I have chosen to look into this chalk drawing based off Picasso’s work within my contemporary project. The piece is 210mm x 297mm, a smaller image then most other works in my sketch book. Due to the scale of the canvas the complexity of the distinctive lines and shapes are small. However if I was to expand the scale the detail would increase also.

A likely effect of the un-normal features, such as the eyes touching and the cheeks swirling into the face would help the viewer to confused and feel uncomfortable. It would help to take away the classic view upon the human face, which I have been looking to do within my project. By increasing the scale it would help to develop a stronger statement. The colours would be more pronounced, vibrant and amplified.

If the proportion of this piece was to enlarge I would have to think about adding extra shades of purple, green, blue and red to help keep the face seem malformed yet eerie. It would also display both sides of the face as being further apart, as the left is filled in with cold complexion, compared to the right side with a warm feel.

Although I would try my best to keep the image as similar as possible to the original. The unfamiliar look upon the figures face would be further exaggerated as the image grows.

When looking back at the progress I have made throughout the blog I have realised that knowledge and skill on written work and artist research has grown. The blog has helped me to explore various modes of practice and look further into the history and making of different movements; the transformation of art itself.

It has also helped me in learning the value of the ‘strategic approached’. By learning more about different artists, political views and theories it has helped me work develop into more personal pieces based upon world wide issues, such as racism. The blog has taught me how to assimilate the history of art better, and developed the ways in which I place it into my own work.

I found that ‘Task 7’ was by far the most challenging; to compare two texts by Richard Serra and Leo Steinberg. Reading and interpreting what the two artists were trying to say hard due to the vocabulary used throughout. Furthermore I struggled to summarise the texts because they were both based of two different practices within art. Although I do find the history of the transformation interesting.

Overall I found that although some tasks were difficult, they forced myself to be push forward in my own pathway. It helped to summarise reflections, lectures and critics. It is beneficial in the sense of learning more about art movements and developing understanding of the concepts behind each artist/ art movements work and their influences.

‘Woman in blue and purple’ Martina Shapiro.

Expressionist and Abstract portrait of a women, coloured with purple, violet, blue, turquoise, green and many intense colours. The figure has an intense and direct look towards the viewer with an interesting, almost blank expression on her face. While looking at the model Shapiro wants the viewer to find an aspect of them. By using rich, deep, bright and bold contrasts of fauve colours She believes that her art and all art is like “doorway to your soul”. She creates her pieces using multiple layers of acrylic paints. The colours within her paintings are rich and vibrant and there are loud aspects of many different colours that photos, themselves, cannot fully capture. The choice of colour depends upon the intensity of the light that illuminates the painting. Throughout the day different parts hues and tones of the painting are emphasised, depending on how the light hits the image.

I feel that Shapiro’s work questions what have we have developed our minds, to see things in one-way, “the right way”. We have a distinct idea of how the human face should be/ look and where the colours and shades are placed. Research has found that we find figures and shapes more physically appealing when they are symmetrical. By using unusual shapes/ colours within her paintings, Shapiro distorts figures to make them feel and seem more abstract, something, which may make the viewer feel uncomfortable to look at.

http://www.martinashapiro.com/about-martina-shapiro-artist.html

https://0901.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/046/6ea/womaninblueandpurple.jpg

Appropriation means the deliberate rework of pre-existing objects or images, with little transformation applied.

I chose to use Irving Penn’s photography of Lisa Fonassgrives, ‘From the Bygone’. His Images show a sense of simple and serious. He isolates the models and raises them to photographic perfection. His work is neat, smooth and elegant. Penn shows beauty within women with flawless skin with a strong and fierce look.

My idea was to take his photo and layer colourful collage over the top. Taking away the serious feel and replace it with a new meaning of beauty. Fun and excitement, showing no perfection, yet there is still beauty seen between the different shapes and colours. This helps to take away the idea of beauty being found only within the flawless.

By taking someone like Lisa Fonassgrives, I was able to almost abuse the iconic. Cutting out and drawing cartoon cigarettes and smoke, strong eyebrow designs and big lips, out of bold purples, yellows and oranges. I chose to use bold colours to one, make the drawings stand out strong and distort the images, to help ‘appropriate it’ in my perspective. The second reason was to take away the black and white that makes Penn’s images look so formal. The idea was to take away he edge and bring back the fun, while still showing natural beauty and style that the model has.

 https://fromthebygone.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/1953lisabypenn.jpg

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=definition+appropriation+art&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0u_a8kLTXAhWpBcAKHT9xCMEQBQgmKAA&biw=930&bih=753

Leo Steinberg, ‘From Other Criteria’, Published in 1972 relates to modernist work to changed continuum. The text explores and underlines the changes in viewing art in a typical indoor art gallery environment. The picture plan, referring to the physical surface of a painting, is seen as horizontal, rather than placing the work in an upright positing (vertical situation), this linking the work closer to the ‘human posture’. Although the text contains artist references throughout, which, as described, have influenced this particular movement in art, Steinberg’s text main focus lies upon the quotes of Jasper John, and the work of Robert Rauschenberg. Rauschenberg’s work is described as,

“Pictorial surface that would let the world in again”, “Abstract Expressionism” and referenced as, “The man who in his century has invented the most since Picasso”.

Richard Serra, ‘From the Yale Lecture’, written in 1990 focuses strongly upon the use, definitive and differences of site-specific and site-orientated. It also includes his opinions about modernist sculpture, and how the work is made to be site-orientated, which are built upon environmental components. His describes the work as,

“Giving the illusion of being autonomous from their surroundings”.

Serra talks about his interest in site-specific sculpture, and his idea that site-specific sculpture is a concept that can be verified within each case. The sculpture itself is its own evidence/backup. He describes it as “nothing to do with opinion or belief”.He suggests that there is something unique about the different type of sculptures made within the outside environment compared to sculptures made within the studio. With this he firmly states that a piece made within a studio cannot be made to be adjusted to a certain site.Serra then finishes the text by outlining his opinion on how corporate-funded sculptures make the artists “puppet creators”.

After looking back and summarizing the two texts it clear that both explore some major changes within art movement. They both cover the use of the way both artist and the public perceive the work within a gallery and the way in which we view public sculptures. Serra explores the use of out outdoor sculpture to move away from the ‘norm’, meaning a flatbed picture frame, spoken about by Steinberg. Similarly they both look into expanding artwork, bringing creations closer to life by making them in the third-dimension. However still linking them towards the way a viewer to perceive a painting. An example from Steinberg’s text is Rauschenberg’s submission of a canvas of square grass that is hung, vertically, from a wall. The square suggests a frame and the grass representing nature. This piece shows movement because it’s displayed in an unpopular way.

Click to access Harrison_Charles_Wood_Paul_eds_Art_in_Theory_1900-1990_An_Anthology_of_Changing_Ideas.pdf

Mode of practice. It offers a way of considering the relations that occur within the process of making and developing a piece of work. Materials and tools are not just objectives to be used ‘instrumentally’; they are used to become one of/ with an artist’s creative intelligence. Their creative intelligence can be shown through the form of design, digital media, performance, music, painting, drawings and more.

My research for an idea of new concepts and methods starts with Jenny Saville. Her subject matter of her work deals with figure. She created work in which created a niche for overweigh and obese women [viii]. Alongside her artwork she reveals the models traumas, and how the rest of world preserves them.

Saville’s approach to painting is achieved with a traditional sense. She uses paintbrushes as her main tool. Her primary media is oil paint, applied onto canvas in a way which the viewer can see the brushstrokes and each colour. This helps to see her attention towards the detail of curves, jagged edges and lines painted of the human figure. I found an organic quality to Saville’s work, which made through the detail.

Saville inspired me to look into a practice that allowed me to depict the human figure of abnormality. Through abnormal brushstrokes, blank spaces and mixed media, including oil paints.

I started the development of practice with a simple outline of a female face, completed in charcoal. This give me a chance to see where I wanted the shading and heavy lines to be placed. It also allows the artist to express the facial features in fine, yet power detail. Giving the image an expressive appeal.

I then began to explore the range of dark tones. Applying dark reds, purples, pinks and browns on top of the darker shaded areas. Each brushstroke I made sure was clear and large, following the shape of the face. Then, while staying in the style/ practice of Saville, I added lighter shades of yellow, brown pinks and reds to help lift the figure off of the canvas.

The final touch to develop the practice further was adding another layer of charcoal. This increased the depth of shade between the figures hand and face, and also helped to outline to hair and define the facial features stronger.

In Particular this piece of artwork stood out for me, not just as an individual, but it did come (as it looked) in a pair. This piece was created by an artist called Pietro Calvi and titled, A Black Queen. 1881. Bronze, bust with white marble sculpture.

When looking at sculpture through an image,you can’t depict the sculpture’s texture or detail truly. In person, the sculpture seems to stand proud, yet sad when looking into the eyes. There is strong detail lining of the hair, crown and cape; as well as fine placement of rule jewels placed around the females neck. The black figure is prominently shown by the white of her clothes. Her ethnicity is pushed towards the foreground, which reminded me strongly of Kerry James Marshall’s work.

The sculpture Calvi studied at the Milan Academy was taught by Seleceroni Hid first creations were sculptures of Ophelia, and then moved on to specialize in coloured sculpture. This means the use of bronze and coloured marble. The bust is an example of this technique of marble and bronze. The work also stood out to me because in relation to the rest of the exhibition on Merton’s collection, Calvi’s piece rebelled against just looking into white power, and classic landscape scenes. His work wasn’t just a white bust, or a full nude female figure. It showed power and strength through contrast and detail.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Fortunato_Calvi

The latest exhibition I went to see was in Bournemouth. It is placed inside a private home, owned by extensive travelers, Sir Merton. Russel-Cotes and his wife, Lady. Annie.

The collection of art was built up over the years of this Victorian couple’s life, and assembles around 50 works, ranging from paintings, sculptures and interior  design. The building itself was one of the last Victorian manor houses built.

When walking through the building I found myself loving the history. Taking a true appreciation towards post-modern and conceptual art. All artwork displayed brought together the notable collection of modern works of Art in the south part of England, Merton treated his collecting as a ‘dynamic entry’.

While collecting art, I found, that his interests had changed. For the early part, first section of the gallery, there were solid paintings; while walking further through I found myself looking into sculpture work and interior design, placed in the centre of a room.

Although his collection was distinctive and very personal, Merton’s choice of subject was of the typical taste of middle-class Victorian art. He was shown to admire high art, and favoured work that from his perspective, shown/ affirmed his beliefs. His taste were often conservative, they did not extend to the arm of Impressionism or abstract.

Home – Welcome to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

Created by Barkley L. Hendricks, titled Family Jules: NNN (NO Naked Niggahs). [2.i]

It is a large-scale oil painting on linen, showing a black man, naked apart from a pair of dark round glasses, smoking a hash pipe upon velvet like white sofa. Lying on the left hand side of the sofa lays a printed shirt, in which the print shows a white woman, her face looking towards the male figure. Behind the sofa, a wall decorated with ornate Moroccan tiles. The figures right leg is bent, resting his foot on top of the white sofa, as his other leg stretches out onto the rug below, leaving his left foot cut out of the image. The composition of the image also crops out his outstretched left hand, as well as his left foot. The model is shown looking towards to viewer, with his head slightly tilted to the right, and back. Hendricks has also captured and painting the light reflection within the models glasses.

The use of the white women, printed onto the shirt, looking towards the black figure is one of the subtlest features, in my opinion, of the painting. It complicated the racial and sexual politics both the viewer and the artist portray when looking into the work. I also believe that this piece of work shows beauty of a male figure, as well as his other paintings which show beauty of the human figure itself, painted with care, and strong focus on the materiality of paint, and his exploration of the skin.

During 1960-1970’s, many artists around the period turned African art into idealised images of black figures. Meanwhile Hendricks portraits portrayed black as being beautiful. They stood out/apart from the other artworks displaying cultural representation. Hendricks painting, Family Jules: NNN (NO Naked Niggahs) not only confronts the tendencies to ‘Africanize’ or idealizing black figures, it also stretches upon the reluctance of artists to represent naked subjects, black subjects. His work shows strong atheistic of the nude, and contains realism and abstraction. He explores the work of the black figure as something beautiful, things in everyday life we look past as a whole.

This painting is one of a small series, consisting of four paintings that Hendricks had made, including another model George Jules Taylor. Hendricks pays strong attention towards his title; his choices are based upon how it will represent African American nudes, and how the public will receive them. In doing so Hendricks directly tackles the accepted notion of hyper sexualized black figures that, still to this day, continues to be consumed and codified around the world. His response to these actions,

“If this is what you expect, then this is what I am going to give you”. (Hendricks, 2008,)

 http://www.tate.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/fig.1hendricksfamilyjulesnnn1974web.jpg

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hendricks-family-jules-nnn-no-   naked-niggahs-l02979

http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/in-focus/family-jules/hendricks-today