28th of April 2016
Leo Villareal is offering a futuristic work devoted to a concept of the connectedness of humanity with the possibility to redefine space, as we have known it before. Luminescent cords that are in fact light strips interconnect his two concentrically positioned shapes. Having fixed our gaze on the lights and not turning away, we start to feel the sensation of movement (Northrup and Hart 134). The pulsing light makes us go deeper and deeper into our sub consciousness The description says that it was intended to be as a sort of VR simulator module getting people into thinking of actual movement. To think of it, the shape, material and the pulsing lights have enabled the author to reach this effect. Only you have to be close up to feel the whole effect (Northrup and Hart 136).
Leo Villareal’s innovative artwork is among many innovations that influence our perception of space. To speak of VR modules like Oculus, Sony or Samsung, these gadgets fool our brain into thinking we are experiencing the actions that are shown on the screen (Northrup and Hart 136). However, they are just prototypes of the actual things that will still be developed and then humanity will plunge into the abyss of VR and start living a second life – a digital one –, which will not resemble The Sims, but be more like the Japanese anime Sword Art Online.
The two works chosen to become part of the collection are Kehinde Wiley’s The Honourable Augustus Keppel and Louise Nevelson’s The Unknown. The first is a rather brave representation of a historic painting, however in a new manner. The author used the services of people off the streets to model in the pose they found interesting in a history book on art (Wiley and Golden 16). This painting captures the attention due to the contrast of colors. In the middle we see an African-American male fully covered in floral patterns of olden days wallpapers that seems either reddish or orange. The golden frame the painting is in adds to the impression that I am holding a piece of art of the 18th century if it were not for the model in the forefront of the painting (Wiley and Golden 136). The main message of the painter is for us to redefine and rethink about the roles young black males play in our society and culture.
Louise Nevelson, on the other hand is captivating in her own original way. Her positioning of the scrap pieces she found on the streets, just as she used to after World War II, is simply spectacular The pieces are beautifully arranged and composed to show the magic of the author (Nevelson, Rapaport and Danto 201). The full covering with black paint though has somewhat hidden the identity of the objects, but then again it has made the shape to stand out and shine. What is important is that her style of presentation has made it look 3-D, something I have never seen before (Nevelson, Rapaport and Danto 204). These re the reasons, these pieces of art will be a valuable contribution to my collection.
It should not be so hard to compare an Impressionist with a Landscapist. However, in order to do this we need to determine the technique and style each of them used, also considering the main elements the authors paid attention to.
The impressionist technique in Childe Hassam, Early Morning Calm, is characterized by short, thick strokes of paint that the artist used to achieve the effect of the presence of the image object rather than drawing details. Child Hassam arranged the colors next to each other with a minimum mixing to create the effect of vibration in the air, just as it appears in the eyes of the observer (Callen 45). What is more important is that like the impressionist tradition, he avoided the use of the black color. Some grays and other dark colors he achieved by mixing others. It is evident that in the process of painting, the layers of fresh paint are superimposed on each other. The artist did not wait for the previous layer to dry up completely (Callen 45). Most importantly, though, is that Child Hassam has enhanced the painting with natural light. He devoted a lot of time and focus to the reflection of one object over another.
In the description of the paintings by Albert Bierstadt, just like his the Scene in Yosemite Valley, special importance is dedicated to an accurate representation of the background, the game of light (chiaroscuro), shadows and mid-tones (Albala 25). Landscape executed in oil has a certain texture. A similar effect, by means of applying individual finger strokes is observed in the bottom left-hand corner. Equally successful may be the use of contrasting colors. Which is observed on the right side of the painting (Albala 21). However, that is not all. The work of Bierstadt are multi-layered. His multi-layer painting, retains largely the work principle of "a la prima”. The layer started over on the wet surface cannot be completed over the still raw pigmented layer and is continued in some areas or the entire surface of the canvas after the previous layer has dried up (Albala 28).
In her work, Joan Mitchell has shown her vision of nature that fully complies with her abstract expressionism vision. It is rather difficult to discuss such a piece of art, however her fast and somewhat rigid strokes and splashes are showing her somewhat distorted vision of nature. In such art everyone finds something for himself. However the situation with the classical Chinese painting Mountains of Solitude by a 17th century artists Lan Shen depict a bush setting in front of a mountain (a common idea of a painting in China in those days). The picture is highly detailed. However, of greatest importance is the piece located in the forefront of the painting, whereas all the rest is relatively unimportant.
PART V
Of great interest is the carved wooden splashboard that men from the Trobriand Island attached to their canoes as a sort of a talisman they believed brought luck in trade. The ornaments and specific coloring of black, red and white were believed to be able to somehow influence those with whom a trade was set up, thus limiting their thinking and turning their minds to shore.
PART VI
This abstract expressionist piece by Elmer Bischof is one of the pieces I do not like very much. The use of dark tones and their contrast with the light does not seem to be harmonius. The interplay of colors is absent. The author seems to be separating the canvas into two parts. Most importantly, is that it is impossible to even assume what the author wanted to say. In the middle of the painting, there is a sharp object denoting either a spear, or a tree, or it can even be a depiction of a woman. I do understand that this is an abstract piece; however, all abstract expressionists had a clear idea of what they were painting. Elmer Bischoff does not seem to have one, or at least it is incomprehensible to the public. What is more frustrating is that there is no name to the painting. The author preferred to leave it untitled.
Works Cited
Albala, Mitchell. Landscape painting: essential concepts and techniques for plein air and studio practice. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 2009. Print.
Callen, Anthea. Techniques of the Impressionists. London: Greenwich Editions, 2004. Print.
Nevelson, Louise, Brooke K. Rapaport, and Arthur C. Danto. The sculpture of Louise Nevelson : constructing a legend. New York New Haven: Under the auspices of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America Yale University Press, 2007. Print.
Northrup, JoAnne, and Sara Hart. Leo Villareal. Ostfildern, Germany: Hatje Cantz, 2010. Print.
Wiley, Kehinde, and Thelma Golden. Kehinde Wiley. New York: Rizzoli, 2012. Print.
