Joiners For My Photography Workshop Based Off Of The Theme ‘distance Forms Around Our Bodies’, Inspired

An oil painting which was part of my A-level coursework, inspired by Caravaggio. (Oil on Paper)

Some prints of plants that I have been working on in the textiles workshop. This explores negative space, the space inside and outside of plants. Some are studies painted directly onto the fabric with ink and some are printed in coloured ink.

Sculpture and Patination, Giovanni Strazza

Giovanni Strazza, ‘La Vergine Velata’ (The Veiled Virgin’)- Carrara marble, 1850′s

Believed to have been carved in the 1850’s while Giovanni Strazza was in Rome, this sculpture depicts The Virgin Mary with a light veil over her face. It is made from Carrara marble which derives from Tuscany. This type of marble is white with smokey grey veins that run through the stone regularly. Other sculptures made from Carrara marble include ‘David’ By Michelangelo and The ‘ ‘Lacoon and his two sons Antiphnates and Thymbraeus’ in Rome. This type of marble has an elegant and timeless appearance which is why it was popular in ancient Rome and is still used today.

Marble is a hard material to work with and in ‘The Veiled Virgin’, Strazza has made it look very soft and delicate even though marble is resistant to chisel and cutting, which shows Strazza’s skill. The veil falls intricately across some braids at the top of the head and gently drops to the bottom to the bust. The face of Mary indicates that she is either deep in prayer or grieving. The way that the veil has been carved highlights Mary’s feminine face shape and at the same time blurs some of her features giving a sense of mystery to the piece. Using veils in sculpture however was nothing new in the 1800’s as it was inspired by the ‘wet drapery’ that was used in Greco-Hellenistic sculpture.

The bust ‘The Veiled Virgin’ is now exhibited in a convent in Canada and can be viewed by appointment. Not much is knows about Giovanni Strazza so therefore it is unknown what the true meaning behind the sculpture is. The 19th century was a time of nationalism on the rise in Italy. The image of a vailed Virgin Mary was often the symbol of Italia which ultimately could mean that the sculpture could have been a symbol of the newly united Italy. This makes the use of Carrara marble vital as it was native to Italy. On the other hand, the piece could be a symbol of Strazza’s religious devotion to the Virgin Mary. This is further supported by the attention and care which was given to the sculpture to perfect every single fold of the fabric and to give such a gentle expression of the face which highlights his admiration for her. Traditionally, marble is a material used to give a sense of nobility to the subject which highlights the importance of the Virgin Mary in Strazza’s eyes and the Catholic Church.

The overall finish on the bust is neither extremely shiny and polished however nor is it so soft that features can be barely made out. The patina on the marble of ‘The Veiled Virgin’ is precise and smooth which gives the bust a more realistic effect and in that sense brings the statue closer to the viewer and creates a certain ethereal beauty.

Sources:

https://www.marmirossi.com/en/news/focus-materials/the-carrara-marble-a-white-marble-with-history

https://mymodernmet.com/the-veiled-virgin-sculpture/

https://www.franceculture.fr/sculpture/a-fascinating-transparency-strazzas-veiled-virgin

Prints from my own woodcuts.

Landscape art, Jeanne Claude and Christo.

Wrapped Trees, 1988

‘Wrapped trees’ by Jeanne Claude and Christo, is a unique piece of land art. The two artists worked together and were an art duo which focused on large scale artwork throughout their careers. Claude was from Morocco and Christo from Bulgaria, they were both born on the exact same day in the same year on the 13th of June 1935 and got married in 1960. Their artwork focused on wrapping up huge man made structures or huge natural structures. One of their most famous works was wrapping up the Reichstag in Berlin in 1995 which took 90 climbers and 180 installation workers to complete. This was done with polypropylene fabric and rope. Another piece that they are particularly well known for is wrapping up the West Coast of Australia in 1968. The fabric covered one million square feet, its size shows the sheer scale in the work of Claude and Christo. 

The piece of land art ‘wrapped trees’ was created in 1988 and took 9 days to complete. 178 trees in a park in Riehen in Switzerland were covered by transparent fabric, and this artwork was left up for 3 weeks. The original plan was to wrap 330 trees in the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, however their plan was denied. The trees were wrapped with 592,015 square feet polyester fabric which is the same fabric used in Japan to protect trees from frost, snow and general winter weather. The fabric was all tied on just by using rope. The finished piece is very effective and the trees look ghost- like, mysterious and out of the ordinary. The fabric changed shape slightly and blew in the wind, at different times of the day, different colours light and different intensities of light would shine through the polyester fabric. This created a diaphanous effect which allowed all of the individual branches to be seen. The piece of land art was up in November, so the start of winter once all the leaves had fallen off of the trees. This allowed the branches and main structure of the tree to be seen clearly. The fabric also shrouded the trees in a way that gave the impression of the shape that all of the leaves would take if they were there. This use of negative space almost highlighted the absence of the leaves which gave a ghost-like quality to the work.

Christo once said “Jeanne-Claude and I borrow space and create a gentle disturbance in it for just a few days. When they appear for a few days, they carry this tremendous freedom of irresponsibility.” This quote reveals a lot about the intention behind the work of the artist duo. After all of their work, Claude and Christo made sure that the ropes and fabric that they used were never thrown away but recycled. It is possible that their work overall reflects the alteration of the natural world for our human needs; it could be a message about climate change and the environment. On the other hand, the work ‘wrapped trees’ could be about the fact that nothing lasts forever and everything is fleeting. The artists have to take their work down eventually, if they don’t then they would be intercepting with nature. In the quote, Christo talks about the ‘freedom of irresponsibly’. The artists had the freedom to put their work over the trees but then it is their responsibility to take it back down. This may reflect the importance for everything in nature to return to its natural state.

References

https://christojeanneclaude.net/mobile/projects?p=wrapped-reichstag

https://coveringchristo.wordpress.com/rationale/

http://www.artnet.com/artists/christo-and-jeanne-claude/

https://christojeanneclaude.net/mobile/projects?p=wrapped-trees

https://coveringchristo.wordpress.com/rationale/

Working on an animation about reconnecting to folklore called ‘The Blooming Heart’. I have used the image of the heart as it has so many connotations to the soul and is often linked to identity and of course life.

As my resist dyeing didn’t work, I decided to use the fabric and print my designs on top with white acrylic paint. This is to mimic a traditional blue print. I think that all of the shapes turned out well and I am quite happy with the outcome as the design looks quite illustrative.

Finished heart embroidery for my animation. A heart surrounded by embroidery folk patterns from around the world

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

Kehinde Wiley and the male identity.

Kehinde Wiley , ‘Alexander The Great’ - Oil on canvas, 2005 ( 243.8 × 182.9 cm)

Kehinde Wiley is an African-American artist who conveys sensitive messages through his naturalistic, bright and vibrant work. In many of his paintings Wiley presents the male identity in a unique way. His painting ‘Alexander the Great’ showcases this, presenting a young African-American man in modern attire holding a sword and standing in front of a brocade-like pattern; typical of medieval tapestries and byzantine silk production in the 6th century. 

Much of Wiley’s inspiration comes from classical paintings. The name of this painting ‘Alexander the Great’ references one of the greatest warriors in history. In his time, it was rumoured that Alexander the Great was Zeus himself. By the age of 25 Alexander was The king of Macedonia, leader of the Greeks, overlord of Asia Minor, pharaoh of Egypt and 'great king' of Persia. Although he was a great ancient leader, his brutality was also renowned and was known to be self-indulgent and reckless.

Wiley has also drawn inspiration from various paintings of Napoleon. His painting ‘Napoleon leading the army over the alps' is similar to that of Jacques-Louis David’s 19th century painting, ‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’. Not just the names are similar, but the positions on horseback of both men in the paintings. However the man presented in Wiley’s painting wears an army uniform, giving his modern interpretation of the painting of Napoleon. 

The painting, ‘Alexander the Great’ explores the male identity in a distinctive way that references the past and present. The painting is full of juxtapositions for example with the man’s headphones and the centuries old sword he is holding, the modern designer logo on his coat and the ancient textile pattern behind him. In paintings, a sword symbolises protection, strength and courage, which are all  traditionally ‘typical’ male traits and something that Wiley strives to challenge. These ideals clash with the background colour which is green which represents peace, harmony and balance. These are more favoured male traits nowadays. Furthermore, it is possible to see that the background brocade pattern comes round and over the figure in the painting in some areas coming into the very foreground. The swirling and smooth pattern softens the painting and wraps around the strong and proud pose the man stands in. Brocade fabric and patterns are typically expensive and historically show upper class. The pattern makes Wiley’s painting appear more ornate and regal and also softens the proud pose of the man and shows delicacy and gentleness.

The pose in the painting is reminiscent of the painting ‘Napoleon Bonaparte in his Study at the Tuileries’, 1812, which presents Napoleon in a similar pose, with his hand on his hip, looking straight at the viewer in an imposing way, with a sword also featuring in the painting showing his masculinity and strength. Paintings of Napoleon are often grand and show his great power, but his violent tyranny and invasions are said to have been ‘grounded by an aggressive over-compensation for his short stature’ some historians say. 

I think that this pressure of being as masculine as possible was something felt in the past as much as it is in today’s society which is something that Wiley intends to convey in his paintings. In my opinion, Wiley intends to show changing attitudes toward the male identity by referencing hyper masculine historical paintings. Wiley contrasts these attitudes with flowers, soft colours and intricate patterns, challenging the old ideals of male identity but also giving them a different and new relevance in the modern day.

References:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/kehinde-wiley-alexander-the-great

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/wiley-kehinde/

https://cxainc.com/edition/portraits-inspired-by-napoleon-by-kehinde-wiley-and-jacques-louis-david-come-together-for-the-first-time-ever/