Tar Beach (Week 7-Oct.4)

Link To Image:
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/about/guggenheim-images/show-full/piece/?search=Faith%20Ringgold&page=1&f=Artist&cr=1
Image Info:
Tar Beach (Part I from the Woman on a Bridge series), 1988. Acrylic on canvas, bordered with printed, painted, quilted, and pieced cloth, 74 5/8 x 68 1/2 inches (189.5 x 174 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Gift, Mr. and Mrs. Gus and Judith Lieber, 88.3620

Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold is a fascinating piece to observe and understand the true meaning. In this photo, there is an African-American family enjoying a night under the moon above apartment style dwellers. Quilted fabric boards the portrait. There are children lying on a blanket gazing at the night stars. For colors, primary colors are mainly used-especially on the quilted border. The sky is blue using color as emotion to show the calmness of the night and to provide the viewers to understand the beauty of the night sky and family gatherings. Representational elements are used because the people and everything else looks real as if you were standing on the corner of the building.

            The meaning of this work is to link childhood to the larger meaning of African-American experience and how being on top of the building makes you feel as if you were flying on top of the world. An example of this is at the top of the image, there are writings that explain a childhood memory of a child magically flying over the city. There is also an image of the child in the sky. It shows freedom and self-assurance. The artist’s great-great-great grandmother made quilts during the time of slavery so this connects between her family history and her love for art.            

            I’m sure this artwork helped influence perceptions because most wouldn’t understand the importance this artist has connected between herself, art and her family as well as her potential for racial change. The quote on the canvas states, “All you need is somewhere to go that you can’t get to any other way. The next thing you know, you’re flying among the stars.  

Title: Faith Ringgold Tar Beach

Author: Nancy Spector

Source: Guggenheim Museum, New York. 

Family (Blog #4)

Link To Photo: http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/cameron/oz_106702.html

Photo Info: British, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, July 1874

Albumen silver print
94.XM.31.4

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

                  Family photographed by Julia Margaret Camero is a touching piece of work that not only makes viewers understand the importance of family but to feel the significance as if it were they in the photograph. In this picture, there is a man and two of his kids on either side of him holding hands in remembrance of their mother who passed during childbirth. The light focuses mainly on the faces of the family members to describe in facial expressions the terrible tragedy they were all witnessing. The father is wearing a black tux and beside him, two of his daughters are coated in beige color dresses, which makes them stand out. This photograph is in sepia, which provides hints that this photograph was based on many years ago.

The meaning of this work was to illustrate the importance of family and the love is has to offer. It shows that no matter what, family has to stick together and grieve to carry on. Many people don’t understand that anything could happen to anyone and everything is unpredictable. It relates to the social issue of family, which in my opinion is most important.

This artwork has definitely helped influence perceptions because it is so strong that is allows you to put your self in one of the family members positions. Almost everyone has lost someone in their family, or eventually will and it opens minds to understanding the importance of sticking together. Anne Hignonnet states, “Cameron knew love on a variety of levels and that in great art, genius and love have each fulfilled their part and both unite with force and grace.”

Review: Passionate Portraits

Anne Higonnet

Reviewed work(s): Julia Margaret Cameron's Women by Sylvia Wolf

The Women's Review of Books
Vol. 16, No. 3 (Dec., 1998), pp. 6-7

Published by: Old City Publishing, Inc.

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4023140

Black Chalkboard

Black Chalkboard (Triple Eye Maestro), 1993

48 x 60 x 3 1/4 in. (122.0 x 152.0 x 8.3 cm)

Black Chalkboard (Triple Eye Maestro) By Gary Simmons is a very interesting piece of art to view. The object drawn on the board is of a frog, which at first may be hard to determine. The artwork is showing the frog in a movement demonstration as you can see how the lines are smeared across the board. The color is all white used on black for viewers to clearly see the drawing and for the object to visibly stand out; no other colors are necessary. The image is only made of lines-nothing else, and the curves of the lines demonstrate the movement as the frog moves from left to right.

            As I searched for images used to define the social issue of racial stereotypes, I found this image. At first, I could not see how this had to do with racism; however, it was easier to understand that it confronts the ethnic stereotypes that are still present in today’s civilization.

            Simmons artwork helped influences perceptions of this social issue because it mimics the chalkboards in schools and helps remind people that racism is a huge problem everywhere but mostly in schools. Individuals seem to be more racist when they are around people unlike themselves and are around others to antagonize. “Gary Simmons is an African-American artist who was born in New York City in 1964. His artist method was to take mundane objects of popular culture and transform them.” I believe this quote clearly states the reasons for the drawings he demonstrates on chalkboards.

Title:  Instructional Resources: Image as Weapon

Author(s):  David J. Henry

Source:  Art Education, Vol. 46, No. 3, Critical Reflecting  (May, 1993), pp. 25-28+37-41

Publisher(s): National Art Education Association

Stable URL:  http://www.jstor.org/stable/3193395

Quote Source: http://hirshhorn.si.edu/dynamic/podcasts/podcast_191.pdf

Girl Arranging Her Hair

            When people look at Girl Arranging Her Hair, they see a young girl with natural beauty. In this painting, the main focus is on her arms and how she is twirling with her hair. The color of the walls assist the white dress the young girl is wearing to help focus on her and what she is doing. The lighting is neutral for the walls have a darker tint, while her dress is white complementing her pale face and dark hair to bring attention to the viewers and for them to understand the moral of the painting. 

            The artist clearly demonstrates that the work of art does not depend on the exquisiteness of the young girl; and the natural pattern that is shown with her arms and facial expression. Beauty is a social issue many women take for granite but there are far many acquisitions of women and their beauty beyond the face. In my opinion, the meaning of the work is to show the natural gesture in the arms and head. This relates to my own experience because when I was a young girl, playing with my hair was my favorite pastime.

            This artwork helped change perceptions for the reason that many women don’t understand the beauty and natural body language that has been created for us. The following webpage helps show that these paintings are part of a woman’s’ daily life and movement: http://gallery.sjsu.edu/paris/breaking_away/women_artist_2.htm

Sources:

1) 

Title: Girl Arranging Her Hair

Author:  Mary Cassatt

Source: The Collection: National Gallery of Art

Website:http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/ggcassattptg/ggcassattptg-46572.html

2)

Title: Women As Artists

Source: Breaking Away From The Academy

Webpage:http://gallery.sjsu.edu/paris/breaking_away/women_artist_2.htm