BLACK HISTORY MONTH: BARKLEY L. HENDRICKS

Barkley Leonnard Hendricks was born in 1945 in Philadelphia. His work can be found in the National Gallery of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and many more.

http://www.wwd.com/eye/people/barkley-l-hendricks-talks-latest-exhibit-hearts-hands-eyes-mind-6812153/slideshow#/slideshow/article/6812153/6812251

Throughout his career Hendricks has experiemented with many different mediums and genres of art, although his portraits stand out the most. Hendricks' work was considered a huge jump for black portraiture and conceptualism. His portraits are life sized and really show pride through the subject. Hendricks' work touches upon many themes, style, attitude, realism through his straightforward portraits with a great sense of energy.

Barkley L. Hendricks, Triple Portrait from the Yard, oil on canvas, 2013

Focusing on the subtleties that bring out the sense of reality of these subjects is what makes these portraits strong. These works are not to show the realism of what is pop culture in a documentary sense but in a showing the viewer what is cool just from the attitude his paintings have. From a Portraiture stance, Hendricks' work shows the realism through purposefully showing you certain aspects of the person to give you their personality. Hendricks' knowledge of portraiture is strong and natural allowing his work to seem seamless in its meaning. While his work isn't widely known, he is one of those amazing artists that is wildly acknowledged and loved in the art world.

There is a wonderful interview of his show at Duke here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=darxeJzn4WI

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT

One of the leaders during the emergence of the Neo-Expressionism Movement is Jean-Michel Basquiat, a self-taught and very talented artist. He originally started as a graffiti artist around New York City under the name "SAMO". Because of his talent and passion his work was picked up in 1980 and he became loved by the public for his style.

About this time was when the Neo- Expressionist Movement began and in the mid 1980s Basquiat collaborated with Andy Warhol. Basquiat's work often touches upon the relations between the Egyptian slaves and African Americans with his use of text, symbols.
"Like a DJ, Basquiat adeptly reworked Neo-expressionism's cliched language of gesture, freedom, and angst and redirected Pop art's strategy of appropriation to produce a body of work that at times celebrated black culture and history but also revealed its complexity and contradictions" -Lydia Lee

Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Arm and Hammer II, Acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas, 76 x 112 inches, 1985.

During this time, when his work was showcased throughout the world, his life began to be pulled down with drug use leading to his early death at the age of 27. His brief but influential art career brought Latin and African American life into the art world. If he had lived longer his influence and experiences would have only further changed the art world for the better.

References:
http://www.biography.com/people/jean-michel-basquiat-185851#commercial-success
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Michel_Basquiat#cite_note-Sirmans-3

BIRTHDAY POST: JACKSON POLLOCK

Now as far as "main stream artists" go, Jackson Pollock is the Kurt Cobain. Jackson Pollock is known for his Abstract Expressionist paintings, but he is also known for his trouble with alcoholism that led to his death. Throughout my art career I've obviously known about Pollock and his paintings but I've never researched into his life to actually learn about him as I have with many other artists. This might be because people who know practically nothing about art claim to love Jackson Pollock and his art when they know nothing behind it. So let's all learn about Jackson Pollock today and actually try to understand his methods and style, since it is his birthday after all.

Jackson Pollock, Male and Female, paint on canvas, 1942, Philadelphia Museum of Art. This piece is one of Pollock's early works where he first began to pour paint on the canvas.

 

Jackson Pollock's technique is his biggest legacy. His paintings are mainly created with household paints instead of artist paints which he claimed as "a natural growth out of need." To create his "drip" technique he used hardened brushes, sticks and basting syringes along with pouring to actively paint from all directions. In a 1956 Time Magazine Pollock answers all of the questions of why he is an idolized and revolutionary Expressionist painter:
 "My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting."
"I continue to get further away from the usual painter's tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks, trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impast with sand, broken glass or other foreign matter added."
"When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well."
You can even find cigarette butts and dirt in the paint of his paintings if you look closely enough. He took his techniques from American Indian sandpainting and Mexican muralists and Surrealist automatism.

Jackson Pollock, Number 5, paint on canvas, 1948

Jackson Pollock, Number 29, paint on glass, 1950, National Gallery of Canada

The "Drip period" was between 1947 and 1950 which was when he really became well known and was considered the greatest living painter in the United States. Right then was when he abandoned his drip technique and went back to his former styles. He was is high demand from collectors and galleries and in response his alcoholism deepened and he took a break from painting. A few years later on August 11th 1956 Pollock died in a single car crash in his convertible while driving under the influence of alcohol. He died along with Edith Metzger but Ruth Kligman, fellow artist and Pollock's mistress survived. He left behind his wife and artist Lee Krasner.

There is so much more about Jackson Pollock that you'd have to research for years to know. This is only a tiny glimpse at his life and his work. If you wish to learn more check out this bio on him. But if you are really curious and want to learn more, which I highly suggest, then go and find documentaries and books and really learn about him as a person.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Pollock

NEW ARTFORM: GIFS

Are GIFs the new artform?
For those who don't know GIFs are a file format .gif that holds a few frames of a video or stop motion photographs that loop forever. The internet over the past few years has been churning out millions of gifs. From a scene from a movie to a handdrawn mini cartoon. But now there is debate whether gifs can be made into an art form. I mean if you think about it Photography started out for science and then use at home and for children but also an art form...

YoMeryl, Sarah Zucker and Bronwyn Lundberg, has just recently brought gifs to the Brooklyn Musuem as art. The gifs they portray are a play on pop culture and art history having celebrities like Lena Dunham and Lady Gaga mixing with famous art exhibits from Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party" to Ai Weiwei's "He Xie."

When interviewed about their gifs they said their gifs show a "hyperreality that shows subjects engaging with art so much so that they enter the art or become part of the art." Which leads to a very popular type of artwork right now: Interactive Art. But not all gif artists are creating these sorts of scenes. Some are taking a more abstract approach to gif art.

Erik Soderberg in 2011 experimented with the animation of gifs and "the relations of geometry, nature and the human being" Each piece being more mesmerizing than the next, Soderberg creates insane illusions that loop forever. These gifs are more generative than YoMeryl's but still use gifs as the main medium.

Erik Soderberg, Vibrating Icosahedron, gif, 2011

Erik Soderberg, Torus, gif, 2011

 What do you think about GIF Art? Is it the new wave of art?

References:
NYMagazine http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/12/are-gifs-art-the-pop-art-pair-yomeryl-discusses.html
Erik Soderberg: http://work.eriksoderberg.se/Fractal-Experience-Part-2

BIRTHDAY POST: BERTHE MORISOT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERTHE MORISOT!!!

Born today in 1841, Morisot was destined to be a great painter. She started learning how to paint at a very young age, like most young girls during this time (one of her teachers was Camille Corot where she first learned about plein air painting). Her first big appearance was in the Salon de Paris at only the age of 23. Her work was shown regularly in the Salon ever since, including when the first Impressionist exhibition occurred in 1874.

Berthe Morisot, Reading with Green Umbrella, 1873, Cleveland Art Museum

One of her good friends was Edouard Manet. Even though we are taught that Edouard Manet was considered the leader and Morisot the follower, they had a very equal relationship. They taught each other about various painting techniques, Morisot even pushed Manet to try plein air painting. Manet even gave Morisot an easel one Christmas! Later on Morisot married Manet's brother Eugene.

Berthe Morisot, Grain Field, 1875, Musee D'Orsay

Style-wise Morisot started off using small brushstrokes to long showing a better sense of form. This began once Manet and other artists started experimenting with unprimed canvas. She often left the canvas showing around the borders in an unfinished manner. Morisot is known for her sense of space and depth through her limited color pallet. 

Berthe Morisot, The Basket Chair, 1885, Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Like Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot painted daily life and domestic life and portraits along with landscapes. Just like many female artists of her time, she is getting more recognition after her death than during her lifetime. So let's celebrate her accomplishments and presence in Art History that can never be replaced.

Berthe Morisot, In the Dining Room, 1886, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.

Want to read more about Mary Cassatt? Check out a previous post about her!!

More information about Berthe Morisot can be found here!

NEW YEARS FOR ARTISTS

New Years is always a fresh start to begin again and try and improve yourself and your bad habits from the previous year. Every year people choose impossible resolutions and end up forgetting about them or just give up after a few weeks or even days. Each year we even try to make them easier and try so hard to keep them. Why is it so hard to keep our goals? How about this year we help each other?

GET A BUDDY.
Not only will you have yourself to remind you to work on your New Years Resolution but someone else to either remind you or to work with you to achieve the same goal. This way you can push each other (and have someone to blame other that yourself when you don't accomplish your goal) I also suggest keeping notes or reminders everywhere to really keep you focused (Post-Its, phone reminders, locking yourself out of a certain room until you are done each day).

Now, what are some of the best New Years Resolutions for Artists that are maintainable?
I asked my many Twitter followers this question and got nothing in response so we'll just have to figure it out ourselves.

Artists are dedicated to their work. We just need to promise ourselves to work on those things we struggle with so here is a great list of things to use for New Years Resolutions:

1. Using your sketchbook... DAILY. Yes that means meaningless sketches or writing or playing around with new materials EVERYDAY. That shouldn't be too too bad, just set off a half an hour everyday and open your sketchbook and do something, anything.

2. Create an actual piece of artwork once a week. Using your mindless sketching or experiments and create something full fledged and finished. It doesn't matter if it turns out terrible since it is only for you. It'll keep your mind in the creating mode and it'll help you figure out the kinks of what works and what doesn't.

3. Take in a commission. One of the best things I could've done was accept a request for a commission of a genre of art I don't find I am the strongest in. Now I don't suggest it to everyone because it is stressful and it is always better to accept a commission of something you will work confidently in, but for those who want to challenge themselves do it. Even if it is just a Birthday gift for someone that you are commissioning yourself to do, just share your art.

THIS website has 10 pretty good New Years Resolutions for Artists that I suggest checking out.

But MOST IMPORTANTLY DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANY OTHER ARTIST, THE WHOLE POINT OF HAVING A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION IS TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS MORE. If you are having a hard time check out this older post about it.

CALLIGRAPHY IN ART

Calligraphy and Typography were used in art forms dating back to around 600 BC. Many different areas of the world used Calligraphy as not only forms of writing but as artwork as well. Depending upon the region, different styles were also used.

Originated as a visual art form of writing and eventually some artists even used it strictly as an art form, leaving the words left behind and just using the strokes and linework. Now, I could go on and on about the origins of Calligraphy all around the world but here is the generic breakdown: Each general region (Western, East Asia, South Asia, Islamic) had a set of rules and shapes to be used while writing calligraphy. Calligraphy included a set rhythm and a geometrical order to the lines on the page even down to each character having a set order in which the strokes must be made to make each letter/symbol. Often a "carpet" page would be used as well within books, a carpet page being a page with not only the words but also a fully decorated colored shapes as well. Any irregularity of style, size or color increases the value even if it is considered illegible.

Calligraphy from each general region has endless different branches and styles. Even without having to study years and years of Calligraphy history, everyone can admire the amazing and technical flow of historic and modern calligraphy (and I'm not just talking about wedding invitations).

I'll show you some of my favorites:

Page from The Book of Kells, Western Calligraphy, Ireland

Islamic Calligraphy Art

Islamic Calligraphy Art even create pictures strictly from the brushstrokes used in Calligraphy

Calligraphy in Oriya font

Then there are Contemporary styles used today.

Contemporary Asian Calligraphy found in the Suzhou Museum

As a newcomer to the ways of Calligraphy, I have found that following the specific brushstrokes is both a challenge and dependent on focus but also quite relaxing. It is easy to pick up and good for the everyone to attempt and easy to add your own personal touch. It's a great skill to acquire even if you only use it for your wedding invitations (but they can be the most uniquely beautiful and artistic wedding invitations!)