Exposed
Exhibition Text
Being exposed is an feeling that many people do not enjoy, especially if they have no other means of covering themselves. Muscles, although not something we deem as scandalous in American culture, their exposure is something that would not be condoned, as well as be taboo for another person to view. All the things we internalize (and that are internal) are deemed flaws because they are a little bit deeper than the surface.
Being exposed is an feeling that many people do not enjoy, especially if they have no other means of covering themselves. Muscles, although not something we deem as scandalous in American culture, their exposure is something that would not be condoned, as well as be taboo for another person to view. All the things we internalize (and that are internal) are deemed flaws because they are a little bit deeper than the surface.
Planning
Inspiration
This piece is inspired by the simplified sketches and prints of Henri Matisse. often, pieces were found in which Matisse had little concern for detail and more for a figures position in space. All three works to the right do not have a background or foreground, simply the subject. This trend inspired me to focus on body position in my work and the message that certain poses suggest. The simplification, also inspired by Matisse, ensures that body language is one of the main idea of my piece. The idea of self image plays a major role in my piece. Through my piece I wanted to convey a sense of insecurity, one that is cultivated through the scrutiny of others and their tendency to peer into the most vital parts of a person that make him or her himself or herself. A person's back and what lays under his or her skin is private. When exposed, there is not much a person can do to conceal his or her back. |
Critical Investigation
Henri Matisse is often categorized as an impressionist or fauvist, however, many of his studies were concerned with the human forms, most often nudes. They were not painted in vivid colors, nor with a great appreciation for light. The pieces were about appreciation for the human body and the forms it can take on in motion.
Matisse's Dance I (1909) is depicts a community of people harmoniously moving in a circle taking on poses that can only exist for a single moment in time. The poses are not only unique and humanly advantageous, but they impart a sense of happiness for the viewer to pick up on. This feeling is most likely the result of the very "open" forms. The forms do not have any angles at which they could be folded to conceal. The figures appear as though every nook and cranny is on display from which ever angle the figure is viewed.
In contrast to Dance I is Music (1910), also by Henri Matisse. The simplified figures with little background communicate a theme of solitude and ineffectiveness. Each character has a specific position in space that dictates the emotion the viewer assigns to it. The figure in the lower right-hand corner appears to be sad, or more closed off that the others in the same. Even though the piece has a single, overall purpose and emotion, the figure on the right is more solemn because it is limiting what the viewer sees about it.
Henri Matisse is often categorized as an impressionist or fauvist, however, many of his studies were concerned with the human forms, most often nudes. They were not painted in vivid colors, nor with a great appreciation for light. The pieces were about appreciation for the human body and the forms it can take on in motion.
Matisse's Dance I (1909) is depicts a community of people harmoniously moving in a circle taking on poses that can only exist for a single moment in time. The poses are not only unique and humanly advantageous, but they impart a sense of happiness for the viewer to pick up on. This feeling is most likely the result of the very "open" forms. The forms do not have any angles at which they could be folded to conceal. The figures appear as though every nook and cranny is on display from which ever angle the figure is viewed.
In contrast to Dance I is Music (1910), also by Henri Matisse. The simplified figures with little background communicate a theme of solitude and ineffectiveness. Each character has a specific position in space that dictates the emotion the viewer assigns to it. The figure in the lower right-hand corner appears to be sad, or more closed off that the others in the same. Even though the piece has a single, overall purpose and emotion, the figure on the right is more solemn because it is limiting what the viewer sees about it.
Planning Sketches and Experimentation
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Process
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The second method of cleaning the plate for a print was by far the most effective and successful. The method required less manual labor because it involved peeling a piece of paper instead of vigorously rubbing with it. In addition to that, it did not take much ink from the grooves on the plate. Since the paper was laid flat, it could only remove in from the surface. It was also significantly better at evenly removing ink from across the entire plate because no single area could be focused on such as with scrubbing. From the resulting prints, it is apparent that the second method was much better for eliminating focal points of scrubbing.
Steps:
- Create (on paper) the image that will be printed.
- Remember that the image will be flipped.
- Remove the protective plastic from the printing plate.
- Align it with your drawing and tape it in place
- Use the carving tool to scratch the drawing into the plate.
- Use stippling or crosshatching.
- Once carved, remove the plate from the paper.
- Collect printing materials.
- Lay out paper to avoid getting ink everywhere.
- Put on gloves.
- Use a palette knife to spread a small amount of oil based ink across your entire plate.
- Focus on areas with a lot of detail.
- Use fragments of news print paper to remove excess ink from the plate.
- Submerge a piece of watercolor paper in water for five minutes.
- Pat it dry.
- Lay the paper inside a folded sheet of larger paper.
- Place printing plat in the center of the watercolor paper.
- Close the enveloping paper.
- Put the plate and papers through the press once.
- Let the print dry.
Evaluation
With reference to inspiration and intended meaning, this work was successful. I believe this because, although the piece is not overtly Matisse, there is an obvious connection when compared to his works mentioned in the inspiration part of this page. This study of the human form in a simplistic manner is something that Matisse often attempted to do with his studies.
I believe that I effectively communicated my intentions through this piece with reference to culture. Although the culture I "focused" on was the American, younger generation, the message is able transcend origins and age. The applicability of feeling exposed or vulnerable is something that everybody has felt at some point. Body language and anatomy are all thing we can observe to make this claim for my print.
I believe that I effectively communicated my intentions through this piece with reference to culture. Although the culture I "focused" on was the American, younger generation, the message is able transcend origins and age. The applicability of feeling exposed or vulnerable is something that everybody has felt at some point. Body language and anatomy are all thing we can observe to make this claim for my print.
Reflection
Overall, my dry point print was successful. However, I do have reservations about my printing technique. With a plate that has very small and close details, it was hard to remove most of the ink and often resulted in the spot being to clear of ink in the print. My method was not working so I changed it up to account for the details. The ink was just about correct, but something else was giving my prints a look of fuzziness. The lines are mostly clean, but some places appear to possibly have been too wet when printed, resulting in blurry line.
With reference to meaning and inspiration, my print was also a success. As stated previously in the evaluation, messages that transcend origins and age are the ones that are most widely understood. Since everybody is subject to having body language and feeling vulnerable at points in their life, they can interpret the meaning of the piece.
With reference to meaning and inspiration, my print was also a success. As stated previously in the evaluation, messages that transcend origins and age are the ones that are most widely understood. Since everybody is subject to having body language and feeling vulnerable at points in their life, they can interpret the meaning of the piece.
ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
My inspiration led me to the special interest in the human form and the message it conveys with different poses.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
From the research I conducted, the author was most concerned with the themes Matisse's work brought to light in a technical and formal manner.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that American culture encourages self awareness of physical flaws more than most other cultures.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The purpose of my research was to gain insight into the message conveyed through body language.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Americans were more concerned with self image than people of other cultures.
My inspiration led me to the special interest in the human form and the message it conveys with different poses.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
From the research I conducted, the author was most concerned with the themes Matisse's work brought to light in a technical and formal manner.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that American culture encourages self awareness of physical flaws more than most other cultures.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The purpose of my research was to gain insight into the message conveyed through body language.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Americans were more concerned with self image than people of other cultures.
Bibliography
“Christie's: Prints & Multiples.” Henri Matisse | Figure de dos au collier noir (1906) | Artsy, www.artsy.net/artwork/henri-matisse-figure-de-dos-au-collier-noir. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
“Forum Auctions: Editions and Works on Paper 1500-2017.” Henri Matisse | Derrière le Miroir No. 46-47 (1981) | Available for Sale | Artsy, www.artsy.net/artwork/henri-matisse-derriere-le-miroir-no-46-47. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
“Henri Matisse | . . . SEULE, AU PIED DU GRAND CAROUBIER . . . (1944) | Available for Sale | Artsy.” Artsy - Discover, Research, and Collect the World's Best Art Online, www.artsy.net/artwork/henri-matisse-seule-au-pied-du-grand-caroubier. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
“Matisse and Symbolist Art.” Cubic Muse, cubicmuse.com/?p=1224. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
Peck, Stephen Rogers. Atlas of human anatomy for the artist. Oxford, Oxford University Press., 1982.
“Forum Auctions: Editions and Works on Paper 1500-2017.” Henri Matisse | Derrière le Miroir No. 46-47 (1981) | Available for Sale | Artsy, www.artsy.net/artwork/henri-matisse-derriere-le-miroir-no-46-47. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
“Henri Matisse | . . . SEULE, AU PIED DU GRAND CAROUBIER . . . (1944) | Available for Sale | Artsy.” Artsy - Discover, Research, and Collect the World's Best Art Online, www.artsy.net/artwork/henri-matisse-seule-au-pied-du-grand-caroubier. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
“Matisse and Symbolist Art.” Cubic Muse, cubicmuse.com/?p=1224. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.
Peck, Stephen Rogers. Atlas of human anatomy for the artist. Oxford, Oxford University Press., 1982.