Critical Studies Research with Tom

 Art vs Design

Ballpoint pen and Paintbrush

Art is something that I believe doesn't need a purpose to exist whereas design needs a purpose to function.

The ballpoint pen on the left is designed for the purpose of writing. Whereas the paintbrush is for creating art. The brush itself did have to be designed for a function but what it's made for doesn't have a purpose, which is ok. Calligraphy is the art of writing letters with a paintbrush whereas a ballpoint pen is also to write letters but in a simple non-artistic way.

Authorship

Auerbach and Robert Stadler

This drawing by Auerbach interests me due to its expressive movements and marks. It reminds me of an 80s video by the pop group Aha ‘Take on Me’. It is very expressive and lacks details in terms of accuracy. I can imagine the artist making this drawing and visualising his arm moving in my head as if I were making the drawing myself. It also has a darker side to it. I think this is because the charcoal he uses, it is like a blip of moment. She could be anywhere. The material creates this almost sinister feeling as if her face is cracking.

His work is recognisable straight away due to his unique expressive style. I find it quite inspiring how someone can create a portrait style of work with very little detail but still look like the subject.

   

It's the sketching from this 80s music that makes me think of Auerbach work.

Unlike Auerbach, Robert Stadler does not have one specific style.  This second piece below by Stadler interests me because it reminds me of Banksy and other Street Art. It looks like a stencil on the wall that merges into a 3D object. Looking at his other work he produces a lot of 3D work. This piece is very much art. I like how he makes the chair look decaying and brittle as though if I touched it, it would fall apart. The difference between him and Auerbach is that he is reducing an existing object whereas Auerbach is producing an image from scratch and it is an additive process. They start at different ends one from zero.

  

The Male Gaze

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Janine Antoni

In this painting by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec of a standing nude female, she has her back to the viewer. This is ‘very a bum shot’ in terms of today's imagery.  The first thing I think of is that she is not important and being objectified because you are unable to see her face. This is how you would depict her expression and mood. Toulouse-Lautrec has shown her body well, she looks like she may be a dancer as her body is in good shape and her socks remind me of can-can dancers. Looking at this today, it represents sexism. It does not feel like she’s in a position of choice. Today’s women have more choices. There are different interpretations of how females may choose to show their flesh because sexism and the male leer is still there.

 

The fact that this sculpture below is made by a female changes everything. If this was made by a man you would see this as objectifying. As a female artist, Janine Antoni is trying to show a message to make you question why?

Antoni does this by showing a female form in a sexual position on all fours. With her bum facing the audience. This is a classic cliched shot that a ‘man’ would like from the idea of the Male gaze. Antoni has draped cow skin over the body to signify the subject as meat, not a person. It makes me feel sick because she looks like she is decaying. It also turns my thoughts, thinking of low-end prostitution as most of these women have lost their dignity and are not doing that job through choice. There are still some men who find these women desirable. Will those men find this sculpture desirable? I find this aspect of male desire disturbing.

 

Ambiguity

Tony Cragg and Andy Goldworthy

The first thing is the swirling shape that attracts me and the intricacy. It has the wow factor by this I mean its scale and little pieces of dice that for me is a masterpiece. It reminds me of atoms adding up in twos, fours then multiply. It is not about a thing, but like a melted ten-pin skittle. It offers different people different interpretations. It is interesting to see what others see as different, like cloud watching but also what people see in common. It is much more than its part. Cragg’s work reminds me of the kind of things you see in a David Attenborough Deep Blue documentary or something from the film Alien.

 

The first thought that comes to my mind of Andy Goldworthy's ice sculptures below is that his work is very organic, that many of his works are in the moment and that things will change. Especially when creating with natural materials which are forever changing. They represent the journey of making rather than a thing. And exist only afterwards as a photo. This idea of patience is part of this process. I don’t think meaning is important so much as making you question something. Sometimes art exists to make you discuss things and provoke thought. That is its very purpose.  I like work that is quirky and imaginative rather than purposely provocative.

 

The Ordinary

Wolfgang Tilmans & Andy Goldsworthy

I don’t find this image by Wolfgang Tilmans interesting because I believe my daughter could have taken this. It is a picture of nothingness. But my next thought goes to the fact that this was what he wanted to create by selecting any boring random object. It irritates me as it goes against what I hold as something valuable to look at. My next thought goes to what does this photographer value? Which still irritates me. It looks like a photo taken by accident. This image is making me question his thought process. Irritation can be beneficial as it always asks a question. It does not show a huge level of skill to me though.

To one person the first thought that sticking leaves on a rock is something a child could do. maybe . But to me this work by Andy Goldworthy makes a huge impact. This is because the colours behind are so dull which is in contrast to the boulder. It is just amazing that he has created something with everyday elements. To one person this mat be easy to do. But the planning from the right weather, natural light and location. This work communicates the beauty of natural elements we walk past everyday. He makes me think he sees thing rather than simply looks.

Professionalism and the Amateur

Sarah Lucas & George Shaw

This work by Sarah Lucas makes me cringe. I understand it and I do understand this is seen as a serious artwork by many others. I see this all in a category with Duchamp who introduced the readymade. It is like a genre of art. I get a similar feeling to things like the TV show ‘Family Guy’. It is not to my taste. I think it simplifies the human body into ‘tits, bucket fanny and willy’ It is objectifying. It makes me feel the body is dirty with found objects representing the genitalia next to a filthy mattress. It makes me think of prostitution. It feels grubby and lacking in self-respect.

It’s not just the fact it’s these simple objects. It's how it makes me feel. This is maybe where Sarah Lucas has succeeded by making me feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. I don't dislike the simplicity of the work. As this definitely tells a message.

George Shaw to me has more obvious professionalism because of his skill as a painter. His work had tricked me into thinking it was a photo. So my respect for his skill is high. For me, I value skill and trickery, as it creates a 'how did he do that' question?

Because it is such a boring image I assumed it was a photo. Unlike Lucas, who at first value created the obvious. Shaw shows a skill level which gives him a higher rating in my opinion. This ‘real life’ view creates discovery. I want to understand the journey of an artwork, but at the same time not find it too easy so it captures me to keep me looking. 

Abstraction and Process

Yulia Brodskaya and Chan Akira

I happened to stumble across this amazing artist called Yulia Brodskaya 'Waterfall' who has completely reinvented this ancient paper craft style called Quilling.  Her work fascinates me, the intricate crisp detail; at first glance, you may not see what it is. An array of shapes and patterns that the artist has built up to create this portrait of a lady braiding her hair. I really like the colour palette of harmonious cool tones that give the portrait light, shadow and depth.

Brodskaya's clever composition of coiled, folded and geometric shapes shows the infinite use of paper and the process is just as beautiful as the finished portrait itself.

This second abstract painting below by Chan Akira called ‘Drunk Rich Aunty’ was inspired by her culture as a young black Zimbabwean living in the UK. The first thing that caught my attention with this piece was the bold use of colour, power and energy. It took my eyes on the journey first focusing on the right I with the bold white circle with a full lash and geometric patterned brow, to her full defined lips and onto her afro hair, outlined by white curves. The colour palette has the traditional Zimbabwean feel to it, with the warm burnt orange and ochre and then the cooler tones of blue that complement one another.

The process of this painting was important for Chan Akira because of her battles with mental health and not feeling able to communicate with friends and family regarding this issue which is not uncommon in the Black community. Chan Akira expresses herself through her art as it is her sense of release.

Politics and National Identity

Gottfried Hellnwein and Chris Offili

The nationality of the artist impacts the level of political message. As a German man, I believe he must be against the Holocaust from research I have done. The research shows Germany's remorsefulness by changing the national anthem and the educational system. They both demonstrate Germany’s reflection of wrongdoings to Jews.

Hellnwein’s images remind me of the work I have been doing for the portrait brief. He has used images of children models that he has made to look like they are suffering. This is like my own portraits that I took of everyday people that I also made to look like they are going through a troubling time. The images have a powerful graphic message because of the way these children have been photographed with their eyes closed. They’re black and white with a high contrast and a gritty cold feel. This gives the photos truth as though it happened to them like it's their autopsy photograph.

This shows how the lives of innocent children were not valuable. They were just a number. I do not like this as it makes me sad, but it is a good piece of art as it makes you think about the horrors of the holocaust and what the poor children had to experience. The fact that someone knew this and then slashed the necks of the photo’d children is a step beyond graffiti. It is really graphic, and both point out how people were treated in the holocaust, it is both an addition and a gross act.

The first thing I get is the idea that black people are misunderstood, alienated and do not belong. Offili achieves this simply by using ethnic fabric print covering or becoming the skin of sculptures that suggest science-fiction friendly looking aliens with antennas and big heads. He combines the idea of being alien in a stylized way with non-European origins. They are friendly rather than scary and sadly, I agree that some people still see black people this way. This makes me wonder whether the minority of people who have hate in them see scary rather than friendly in their minds which is why they act the way they do. I want these vicious alien views to change. It does however make me smile as it is thought provoking. This is only from my view, but I am curious to learn what a racist would make from it?