This week while reading chapter 2 the vocabulary really helped me in understanding what I was looking for while trying to decode the artwork we were exploring. From Art 1A I began to understand form and content, but no offense to Professor Pacansky-Brock..I didn't really focus or understand the work I was looking at. I think because there was so much going on that semester. But knowing the form of representation was a huge change for me. At times I would look at a non-objective image and believe it was abstract. Being able to understand exactly what kind of artwork the artist is creating helps in being able to interpret and create my own analysis. Along with understanding what the artist is trying to convey. There was a lot to chew in this lecture but I think that I was able to understand everything and how it is related to art. The images that were provided in the lecture and throughout the chapter probably did the best job at explaining what I was reading and how it was all related. Plus I think I bugged the teacher with enough emails to last her a lifetime. Seriously between this class and my anatomy class I can only think in anatomical terms and artistic terms!!!! MY BRAIN IS IN A FRYING PAN at the moment.
But at least for the moment when I look at a work of art I will be able to remember the literal terms that are related to art...and not anatomy I hope. Or I can just mix them together, "The linking of the digits in the iconographic artwork done by Jan van Eyck, 'The Arnolfini Marriage' is a representation of........!" OR "the placement of the womans brachium during this era might lead us to suspect that the content found is....!" I think I found my right mixture of mojo there!
But the one image that stood out in my mind in this chapter would have to be by Lorna Simpson, She. For me her use of language along with body language and photographs was a good mixture. Exploring what this artwork could mean was fun, once I knew some more vocabulary. To me this image represents an aspect of women's rights, a way for her to take a stand and say that women are just as good as a men, in all categories. This isn't that old of an image, but it was still in a time when women were finding their place in certain areas of business and in the world...women fighting to make a stand against the stereotypes held before them. I honestly can't express how much I love her use of body language in these images, "manly". I just find it so intriguing!
3 comments:
I liked Lorna Simpson's "She" as well. Thinking about Ron Mueck's sculptures, body language adds a lot to the mood of the image. How the form stands, sits, hand gestures, etc. Did you notice that "She" is smiling in three of the photos, but is frowning in the one on the far right? I thought that was really interesting. There is a lot you can decode in that.
I agree the vocabulary helped so much this week. The terms were explained very well and I was able to easily use them to analyze all the pieces of artwork. Your Blog looks great. keep up the good work.
I noticed something else about the "frowning" image. It is the only one where she is sitting like a woman- cross legged and hands delicately placed. Not only is this a more feminine position, but she is blocking and almost hiding her womany private parts. Where as in the other three images where she is smiling she is sitting in a more masculine fashion- legs apart and hands drawing attention to her private parts. Perhaps the artist is saying that as a woman she should be ashamed and embarrassed for trying to pursue a "male dominated" career like business. As a man she is smiling and her body language is more confident. But as a woman she is sad and defensive about her sex. As if to say that in order to be successful in the business world (which is represented by her smiling), she must take on the characteristics and mannerisms of a man. If in the business world she takes on the characteristics of a woman (represented by crossed legs) she will be unsuccessful (represented by her not smiling).
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