Title: Standing on the Edge
Medium: Painting (Acrylic) Size: 11 in x 8.5 in September 30th, 2019
Exhibition Text: LGBTQ, even as progressive as the current times are, are seen as foreign or alien. LGBTQ children are often ostracized and told that they're 'wrong' or that it's 'just a phase'. In some intense cases, children are disowned and thrown out the home. Many of these children result to sex work to live. And many of these rejected children get mental health issues, and many end up turning to suicide. In this three part piece, I explore one of the journey of a trans man, where many consider suicide, but learns to accept himself through his transition. Rejection, acceptance, flourish. This piece is inspired by the works of Edvard Munch. |
| Critical Investigation |
Standing on the Edge was thematically inspired by the Media's influence on our Identities, as LGBTQ. I wanted to research artists who focused on darker tones, and artists like Edvard Munch and Francis Bacon. Their work focused on darker tones and paintings. Although their works were not connected to mine in theme, they were connected to mine in my preferred style.
| Inspiration |
Young Woman on the Beach was painted by Edvard Munch. The painting, although Lost, still has documentation. The significance of the piece is a reflection of loneliness. Originally, there was figure of a man, but it was removed, so that the woman figure was the soul focus. The white dress and the light brown glow of her hair contrasted her surroundings.
Edvard Munch's works generally rotate around more dark tones, even subtly, with bright contrasting colors. This can be seen in this piece. This piece is a direct and obvious influence of my piece. |
Francis Bacon mainly works and prided himself in paintings, What I was inspired by the most - besides the strong use of color - was how the painting has a threatening and macabre aura to it. This aesthetic really inspired my piece, as it is uneasy to stare at, much like staring down a plague doctor was uneasy as well.
I mainly took out this macabre aesthetic, but once again, the harsh and bleeding lines of contrasting colors also inspired how my piece would eventually look, along with some of the grainy textures in the piece as well. |
| Planning Sketches |
My Sketches mainly focused on the posing and Basic or more noticeable parts of the piece, rather than focusing on the smaller details in my sketches.
In my first Sketch, I played with the ideas and meanings behind the photos, most of which stayed through most of the other sketches and through to the final product, such as the nice but frizzy hair, Beauty products, basic pose, and the bloody face and bruises. In my second sketch, I introduced the idea of multiple arms, and a different basic pose to build off of. In the Third sketch, the Multiple arms have now migrated to the back, and flowers and the water background have also been introduced, to bring forth more of the beauty focus in the artwork. In my Final Sketch, I played with a different area of where the arms are connected, and more of the flowers are in the frame. In the final product, aspects from all these sketches found their place in the image.
In my first Sketch, I played with the ideas and meanings behind the photos, most of which stayed through most of the other sketches and through to the final product, such as the nice but frizzy hair, Beauty products, basic pose, and the bloody face and bruises. In my second sketch, I introduced the idea of multiple arms, and a different basic pose to build off of. In the Third sketch, the Multiple arms have now migrated to the back, and flowers and the water background have also been introduced, to bring forth more of the beauty focus in the artwork. In my Final Sketch, I played with a different area of where the arms are connected, and more of the flowers are in the frame. In the final product, aspects from all these sketches found their place in the image.
| Process |
1.) I started out by taking my sketch and transferring it to my painting
2.) I took one of my smaller Brushes, and began to mix paints
3.) Once I had paints, I used a small brush to start work on the girl figure
4.) I then worked to painting on the background, starting on the cliff she was standing on.
5.) After the girl, I worked on the background.
6.) After it was complete, i took a fan brush and took a mix of paints and gently brushed it over the painting, creating prominent streaks in the painting.
2.) I took one of my smaller Brushes, and began to mix paints
3.) Once I had paints, I used a small brush to start work on the girl figure
4.) I then worked to painting on the background, starting on the cliff she was standing on.
5.) After the girl, I worked on the background.
6.) After it was complete, i took a fan brush and took a mix of paints and gently brushed it over the painting, creating prominent streaks in the painting.
| Reflection |
My main goal and theme of this piece was to make the audience understand the struggle of LGBTQ children and adults. Because of that goal, I pushed to make my project as full of meaningful as it could be, but this can only be achieved when I expand into other parts. Because of that, I think this project would be a success. While creating standing on the edge I noticed many weaknesses as much as I did strengths. For example, colors and contrasting vibrancy, which was fairly simple to do overall. There were also some complex or tougher things in the project such as getting the style down just right. But, I, overall feel that this project turned out better and exactly as I had hoped. I feel like I need to really get more comfortable with paints since I struggled with blending and brightening things in the image. But, again, I feel like I succeeded.
| ACT Questions |
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your art work?
My inspirations have affected my artwork by having a meaningful physical affect on my work. Sherman had affected my meaning with feminism and struggles of women and Picasso affected my work with the inspiration for a warm-peach period of my own.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author ( from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors really went in depth about the history of the artworks rather than the meaning of the works. With the author for Picasso for example, they focused a lot of the physical aspects and history of the works.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered that many people - especially in the past - really focused on the physical attributes of a human, rather the internal attributes of them. That's why artists like Sherman focused a lot of their time on the society's views of beauty and the psychical body of a woman
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Mainly my theme was social issues and constructs. Not only because of Sherman's Feminism but Picasso's peace advocacy in his life as well. Truly artists with strong world views seem to inspire me.
5. What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
Life is unforgiving and treacherous for anyone and everyone. War and Discourse is just part of society and not much can be done about it since it has been around for so long. Society wants to control us whether it be from controlling how we look or think of ourselves - or war and discord it wants to control with fear. And it works.
My inspirations have affected my artwork by having a meaningful physical affect on my work. Sherman had affected my meaning with feminism and struggles of women and Picasso affected my work with the inspiration for a warm-peach period of my own.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author ( from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors really went in depth about the history of the artworks rather than the meaning of the works. With the author for Picasso for example, they focused a lot of the physical aspects and history of the works.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have discovered that many people - especially in the past - really focused on the physical attributes of a human, rather the internal attributes of them. That's why artists like Sherman focused a lot of their time on the society's views of beauty and the psychical body of a woman
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Mainly my theme was social issues and constructs. Not only because of Sherman's Feminism but Picasso's peace advocacy in his life as well. Truly artists with strong world views seem to inspire me.
5. What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
Life is unforgiving and treacherous for anyone and everyone. War and Discourse is just part of society and not much can be done about it since it has been around for so long. Society wants to control us whether it be from controlling how we look or think of ourselves - or war and discord it wants to control with fear. And it works.
Citations
- Freeman, Anna. “Your Ultimate Guide to Cindy Sherman.” Dazed, Dazed Digital, 3 Aug. 2016, www.dazeddigital.com/photography/article/32147/1/your-ultimate-guide-to-cindy-sherman.
- “Pablo Picasso's Blue Period - 1901 to 1904.” The Weeping Woman, 1937 by Pablo Picasso, 2009, www.pablopicasso.org/blue-period.jsp.
- “The Old Guitarist, 1903 by Pablo Picasso.” The Weeping Woman, 1937 by Pablo Picasso, 2009, www.pablopicasso.org/old-guitarist.jsp#prettyPhoto.