I was a bit apprehensive going into the gallery I'll admit. I'm not exactly an artist myself and I don't have a lot of background knowledge about these things, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I relaxed after walking a lap around the area, the drawings to me looked simple, just combinations of single lines and pigment. To be completely honest I didn't really know what to make of the nudity. The artist said the figures represent different emotions, which I could understand, but why does one need to be nude to express emotion? Perhaps the nudity was there to emphasize how raw our emotions can be. This was than further emphasized by the lack of frames, each piece in its own right was "raw" as well. Each piece shown displayed these through human form, the fighting figures (Red Series#3) displayed strength, and aggression, while couple #2 to me shows how we console one another when we're grieving or saddened.
I chose to dissect the work "Leaning." This piece utilized charcoal for the drawing with linseed oil over it and then red and blue pigment blown on. the linseed oil creates a drippy effect on both the pigment and the charcoal. I think the linseed with the charcoal also creates some shading in areas, or that could have been done intentionally by the artist with charcoal before the oil was added.
The work "leaning" to me represents a sadness or morning. The figure looks like she has collapsed to the ground, struggling to hold herself up while she is immersed in unbearable sadness. The way the figure is looking down, and the dripping from the linseed oil looks as if she is drenched in her own tears, submersed in her depression and sadness. The tears across her face are red, like blood, to show how severe emotions can cause physical pain. But the painting is hopeful as well, if the figure were to lift her head just a few inches she could rise above the pain and sadness and see past her depression to something better.
No comments:
Post a Comment