Saturday, October 27, 2012

Ideas behind my art style


My artwork tends to have an overall theme of peculiarity and a sense of “weirdness” to those viewing it. Regardless of the actual type of artwork a particular piece is, such as a portrait, scene, or design, there is almost always at least a subtle element of oddness in my work. For example, an otherwise “normal” composition, such as portrait, may have a single minor element that is distorted in some way. This distortion may not be strikingly out of place to a viewer, but it will contribute to some sort of alteration in how the overall portrait is perceived. In other cases, the peculiar elements may be the most significant part of the artwork itself. The scene may feature odd combinations of objects, strangely proportioned and colored in such a way that makes their strangeness obvious.

                The peculiar nature underlying most of my artwork generally illustrates an idea or a part of an idea that can be applied to both other works and life itself. Oftentimes, the idea is a portrayal of the complexity of life, and how including or excluding that complexity affects the way the art is perceived. When I attempt to include some of the complexity in a particular composition, I find that the finished work has a number of minor elements which all add to the complexity of whatever is being depicted. In this sense, I believe that these complex works are more relatable to individuals than less complex works, because, at the very least, we can all compare the depicted complexity to the real complexity we experience in our lives. On the other hand, when I intentionally avoid showing elements of the complexity of life, my artworks are more clearly identifiable as imagined rather than realistic. The lack of complexity may make a work feel more distant than complex works, but it can also make certain concepts and scenes easier to understand.

                Generally, when there are odd or peculiar elements present in my work, they were intentionally included. This is partially because I believe that such elements help to portray a theme, and partially a simple matter of preference. I find works, from visual arts to literature, to be fascinating when they show elements of nonsense, and I enjoy creating my own works using those elements, interpreted in my own way. Although the “Alice in Wonderland”-like feel makes a work less explicitly realistic, I feel that, when taken together with the idea of complexity, it can strengthen the connection between canvas and viewer. I try to make art that is both fun to see and interesting to think about.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Interesting art by Kay Sage


This composition, titled The Fourteen Daggers, is an oil on canvas painting by American artist Kay Sage, one of the few female surrealist painters of the 20th century. Sage’s work was generally praised by critics, though it was not as popular as many other artists’ work at the time. Even today, Sage isn’t well-known amongst the general population. I enjoy Sage’s works because of the realism in their depictions of concepts that are ultimately unrealistic. I also find it interesting that Sage herself never publicly explained the meaning of any of her works.
This painting interests me because it has so much depth and mystery to it. The two figures shown in the work are completely covered by robes, which leads the viewer to wonder what would happen if the scene were continued. Deeper still, the concealed nature of the figures and the many creases in their robes leads one to wonder if they are people or some unknown life form, or if they are even living beings at all. The seemingly endless horizon depicted in the background of the painting also contributes to its mystery. The whole scene seems to take place in the middle of nowhere, which evokes a sense of desolation and deepens the mystery further.
 

                I find this painting fascinating. Titled Tomorrow Is Never, it has an enticing quality to it that makes the viewer think hard about what Sage could be saying. I feel that without knowing the title of the painting, it is harder to imagine what the meaning might be. The forms shown in the painting are instantly reminiscent of skyscrapers, but knowing the title guides the viewer to a sense of disenchantment of modernity, which I feel is at least partly what Sage intended. The bleak overtone of the painting also contributes to a sense of despair over the concept of modernity.
                The solid shape of the skyscrapers, as well as the well-defined brush strokes of the fog at the top of the painting, cause the overall work to feel more real to the viewer. Surrealist art is often composed of both strange concepts as well as vaguely defined forms depicting those concepts, which I feel disconnects the work from the viewer. Because this painting, like most of Sage’s works, does not use such vague forms, it seems to draw the viewer into a level of contemplation that is deeper than both traditional paintings and more “normal” surrealist paintings. This painting also exhibits elements of mystery just as The Fourteen Daggers does. I also thought it was interesting that the robe-like fabrics from The Fourteen Daggers make an appearance in this work.


                The last painting I chose, titled Le Passage, is interesting because it is the only work of Sage’s that definitely features a person. Sage’s other works may have human-like forms in them, but they are not definitively human; they could be something completely unrelated. Similarly, the viewer could speculate about whether or not the subject in the work is a person, or simply a resemblance of one.  Le Passage is also believed to be a self-portrait, which is interesting because the subject’s face is turned completely away from the viewer.
                Like most of Sage’s work, this painting has a mysterious tone, which is made stronger by the presence of the woman. Seeing another human being in this somewhat unsettling painting makes it more relatable, but also leads the viewer to consider why the subject does not seem at all afraid. Like The Fourteen Daggers, this painting illustrates a never-ending landscape which gives the location a secluded feel. The painting has an overall feeling of being lost, both physically and mentally, which I feel is interesting. Sage’s style of realistic surrealism is also present in this work.