Hello, I am Renee Ramos, and I am a B.F.A in Illustration.
Janine Antoni, Chris Ware, Kelti Ferris, Jes Fan, Salman Toor
1-Who were the five +artists you chose videos about?
I watched videos about Janine Antoni, Chris Ware, Keltie Ferris, Jes Fan, and Salman Toor. Antoni’s video covered her sculpture work about Milagros by pairing body parts with bones and grafting body parts together to show the meaning behind impossible juxtapositions. She draws attention to the female body through her use of the pelvis, and one sculpture depicts a woman’s leg with her leg bone crossed over it like a ‘lady.’ Chris Wane works on comics about women while also being self-conscious about his position as a white man who wants to tell stories from the perspective of someone he is not. Meanwhile, Keltie Ferris completes abstract spray paint paintings in solitude and struggles with the purpose of his work. Jes Fan works in glass and sculpture and incorporates biological material into their work to capture the absurdity of politicizing certain aspects of people. Finally, Salman Toor’s work captures the freedom of young queer men living in a cosmopolitan culture with emerald green paint. While all the artists I watched had different approaches to art, their messages were universal as they touched on personal struggles and political identities.
2-What were 5+ of the themes the artists addressed about doing work?
Janine Antoni’s work heavily focuses on the body. With Milagros, she is presenting her audience with impossible juxtapositions, such as a hand holding a tailbone or pelvis grafted to the corner of the room. In addition to her first message, her work is feminist as she comments on how women need to position themselves while sitting, with the leg bone grafted to a thigh. She also wants people to see how the work was done and how the sculptures were put together. Chris Ware is a comic illustrator, and the main focus of his work depicts women living in the 60s and 70s living out their struggles; he wants to tell stories that are usually not highlighted. Keltie Ferris is an abstract artist, so they view their work as a different perspective of the city since their studio faces Manhatten. Jes Fan’s work deals with themes of politicized biology, exploring their transition and creating work that shows the absurdity of how biological material can be controversial. Finally, Salman Toor’s work depicts the freedom of queer men living in the city, celebrating their sexuality through a European-inspired style. The paintings are an extension of his experiences as he features himself and his friends.
3-What were the 5+ challenges the artists faced in doing their work?
Janine Antoni’s medium changes with every project; Milagros needed a lot of research, and Antoni built the sculptures using resin molds; she hopes that people can view her work and see the work she put into the sculptures. Chris Ware's professor told him that he could not draw women because he was a man and could not have the ability to see through the perspective of the women in his stories. Ware is self-conscious about his condition and how he’s empathizing with the women characters he creates. Either way, an artist can tell their stories. Regarding Keltie, their main struggle is working in solitude, but they find meditation in painting and struggles with their purpose as an artist. Jes Fan uses biological material, testosterone, melanin, and estrogen. He extracts these materials himself and creates glass sculptures to hold these materials. Fan discusses how using natural material politicizes his sculptures as they are a commentary on how society views race and gender. Meanwhile, while it celebrates his queer identity, Salman Toor's work also draws on his anxieties about living as a gay man and moments of disempowerment and humiliation.
4-What were 5+ inspirations you drew from the artists?
I was inspired by how the artists viewed their work intersectionally by implementing their ideas and addressing societal issues. Despite the differences in mediums, all artists brought up discussions about identity, sexuality, and personal reflection. The artists inspired me to look into my illustrations and find meaning in my work. Overall, it inspired me to branch out and try new mediums, such as sculpture and spray painting, and diversify my mediums in the future. My favorite artist would be Salman Toor, whose work references old European art. I was inspired by his process of creating his abstract style from traditional conventions as I drew from similar inspirations.
5-What were 5+ things you would like to Incorporate into your work after watching these videos?
After watching the videos, I would like to incorporate more symbolism and messages into my work and think about the perspective of the characters I am depicting. Much of my work centers on narratives, but it would be great to have pieces focusing on the core messages I want to convey through my stories. It would allow me to create work that invokes the feelings of those who view it.
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