Appropriation: “The deliberate reworking of images and styles from earlier, well-known works of art.”

I wanted to combine this task with the work I am currently exploring so I chose to appropriate an image from an artist I am researching into at the moment. I chose the piece ‘Journey’ by Qu Leilei, his piece is ink on paper, size 150 x 91 cm. I chose this piece because of its subject of hands, something I have always been interested in and tried to incorporate into my own work somehow. I re-created the piece in my own style with Biro on A5 paper. I used the original piece as a reference for my own drawing in regards to the shadows and tones. I chose this medium because when it comes to my own work, I tend to draw hands in this way. I enjoy the freeness of the ‘squiggly’ lines as well as the way they layer to create the tones. It takes some inspiration from Henry Moore and his ‘The Artist’s Hand” collection. I always try to capture the same emotions in my drawings, the same way Moore wanted in his own work. This free but controlled line expression adds some kind of roughness to the work, that isn’t necessarily in Leilei’s original piece as that one looks smooth and defined.

Bibliography

LEILEI, Q. 2013. Journey [photograph] – Accessed 25th November 2017

In this extract ‘The Flatbed Picture Press’ taken from his book of essays called ‘Other Criteria’, Leo Steinberg mainly focuses on and discusses the idea of the ‘flatbed picture plane’; ‘the horizontal bed on which a horizontal painting surface rests. Steinberg explains that the way artists conventionally hang their work in art history, usually corresponds with the way the human body stands. “The top of the picture corresponds to where we hold our heads aloft; while its lower edge gravitates to where we place our feet.” This theory is apparent throughout artwork from Renaissance painters to the works of Picasso, Rothko and Pollock. Steinberg goes on to discuss Robert Rauschenberg and heavily focuses on how in the 1950s he began to challenge this ‘norm’. His work no longer followed this ‘head-to-toe’ correspondence but instead created a new approach. I believe Steinberg wanted more artists to be like Rauschenberg and challenge this norm of the ‘flatbed picture plane’ and ‘head-to-foot’ theory. “What I have in mind is the psychic address of the image, it’s special mode of imaginative confrontation, and I tend to regard the tilt of the picture plane from vertical to horizontal as expressive of the most radical shift in the subject matter of art, the shift from nature to culture’. This is why I think he is focusing so heavily on Rauschenberg, as he thinks out of the box and is perhaps the first to ignite this idea of being controversial and creating a non-conventional approach to projects. This is evident his Rauschenberg’s participant in the ‘nature in art’ project, where he presented a square patch of grass hung on the wall.

“My decision early on to, build site-specific works in steel took me out of the traditional studio”. In his Yale Lecture, Richard Serra discusses his site-specific approach to work, explained as creating something influenced by and fitting with the space it will be presented in. He believes that sculptures should be built within that space and not built then altered after moving. Serra then goes on to discuss how his work has maintained a critical presence and was seen as controversial in comparison to traditional workings and corporate created artwork. He believes that artists who submit to these corporate controls are basically giving up their freedom and ability to create meaningful and multi-dimensional work.

Unlike Steinberg, who seems to work in the conventionally studio space, Serra relies upon the industrial sector and is highly influenced by his urban surroundings and environment when creating his work. Steinberg mainly focuses and works with the idea of a flat surface and/or two-dimensional works in the studio. Whereas, Serra breaks from that traditional studio approach and creates multi-dimensional pieces of art. In his text, Steinberg tends to focus on art theory and art history. However, Serra seems very much more contemporary and discusses the more commercial theories and beliefs. Overall, I think Steinberg is very much traditional with his approach and discussions, whereas Serra is more contemporary.

The mode of practice I would like to explore and experiment with is embroidery. I’ve always been interested in embroidery, after following artists such as Emillie Ferris, with her highly realistic and detailed animal portraits, and Cinder & Honey’s minimalistic creations, I’ve always wanted to try and bring that into my work somehow. I’ve only recently acquired the tools I’ve needed for it and so far am enjoying it immensely. A lot of my work up to now how consisted of mainly either line drawings or detailed paintings. I’ve began to explore texture more within my paintings in the past few years and think that could be something I could explore within the help of embroidery. I thought I could create some interesting paintings by combining these two methods by stitching directly onto a painting to add a new layer of texture. This is similar to the artist Ipek Koprulu who stitches over photographs she has taken. With the thread I can layer and manipulate it quite easily to build texture as well as detail, which is something I try to achieve in my paintings, so by using embroidery as well I could bring it up to a new level.

‘Winged Victory of Samothrace’, approx. 190 BC

Also known as the ‘Nike of Samothrace’, is a Hellenistic sculpture of the winged female figure, Nike, the goddess of victory. The missing features, such as the head and the arms, adds to the mystery and mythology behind the God; with no face the distinctive figure is now the wings. The motion of the wings combined with the flowing fabric look covering the figure, falling at her feet, gives the work a delicate but powerful atmosphere. It reflects on the mythology as Nike was commonly shown flying down from Mount Olympus. This intensity of movement also adds to the belief that the statue was positioned at the prow of the ship, leading them to victory with the wind flowing past her. This all builds a powerful sense of action and triumph, as well as a delicateness from the fabric.

When I saw this piece back in August, it was positioned at the top of a large staircase, giving it a huge vantage point for the public to see it. I could see it from the opposite end of the long corridor leading up to it; as I walked towards it and climbed the stairs, the intensity and beauty of the piece only grew stronger. It’s placement also allows it to be viewed at different angles, each one adding a new majestic feeling. Front on, I became engulfed in the powerful and triumphant atmosphere it created because of the strong body language the figure was emitting combined with the large wings protruding behind her. From side on however, you’re allowed to see the enormity of those wings and how majestic they are. Also you can see the action running through the piece with the fabric as it falls behind her and billows between her legs.

Recently I travelled to Oxford for a weekend and explored several museums and galleries. By far my favourite exhibition I came across is Qu Leilei’s ‘A Chinese Artist in Britain’ currently showing in the Ashmolean Museum until April of 2018. This exhibition shows Leilei’s progression from “calligraphic collage to an exploration of a new vocabulary of ink language blending lively brushwork with western technique”. The exhibition took place in a thin but long room in the museum. As you walk through the doorway, you’re immediately met with two very large pieces, one named ‘Friendship’ (2012) covering the wall on your left, and the other ‘The Future Remains in Our Own Hands’ (2014) on the wall directly in front. Both of these pieces are ink on paper, and are my two favourite pieces from the exhibition. The subject choice of hands is something I’m interested in as an artist so immediately I’m taking notes and inspiration from his work. The room was also filled with a variety of pieces, all ranging in size, some small sketches and others finished paintings. There was a small section of the room two steps down from the rest, with the walls lined with long, thin pieces of fabric showing Leilei’s early calligraphic collage work. It was interesting to see these two different aesthetics and cultures, Chinese and Western, in the same room and the comparisons/developments between them. I later researched Qu Leilei and discovered that we have very similar influences when it comes to our art work, with us both taking inspiration from classical sculpture and Italian Renaissance paintings, and developing that with the beauty and accuracy of figure paintings. All being his primary focus for this exhibition.

Bibliography

LEILEI, Q. 2012. Friendship [photograph] – Accessed 25th November 2017

Available from : https://www.ashmolean.org/event/qu-leilei-chinese-artist-britain

‘Hot en Tot Venus’ – Renee Cox , 1994 (photograph)

The first time I saw this photograph I was instantly drawn to the oversized prosthetic breasts and butt. They seem to be something you could find in a fancy dress shop. I went on then to focus on her face as she is facing the camera; her facial expression suggests to me that she is watching the viewer as you ‘gaze’ upon her. She draws attention to the power of the objectifying gaze and by looking back at the viewer she pushes that back onto you (the viewer). My initial reaction to seeing this photograph without knowing the context behind it, was that maybe she was trying to hide her real body with these fake prosthetics as if she believes this is what the public ‘desire’ to see in regards to a female body. However, after looking into the context, I now realise that the real message behind this photograph is much more complex and powerful.

The motivation behind this work was based on research and the discovery of Saartje/Sarah Baartman’s story. Sarah Baartman was objectified due to her large body proportions in 19th Century Europe. That specific audience was fascinated by Sarah Baartman and other ‘Khoikhoi’ women because they were seen as “distinct from the ‘civilised female’ of the 19th Century. They were so fascinated that they would pay to ‘gaze’ upon her as if she was some kind of exhibit, or even negatively, ‘a freak of nature’. Renee Cox makes very clear and powerful statements about both race and gender through her work. The fact that she uses her own body means that Cox is liberated in her art, as well as her background and appearance. Instead of trying to hide her body, which I originally thought, she’s in fact empowering herself and calling out and criticising how black women are often portrayed in the media today.

Bibliography

COX, R. 1994. Hot-En-Tot [photograph] –  [Accessed: 18th October 2017]

Available from : http://www.reneecox.org/hottentot-venue

BLACK FEMINIST ART, 2014. Renee Cox – Hot En Tot [online] – [Accessed: 18th October 2017]

Available from : https://artintheblackdiaspora.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/renee-cox-hot-en-tot

RILEY, B. (1989) The Artist’s Eye, London.

The Artist’s Eye, is a conversation between Bridget Riley, a London based English painter, and Robert Kudielka, a German art historian, discussing a collection of paintings selected by Bridget Riley to be put into the National Gallery. Riley has chosen works by artists such as Titian, Veronese, El Greco, Rubens, Poussin and Cezanne. Riley talks passionately about each painting, going into great depth about their compositions, narratives, choice of colour and the artists painting process. Alongside the text of the conversation are copies of several of the art pieces they are discussing, allowing the reader to understand and see the specific points they talk about.

In particular, Riley discusses Titian’s painting ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’ (1520-22); she starts with discussing the idea of using colour as an element of construction when it comes to painting. The idea that colour can change the painting and how it is viewed. The feature that makes this painting worthy to Riley to be put into the National Gallery is the use of such a strong blue colour, which was a risk for a painter in that time, and how he has manipulated the rest of the painting to compliment this colour choice. “He uses the complex narrative to balance the blues.” – Riley. In regards to this painting, Riley explores Titian’s process and intentions when it came to this painting, for example, the idea that he was constantly thinking about the subtle pairings and narrative that can be found in the painting, and how they can affect the final painting. “He works through an intuitive logic of oppositions, distinguishing and simultaneously relating every inch of the canvas in a continuous web of contrasts, echoes, reversals, repetitions and inversions without either trying to form a unifying envelope or depending upon any simple common principle.”- Riley

1. People
2. Emotion
3. Environment
4. Empowerment
5. Inclusive
6. Scatty
7. Welfare
8. Loud
9. Personal
10. Warm

The reason behind my choice in words is that they encapsulate my three main subject matters that I focus on; these being the environment, mental health, and feminism. My work is agent-based and I like to focus on how our environment can alter our well-being both mentally and physically; the attitudes people have towards ‘controversial’ topics can also affect others in some extreme ways and I find this is the case with feminism a lot of the time due to it being such a personal movement. ‘Scatty’, however, is quite a random choice compared to the others, yet it makes complete sense due to the way I work; I hop from one thing to another and I have too many things going on at once. I dislike having a set order to the way I work and the work itself, so the word resonates accurately with me.

(The image is part of my Manifesto project)

Monochrome

Varied

Concealed

Hidden

Three-dimensional

handcrafted

line

personal

precise

mark-making

I chose my manifesto zine to represent my practice. The manifesto consists of random artworks on each page of the zine. Each is a different style of art that I focus on in my practice, such as; painting, pen line drawing, charcoal and pencil drawing.

Once you have seen all the images in the zine, it opens up to reveal a written manifesto. I decided to focus on things that I believe my work should aim to be rather than what it should look like because I create many different styles, I think what the piece stands for is more important.

I chose the manifesto to represent my work because it shows my varied way of working. The way the manifesto is hidden in the zine represents my work and myself as a person. The words that I chose to represent my practice, such as, ‘line’ and ‘mark-making’ are vague. I also included monochrome as I mainly work in black and white, however I do occasionally work with colour. ‘Concealed’ and ‘hidden’ refer to my manifesto and the meanings behind each piece of work. I don’t like to explain my work as it is personal to me, also I like to see what other people think about my work without giving their thought bias. The hidden writing also represents how I like to keep my thoughts behind a piece private.

I have included some more images because it is hard to show a three-dimensional piece in its entirety in one photo.

Napalm, Banksy

This print is of two American pop culture icons (Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald) and a girl, seemingly being kidnapped by the two characters.

The image of the girl has been taken from a famous photograph of the Vietnam War (June 8, 1972). The girl is Kim Phuc, a 9 year old girl who was running away from her home after it was attacked by a Napalm blast. The photographer Nick Ut captured this moment and presented it for the world to see what was really going on.

Banksy appropriated this photograph to use it in a contemporary context. There is no confirmation on why he chose to put the two main faces of American pop-culture holding the hands of a young girl in pain. One reason could be that they are making a comment on the way that people view Americans, their cultures and visa-versa. This could be how large companies produce products and don’t seem to care about the effects on people in either their country or other countries.

The original print is very large and is mostly monochromatic. The size that the two characters are makes them seem arrogant, especially with their smiles. This is a contrast with the obvious pain that the girl is in, she is screaming and trying to get away. The way that the piece has been kept in black and white could be showing the origin of the photo. It also adds drama to the piece with the high contrast.

Overall this piece has a strong political context, whether it is trying to show America’s society or just trying to bring back this image from the Napalm blast to remind people.