Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley by Dorothea Lange 1935

Gelatin Silver Print

1a) Describe the subject matter of the painting

The “Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley” depict of a women a mother as suggested from the title, porbably in her thirties dressed in shabby clothes. Her face is filled with worries and frowns. There are many wrinkles on her face probably caused by her worries. There are two people, backs facing us each on her left and right, leaning on her shoulders,seemingly asleep, probably her children. The mother seems to be the centre of focusin the printas the children beside her,back facingus seems to blur into the background.

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

This work suggests of the fugitive life of them as children lies on the shoulders of their mother which suggests that they are homeless and deprived of beds. The bamboo at the right side of the painting also tells us that they are out in the open which further enforce the fact that they are nameless. The shabby, plain clothes they are dressed in also shows the poverty they are in. The expression on the mother face, the frowns on her face also suggest the poor living conditions of them.

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

The mother is in the centre of focus of the print, perhaps by using the golden rule, the mother is placed in a way that she is the emphasis of the print. The details of the children beside her are missed out probably on purpose and the children, back facing us seems to be fading into background. This is so that the details protrayed in the children will overcrowd the detail of facial features on the mother’s face, the worries and the mother’s face. This makes the mother stands out even more in the print. The giqures are aslo proportionate and the print looks symmetrically balanced with one child on each side and the mother in the centre, this creates a feel that the mother is centre of support, the centre of pillar for her children to lean on, depend on.

Section B

Another Place by Antony Gormley 2005-6

Cast iron, 100 figures, 189x53x29cm each

Cosby Beach

Age of Bronze by Auguste Rodin 1876

Bronze, 175x60x60cm

Rodin Museum

3a) Discuss the theme, in relation to the artists’ intenions of these two works.

 In “Another Place” by Antony Gormley 2005-6, the artist intention is to reflect the man’s impact on the enivronment. 100 iron male fiqures each of 1890m tall are placed facing out to the seain Cosbt Beach.  Each weighs about 650kg. There are palced spaced out deliberately getting more congregated as they reach out to the shore. The fiqure are submerged and revealed as the waves and tides varies.They are placed far apart from each other yet strangelyseem to relate to one another. The stillness of the figures creates on austere atmosphere.

In “Age of Bronze” by Auguste Rodin. A life size figure are made in bronze. As the title of the work, “Age of Bronze”suggest the work depicting the bronze age. The sculpture is modelled from a belgan soldier and is perhaps to suggest the vitality, robustness in the soldier.

3b)How does each work make use of form, scale and texture?

“Another Place”is a large scale work with 100 male figures place far apart from each other, it requires you to go there to experience the atmosphere created by it, to be “part”of the artwork as well. The space created is important to the artwork as well, as the waves and tides submerged and rise, teh figures are also being embdedded in the waves and revealed as the waves submerged. This creates a relation of the artwork, the figures to the environment. Form of the figure in “another place”is more simplified, is nude as well but is not as detailed in terms of tension of muscle, texture of skin compared to “Age of Bronze”. The overall feel of the figures together matters more than each individual figures which explains why the figure s are more simplified compared to “Age of Bronze”. Both artworks are made up of life-sized figures probably to create a realistic feel.

In “Age of Bronze”, details are created through the tension of muscles, the tense arm through the clenching of fist and the texture of the skin. Auguste Rodin emphasizes more the physical appearance as he thinks that character and emotion are created through the physical appearance, the tension of each an every muscles, the clenched fist. The first was initially clenching a fist. however, was removed as Auguste Rodin felt that the spear obstructured the torso in a certain way. The contraction and relaxation of each and every muscle is made in such a realistic way that crtics accused Rodin of making cast out of the soldier and directly, a practice that is normally frown upon.

3c)Which of the work(s) are site-specific? Explain your answer, beginning with your definition of site-specific

Site specificity means that the artworks are placed in a certain place, which forces you to visit the place if you want to see the artwork where the space and the atmosphere created through the space is important to the artwork as well. Installation of art is normally site-specific.

I think “Another Place” is site specific as the movement of waves, the stillness of the figure relate to each other and is considered as an artwork together and if the figures are moved to a different space, place, will result in a different feel.

However, “Age of Bronze”is not site- specific as it is the same whenever you placed it. The space does not matter. It can be moved to any place and does not affect the sculpture.

4) Self-Portrait by Affandi 1975 Oil on Canvas

Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent Van Gogh 1889

Oil on canvas, 60 x 49 cm

Courtauld Institute Galleries

4a) Discuss the use of brush stroke and colour in both paintings.

 In “Self-Portrait”by Affandi 1975, the brushstrokes are more expressive and dynamic and directional. A variety of brushstrokes are used, swirly, wavy and specks of paint. The directional and dynamic brushstrokes gives the painting a sense of unruliness and unleash Affandi’s creatives onto the canvas upon deep impasto. Movement and rhythm have created through the use of directional dynamic brustrokes as well. Form are more abstract, one can vaguely make out the facial features, it is more of a representative of emotional state than physical state. Vibrant, primary, basic, colours such as yellow and red wre used. A large portion of yellow was used. The background was painted black, while part of the canvas was not being painted, and the vibrant colours used to paint the face constrast with the black background and stands out. The face was emphasized through the contrasting, clashing colours against the black background. The vibrant colours used to paint the face also gives a robust vitality look. Strong light source was also created as portions of the face are submerged in dark shadows while some portions of the face is starkly illuminated. This creates a sense of depth to the painting as ell.

There was not much contrast of colours in “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear”by Vincent Van Gogh compared to “Self Portrait” by Affandi.Darker colours such as dark yellow were used to paint the figures as compared to the colours that are lighter in value used in the background such as light green and light blue. This creates a sense of depth in the pianting as the darker colours seems to advance forward while the lighter cool colours seems to recede backwards. Brushstrokes are short and choppy of one direction. The short and choppy brushstrokes displays rythm and movement in the painting. Strong vertical lines are displayed in the picture. Shadings are applied in graduated tones in “Self-Portrait with Bandage Ear”whereas colours of complementary colours are placed side by side in “Self-Portrait”by Affandi which seems more intense from far than if mixed in the palette. Strong bold outlines were used perhaps to emphasize on the figure.

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

Affandi painted his self portrait in relation to an artist award he is going to receive. His portraits are normally full of emotions and expressions and depict the preoccupations of human life and conditions, the mortality of growing old. He is an Indonesian artists and come from a group Yogya which focus on realism and expressionism. However, his latter works borders towards semi-abstraction. This “self portrait is drawn so as to express that although he is physically growing old, portrayed through the unkempt, thinning of hair, he is still emotionally strong and full of vitality, young at his heart which is portray from his use of vibrant colours to express his emotional state.

Vincent Van Gogh painted “Self portrait with Bandaged Ear”after he had a heated arguement with his friend, Paul Gauguin, in which after that he cut off his ear probably out of depression after Gauguin left. The “Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear”is probably painted to express his depression after Gauguin left. The “self-portrait with Bandaged Ear” is probably painted to express his depressed emotional feelings. Less intense colours in contrast to vibrant colours in “self-portrait” by Affandi was used to create a solemn atmosphere. His expression on his face with solemn dejected eyes also gives us a hint of his dejected feelings.

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

I feel that Affandi is more successful in creating a unique style. His paintings move towards semi-abstraction, forms are comparatively less recognisable and thus, more free for interpretation. In addition, colours of shadings are placed side by side instead of being mixed on the palette first as perceived in Van Gogh self portrait where shadings are made in graduated tone. Thus, in Affandi’s self portrait, colours look more intense and stands out from far than if mixed on palette. Brushstrokes are also more dynamic and directional, there are a variety of brushstrokes used for example, swirly, wavy, choppy, short brushstrokes were used and are of only one vertical direction. The dynamic directional brushstrokes gives the painting a sense of unruliness and energy being unleashed upon it in deep impasto. Vibrant colours were used contrasting and clashing with the background and unlike colours that are less in value and intensity being used in Van Gogh self portrait. Thus, Affansi’s self-portrait is more unique in style and appeals to me more.

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