Merlee Vergara
1-Who were the 5 +artists you chose videos about?
Julie Mehretu, Sarah Sze, William Kentridge, Louise Despont, Kara Walker
2-What were 5+ of the themes the artists addressed about making work?
Julie Mehretu: The use of abstraction and color within a large-scale mural.
Sarah Sze: Sze’s work focuses on the mundane and infuse it with meaning, as she uses everyday materials, marks, and methods to create intricate sculptures and installations; In this installation, is utilizing the movement and space in subway entrances.
William Kentridge: Through charcoal, film, and sculpture, Kentridge examines tragedies and transforms them into powerful allegories of tragic political events.
Louise Despont: Drawings based on pure geometry and symmetry, Despont's artwork reflects universal themes of energy and spirituality.
Kara Walker: In her work, Walker explores race, gender, and sexuality from a contemporary perspective, weaving vivid psychological narratives based on historical context.
3-What were 5+ challenges the artists faced in making their work?
Julie Mehretu: Much of how Mehretu plans her compositions are dependent on location; she considers the many perspectives a pedestrian can view her piece and plans accordingly. She would also need to seek a balance between how much is excessive, and wanting certain shapes to be present but not sure where, when, or how.
Sarah Sze: The technical nature of the process and the fact that this piece is intended to last generations put Sze under pressure to make the right decisions. The fact that the process took 10 years sounds lengthy and challenging yet she managed to do it.
William Kentridge: The obstacles vary depending on the type of piece he is making. If it were a collage, it would be to find connections between people’s interests and possibly raise questions. If it were a sculpture, usually of one using optical illusion, overall it would be how to present it properly when it is on display.
Louise Despont: Due to her art being controlled and contained, the urge to be neat and precise with each linework is a struggle. When she frames her work, she would soon see these imperfections but cannot add to them any longer.
Kara Walker: The path that she became known for versus the one she initially started in was its own obstacle. As a successful young artist, she had to face much of the responsibility at such a youthful age.
4-What were 5+ inspirations you drew from the artists?
Julie Mehretu: A very inspirational quote from her would be, “But overall, whether it’s just a plain square or a more anthropomorphic shape, I think that these all bring up something that means something more subconsciously or poetically within us.”The power of abstraction is fascinating with something as vague as a shape or color holding much more meaning. The harmonic balance amongst all the chaos.
Sarah Sze: Primarily to utilize space better; Stuff that we usually take for granted, something seemingly repetitive and giving a refreshing take on it.
William Kentridge: No matter the medium he intends to use, Kentridge's unusual presentation on each piece and how it invokes a certain aura speaks to me, especially in the film “Pain & Sympathy”.
Louise Despont: Clearly how delicate her handwork is. Each line is clean and precise, and every pattern and use of negative space is planned. Additionally, no matter the complexity of the composition, the whole thing invokes a sense of harmony.
Kara Walker: Walker’s paper-cut installations showcase caricatures of people, all of which express so much personality with mere gestures and poses. Her words towards the newer artist generation were also inspiring; if you can't attain a goal one way, try another, and don't think about it as a demotion.
5-What were 5+ things you would like to Incorporate into your own work after watching these videos?
Julie Mehretu: Although I don't focus much on abstraction, I am intrigued by her artistic process. To look at things from different perceptions, and plan accordingly. She deems me to strike a balance between overdoing and leaving out details.
Sarah Sze: Her use of space for her compositions is inspiring. Instead of thinking in a 2D space, consider it in a 3D perspective. As someone who usually thinks in 2d, this has made me think about my work in a different way.
William Kentridge: As someone who wants to be an illustrator, his storytelling abilities through his charcoal drawings are astonishing. No words are spoken, yet one can sense the emotion and tragedy through each frame. This is something I wish to include in my own concept art.
Louise Despont: When it comes to the smaller details, I feel like I should follow her example of precision and planning. Also, the use of stencils or “shortcuts” is nothing to be ashamed of, as the tools are there for a reason.
Kara Walker: Receiving the personality of a character through their silhouette is a challenge in itself. Walker showed me the importance of the expression and characterization of a person. Not only through their faces but their gestures and overall silhouette.
No comments:
Post a Comment