught between these two moments, what is revealed and implied. i think it is really cool!

he/she



This is called he/she by Tim Noble from 2004 and Sue Foster from 2004. They made the images on the wall by creating shapes out of scrap metal and shined a light on both objects which reflected the images on the wall. This thing is really cool because if you look at the metal it just looks like it has been warped and messed around with but everything is speciffically placed so that the sillhouettes would reflect the images of two people. I thought it was really cool.

Alfred Brendel, 2005

This is a portrait of Alfred Brendel by Tony Bevan. The artist purposely tries to force our eyes into focusing on Alfred's face and only his face. The red lines that appear on Alfred map out his unique facial features. The bold area at the bottom of the portrait serves to intensify the presence of the subject. Overall, this is a memorable piece and it teaches us ways to capture the attention of the viewer.

Piss Christ


Many of Serrano's works include bodily fluids. Most famous of these is "Piss Christ", a photograph of a palstic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist's own urine. This caused great controversy. The artist said the although his work was not intended to denounce religion, it alludes to a percieved commericalizing of Christian icons in comtemporary culture.
This is Kate Moss by Chuck Close. After last weeks post of just her face I thought it was very cool that you were able to see all of her flaws on her face, after only really ever seeing her in magazines flawless. This whole entire photo session of her was a little weird to look up and find. I wasn't sure if being asked to post this was serious or not, so I did it because it sounded serious. I think it is weirdly interesting that Chuck Close wanted to do a photo shoot of her whole body and that she was comfortable with it. It shows that even though shes a beauty icon that she wants to show her whole body to maybe show that she is not flawless and even someone like her has flaws and is not perfect. I think Chuck Close doing a daguerreoype of her whole body really does set a statement.

The Richter Family II

Thomas Struth is a German photographer who's wide ranging work includes depictions of detailed cityscapes, Asian Jungles, and family portraits. This portrait is C-print plexi-mounted. Struth's photographs bring into focus more detail than the naked eye can observe. In this picture for example one can wonder why the family looks so sad or serious it can go either way. They seem expressionless. That is one of the reasons I chose this portrait it makes you think. They also seem to blend in with the background. It is open to your interpretation of why this family seems to look this way. This portrait of the Richter family is typical of Struth's family portraits.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

He/She Tim Noble and Sue Webster

This image is titled He/She and was created in 2004 by Tim Noble and Sue Webster. It is made from welded metal that has a light projector shown on it to create the two silhouettes. I choose this because I thought it was really interesting. Seeing the piles of scrap metal I would never guess that it would create that type of image. The rounded parts especially are really cool since when looking at the metal it all looks so straight and jagged. You can not only appreciate the sculpturing of the metal but also the images it created.

Gillian Wearing "Self-Portrait at Three years old", 2004


Wearing's photograph depicts herself at the age of three. What is amazing about this photograph is she is wearing a mask of her younger self and if you look closely you can see her adult eyes. Wearing is also known for photographing everyday people holding signs that tell of their emotions. One can tell that Wearing enjoys capturing the the deep and inner thoughts of a person and finding out what they are really thinking. "Self-Portrait at Three years old" is a a different take on a self-portrait because she is looking back on her younger self with the eyes of her present self. The viewer would not be able to tell she is wearing a mask, unless you look closely at the eye holes. I believe Wearing did this to show the viewer that the photograph is somewhat of an illusion. This photo struck me as very unique and well thought out. I think having the photo in black and white also added a nostalgic aspect to it and it would not have been as powerful if it was in color.



Monday, September 19, 2011

Zoe (2003-4) by Jason Brooks

This week I chose Jason Brooks's piece, Zoe (2003-4). when I saw this work it grabbed my attention, not just because of the body art displayed by the portrait's subject, but because of how realistic and detailed it is. I assumed, because of the level of detail, that it was a photograph, but as the text describes, this portrait is only based off a photograph (it's used as a reference). Brooks airbrushes his portraits and uses various other tools to create the texture of hair and skin (including a dentists drill). I'm not sure why I imagined it like this, but it is almost as if he is tattooing this piece of art just as the subject has been tattooed in real life. regardless of his methods, this portrait is definitely among the most engaging portraits I have seen in which the subject isn't displaying much emotion. I find this portrait beautiful : ).

Ed Harris


This photograph was taken by Sam Taylor-Wood for the series of "Crying Men". The idea behind this photograph is to show a completely different, almost unknown side of a leading, masculine actor. This same type of photograph was taken of twelve other leading actors to portray their hidden, emotional side. I, myself enjoy this photograph because it is something that we rarely see from a dominating actor. Ed Harris is also one of my favorite actors and to see him as he is in this picture seems personal in a way.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Rupert Murdock, 2004

I chose this painting by Jonathan Yeo because i feel it shows a lot of detail in Ruper Murdoch's face. This painting is very neutral in coloring but still has a huge impact. The face is very detailed with the wrinkles and shading in the face. The eyes of Rupert Murdoch look deep and soft and have a sense of relaxation to them making the person in the painting look very approachable.
This is a self portrait of the artist Gillian Wearing at age three. It is in Digital C-print. I chose it because I thought it was odd that the artist photographs herself wearing a prosthetic mask of her own face at the age of three. You can tell the artist is wearing a mask because of her eyes. Her true eyes are the only things showing through the mask. She sometimes dresses up as members of her family or herself at different ages. I think this is actually kind of creepy.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Jesse and Robert, Mystic Lake, Medford, MA, 2003


I chose this picture to write about because I found it very interesting. My opinion of this picture is that the two boys are brothers who are playing in the water and seem very calm and relaxed. What I noticed was that Grannan didn't use a lot of color in her picture, which seems odd because when I picture kids in the water I picture a bright, sunny day. Instead, the picture is very dark and cloudy. Katy Grannan photographs unknown Americans, whose portraits "are often raw and unsettling, made with a leap of faith, a combination of trust, intimacy, and role-playing."

Shirley by Gary Schneider

This picture is called Shirley and was made  by Gary Schneider in 2001. This portrait really intised me and took my attention as soon as I saw it. There are not many pictures that can be captured the way he captured this woman. He not only drew this picture but incorporated the camera into one of the tools he used. He would one by one take a picture of each part of the persons face and then transofrm it onto one sheet of film. Not only is this portrait very real and natural looking he made a huge spin on it. He used a very long exposure time and allowed the light to capture through her glasses and make a very unique effect. I loved the look of the picture and even the color he captured of the woman's rosy cheeks and bright red lipstick. He also would take these pictures in a dark room with a flashlight to add the mystical light effect.The light in her glasses almost look as of they were swirls of white smoke which makes it even more interesting.  One thing he was very known for was these portraits not only told a  story about the people in them but they told a story about the artist as well.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

This is called "Michael Jackson" and it was done by Maggi Hambling in 2004. I like this painting because I like how she painted his legs seperate from his body to make it look like hes dancing.

Boy Scout John Schneider


Andres Serrano spent three years creating a series of photographs of Americans, after the September 11 attacks. He wanted to represent every different aspect of the American people. Serrano chose this little boy with rosy cheeks and a pure smile to show his innocence and pride towards his country. I chose this painting because it stood out to me. My godson just signed up for boy scouts and this boy reminded me of him.

"Luing (Tony)"


This portrait done by Elizabeth Peyton stands out to me right away because of the red lips. This portrait is supposed to be of a male named Tony, but everything about the portrait looks feminine. He has red lips, skinny hairless hands, thin eyebrows, and a feminine facial structure. Also the thick lines in the rope stand out to me as well. But I like all the colors used in this portrait it is very bright & beauitful.

"From Zero to Hero", 2002 by the Singh Twins:Amrit and Rabindra

This portrait automatically called out to me because of David Beckham. This painting is a portrait of his family with Victoria Beckham showing leg and cleavage on a throne. The Singh twins are British Indians who fuse both cultures together in their paintings. I find this picture amazing because of the daring clothes that they allowed Victoria Beckham to be in, these clothes are not allowed in Indian culture. And as you can see the Beckhams are being lifted on a pile of gossip magazines, and being served by Soccer Players and Fashion Designers, again a stray from the norm of the Indian Culture. Which praises religious and political figures. The many hidden but obvious messages fuse the Indian beliefs into a modern view of how people today view celebrities as Gods or hierarchy.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

This picture is called Kate Moss by Chuck Close in 2003. It is a Daguerreotype. The daguerreotype shows a very detailed representation and that is why this what is called in the book a paradox of perception. I picked this picture for that reason. It is because we are so use to seeing Kate Moss as a perfect skinned beautiful fashion icon. In this picture it shows every flaw on her face and the roughness of skin and her many freckles. It makes her look like she is just another average girl like the rest of us instead of just a perfect picture of the icon like in a magazine. I also like how she looks like she is popping out of the background and the importance of the picture is on her face. I think it is very beautiful because it does show all of her flaws.
Tai-Shan Schierenberg's Seamus Heaney (2004).
I chose this portrait for this week's blog primarily because I like the style of painting and the way the flesh tones and background were treated by the artist. Tai-Shan Schierenberg, award winning artist, is noted and commissioned for painting portraits of royal figures and figures of importance. The subject of this portrait, Seamus Heaney, is a prominent literary figure in London. Yet despite his status in the literary community and Schierenberg chooses to capture a natural and very detailed portrayal instead of a more 'prestigious' or 'grandiose' type of style (had I not typed Seamus Heaney into my handy search engine I would not have thought he was an award winning scholar by appearance). I think by keeping the background so light and neutral in color he is able to achieve a nice contrast between Seamus's face and clothing and really gives the subject dimension and depth. The brush strokes that are evident even on the glossy page of the text give the flesh and the clothing in this painting a great texture. After having read the brief description of the process by which this artist brings his works to life, it is clear that his method for retaining the details he sees in person, and translating them into his works, is an effective one.

Jungle Queen 1

Jungle Queen I was created by Hew Locke in 2003. It is made from wood and cardboard base, glue, and mixed media (pom-poms, feather trim, beads toys, etc.). This image was influenced by the artist intrigue in the royal family and Queen Elizabeth II and growing up in Guyana. I choose this artwork because it was so intriguing with so much to look at even though it is just a picture. I cant imagine seeing it in person with it standing about 9ft tall. There are so many things that you are unable to see from just looking at the picture and it's described by the book as not only being a portrait but also an ecosystem. Some things that you can't see include toy soldiers sniping at each other and the animals within. I like how he used so many different things making a jungle scene while also managing to also make it into a picture.

Hew Locke Jungle Queen I, 2003

Hew Locke is a sculptor and contemporary British visual artist based in london. Locke uses a wide range of media, including painting, drawing, photography, relief, fabric, sculpture and casting, and makes extensive use of found objects and collage. Recurrent themes and imagery include visual expressions of power, trophies, globalization, movement of peoples, the creation of cultures, ships and boats, and packaging. This is all very clear in this sculpture as it contains cardboard, glue, mixed media, pom-poms, feather trim, toys beads, etc. It is very elaborate which is why it stuck out to me. Locke grew up in Guyana where he was surrounded by images of Queen Elizabeth II he said "My feelings about the royals are deeply ambivalent, I am fascinated by the survival of the institution". The title is fitting and Locke's sense of the royal family comes through along with power from all the colors and textures he used. This is a perfect representation of Locke and his work.

Monday, September 12, 2011

"Thomas Ades" by Philip Hale 2002


This is a portrait of "Thomas Ades," by Philip Hale created in 2002. I chose this piece as soon as I saw it mainly because I was bothered by it. The way Ades poses is unique and unconventional because of how odd his fingers and feet are positioned. I can’t help but think that this guy has no control over his body. The glass of water sitting close to the edge of the translucent table kept teasing me every moment I stared at it. I kept visualizing in my head of the glass falling off the table and shattering all over the floor. I couldn’t even read this man's facial expression. Is he sad? Is he tired? Who knows... but for the most part, this painting looks extremely realistic. At first, I thought it was an actual photograph of Thomas Ades, but it turns out to be an “oil on canvas” painting.

Thanksgiving


I am not sure why I chose this painting initially. I thought it was odd with the raw turkey and the wilting flowers. I also thought it was odd that two girls have exaggerated expressions while one is gloomy. You usually think of Thanksgiving as a joyous event, but this painting is dark and not colorful at all. The candles in the chandelier are not even lit. This is a beautiful painting though. It is interesting that all three of the women in the painting are representing Currin's wife.

'Hand-shaped earring', 2001

This picture is called 'Hand-shaped earring' and was created by Morimura. I chose this particular picture because I think it captures the personality of Frida Kahlo well. Frida Kahlo painted with various bright colors which made her work unique. The background of this picture is dull and it seems that much of the bright colors used in the picture are focused on Frida Kahlo herself. I think this is purposely done to emphasize Frida Kahlo's use of colors through her own work. The use of color along with the thorn necklace around her throat is symbolic of the passion and pain she experienced throughout her life.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Willie Doherty's "Non-Specific Threat V (Nauseating Barbarity)", 2003


Willie Doherty's portrait illustrates the darker side of a person and shows an ominous setting that draws the viewer in. This photograph does not give much information, which leaves a lot up to the viewer to interpret. Doherty does not give any indication of who the man is or what he represents, leaving the viewer to make his or her own judgements. The background of the picture is an alley, which to most signifies a threatening situation. The subject used, which most would say is a stereotype of a "skinhead", can also be seen as rather intimidating. The darkness around the man's eyes can be very unsettling and adds to the heightened sense of danger. Most of Doherty's work represents the troubles in Northern Ireland and to me, this photograph is a clear interpretation of these sinister and violent times. I think Doherty was really able to capture the "bad guy" persona and influence viewers to see the subject this way without giving much information. I believe it is a great depiction of the everyday sense of intimidation and threat that exists amongst us.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Jorge, from Pictures of Magazines, 2003

I chose Jorge, from 'Pictures of Magazines' by Vik Muniz because of how it looks. At first glance it looks like an awesome single piece of work but when you really look at it in detail you see that it is all hole punched magazines put together. The art piece convey's a sense of mystery to me. The collage pieces of paper can give the art piece a slightly different look each time that someone see's it. At one glance i see a man who is blank and is unemotional but when i looked at it a bit longer i see a slight smile. To me I think Vik Muniz was showing a musician who was creating a song in his head. The cut magazine words in the background could mean how much inspiration he had or how jumbled all his thoughts were.
Overall a great piece of art work.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Face 9 by Peter Kennard/

The portrait I have chosen is called Face 9 by Peter Kennard created in 2002. When flipping through the art textbook this picture defintely captured my attention and pulled me in. It is not one of your normal everyday portraits. This is very unique and different in that it shows you a mans face, but does not express many significant details. The face seems to be shown within a cloudy background and below the nose has very suddle, back and white details. This image the way it is portrayed seems to "cry out something that is incommunicable. It expresses how important language is as well as freedom of speech and how within minutes can be taken away from us. The eyes closed tightly shut proclaims the need for freedom and liberty. The man in this picture is shown almost as if he is pleading for justice or as if he is scared of the unknown.This also shows the affect the military can have on people , especially in certain areas of the world.