Some Close Ups From My End Of Year Show. Suspended Heart, Lino Prints And Embroidery
Some close ups from my end of year show. Suspended heart, lino prints and embroidery
More Posts from Soniartem and Others
Some sketchbook pages for my pathway project, ‘A distance forms around our bodies’
My main piece for the project ‘A distance forms around our bodies. Inspired by Hasegawa Tohaku’s misty forests and Charity Henderson’s blurred faces. It is oil on canvas and I stitched a veil on top of the painting to give a sense if mystery and distance inspired by Monet’s painting of his dead wife Camile and the veiled busts of the 19th century.
My own photos for my Pathway project which were inspired by Charity Henderson’s work. She paints portraits in neutral tones and blurres them out slightly at the edges creating a smudged effect. Some parts of her portraits are in focus and some are completely blurred. I experimented with putting plastic bags in front of the face to made some white highlights and putting tracing paper on the face to smudge features
Painting workshop. Here are some photos of how I created the canvas and started painting. It has been amazing and very useful learning how to create my own canvas and I am loving painting on it.
Installation art and Roman Ondak
Roman Ondak, ‘Event Horizon’ - installation art, 2016-17
Roman Ondak (1966) is a contemporary Slovak artist who grew up under the communist regime (1948-89), this experience is reflected in much of his work. He explores alternate political possibilities and questions the failure of the communist regime in his pieces. His exhibition, ‘The Source Of Art Is In The Life Of A People’ was exhibited in the South London Gallery in 2016-17. The centrepiece of the exhibition was ‘Event Horizon’ which uses an 100 year old oak tree sourced from the area around Žilina in Slovakia where Roman Ondak is originally from. The oak tree is split into 100 separate discs and on each of these discs is a certain event in history which Ondak has chosen. The exhibition lasted for 100 days and on each day, the consecutive disc was put up onto the wall until all of them were up on display.
The first disc of the oak tree which was put on the wall represented the year 1917 and Ondak has chosen the Russian revolution to be the main event in that year. The events are printed onto the wood in which its natural qualities like cracks and the grain are still visible. This gives a more organic and textured feel to the installation.
The title of the Installation is particularly interesting, it is called ‘Event Horizon’ which is the boundary around a black hole from which no radiation or matter can escape. It is called the event horizon because it is at that point of a black hole where space and time begin to change and distort. This scientific title may reflect the efforts of the Communist Regime to encourage atheism across its states and promote science and technology. Ondak has used this idea of a liminal zone around a black hole to convey a certain meaning in his work. History is something that we can not change, and in Ondak’s installation he is simply stating facts about the past. The past can not be changed however calling the piece ‘Event Horizon’ ,referring to the state in which history can be altered, may reveal Ondak’s own desire to change it. This juxtaposes and contrasts with the heavy, old and historic oak tree which is not malleable and can not be distorted. Perhaps highlighting some oppression he may have experienced when growing up under the regime.
The use of the oak tree which is specifically from his region in Slovakia symbolises Ondak’s roots and his own history and how it is a part of him. The oak tree symbolises knowledge and resistance which reflects one of the overarching meanings of the installation, passing knowledge down to other generations so that they too may learn about the past which is a fact and can not be changed.
Sources:
http://thisistomorrow.info/articles/roman-ondak-the-source-of-art-is-in-the-life-of-a-people
https://www.estherschipper.com/artists/61-roman-ondak/works/14255/#:~:text=Event%20Horizon%20is%20a%20sculptural,exhibited%20aligned%20in%20a%20row.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/event-horizon
https://www.southlondongallery.org/exhibitions/roman-ondak-the-source-of-art-is-in-the-life-of-a-people/
Multiculturalism and prejudice, Elizabeth Catlett
Elizabeth Catlett, ‘I have always worked hard in America’, Lino cut 1946, printed 1989
The linocut ‘I have always worked hard in America’ presents three women all undertaking the same chore but all at different stages. The image seems to be in a house and the three women appear to be maids showing how hard African-American women worked in America.
Elizabeth Catlett was an artist who tackled themes of feminism, racism and prejudice and the African-American experience in the 20th century in America in her work which is mainly lino and woodcuts. Her work reflects the experience of African-American women and was inspired by her own experiences, black history in America and the experiences of three of her Grandparents who were slaves. She once said; "(My) purpose is to present black people in their beauty and dignity for ourselves and others to understand and enjoy and to exhibit my work where black people can visit and find art to which they can relate."
After graduating in Fine Art in Iowa, she won a fellowship which allowed her to join the most important printmaking workshop in Mexico, the Tower Grafica Popular. In this workshop artists tackled social issues such as fascism and literacy through prints. There, Catlett made a set of 15 linocuts called ‘The Negro Woman’ in 1946-47. The print, ‘I have always worked hard in America’ particularly stands out. The three women seem to be doing the same chore in a repetitive manner. They all look the identical and are completing the same task which I think hints at the racist notions toward black women in America throughout the 20th century, treating them like the same person, and the fact that the only work that women could find was domestic housework. The hand of the woman in the foreground is large, it is not in proportion at all with her body. Catlett did this for expressive purposes but I also think that it could be signifying that African-American women were overworked. The fact that the hand is in such awkward positions may indicate the women feeling exhausted and drained. Furthermore, it is so noticeable that the women look very similar, they could almost be the same person. Catlett could be showing one woman at different stages of her work, implying the repetitive nature of the work of the women and the never-ending nature of their situation, highlighting the exhaustion of African-American women in the US.
This print may also reflect on Catlett’s own life experiences as she was arrested in 1949. This was due to her own activism and because of the fact that some of the members of her printing workshop were members of the Communist Party. She was banned from entering the United States and was labelled an ‘undesirable alien’ by her home country. In 1962, she renounced her American citizenship and became a Mexican citizen. This makes me wonder if her piece ‘I have always worked hard in America’ challenges her exile from America. The print was created long before she was banned from entering the country however in a way, I think it is relevant to her own life and may have reflected her feelings toward her circumstance.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI5o3cqrBb0
https://renee-phillips.com/famous-black-artists-who-confronted-racism-and-inequality/
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2000.95
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai3/segregation/text5/catlettnegrowoman.pdf
Female identity and Frida Kahlo.
Frida Kahlo , ‘Las Dos Fridas’ (The Two Fridas) , Oil on Canvas, 1939 (1.73 m x 1.73 m)
Frida Kahlo is seen as a feminist icon and great artist all over the world. Her painting ‘The Two Fridas’, is one of many paintings that explores her identity as a female. Kahlo often includes the notion of gender in her work, exploring her femininity as well as masculinity and her Mexican and European genetics, with her Father being European and Mother Mexican. These factors shaped her work in a unique way which she expressed through the medium of painting.
‘The Two Frida’s’ depicts two versions of Frida sitting and holding hands. They both have the same facial expressions and are identical twins however are wearing different things. One Frida wears a modern white wedding dress, which would have been worn in Europe in the 1930’s-40’s with embroidered flowers and delicate lace work around the neck, reflecting her Father’s side. The second Frida wears a traditional Tehuana Zapotec costume from the Oaxaca area of Mexico with vibrant colours which reflects her Mother’s side. There is a stormy sky in the background similar to the stormy skies of El Greco’s work and both Frida’s have an exposed heart connected by an open artery.
‘The Two Fridas’ was painted the year of her divorce with Diego Riviera, with whom she shared a tumultuous relationship. In the same year, in 1939, Frida was also gaining popularity all over the world, exhibiting in New York and Paris. The painting portrays the difficult time of Frida’s divorce but also reveals her identity as a Mexican and European woman at the same time. Kahlo aimed to show her two sides in the painting, the side of her that Diego loved and the one he didn’t.
Traditional Mexican attire became Kahlo’s trademark. She dressed this way to reflect her involvement with the post-revolutionary Mexicanidad movement which fought to redefine Mexican identity and to also reflect her identity as a Mexican Woman. It portrays Frida’s heartbreak and vulnerability, which can be seen through her exposed hearts. Frida said, “(the painting, ‘The Two Fridas’ is a) representation of my loneliness. What I meant to say is I resorted to myself; I sought my own help”. In a time where patriarchy still played a huge role in society, the dependence of women on men was expected and women in art were not taken seriously, Frida did not depend on her husband Diego to become famous. Although her divorce left her feeling broken it is evident that it also led Frida to discovering independence and uncovering more about her female identity. The artery runs from the left hand of the Mexican Frida to the left hand of the European Frida where she tried to stem the flow of blood from the artery. However, with little success as the blood proceeds to flow out and create red flower like shapes mimicking the embroidery on her dress which I think shows how she grew from her experience of divorce. The use of blood is a recurring theme in Frida Kahlo’s paintings, representing family ties, religion and fertility.
Frida had constructed her own identity from her ethnicity, political beliefs and female experience. The painting showed women of the 1940’s that independence was possible, success without a husband was possible. Her traditional outfits in the painting reflect ‘typical’ feminine beauty but with a message of independence, self-discovery as a woman and a fight for social change. Not only does Frida explore her own identity but also the identity of Mexican and European women combined. The artery connects the two continents together like a bridge showing a shared female experience. This can also be seen through the holding of hands between both of the Fridas. The stronger Frida supports the weaker one in her time of need which symbolises solidarity between all women, resilience and empowerment.
References
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/modernity-ap/a/kahlo-the-two-fridas-las-dos-fridas
https://www.openculture.com/2020/03/what-the-iconic-painting-the-two-fridas-actually-tells-us-about-frida-kahlo.html
https://www.fridakahlo.org/the-two-fridas.jsp
https://blog.singulart.com/en/2019/07/23/the-two-fridas-1939-duality-and-surrealism-in-kahlos-famous-portrait/#:~:text=The%20Frida%20to%20the%20right,are%20visible%20over%20their%20clothes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxKR2cHmlPY
https://www.artsandcollections.com/article/frida-kahlo-resilience-pain-and-empowerment/
https://artuk.org/discover/stories/frida-kahlo-embracing-her-masculinity
My final sculptures. Two characters inspired by Baba Jaga and Nastenka from the Russian (1964) film Morozko. They show the juxtaposition between old and young and naïve and wise. They are also inspired by the woodcuts of Kathe Kollwitz with their harsh lines and feeling of movement and expression. I covered a pair in ZIP to create a metalic effect, a pair in copper and left it to oxidise and I painted a pair with acrylic paint and finished them off with gold leaf.
Ethics and art - How considerate does an artist have to be?
Contemporary art seeks to challenge traditional boundaries, almost seeing how far it can go before it crosses the line. It can at times be confusing, confrontational and controversial and can shock or thrill the audience depending on the subject matter. Contemporary art can be anything from an installation to a painting, a performance to a sculptural piece, it can even be a random object that is claimed to be art. As there is no uniformity or formula, the artist can use any medium and can exhibit anything he/she wishes to.
Controversy in the art world has always existed. Even in Caravaggio’s religious works in the 15th century which depicted religious figures in a very realistic manner. One of his most controversial paintings at the time was ‘The Death Of The Virgin’ which depicted The Virgin Mary on her death bed. The controversy was not of the subject matter but more about the way that this biblical scene was painted. The Virgin Mary can be seen with her hand over her slightly bloated stomach and bared ankles which the audience found very upsetting. For these reasons it was rejected by the Chapel of Santa Maria della Scala for which it was commissioned by in Rome. It was also said that the woman that modelled The Virgin Mary for this painting was a common prostitute working in Rome. This brought further distaste to the artwork. Nowadays, it is a revered masterpiece however when painted, it was disputed over. A controversial modern day representation of The Virgin Mary is ‘The Holy Virgin Mary’ by Chris Ofili’. This painting depicts The Virgin Mary surrounded by the backsides of Women from adult magazines, balancing the canvas on two pieces of elephant dung. Ofili stated that it is a ‘hip-hop version (of the figure)’. The painting stands out with its vibrant use of colour, the yellow and purple starkly contrast with each other making the painting quite jarring and bright. Many would not find the artwork offensive at all however at the same this portrayal offended many religious people. It is difficult to please every individual audience member although I think that there is an unspoken responsibility to have mutual respect for the audience and be considerate of groups of the audience that may see your work.
When it comes to exhibiting artwork, ethics are important to consider. This form of ‘moral accountability’ encourages the respect of the audience. However, everyone will have a different opinion and take on the artwork and our life experiences will cause us to interpret art in various ways. At the end of the day, it is up to the artist to decide what to include in their work but some may argue that this doesn’t mean that the artist shouldn’t be held accountable for any content they exhibit. On the other hand, some artworks are intended to be controversial and aim to shock. The series of work 'Plum Grove' by Peter Howson (1994) does just that. This series of paintings, influenced by the break-up of Yugoslavia and the creation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, aims to portray these events in a graphic manner and the effect of the war on the civilians. Howson was the official War Artist for the British contingent of the UN Peace Keeping Force to Bosnia in 1993. As a result, his paintings included rape scenes, violence, and other graphic scenes which he witnessed himself or from eye-witness accounts. His paintings depict people in contorted positions with green and blue skin tones giving a sense of distress and pain. The paintings are quite expressive and have a sense of movement alongside a sense of exaggeration, exaggerating various features of the figures giving a further sense of suffering. The paintings undoubtedly leave the audience feeling uncomfortable. Although this series of work is in a way raising awareness of the events, some may say that censorship is necessary. Audience members who were not victims of the Yugoslavian conflicts or who have never experienced war of any kind can’t relate to the imagery as much as war survivors or people who have witnessed similar events. Although the subject matter is distressing and upsetting, the audience members are all effected in different ways based on their life experiences. The artist can choose whether or not to censor their work or to take ethics into consideration depending on the emotions they wish to stir up.
Appropriation, borrowing or recycling aspects of someone else’s work, plays a big role in contemporary artwork too. For example, in Banksy’s piece, ‘Show me the Monet’ (2005) a framed image of Monet’s painting is visible with orange shopping trolleys and traffic cones in his famous lily pond. I think that it shows the over-commercialisation of Monet’s work and art in general. Nowadays it is easy to see images of artwork online and it’s also common to buy merchandise with various pieces of art printed on. The imperative ‘Show me’ in the title of the piece further emphasises our consumerist society and ever growing demand for instant gratification. All of this has contributed to the devaluation of the artwork. Although the physical painting still costs a fortune, it is accessible on many platforms and is over-marketed so its purpose and meaning have been lost in the process.
I think that when it comes to handling delicate subject matters, it is important to somewhat take the audience into consideration. Some artwork is made for the audience to question and to be shocked by and will affect everyone in a different way but I think that there can be some occasions where a piece of controversial artwork can become disrespectful. Overall, I think that it is the role of the artist to push the boundaries of modern-day society and to adapt when necessary; a sense of mutual respect for all opinions and all views is important. Despite the fact that nowadays, art is created to challenge the audience and express emotion, I think that it’s the role of every artist to know what is appropriate and what isn’t depending on the subject matter they wish to portray.
References
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/howson-plum-grove-t06961
https://artswithanna.com/2018/09/28/ethics-and-arts/
https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/39894/1/that-time-this-chris-ofili-the-holy-virgin-mary-hip-hop-pissed-off-the-art-world
