Honestly, I didn't even realize that I didn't take photos of this project (which is just… big sad). That probably has to do in the fact that I completed it in two day, Go Me! I think this is my favorite project I've done all year- a good culmination of all my separate eclectic styles and mediums. I'm really proud of this one chief.
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Here's the link to her website!
www.pieshake.com And her biography on the VCUarts page! arts.vcu.edu/photofilm/people/sasha/ Sasha Waters Freyer, our lecturer for quarter three, is a documenter of sorts. She also creates personal short films (which I honestly find more intriguing than her documentary work) where she combines found footage with contemporary footage. These experimental shorts delve into the concepts of memory, motherhood, and the cultural and political legacies of the 20th century. Her works with 16mm film provide a rustic look, and its these that she juxtaposes the contemporary footage with. Her recent awards and honors include a 2019-20 VMFA Artist Fellowship, a Special Jury Prize for Gary Winogrand: All Things are Photographable, and a Fellowship Residency at the MacDowell Colony. Some of my comments on the lecture, and Freyer in general:
(Hover over the photographs to see the titles!) Here's a link to my favorite video by Freyer! vimeo.com/27319361 Here's some close ups of the finished work! I went in with some chalk pastel and added some loose scribbles- which I wish were darker (oh well!), but other than that nothing has changed much!
I added the red zips and I think that provided some nice contrast. More glitter was applied, and the direction of the canvas was changed yet again (one of the true beauties of abstract painting). I'm honestly pretty proud of this piece, and I think it's one heck of a step up from my last abstract painting. I'll probably do some more detailing but other than that I'm probably finished! I really think I was able to capture Queen's aura through this piece- or at least my perception of them!
Of course … I have chosen an abstract painter to dive deep into. American born Andrew Holmquist (b. 1985) creates works that teeter between both representation and abstraction in his portrayals of popular culture and everyday life. His paintings "take advantage of the viscosity of oil paint and play with the mercurial nature of a representational image essentially made out of colorful mud." His primary medium is oil paint, however Holmquist has managed to work an array of strange mediums into his works- one time a pizza crust! Holmquist's works are teeming with gestural brushstrokes contrasting with geometric forms, splatters contrasting with human figures, and sometimes just plain ole' blocks of color. In his world, figuration and abstraction become intertwined and simultaneously warped: figuration transforms into abstraction and vice versa.
Here is a link to Andrew Holmquist's full CV: img-cache.oppcdn.com/fixed/5518/assets/RYeKbI5DEPfgxdkC.pdf Some highlights of his CV are as follows: Education:
Here is a link to Holmquist's personal website: andrewholmquist.com/home.html There are absolutely aspects of Holmquist's works that I would love to incorporate into my own works. "Colorful mud"? Yes please! His combination of figures with abstraction lends itself well to my own works- it's a balance that I've been trying to achieve, and I think he has the aesthetic that would help me achieve what I want. The bright colors of his paintings also fall right into my own color scheme- i.e. bright colors- and I would love to sample some of Holmquist's color palettes and apply them to my own work. He also uses oil paint, a medium which I generally avoid. Maybe it would be a good change of pace to switch up mediums and toy with oil paint? I don't really know …. He also dabbles in sculpture, so maybe I could give that another try. Overall, I just really appreciate the aesthetic quality of (most of) Holmquist's works! From Left to Right: Super Power, c. 2016, oil, acrylic spray on canvas Shower Scene, c. 2016, oil and acrylic on canvas Nine Strong LQQks, c. 2017, 10 3-color lithographs Fuckboy, c. 2018, oil and acrylic on canvas Strong LQQks Dutch, c. 2018, colored pencil, gouache, spray paint and color film on paper Mecha, c. 2017, glazed ceramic I started adding some glitter and contrasting colors. I think it's shaping up to be a very cool piece- that's pretty rad. I also decided to experiment with zips in my work. So far I like it, I'm thinking that I'll add some in red. This work is one giant experimentation station and I'm lovin' it!
After reading both of these articles … I'm going to be frank … I really don't understand social practice art. I just don't really get it? And it frustrates me to no end because the concept of it is really interesting and some of the results are incredibly beautiful- both emotionally and sometimes aesthetically- and yet I still can't wrap my head around it. I'd chalk it up to this art movement not really looking like an art movement. Like paintings, sculptures, drawings, oh my! I like that it challenges the conventional standards of "What is art?", but the inner skeptic in me is very doubtful of social practice art. To me, some of the works seem more impactful than others- but of course I wasn't there so my opinion doesn't really matter now does it.
I get that these art pieces are meant to "encourage interaction" and serve as "a question of human encounter" (How the Art, 1), but somehow this seems too loose of a definition and purpose for me. And I'm an abstract painter! I think that there's something to be said about the dedication of these projects though. Having to spend years to put up something ultimately ephemeral seems very counterintuitive to me, but kudos towards that persistence and dedication- I'm sure the community impact is very reliant on some of these long lasting projects. But "letting the community help shape the direction of the work" may take some time I suppose (How the Art, 7). I do agree with Lowe that it's extremely rude and disrespectful to come into a community "and think you can grasp all the complexities of a place in a short time" (How the Art, 7). But, alas, the commercial art world seems to think that this is the case … at least that's what these social practice artists believe. I'm not quite sure if I agree. This great schism between the commercial art world and the social practice art world seems very redundant. Social practice artists claim that "art is elastic" (Outside the Citadel, 7)- and I do agree for the most part- but if that's the case, why so much disdain for commercial artists? They're artists too! The question of enticing social change through art I think can be answered by both social practice artists and commercial artists. Maybe not to the same extent as one or the other, but I think that there's potential in both to effect some sort of social change via art. So again, this separation and disdain seems redundant. But, that does seem to be the case for all up-coming, cutting edge art movements … so why should this one be any different? Again, I find myself perplexed by this movement- and wanting to learn more, obviously- so maybe it's a route I should take up? I don't think it would lend itself very well to my personal style but hey, don't knock it 'till you try it. I finished filling up the canvas (something I neglected to do with my last abstract piece) and decided to experiment with drips. I like the way they look right now, and I'm contemplating doing them in more contrasting colors and in different directions. So far so good!
I'm starting a new project! This time its an abstract painting delving into the intricacies of Queen's music via color, texture, and pattern. I'm working big again (30 x 40) which is fan-freaking-tastic! Love that for us! I'm really stoked to keep on with this project, as it's already having a solid start.
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