AEP EOY 2008

1.

Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley by Dorothea Lange 1935

Gelatin Silver Print

a) Describe the subject matter of the painting.

This painting depicts a mother carring a baby in her arms. The expression on her face tells me that she is distressed and worried. She looks haggard, probably telling viewers that the place she is in has no proper sanitation. In the background, there seem to be two people, both short-haired, leaning on the mother’s back. The seem to be very tired and thus they need her back to sleep on. The mother also looks very tired. From the wrinkles on her face, I can infer that she is not young. The infant in her arms is sleeping. It could be that the mother is worried about their future. The person on her left seems to be her old mother and the person on the right seems to be her other child. It looks as if both are relying on the mother. Also, from the clothes that they are wearing, it tells me that they are quite poor. As suggested by the title, the mother had probably migrated from another country to seek help. However, the expression on her face tells me that help may be nowhere near. Instead, they are facing poverty. Overall, I feel that this painting seems to give a very ‘lethargic’ feeling and also a very depressed atmosphere.

b) What does this work suggest about the lifestyle of the people depicted?

This painting suggests that they are facing poverty. The title tells me that the mother is in Nipomo valley at that point of time. The people at that place probably work as farmers or have low-class jobs. The people seem to be waiting for help, so it could be that their homes were destroyed. They seems to be staying in a temporary shelter. The two people in the background look like they are relying on this mother to give them a better life. However, due to poverty, the idea of having a good life ahead seems bleak now. The title states ‘Migrant Mother’, this could mean that the whole family are migrants. It could also mean that the family travels alot, to find a place to settle down. The year that this painting was made in was 1935, before the World War II. It was around the Great Depression period. This could also tell us that poverty has hit them hard and that they are waiting for a miracle to happen.

c) How effectively has the artist used proportion and emphasis in this photograph?

The artist put the mother in the centre of the painting. When people see the artwork, the state that this mother is in will ‘shock’ them. The light source seems to be coming from the right side of the mother, thus greatly emphasising her face, right arm and the baby in her arms. The emphasis on the mother’s face shows her expression and her state of mind. We can tell that she is worried and also looks very haggard. The emphasis on her posture, expecially her right arm resting in her chin adds to the depressed and “lazy” mood of the artwork. This posture shows that she is thinking of something. The distant look in her eyes also tells us that. The emphasis on the baby gives viewers a good insight on the woman’s role. It is that they are related as mother and child. The baby is sleeping. The mother is carrying him in her arms. Although it looks like the mother does not care for him, in actual fact, she does care a lot. The look on her face tells us that she is worried for her family’s future.

The artist put two figures in the background and a bay at the bottom right hand corner to balance the overall composition. At the extreme right, there is a wooden pole that had blocked part of the baby’s head. This pole gives the effect that we are looking directly at the woman, standing behind the pole. The fact that viewers are involved gives the work more feelings and emotions as we will sympathize with the woman.

3.

Another Place by Anotony Gormley 2005-6 [Figure 3a]

Cast iron, 100 figures, 189x53x29cm each.

Cosby Beach

Age of Bronze by Auguste Rodin 1876 [Figure 3b]

Bronze, 175x60x60cm

Rodin Museum

a) Discuss the theme, in relation to the artists’ intention of these two works.

The theme of these two works is that man is small as compared to nature. In figure (3a), the artist cast himself in iron and these iron casts tells us that the artist thinks that the human body is merely a casing for the spirit within. The body is the closest thing that the spirit has experience with and the closest thing that to matter that the spirit has touched. In this installation, the artist put 100 iron figures at Cosby Beach. Some are in the water, some are on the shore. If left there for a long period of time, the water will make the iron rust and soon, these iron figures will ease to exist. The idea of this shows that nature will always overpower man. The artist also put the 100 iron figures far apart to show the vastness of the ocean. The clouds in the sky, and the vast sea, in contrast to the 100 iron figures portrays grandeur and a dynamic feel. The idea of this shows that man is small as compared to nature.

Figure (3b) is a nude man made of bronze. The pose of the man portrays a somewhat “light” feeling and calm atmosphere. This figure, in contrast with with the white background shows that it is being overpowered, almost engulfed by the blackness. It is a mere bronze figure, standing in the midst of nowhere. This conveys a message that nature is always bigger than man.

b) How does each work make use of form, scale and texture?

Figure 3a) makes use of the vast sea as the background of the work. The iron figures do not have a specific pose. The are just standing upright. The texture comes from the rough sand and the layers of white clouds. The work, in order to portray grandeur, requires the “smaller” subject to be not as prominent as the “bigger” subject. In this work, the iron figures do not have a striking pose to draw viewers’ attention to that specific iron figure. If attention is focused on the figure instead of the overall “vastness”, then this work would have lost all meanings in it. The use of texture of rough sand and layers of clouds adds scale to the overall work as it makes the beach seem like it is never-ending, further emphasizing the theme of the work.

Figure (3b) makes use of the pose of the bronze figure to draw attention to it amidst the ‘sea of white’. The shiny bronze gives the work its texture and the scale is small as it is only one figure. The artist made the figure pose this way so the eye would be drawn to it at first sight of the work. Also, he made use of contrast to make the figure most prominent in the ‘sea of white’. The shiny texture helps to draw attention to it. Because the scale is so small,  we can almost feel that the whiteness is overpowering us. This emphasizes and brings out the theme of the artwork.

c) Which of the work(s) are site-specific? Explain your answer, begining with your definition of site-specificity.

Figure (3a) is site-specific. Site-specificity means that a certain background is needed in order to being out the theme of the artwork. Figure (3a) is site-specific because in order to show that man is smaller compared to nature, the background must have a much bigger scale compared to the smaller subject to show contrast between man and nature. Without the ocean as the site, the calm atmosphere would not be brought out. The work also would not have texture. Also, because the figures are not moving and are standing upright (no striking pose), movement needs to be involved to show that it is part of nature. The movement of the ocean waves and clouds are being contrasted with the neutral position of the iron figures. The theme is then being brought out. Thus, this work is site-specific.

4.

Self-Portrait by Affandi 1975 [Figure 4a]

Oil on canvas

Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vinvent Van Gogh 1889 [Figure 4b]

Oil on canvas, 60 x 49cm

Courtauld Institute Galleries

a) Discuss the use of brush stroke and colour in both paintings.

Figure (4a) is a self-portrait of Affandi. His brushstrokes are known to be directly squeezed out from the tube of paint and on to the canvas. The paints are swirled to create more texture to the painting. Affandi uses warm colours for his face and cool colours for the lower part of the painting, most probably his body, as well as the shadow on the wall. His face is the most prominent in this painting, especially his right side of the face. this is because striking yellow is used to draw attention to it. In the middle of his face, scarlet red and a bit of green is used. This makes it seem as though his face was in a bloody mess, (Mr Lim said, “I will accept this here but no elsewhere; inappropriate), gory and distorted. It creates a sense of unease amongst viewers. The cool colours used as his shadow and body “neutralises” the warm colours and give it a sense of mystery. Also, it balances the painting and makes it more proportional.

Figure (4b) is a self-portrait of van Gosh after he cut off his right ear. The brushstrokes are quick and choppy, the colours used are mostly earthy colours and green. The choppy brushstrokes show his state of mind and his emotions. After he cut off his ear, he was in an unstable state of mind and was feeling depressed as he had just fought with Paul Gaugin. Thus green was used to show his depression. The walls of the room that he was in also were green. The easel behind him and his face was earthen yellow, probably because the light source came from the left side of the painting and had illuminated the room to lift the overall atmosphere of the painting. This ensures that it was balanced.

b) What inspired these two artists? Discuss in relation to their biography.

Van Gogh’s self-portrait because he fought with Gaugin, resulting in him leaving. At that point of time, van Gogh was in an unstable state of mind. He  cut off his ear and gave it to a prostitute. He started to paint this self-portrait to show his emotions (depressed) and his choppy brush strokes showed that his mind was in a frenzy; he was confused. n the painting, the mood is quite solemn as green, (being a dark colour), is almost everywhere in the painting. This shows the ‘scale’ of his depression. He also painted this to show what he looked like after he cut off his ear.

Squeezing out paints from tubes and directly putting them on the canvas was what Affandi liked to do. He must have been quite rich (wrong!!!) to do that. He painted this because he wanted to show the original form of the human.

(I gave up doing the rest of this part of the question.)

c) In your opinion, which artist is more successful in creating a unique style?

In my opinion, Affandi was more successful in creating a unique style as van Gogh was a Post-Impressionist, and there were other Post-Impressionists as well. Although van Gogh had portrayed his emotions through vivid colours and choppy brushstrokes, Affandi could do the same but by squeezing paints from tubes directly on to the canvas. Affandi had also distorted his face to become a more gruesome version of him to show that the human was not always what it seemed to be. In van Gogh’s paintings, he focused on the blending of colours to create an optical illusion. In Affandi’s paintings, he made use of paints fresh from the tube to create texture and style. Affandi’s painting was more unique in a sense because choppy brush strokes could be seen from a variety of painters in the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism movements.

Overall Grade: 58/70 (YAY)

Essay on Feng Zhengjie’s paintings

I do not know when this was done… But it was in 2008.

AEP Essay: Question 1

I agree with the curatorial text that Feng Zhengjie’s women are ‘charming, capricious and contradictory’ and ‘present an ambivalent answer to the question of nature and artifice that continues to captivate.’

In Feng’s works, the women that he paints are presented in close-up and rendered with almost air-brushed precision. The has a dual effect on the viewer: on one hand, the enticing hues attract the viewer’s attention. Meanwhile, the acidic tones also create a sense of unease and raise questions about the definition of beauty and its relationship to surface and vanity.

The close-up portraits of the women suggest charm because when the viewer takes a glance at the paintings, he is immediately drawn to it. (Mr Lim wrote, “Egs?”) Brushstrokes are hardly visible in the paintings, which add on to the women’s charms as it gives an impression that the women he paints have porcelain-like skin. Also, he painted the women such that they look almost ‘perfect’.

The women in his works are said to be ‘capricious’, which means unpredictable. (Mr Lim wrote, “Give specific examples.”) This statement is supported by the trademark diverging eyes of the women make their expression difficult to read as they can appear empty/frivolous or mysterious/elusive. When a person’s expressions are difficult to read, you never know what he may be thinking.

Also, Feng’s women are ‘contradictory’. On one hand, the shades of colour that he uses, mainly red, white and green, allure the viewer, but at the same time these colours are so ‘intensive’ and ‘clashing’ that it is ‘painful’ to the viewers’ eyes. Simultaneously enchanting and repellant, these portrais suggest contradictions of an emotionally complex individual existence in a superficial consumer society.

In the paintings, the women look too perfect to be true. The acidic tones also create a sense of unease. Questions are also raised. What is beauty all about? What is its relationship to surface and vanity? Are these women just reallt pretty on the outside? Or are they beautiful from the inside too? Real beauty glows from within and is a matter of perception. This ‘glow’ is presented in the paintings also: Each of the women has an ethereal glow that seems to be coming from the inside, radiating to the outside. Thus it is said that they presentan ambivalent answer to the question of nature and artifice that continues to captivate.

Comment by Mr Lim: Excellent essay, well structured and methodical. Concise, economical on the word count too! Keep up the good work. To make the essay more substantial, you could have used external sources or even other paintings by other artists of similar nature.

Overall grade: 23/30

Class Assignment

a) Describe the subject matter of each of these two paintings, including the environment in which they are positioned.

Both paintings depict the artist’s own image. The paintings are self-portraits of the artists. In van Gogh’s painting, he had a bandaged ear, as the title of the painting had said so. He was wearing a coat and had a black hat on his head. During that time when van Gogh painted that painting, which is in 1889, he had a dispute with Paul Gaugin, who was his house-mate at that time. After the quarrel became so heated, van Gogh cut off his own ear, threatening and prompting Gaugin to leave. Thus in the painting, we can see van Gogh’s right ear being bandaged. In the background of the painting, there is another painting hung on a wall behind van Gogh himself. Also, there is an easel behind him. From all these background ‘props’, I infer that he must have painted himself in his art studio, after the dispute he had with Gaugin.

In Georgette Chen’s self-portrait, her face takes up most of the space, unlike van Gosh’s painting, where half of his body can be seen, along with a background. Chen’s face is the subject matter in this case. She seems unfocused in the painting. This painting was painted in 1946, during the time she resided in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and her style of painting is similar to that of the Post-Impressionists’. Because she was living in Shanghai and Hong Kong at that time, her living environment may have affected the clothes she wore at that time, which seems tobe a cheongsam. The fact that her hair is done up in a way that looks quite formal, which could be done by a hairdresser, and that her eyebrows were trimmed, meant that she had money and could afford such ‘special’ treatments which could have been expensive at that time. This painting strongly reflects her inner character as being self-conscious and a perfectionist, because of her appearance in the painting.

Comment by Mr Lim: Excellent to give artists’ background to support the description of the subject matter, 9/10. (Heheheh yayyyy)

b) Describe the use of colour, brushwork and space in each of the works. State their influences if any.

In van Gogh’s painting, he used mainly green colours. This choice of colour may have been due to the fact that they (van Gogh and Gaugin) were involved in a dispute previously. Green may have represented remorse or anger to van Gogh. He, being remorseful was probably due to the expression on his face and because he may have regretted quarelling with Gaugin, and on impulse, cut off his own ear. He was also angry because of the fact that friends could become enemies so easily. The light source seems to be coming from the left side of the painting, probably to highlight the bandaged ear, as it is one of the main things in this painting. The green colour in his eyes makes his eyes look like they are giving a cold and distant stare, which could be supported by the fact that he was wearing a coat and a hat to keep himself warm. The brushstrokes are short and choppy, and he does not blend his colours. Instead, he puts different colours side by side to create an ‘optical illusion’. His choppy brushstrokes create texture and movement. The background and use of strong diagonal lines create a sense of space in the painting.

In Georgette Chen’s painting, the choice of colours strongly contrasts that of van Gogh’s choice of colours. She uses bright and vibrant colours, probably due to the fact the she was influenced by the works done in the Post-Impressionism period. There are tinges of pink in her cheeks, implying that she was in the pink of health. The background also has the same shades of colours as her face. This is a style in Chinese painting, probably becausse she was living in Shanghai and Hong Kong, thus she could have been influenced by the paintings over there. There hardly seems to be any visible brushstrokes in her portrait, implying that her brushwork was quite smooth. The sense of space is created by the use of darker colours in her painting, at the right side of the painting. The shadows on her hair and the shadows cast on the background also creates sense of depth. (Mr Lim said this part was good.)

Comment by Mr Lim: Some care need be taken to describe sense of space. The Georgette Chen painting is actually rather flat, 8/10. (Lulz Mr Lim’s grammar not rly good huh.)

c) Name another Southeast Asian artist, and describe another self-portrait. Interpret the artist’s intention from the named work.

Bayu Otomo Radjikin was an artist who was profoundly affected by his surroundings. His painting, “Angel”, was a self-portrait painted in reaction towards the violence and war attacks by terrorists’ acts on the London transport system in July 2005, displays the deep impact that the incident has had on him. This painting is introspective but possess a freedom about them that is indicative of the way he felt as a Malaysian in Europe. I think he was ‘painting’ out his view and opinions on these war attacks and because he was someone who was profoundly affected by his environment, it clearly demonstrates how his feelings were reflected through his artwork. Radjikin questions identity, integrating into a new society and weighing up the differences between the familiar and the unknown. In his painting, there is a word ‘ANGEL’ and his portrait, separated by a stalk of leaves with some small fruits on it. The plant is a symbol of new life (the fruits growing on it) and probably represents innocence. The word ‘ANGEL’ is an irony to the happenings around him, as terrorists represents ‘devils’. The look on his face could mean that he is deep in thought, probably thinking of what is happening around him. This also reiterates the ‘voice’ in his mind and what he wants to say through the painting. I think the intention of his painting is to show his discontent towards society.

Comment by Mr Lim:  , 9/10.

(I cannot figure out what he said.)

Total: 26/30 omg really satisfied with my results I’ve never gotten so high for AEP SOVA before.

If only I could copy and paste the marks for my AEP SOVA EOY 2009… Haha.

Review on Biennale 2006 artwork

A review on Star, one of Singapore Biennale 2006’s artworks displayed

Artist: Hiroyuki Matsukage

Sing a song, give a speech or simply shout out loud. Entering one of the display rooms on Tanglin Camp, one is greeted by many audiences who are real but fake. Ironical, isn’t it? These audiences can be seen screaming their heads off because a star has appeared in front of them!

These audiences are real people whose photos were taken and put into sort of a U-shape. When one enters the stage-like room and shouts into the microphone, these ‘audiences’ can be heard screaming out loud in support of their idol. The louder you (the idol) shout into the microphone, the louder these ‘audiences’ scream! Seems fun, no?

Created on the year 2000, this artwork is good enough for non-stars to ‘realise’ their dreams and turn into an icon that is idolized by many and popular all over the world. It shows people’s desires of wanting fame and glory their whole lifetime and a lot fail to actually bother to ask themselves: Do I have to be in the limelight?

It tells me that one must be an extrovert in whatever you do, be it shouting out loud in public or singing a song. Some people are so shy that they do not even dare to talk into the microphone.

The use of just one spotlight to shine on the microphone and the place where performing visitors are standing gives them the feeling that everyone is watching and waiting for the performance to start. This is a very good use of light as it is contrasting among the surrounding darkness. When you shout into the microphone, more spotlights come into view and gives a sort of surprise to the performing visitors.

There is sense of space and symmetry. I think that the artwork, as a whole, is very stable and I like it very much. It is very balanced and very much proportionate as an installation.

Now, why did this artist create an artwork like this? To relieve stress from the current life you are living in? To experience a whole new lifestyle just for a few moments? That could very well be the answer. I think this whole artwork is about you being able to take the first step to reach out for what you really desire. Why do I say so? This is because many people do not dare to shout into the microphone until others take the first step.

This is a good piece of artwork and it is really fun. You could say that passion and enthusiasm was instilled in some of the performing visitors as I watched them sing or shout out loud into the microphone just to be a star for a few moments.

Personally, I think this artwork fits the theme of ‘Belief’. Belief is about religious faith or accepting what is true. But for this artwork, it is the latter that makes it fit the Biennale theme.

A Review on one Biennale 2006 artwork

A review on Crossroad, one of Singapore Biennale 2006’s artwork Artist: Agus Suwage & Titarubi

In Tanglin Camp, one of Singapore Biennale 2006 venue, a wagon loaded with a bomb-shaped sculpture made out of artificial flowers stands on 8.5 meter long tracks in the shape of a cross. Shattered ceramic body pieces lie between the tracks. These shattered ceramic bodies probably represent earthquake victims in the recent earthquake of magnitude reading 6.3, which occurred on 27 May 2006. A lot of people were left homeless, some were injured and many died.

The visitors are welcome to help themselves to flowers from the boxes standing on the side of the art work and donate an amount they see fit for the earthquake victims of Yogyakarta, the home of the artists.

This earthquake probably spurred the artist on in creating Crossroad for Singapore Biennale 2006 as he wanted to show people the current situation in Java, Indonesia. The flowers which visitors are welcome to help themselves to probably represent compassion. Donation to the needy is a sign that there is still some compassion in us.

This artwork is in the round and is not mundane, which means it is not something you can see everyday. I think it is special and melancholy was instilled in me when I learnt about the May 2006 Java earthquake. I feel that this piece of art is semi-abstract. It is also interesting to see that the dangerous ‘bomb’ is made up of artificial flowers. There is some kind of irony and it seems to be telling me: “There is more than it seems to the eye.” as the flowers looks like well-wishing gifts but they conceal a ‘bomb’ within.

The focal point of this artwork might be the crossroad where the ‘victims’ lie on. But some might think that the focal point of this artwork is the bomb-shaped sculpture. Personally, I think that the focal point is the crossroad because the scale of the crossroad compared to the bomb-shaped sculpture is relatively big, and there lies many victims of the earthquake. It tells viewers that many people have, obviously, suffered from the earthquake and appeals to them for donations to the victims.

This piece of artwork probably consists of ready-made and non ready-made objects. The reason behind this statement is that the ceramic bodies were shattered before they were used in this piece of art work. This is not ready-made as it is altered already. But the crossroad and the bomb-shaped sculpture were ready-made.

I think this artist used Expressionism to reveal his inner feelings about the earthquake, especially when it has happened in his home. He has done a good job in making this piece of art seem majestic. I like how the artist used artificial flowers to cover up the ‘bomb’ and attract visitors to admire it as it is colourful and eye-catching compared to the crossroad and the shattered ceramic bodies as their colours are not as prominent as the flowers.

The main purpose of this artwork is to tell people of how many have suffered not only in the recent May 2006 Java earthquake, but in many parts of the world. Many of them have experienced natural disasters, and man-made ones like terrorism.

I think it fits the theme of ‘Belief’ as this is something that is true and has happened even before the May 2006 Java earthquake occurred. This tells us we have to accept it as the truth even though it is unbelievable.