Contemporary Artwork: Comparison and Analysis

Contemporary Artwork: Comparison and Analysis The two pieces which I have selected for comparison use similar technique to encourage an entirely different outcome and audience response. It is the way in which these artists go about their creative process, and how this, in turn provokes such contrasting concepts, with such similar mediums that engages me. The first piece for comparison is the haunting photographic installation (Fakray, 2009) Les Suisses Morts By Christian Boltanski, 1990, to be compared and contrasted with the fashion/art photographic editorial Hold on to your hat by photographer Stacey Mark, 2009, consisting of five components. Similarly the work of Boltanski consists of multiple photographs in order to enhance narrative. The most significant parallel between the two pieces ( other than choice of medium) lies in the soft focus aesthetic of the photographs in question, which creates the illusion of the subjects fading into and out of the work, in turn evoking feelings and introducing notions of presence and absen ce within the work (Roca and Sterling, 2007). Both works appear to have strong associations with Phantasmagoria (Roca and Sterling, 2007), the illusion of constant alterations in light and colour encouraging a dreamlike state involving the fusion of reality with the imagination (Gunning, no date). The overall effect for both pieces is some what visionary, yet they conjure up quite contrasting emotion within their audience. In this essay I will be identifying the conscious artistic choices which have been made in order to make the work similar yet so dissimilar at once. Hold onto your hat by Stacey Mark is effectively a fashion photographic editorial which has been executed artistically in order to transport the onlooker into a whimsical dream world. Featuring a young woman, the work is very sensuous and moody (McGrath, 2009), and with this in mind, has been designed to sell, promote and bring back the boater hat, an object of the past. (The past is just one of the themes dealt with in each piece, as Boltanski brings back from the past haunting memories of the deceased (Fakray, 2009), into the present, enabling them to live on). There is, therefore, a central focus to the work, which every artistic decision relates back to in order to create a strong cohesive narrative for the editorial spread consisting of five separate photographs. Whilst the eventual aim of this piece is to sell to an audience, the work of Boltanksi endeavors to have an entirely different effect upon its audience through visual disruption and intense emotional impact (Feinstein, 1997). Christian Boltanski is heavily involved in the devastation and loss of life which took place during the Second World War and the Holocaust, a complete contrast in subject matter to Marks photography. The emotional power of Boltanskis work derives from the mental ties that the audience relates when in the presence of his installations. His photographic installations featuring portraits of the deceased that were published in the obituary of a Swiss newspaper are particularly powerful, perhaps disturbing to the audience in their suggestion of the Holocaust (Simon, 2003). Boltanski appropriates his source material in the creation of his haunting archival installation consisting of vast collections of photographs (Fakray, 2009). Contrastingly, although with the use of the same medium to express her ideas, Stacey Mark takes her photographs, beginning with an empty film and following her work through to the end using only the products of her creative efforts. This is not to say that the wor k of Boltanski is any less evocative, in fact perhaps the creative process in which he immerses himself, renders the outcome all the more meaningful, with greater impact than what may have been if he had of produced his source material himself (Fakray, 2009). Lighting is an element which is used very differently and carefully within these two pieces to evoke contrasting feelings within the audience. In Les Suisses Morts Boltanski lights his subject from above, in turn creating a strong sense of interrogation ( artline, no date) where the eyes of the photographic subjects fall into deep sinister shadows. The image appropriation combined with the applied lighting technique lends each portrait a Shadowy skeletal form and Semi obliterated face, (Caines, 2004) thus having a powerfully haunting effect upon the audience. Adversely the lighting adopted in the photography of Stacey Mark enhances the luminosity that diffuses from the work, having quite the opposite effect on its audience. Bright yet soft light seems to diffuse gently onto the subject of these photographs, giving the images a dream like and visionary effect, perhaps achieved through the use of back lighting as well as forward facing studio lights. With this lighting Hold onto your h at achieves a sense of serenity as well as purity and femininity, all feelings that are helping to sell this product through appealing to the audience. Marks use of such lighting lends a soft focus and pictorial aesthetic to the work whilst Boltanski achieves a similarly pictorial effect (Franzke, 2009) with an entirely different approach. Les Suisses Morts assembles old photographic portraits of the deceased Swiss appropriated from newspapers, which have been re-photographed and enlarged by Boltanski, rendering them slightly larger than life for maximum audience impact (Vetrocq, 2008). Boltanski takes care to enlarge to enhance audience response rather than to distort for the sake of realism, yet he still attains a soft focus, slightly blurred and vague aesthetic as a result of this augmentation which is characteristic of his work as it works to encourage notions of absence and presence, (Simon, 2003.) This alternative method of working generates stronger references to childhood, innocence, death and memory, (all central themes explored in his work), as a result of Boltanskis use of real portraits, each with their own story to tell (Hylton, 1995.) Boltanski aims to subvert his audience and provoke deep feelings of melancholy, both of which he is able to significantly enhance upon with the use of real life portrait appropriation, (Simon, 2003.) Such realism within the work inflicts a dense emotional impact upon the audience as Boltanski touches upon notions of death as well as the disintegration of memories over time, which in turn induces a sense of nostalgia amongst the viewers, longing for lost loved ones and their own childhood (Caines, 2004.) In a similar, though more light hearted way, Hold onto your hat by Stacey Mark has the audience feeling nostalgic for their childhood and the days of dressing up (fashion gone rogue, no date). Though his message is powerful, Boltanski objectifies and dehumanizes his photographic subjects in various ways. The many faces comprising his archival installation are anonymous to the audience; they are unknown faces which Boltanski arranges to be read as whole, rather than paying attention to the individual. A Photograph captures a moment in timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦by its very nature it implies selection and priority, and each portrait reflects a snap shot second of an entire life (Caines, 2004). At first the audience feel oppressed by the vast numbers of deceased faces towering over as a result of Boltanskis dehumanization reminding us of the absurdity of death, however the work then begins to forward the concept of memory, which seems to counteract some of the ramifications of death, as the audience begin to identify with the individual, (Fakray, 2009.) In this way, both pieces appear to promote. Whilst Boltanski promotes a concept and an idea, Stacey Mark uses artistic and creative efforts to promote a product and to sell, and it is in this way that Mark objectifies and dehumanizes his photographic subject. Mark uses the girl as an object through which to sell a product meaning the girl herself is a selling point as she compliments the boater hat, and vice versa. The beautiful accessory, on the young girl, with the carefully lit back drop, soft focus effect and expression of serenity all help to create a cohesive and strong narrative with a sense of beauty and innocence (McGrath, 2009) through which to sell a product. Innocence is a feeling felt in both pieces of work, particularly in the sense of vulnerability and helplessness which Boltanski achieves in his installation, (Hylton, 1995.) It has been interesting to explore two contemporary art pieces which have such different functions yet remain correspondent in several ways, as well as the contrasting creative processes that these entail. The most engaging way in which they differ and compare at the same time lies in the contrasting lighting techniques which both seem to bring about notions of absence and presence, yet conjure up opposing feelings and emotions within the audience with different aims. Through the investigation of the photographic medium used in installation as a fine art practise and in fashion as an editorial through which to sell, I have been encouraged to focus on meaning behind work, and more contemporary ways of working. Word count: 1, 478

Life of Being an African American Essay

Throughout my life, I have had to battle with my own identity, as many people do. It is not just a black thing, I’m sure. I know people from all different ethnicities, who struggle to find themselves, but this has little to do with the way they look on the outside – it is the quest to find out who they are on the inside. I found that person when I was thirteen years old, but then when I moved to the United States from Chicago eight years ago, I underwent another sort of struggle with identity. This time it was because of the way I looked, and it was less than a personal struggle than it was a fight against discrimination. I had never really experienced any form of racial discrimination in Chicago; almost everyone who lived in our area was African American, with a few exceptions. There were a few white people, but they apparently were not indicative of the general population in America, as I never received any mistreatment or discrimination from them, and likewise, I do not believe they suffered any discrimination by my fellow African Americans. Everyone sort of just fit in and carried on with their daily lives. I am ashamed to admit that this is how I thought that my life would be in Texas as well. I did expect things to be different. I knew that Dallas were more affluent and I knew that there were buildings as big as some of our smaller towns. The buildings in the brochures seemed to reach the sky. I believed that the sky would be bluer, the air cleaner, and the people would be as friendly as they seemed to be on television and in the brochures. All of these shiny, smiling white faces would greet me with open arms and assist me in any way possible to make my stay wonderful. However, the exact opposite has happened to me. Although I am not the only African American by far to come to Dallas, I certainly felt all alone my first six months here. While I did meet other African Americans, and they welcomed me, they were all busy struggling to make a living or to learn the language just as much as the next. It seemed even the older African Americans who had lived here for over ten years still never managed to fit in. I have been called â€Å"stupid†, â€Å"ignorant† and â€Å"dumb† despite the fact that I am more intelligent than many of the people calling me this. .One of the things that annoys me the most is when I try to talk to someone and they talk back to me with a slang accent. I have had people speak very slowly and with raised volume and exaggerated hand movements when they are trying to talk to me. I guess they think that deaf and dumb. Stereotypes exist, I understand this, and it really doesn’t affect me as much as being discriminated against does. For example, I can take people assuming that I work at a chicken place or even asking â€Å"what are you†. But when I take the time to talk to people and explain and let them into my life a little, I expect a bit more than from someone on the street, but I don’t often get it. In my small group of friends, which is mainly white people, they don’t think I’m stupid or ignorant, unlike those strangers I meet on the street, and they don’t think I’m deaf and dumb; they actually think that I’m of the most caring person, and will do anything for them. Living in America is a dream for many, and while there are so many opportunities here, I have to say that it is a struggle for an African American to fit in. I can only hope that future employers will not discriminate or that the only jobs that I can find will be dishwashing and working for a place that sells chicken. While these jobs are suitable for some, they are not why I came to America. In essence, I am chasing the American dream, and while many Americans have discriminated against me, I can only hope that the dream will not.

Introducing Then and Now Essay Topics

Introducing Then and Now Essay Topics Bear in mind which you can make funny argumentative essays if you do a few things. Although having the ability to write persuasively can look like a challenging thing for children to learn, remind them that everyone has valid opinions. In the majority of cases, you will need to develop a topic which will allow other people to understand your perspective, and telling them to feel that what you write is true. In an issue of speaking, picking out persuasive essay topics is similar to telling yourself what you wish to convey to the rest of the planet. When it has to do with writing an argumentative essay, the most essential matter to do is to select a topic and an argument you can really get behind. You ought to make sure that you're very interested in the topic before it is possible to persuade others about it. There are lots of things to be considered prior to selecting a topic. Otherwise, you've got to consider about choosing another topic . When picking out persuasive essay topics to write about, it would be better to stick to your very own personal opinions so you are going to have a definite idea on what things to put in it. It is critical to consider various points of view and choose one which you consider correct. It's important to select debatable argumentative essay topics since you need opposing points you could counter to your own points. Then and Now Essay Topics - Dead or Alive? If you opted to compose an essay about abortion, go for an approach with a substantial body of research to strengthen your stance. At the exact same time, detecting cause and effect relationships isn't that easy in regards to the selection of a great cause and effect essay topic. For instance, you ought to keep the readers in mind as you select arguments to back up your position. Next, you should consider the method on how you need to relay it to your readers. Creative Essay writing is currently recognized among the most helpf ul activity for kids for their general personality development. Of course, it is one of the leading learning programs in any serious school institution. Every American should learn how to speak English. He should learn to speak Spanish. Even in the event the essay isn't for any specific assignment, the above mentioned criteria can be applied minus the initial one. In this kind of situation, it's more convenient to locate ready-made essays and use them as an example. Before you commence writing your essay, you should study the sources applicable to the possible subject, and make certain you have enough evidence to strengthen your thesis statement. Always remember a great persuasive essay needs to be persuasive. The True Meaning of Then and Now Essay Topics Social networking is a cheap but efficient advertizing channel. Though people believe education is a correct and will make society, generally, a better place for everybody, others feel there's no genuine means to provide a free college education as colleges would still must be funded (likely through tax dollars). Technology and the access to information are having an effect. Advertising and the media are now nearly inseparable from society for a whole. Life After Then and Now Essay Topics All you need to do is select the category or kind of essay that you're assigned to write for school. A list of words you really should know, since they are used a lot. Take your time to thoroughly examine our cause and effect topics list till you locate a prompt that you're excited to write about. You want to supply sample scenarios, along with other details to drive your point home. The Upside to Then and Now Essay Topics Especially because it is a very exciting book. There are a lot of essay topics that you may pick from. The subject can be associated with science or literature.

Brave Incident - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 386 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/09/12 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? High School Fight I went to high school in Vietnam; my cousin who I call brother went to the same high school with me. The high school I attended was also the school that many gang members attended. Those gang members always abused other students and took their lunch money as well as many of their valuables such as their wallets, cell phone and laptops. Our school principal always tried to inform the police about this behavior, but unfortunately that did not help. One day my class mate ran into the class room where I was spending my break, since I did not like to hang out in the play ground because of the gang members that were there, and he told me that my cousin was being harassed by a couple of those gang members and that they threatened to beat him to death if he does not give them all his money. My cousin was very stubborn much more like Victoriano. The two gang members had my cousin against the wall and were trying to steal his wallet and belonging while he fought them as much as he could. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Brave Incident" essay for you Create order I had nothing on my mind at that moment but to save my cousin and help him run away from those gang members. I looked for small pieces or rocks and a wooden stick and immediately ran towards my cousin screaming loudly so that I can distract them from him. As I started throwing the rocks on them they let go of my cousin and paid attention to where I was heading which was directly towards them. I screamed loudly telling my cousin to run away and go to the principal’s office just like when Dona Guadalupe told her cousin â€Å"I am not cutting you free so you can be brave and get killed. I want you running so you can live† I wanted my cousin to run and not try to fight the gang members when they let go of him. My cousin ran to the principal’s office while I threw the stick of wood towards them. I immediately changed my direction and ran towards the principal’s office as well. The Principal called the police and they arrested the gang members and I was able to save my cousin after all.