The video from the PBS series, Art in the Twenty-First Century segment that I watched was Laylah Ali (“Power,” 2005). The original episode was entitled “Power” and after seeing her work it was easy to understand why she was chosen for that episode as her work was very powerful. The video began with a discussion of the influences on her work, including cartoons. It is true her work is flat and two-dimensional but this did not stop the images from communicating strong messages.
Some interesting things about her paintings were the relationships between the figures (she called them “characters”) within the picture, the strong images of violence she sometimes used, and the influence of her childhood experiences like hating dodge ball. In some ways her paintings were like those of Keith Haring, an artist who was famous for the image of a cartoonish, crawling baby with radiating lines coming from it (“Baby,” 2013). Despite the similarities, Ali’s drawings were much more detailed and complex than Haring’s.
A very interesting part of the video was when Ali collaborated with a choreographer to produce moving versions of her paintings in a dance piece. Ali’s highly detailed approach continued even when working with the dancers. While watching clips of the finished dance, the style of her paintings was definitely there, something that might not work with all artists. A key insight by the artist was when Ali talked about her personal need for control over her work, but the fact that even while trying to control every aspect of her paintings, the results still surprised her. I liked Ali’s art for its strength and simplicity and all the different messages very similar looking figures can say.
Works Cited
“Power.” Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 3., Segment: Laylah Ali. 16 September 2005. Web. 27 July 2013.
“Baby.” The Keith Haring Foundation. 2013. Web. 27 July 2013.
